Casualty TV actor dies from cancer

Actor Simon MacCorkindale, who starred in TV's Casualty, has died after a four-and-a-half-year battle with cancer.

The 58-year-old actor, who had a wide ranging career including six years in the hit BBC medical drama as Dr Harry Harper, died in the arms of his wife, the actress Susan George, on Thursday in the London Clinic, at Harley Street.

Ms George said: "No one could have fought this disease any harder than he did since being diagnosed four years ago.

"He fought it with such strength, courage and belief.

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"To me, he was simply the best of everything, and I loved him with all my heart.

"He will live on in me forever."

Born in Cambridge, MacCorkindale turned to acting because poor eyesight prevented him from following his father into the RAF.

He took drama classes and put in much time on the repertory theatre stage, culminating in an appearance in the West End in an acclaimed production of Pygmalion with Alec McCowen and Diana Rigg in 1974.

He went on to appear in TV miniseries such as I, Claudius (1976) and Jesus of Nazareth (1977), while his first major film role was in Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile (1978).

He moved to the US in 1980, where his good looks were in demand.

He returned to the UK in 1986 and directed, wrote and produced a number of projects.

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