Peter Denyer: Television Sit-Com Star Dies September 18, 2009

Peter Denyer, Aug. 20, 1947 – Sept. 18, 2009, British actor and panto writer, has died. He was 62.

Best known as the slow-witted but lovable pupil Dennis Dunstable in the London Weekend Television’s sitcom “Please Sir!,” the part brought Denyer fame though he was only in his 20s at the time.

The show was based around a school in South London. Room 5C, headed up by newly graduated teacher Mr. Hedges played by John Alderton, was the focus along with a variety of teenagers including Denyer as the class dunce. The series first aired Nov. 11, 1968 and ran for four series consisting of a total of 53 episodes.

Denyer also appeared in the show’s spinoff series called “The Fenn Street Gang” and later, in a variety of shows including the soap “Emmerdale Farm” in 1979 and “Dixon of Dock Green.”

Peter Denyer was a shy sort however and left acting. In 1986, he teamed up with the producer Kevin Wood and together they wrote, directed and produced pantomimes. At his death, Denyer was considered one of Britain’s premier writers of pantomimes.