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| Funeral of Minder star George Cole held in Reading | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The funeral of Minder actor George Cole is taking place. | |
| Cole, who died on 5 August aged 90, was best known as Cockney wheeler-dealer Arthur Daley, a role he played for 15 years from 1979 to 1994. | Cole, who died on 5 August aged 90, was best known as Cockney wheeler-dealer Arthur Daley, a role he played for 15 years from 1979 to 1994. |
| Dennis Waterman, his co-star for more than a decade, is reading a eulogy at the ceremony, which began at Reading Crematorium at 11:30 BST. | |
| Cole was "surrounded by his family" when he died at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, his agent has said. | Cole was "surrounded by his family" when he died at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, his agent has said. |
| His signature role, as the small-time crook who dreamt of bigger things, regularly drew audiences of 17 million for the ITV show. | His signature role, as the small-time crook who dreamt of bigger things, regularly drew audiences of 17 million for the ITV show. |
| Cole, who lived in Stoke Row near Henley, Oxfordshire, also played Flash Harry in four St Trinian's films between 1954-66, starred opposite Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Cleopatra, as well as gothic horror The Vampire Lovers. | Cole, who lived in Stoke Row near Henley, Oxfordshire, also played Flash Harry in four St Trinian's films between 1954-66, starred opposite Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Cleopatra, as well as gothic horror The Vampire Lovers. |
| He began acting in the early 1940s, appearing with Lawrence Olivier in The Demi-Paradise, and taking a small role in Olivier's star-studded Henry V. | He began acting in the early 1940s, appearing with Lawrence Olivier in The Demi-Paradise, and taking a small role in Olivier's star-studded Henry V. |