Health
In October 1969, Patrick Wymark was due to help out producer Charles Vance by appearing at the Devonshire Theatre, Eastbourne as Elwood P Dowd in a production of Harvey. Just before the opening night, he collapsed with a severe nosebleed. The background to this crisis gives an indication of the kind of man Patrick Wymark was.
In June 1968, Wymark had taken a "working holiday", directing a production of Blithe Spirit at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Colwyn Bay, as a favour to manager Rex Brown. A year later, Helena Ross, who had played Elvira, invited him to her wedding in Eastbourne. Helena, who would appear in The Persuaders episode 'Someone Waiting' was marrying former Metropolitan Police detective inspector Peter Hill, later scriptwriter for Special Branch, The Sweeney and Rough Justice. At the wedding, Patrick Wymark met Charles Vance and after an hour's chat agreed to appear in a one-week production of Harvey at the Devonshire Theatre. Although the play was scheduled to be revived in a national tour starring Harry Worth in 1970, Vance managed to persuade H.M. Tennent to let him put on this special presentation from November 3rd 1969.Unfortunately, no-one had told Wymark's agents, Plunkett Greene, who had signed him to appear in The Man From The Other Side with filming commencing in Russia from 30 September.
After a lot of negotiation from Plunkett Greene, the film company agreed that Patrick Wymark could take a break in the middle of filming. After shooting his scenes in Estonia, Wymark flew 1000 miles to Moscow, in order to jet 2000 miles back to England. Arriving in Eastbourne on 13 October 1969, Patrick had a late supper with director Charles Vance and his wife Imogen at Le Chantecler restuarant before meeting the rest of the cast for rehearsals at 10:30 am on Tuesday 14 October. Among the cast was Daphne Odin-Pearce, of the Colwyn Bay company, who had played Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit and was excited to now be playing opposite Wymark as Elwood's sister. Rehearsals went well, and Patrick Wymark met with the Mayor of Eastbourne on 28 October to promote the play.
Actress Lee Hudson later related how Wymark arrived at the theatre on the first night, Monday November 3rd. An hour later at 7:30, he was dressed and ready to go on when he began suffering from a painful nose bleed. He was rushed to Princess Alice Memorial Hospital for emergency treatment, while Charles Vance took the lead with a copy of the script in hand. Patrick was moved to Esperance Nursing Home and Vance continued to perform the lead ("he was marvellous, and only had to glance at the script occasionally," Lee Hudson said). A review concluded that Vance was, "an outstandingly good actor," and Daphne Odin-Pearce "wins a personal triumph as Dowd's delightful sister." For Patrick, the painful nosebleeds continued and he later, had a four hour operation. His wife Olwen Wymark said, "The surgeon told me at that time that these alarming nose-bleeds happened to many people without warning. usually they were people with high blood pressure. However, Patrick's blood pressure was normal."
As noted, Patrick Wymark was a hard working actor whose career depended on being perceived as healthy by employers and a week after his operation, this photo by Peter Ekin-Wood appeared in the Sunday Mirror for November 16th 1969 to confirm that all was well.
Tonic for Wymark after his big 'op'
"Actor Patrick Wymark doesn't look too well (the report says) despite the bedside ministrations of his attractive wife, Olwen and a glass of tonic.
"But in fact he's 'doing nicely' at the Eastbourne nursing home where he's convalescing...His illness is likely to hold up shooting of a £1,000,000 Swedish-Russian film in which he has the main role."
As we now know, Wymark was able to film The Man From The Other Side, as well as The Blood on Satan's Claw in April 1970.
Almost a year after his operation, Patrick Wymark passed away on October 20th 1970 in Melbourne, while on tour in Anthony Shafer's new hit Sleuth .
The Australian press - giving Britain a foretaste of what was to come - indulged in a certain amount of speculative innuendo. Journalist Jim Keeps said he had interviewed Wymark on the day of his death and he "seemed obsessed by death, talking about the number of times he had been killed in plays and films." (n.b. as many as six). The Sydney Daily Mirror published an article by Matt White which speculated that Wymark had been suffering from throat cancer. Olwen Wymark was forced to issue a statement on 9th November stating that, "Patrick never suffered from throat cancer...If anyone wishes to check with the doctor who performed the post-mortem in Melbourne [Dr J McNamara, senior government pathologist] I think I can say with certainty that Patrick never suffered from throat cancer. He died of a heart attack...Because of the story, Interpol came to my house on the night of Patrick's death to make inquiries about his medical history."
Patrick Wymark was buried at Highgate Cemetary on 3rd November 1970 after a Requiem Mass at St Dominic's, Highgate. Two days later, on 5th November, a memorial service was held at Brompton Oratory.
Derek Wickens, a friend of Patrick Wymark's, who was also an oboeist with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, played three short pieces by Benajmin Britten which were favourites of the actor. Broadcaster Wilfrid Thomas said that, "Many people thought he must be like the tough self-centred John Wilder, but he was completely the opposite. Although he admitted that he must have some of the qualities of Wilder, as actors must draw on their own reserves."