Richard Arnold (born 31st December 1918 in Sheffield, died 6th January 1990 in Leeds) appeared on Coronation Street in four roles:
- George Benton, one of the contestants in the Superbrain quiz at the Rovers Return in April 1976
- Tiny Stubbs in May 1977
- Ventriloquist Ossie Oswald in January 1980
- Bet Lynch’s Uncle Ted in March 1985.
He also appeared in Madame Pratt, an episode of the Coronation Street spin-off series The Brothers McGregor, transmitted in July 1988.
Specialising in northern roles, he appeared for Granada Television in Yanks Go Home, Strangers, Foxy Lady, Brass and Return of the Antelope and also appeared in All Creatures Great and Small, Ripping Yarns, Rosie, Juliet Bravo, Emmerdale Farm, Bergerac, The Magnificent Evans, How We Used to Live and A Small Problem. Film roles included Clockwise, Santa Claus and The Nature of the Beast.
On stage, he appeared in three separate productions of The Dillen for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Prior to taking up acting, Arnold was a comic compere in clubs, particularly the Panama in London and then worked with his wife, Dorothy, for thirty years as the comedy duo “Dickie and Dotty” in which she wore nothing but a picture hat and a pair of high heels as he held strategically placed objects in front of her. Although meant to garner laughs, it did nothing of the sort in Dublin where the pair were arrested and charged with indecency, although the case was dismissed when Dickie made the judge laugh when giving his evidence.
