Buster Merryfield is best known for his role as Uncle Albert in the beloved British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He joined the cast in 1985, following the passing of actor Lennard Pearce, who portrayed Grandad, in December 1984.
The sitcom’s writers, keen to keep an elderly character in the Trotter family, introduced Uncle Albert, Grandad’s estranged brother.
Buster, with his distinctive white beard, was selected for the role at the age of 64. Despite his age, he had little professional acting experience.
While Buster had a long history in amateur dramatics, his primary income came from his job as a bank manager. In his younger years, he also had a stint as a boxer.
A keen amateur footballer, Buster was a devoted Millwall fan, regularly attending matches at their home ground, The Den. Additionally, he was a skilled pianist, despite not being able to read music, preferring to play by ear.
In his leisure time, young Buster enjoyed dancing at local discos. Prior to embarking on his professional acting career, he worked for NatWest, then known as Westminster Bank, for 40 years.
Interestingly, much like his character Uncle Albert, Buster served in the army during the war. However, unlike his clumsy, ship-sinking character, he was far from accident-prone.
Due to his build, Buster was appointed as a PT and jungle warfare instructor. In 1942, he was granted an Emergency Commission in the Royal Artillery and promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant.
During his service in the war, he also took on the role of entertainments officer, tasked with organising shows for the troops. It was during this time that Buster discovered his love for acting.
He continued his career in banking until his retirement in 1978. Only then did he decide to pursue acting professionally, starting with theatre plays.
Eventually, he landed the opportunity to portray Uncle Albert, one of the most iconic characters in British television history.
He continued to play the role until his untimely death from a brain tumour in 1999, at the age of 78. Uncle Albert’s death was subsequently written into the following episode of Only Fools and Horses, which continued for another four years until the show finally ended in 2003.
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