He is most famous for his role in Only Fools and Horses (1981) as Del Boy, although he is known today for a wide variety of iconic characters. He was knighted in 2005, becoming Sir David Jason. The title of the first book — and the subsequent 90s television adaptation — is a quote from William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18. We soon discover, Ma and Pop Larkin are unconcerned about late 1950s conventions: a baby is simply a wonderful addition to the Larkin paradise on Earth. The Larkins may be little devils when it comes to tax evasion, but they are the kindliest creatures on the planet who'd never force their daughter into a marriage where she'd not be happy with the choice of groom and they couldn't care less about conventions of marriage either. Having produced 6 children without the encumbrance of a marriage certificate, Ma and Pop Larking know they can easily manage a grandchild that comes from "the wrong side of the blanket". This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. It became an instant classic, running for 20 episodes and launching the career of Catherine Zeta-Jones, who played the Larkin family’s eldest daughter.

Eads, Peter, 1990, H.E.BATES, A Bibliographical Study, St. Paul's Bibliographies, Winchester, Hampshire, Omnigraphics, Detroit 1990 ISBN 0 906795 76 1 Other novels followed after the war; he averaged about one novel and a collection of short stories a year, which was considered very productive at the time. These included The Feast of July and Love for Lydia. His most popular creation was the Larkin family in The Darling Buds of May. Pop Larkin and his family were inspired by a person seen in a local shop in Kent by Bates and his family when on holiday. The man (probably Wiltshire trader William Dell, also on holiday) [7] [8] had a huge wad of rubber-banded bank notes and proceeded to treat his trailer load of children with Easter eggs and ice creams. Other characters were modelled on friends and acquaintances of Bates, such as Iris Snow (a parody of Iris Murdoch) [9] and the Brigadier who was modelled on the father of John Bayley, Murdoch's husband. [9]The Darling Buds of May [with] A Breath of French Air [with] When the Green Woods Laugh [with] Oh! To Be In England [with] A Little of What You Fancy. THE LARKINS NOVELS COMPLETE IN UNCLIPPED DUSTWRAPPERS

But in season one, there were certain stories added that weren't in the book, unlike the original 90s show which stayed true to the source. Who's in The Larkins cast? David released an autobiography called David Jason: My Life, which was shortlisted for a literary award in 2013. He has since written another two autobiographies in 2017 and 2020.

Is The Larkins based on a book?

The characters (mostly Pop and Ma, the children aren’t explored much) are fun-loving but also kind-hearted and generous, sending away people that come to visit with food, such as nice cuts of pork from their pig they just slaughtered. They clearly have fun and enjoy life to the full, being involved in many things and engaging their children in the sort of lifestyle that would make most people envious. There’s also an element of the shifty too, as we never find out what Pop does and where his wads of cash come from! One thing was for certain – the second the Larkin’s got home and saw poor Charley standing there in their yard, he never, ever had a chance. READ MORE: Where was The Darling Buds Of May filmed and which locations will be used by The Larkins? After this came Rosemary and Thyme, as well as other TV series and films such as Where the Heart Is, Matilda and Harry Potter. Of course one of her most loved characters is as "Sister Evangelina" in BBC's Call the Midwife. In 1931, he married Madge Cox, who lived two streets away from him in his native Rushden. They relocated to the village of Little Chart in Kent and bought an old granary and this together with an acre of garden they converted into a home. Bates was a keen and knowledgeable gardener who wrote many books on flowers. The Granary remained their home for the whole of their married life. Welcome to the Siren Book Club! Whether you’re looking for your next steamy romance, an excuse to cry ugly tears or want to be whisked away to a new magical realm, we have something for you. All the characters you’ll meet along the way are strong women who know what they want. Whether it’s reclaiming […]

After Bates' death Madge relocated to a bungalow, which had originally been a cow byre, next to the Granary. She died in 2004 at the age of 95. Since then, the Welsh-born actress has appeared in a wide range of films, most notably the musical Chicago (2002), for which she won the Academy Award for best supporting actress.

Who's in The Larkins cast?

Many of his stories depict life in the rural Midlands of England, particularly his native Northamptonshire. Bates was partial to taking long midnight walks around the Northamptonshire countryside - and this often provided the inspiration for his stories. Bates was a great lover of the countryside and its people and this is exemplified in two volumes of essays entitled Through the Woods and Down the River. Forgotten the title or the author of a book? Our BookSleuth is specially designed for you. Visit BookSleuth