John Francis Junkin 29 January 1930 7 March 2006 was an English actor and scriptwriter who had a long career in radio television and film specialising in comedy In 1960 Junkin joined Joan Littlewoods Stratford East Theatre Workshop and played the lead in the original production of Sparrers Cant Sing A few years later he joined the Royal Court Theatre company and was the foil to Tony Hancock in some of Hancocks last work for British television In 2006 he passed away from lung cancer in Aylesbury