Bernard Cribbins ‘would have been devastated’ at Oldham Coliseum’s fate, according to biographer James Hogg, who co-wrote the late actor’s autobiography, ‘Bernard Who?: 75 Years of Doing Just About Everything’.

The late Oldham actor, who passed away in July last year, got his start at The Coliseum, then called the Oldham Repertory Theatre.

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In a letter dated January 2, 1943, producer Douglas Emery offers Cribbins – aged just 14 – a position at the theatre for just 15 shillings a week, or about £27 a week in today’s money.

The letter reads “Dear Bernard, In reply to your letter to the Committee of this theatre, I am instructed to offer you a position here at a commencing salary of fifteen shillings weekly.

“You will understand, of course, that as there will not be a part for you in the play always you will be required to make yourself useful in helping with the stage management as requested.

“I should like you to commence at ten o’clock on Monday morning next, the fourth of January and I hope you will have a long and happy association with us.”

Biographer James Hogg fondly remembers his time working with Bernard, and his fondness towards the Coliseum.

Speaking to The Oldham Times, Hogg said: “That [the letter] was the first thing he brought out, his time at Oldham came up quite early in the conversations.

“He was so proud of it, we could have done a whole book about his experiences at Oldham Coliseum, and not just from a romantic point of view.

“It was a really, really good rep – the vast majority of rep companies were good, and Oldham was no exception.

“That’s where he learnt how to act, and Bernard was a formidable actor.

“I’m writing a book with Timothy West and Prunella Scales at the moment, and they appeared with him in When We Are Married by J. B. Priestley and they said the trouble is because of children’s TV, people forget how good of an actor Bernard was.

“He learnt that. He learnt how to become a really good actor at Oldham.”

Cribbins ‘would have been devastated’

Hogg was disappointed to learn about the Coliseum’s fate, with the theatre set to shut down at the end of March.

Hogg said: “I think it’s a pity. I wish I’d spoken to Bernard about it, but unfortunately he died just when it was all coming.

“He would have been devastated, he really would and I know for a fact he would say the same as me: it’s not beyond the wit of man to find… the fact they’re downsizing the theatre, so going to build a smaller theatre which isn’t going to do the original justice and isn’t going to do the town justice, they’re not doing justice to the theatrical history of the town which is a bit shoddy, really.

“How they couldn’t find the money from somewhere, whether it be sponsorship or public and private money to keep it ticking over, even on a part-time basis, the fact they’ve had their funding removed is just appalling but it’s indicative of what’s happening to the arts in this country, how it’s being crushed.

“I think like anybody who has a heart and an interest in the arts, I think it’s a disgrace.

“Like anybody, you wish them well, you feel sorry for the town but most of all you feel sorry for the people who are going to lose their jobs and all the actors who are not going to be hired for the shows that would have been put on there – sad.”