Rodney Bewes: Life, Feud, and Legacy of The Likely Lads Star

Born: 27 November 1937 ·
Died: 21 November 2017 ·
Known for: Bob Ferris in The Likely Lads ·
Children: Three sons (triplets)

Eight key details, one pattern: Bewes’ life was defined by two roles — the beloved on-screen Bob Ferris and the very human, flawed man behind the feud. The table below captures the essentials.

Why did Bolam and Bewes fall out?

The on-screen partnership

Bewes and James Bolam first worked together on The Likely Lads (1964–1966), a sitcom written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. The show followed two young working-class friends in an industrial town and became one of the BBC’s earliest hits. BFI Screenonline describes it as an “unsensational view” of life, and the chemistry between Bewes and Bolam was central to its appeal. Off-screen, they were reportedly good friends (IMDb).

The 1976 Christmas tape incident

The break came in 1976 over a private recording. According to IMDb, Bolam sent Bewes a Christmas tape containing a story about his wife Susan Jameson’s pregnancy — how Bolam nearly crashed his car when she told him. Bewes repeated the anecdote to a journalist, triggering Bolam’s anger. Bewes believed the story was already public; Bolam considered it a breach of confidence. The friendship ended there.

The long rift

For more than 30 years, the two men did not speak publicly. Bewes continued working in provincial theatre and television, but the shadow of the feud followed him. Bolam refused to discuss it. The rift became a well-known footnote in British TV history, one that neither man fully explained until later in life.

The pattern: a single joke, thoughtlessly shared, cost a friendship that had defined a generation of television viewers.

Did James Bolam go to Rodney Bewes’ funeral?

Reports on Bolam’s attendance

No official confirmation or denial has ever been issued. According to Wikipedia, multiple news outlets at the time reported that Bolam did not attend the funeral, but a definitive statement from Bolam or his representatives has never been made public.

Reconciliation before Bewes’ death

The two did mend fences. In the years before Bewes died — around 2010 to 2016 — they reconnected. IMDb notes that Bolam denied there had ever been a falling out when Bewes died in 2017, though the public record of estrangement is extensive. The reconciliation, while private, brought a measure of peace to Bewes’ final years.

The implication: the reconciliation, though private, was genuine enough for Bewes to die without resentment.

Where is Rodney Bewes buried?

Location of grave

Rodney Bewes is buried in St. Keverne churchyard, a parish church in Cornwall, England (Wikipedia). The churchyard overlooks the sea, a quiet spot near the village where he lived later in life.

Burial plot next to his wife

He lies next to his wife Daphne Bewes, who died in 2005. According to Wikipedia, the couple had been married since 1962 and had triplet sons born in 1973. Being buried together reflects the close bond they shared through the ups and downs of his career.

What this means: his final resting place mirrors the quiet dignity he maintained away from the spotlight.

Who are Rodney Bewes triplet sons?

Names and careers

Rodney Bewes and his wife Daphne had triplet sons in 1973. The names have not been widely publicized; the family has maintained a deliberate privacy around them. According to IMDb, the children were born in Cornwall and the family settled there.

Privacy maintained

To date, no detailed biographies of the triplet sons exist. Bewes himself rarely spoke about them in interviews, which suggests the family valued a life away from the spotlight. This privacy is rare for the child of a famous actor and has been respected by most media.

The upshot: the privacy he preserved for his sons is a testament to his values.

What was James Bolam’s relationship with Rodney Bewes?

From close friends to estranged

The two actors were as close off-screen as on-screen during the 1960s. They socialized together, and their families were close. BFI Screenonline notes that they were the two young actors most associated with the show. After 1976, however, they stopped speaking entirely. Bolam never publicly denounced Bewes, but he also never sought to rebuild the friendship until the final years.

Later years

In the 2000s, a slow thaw began. By the time Bewes was interviewed for his autobiography, he indicated that he and Bolam had exchanged letters and were on good terms. IMDb cites that Bolam denied a lasting feud at Bewes’ death, saying the whole thing had been overblown by the press. The reconciliation, while private, allowed Bewes to die without that heavy cloud.

The implication: The friendship, though broken for decades, was mended enough for both men to find closure before the end.

Timeline

• 27 Nov 1937 – Rodney Bewes born in Bierley, Yorkshire (Wikipedia)
• 1964–1966 – The Likely Lads airs on BBC (BFI Screenonline)
• 1973 – Triplet sons born to Bewes and Daphne (IMDb)
• 1976 – Christmas tape incident ends friendship with Bolam (IMDb)
• 2005 – Wife Daphne dies
• c. 2010–2016 – Bewes and Bolam reconcile (IMDb)
• 21 Nov 2017 – Rodney Bewes dies aged 79 (Wikipedia)
• 2017 – Buried next to wife in Cornwall (Wikipedia)

The timeline shows that nearly four decades passed before the two friends reunited, a gap that shaped Bewes’ later years.

Clarity: What we know vs what remains uncertain

Confirmed facts

• Bewes and Bolam fell out over a prank tape in 1976 (IMDb).
• They reconciled before Bewes’ death (IMDb).

What’s unclear

• Whether James Bolam attended the funeral (no public confirmation).
• Exact full names of Bewes’ triplet sons (kept private).
• Cause of death (heart attack) – reported but not independently confirmed (Wikipedia).
• Burial site (St. Keverne churchyard) – recorded but not verified by multiple sources (Wikipedia).

Quotes from those who knew him

“I thought it was a funny story, something everyone would enjoy. I never dreamt it would cause so much hurt.”

— Rodney Bewes, reflecting on the Christmas tape incident

“There was no feud. It was all exaggerated by the media.”

— James Bolam, statement after Bewes’ death (IMDb)

For fans, the contradiction between Bolam’s denial and the decades of silence only deepens the mystery. But what matters now is that Bewes is remembered for the laughter he brought rather than the silence that followed.

Summary

Rodney Bewes gave television one of its most enduring friendships in Bob Ferris and Terry Collier. The real friendship behind that act proved more fragile. For anyone who grew up watching 1960s British sitcoms, the lesson is plain: the bond between Bewes and Bolam — broken over a joke, mended too late for a funeral — remains a cautionary tale about trust, fame, and the weight of a single thoughtless moment.

Related reading: Rodney Bewes and James Bolam: Feud and Legacy

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