George Cole (actor)

George Edward Cole, OBE was an English actor whose career spanned more than 70 years. He was best known for playing Arthur Daley in the longrunning ITV comedydrama show Minder and Flash Harry in the early St Trinians films.

Cole was born in Tooting, London. He was given up for adoption at ten days old and adopted by George and Florence Cole, Tooting council employee and cleaner respectively. He attended secondary school in nearby Morden. He left school atto be a butchers boy, and had an ambition to join the Merchant Navy, but landed a part in a touring musical and chose acting as a career.

Source: Wikipedia