Peter Sallis Dies Age 96
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Well, that sucks.
Best known for his roles in Last of the Summer Wine and as the voice of Wallace from Wallace and Gromit, Peter Sallis passed away yesterday surrounded by family, his agent confirmed. Sallis played Norman “Cleggy” Clegg, for all 295 episodes of Last of the Summer Wine, from the first episode in 1973, until it concluded in 2010. He was the only actor to appear in all episodes.
He brought a lot of laughs to everyone who watched his stuff. Wallace and Gromit is to this day probably one of the most recognisable IPs out there. Not to mention how genuinely funny it was. There were no awful jokes or sub-plots or anything dumb like that. They were solid short films, each with creativity and originality.
Sallis worked very closely with Nick Park, who helmed the animation for the show, calling him a “unique character”.
“I’m so sad, but feel so grateful and privileged to have known and worked with Peter over so many years. He was always my first and only choice for Wallace,” Park said in a statement. “Working with him was always a delight and I will miss his wry, unpredictable humour and silliness – that started the moment he greeted you at the door, and didn’t stop when the mic was switched off.”
The Wallace and Gromit films won three Oscars, and Sallis often spoke about how lucky he was to be a part of it.
Rest in peace Sallis.