Actor Dave King dies

King (r) played Jack Duckworth's brother on the street

Dave King, one of the most popular UK television performers of the 1950s and early 60s, has died at the age of 72 after a short illness.

King appeared in the classic gangster film The Long Good Friday and in Pennies from Heaven, by the late TV dramatist Dennis Potter - both starring Bob Hoskins.

His most recent TV role was in the soap Coronation Street, as Clifford Duckworth, brother of Jack.

Bob Hoskins loomed large in King's career

"Dave King was a popular actor and a great character in the show," a spokeswoman for the ITV show said.

"Our thoughts are with his family at this time."

King, born in Twickenham, in southwest London, started his career as a comedian on TV variety shows.

In 1955, the BBC gave him his own show, in which he performed sketches and spoofs of Hollywood films.

The following year, he began a recording career with a cover of the Dean Martin song Memories Are Made Of This.

King was in Dennis Potter's Pennies from Heaven

He went on to have hits with Christmas and You, With All My Heart, High Hopes and The Story of My Life.

In 1959, he tried his luck as an entertainer in the US, but the experiment came to nothing.

On returning to the UK, he found his style of comedy had fallen out of favour, and turned to straight acting.

Roles followed in some of the most popular UK TV series, including The Sweeney, The Professionals, Bergerac, Rumpole of the Bailey and Heartbeat.