ACTOR Terry Scott, who died yesterday aged 67, was the quintessential

element in English situation comedy for a generation of television fans

through the 70s and 80s. His character was the comic epitome of the

middle-class, Home Counties husband.

He will best be remembered for his durable partnership, both on stage

and small screen, with June Whitfield. At the height of their

popularity, they were rarely off television with their half-hour comedy

series, Happy Ever After and Terry and June.

In both, they played the happily married suburban couple at home after

the children have flown the coop. June was the commonsense housewife to

Terry's harassed businessman. The format, safe and predictable, was none

the less wildly successful. At its height, Terry and June could command

audiences of 15 million.

Owen John Scott, born in Watford the son of a postman, entered show

business in 1949 after National Service in the Navy. He was given a

one-year radio contract with the BBC -- which was not renewed. He later

moved on to two unsuccessful television series.

In the mid-1950s, he joined Brian Rix's Whitehall Theatre Company

which turned out to be one of the best moves of his career. Scott's

farcical performances were favourably reviewed and he was hailed as a

brilliant newcomer.

It was around this time that he met comedian Hugh Lloyd and writer

John Chapman. Together, the trio hatched the comedy series, Hugh and I,

for BBC Television. Thanks to its success, Terry Scott was offered a

plethora of roles in films of the 1960s when British cinema comedy was

at its height. In movie terms, he will be best remembered for the

blustering sergeant major in Carry On Up The Khyber, generally

recognised as the best Carry On of the lot. He also found time to record

a hit record, the amiable children's favourite, My Bruvver.

In the 1970s, Terry found the perfect niche for his comic talents in

his professional partnership with Whitfield. Together they made 107

episodes of the two series, Happy Ever After and Terry and June. It was

a cosy, simple formula about the perfect family and television audiences

took it to heart. Fan mail was even addressed to the Fletchers or the

Medfords, their screen surnames for the almost interchangeable

programmes.

But he was already starting to show disturbing signs of the ill health

that would blight his career. In October 1979, his life was saved by a

four-hour brain operation after a haemorrhage, which took place just

before millions of viewers saw him in a pre-recorded comedy sketch as a

patient with a serious head injury.

By 1985, he was suffering a creeping paralysis which meant that off

screen he had to wear a neck brace and the feeling was going in his left

hand and feet. Terry and June was axed by the BBC in 1988 just as he was

forced to pull out of a stage show because of a nervous breakdown.

It was brought on by his admission that he had a string of mistresses

during his marriage to former dancer Maggie Pollen, his wife since 1957,

and that he was suffering from cancer. At the time, he remarked: ''I

know it would be better to give up the booze, fags, and birds but life

would be so boring, wouldn't it?''

He was rarely seen on stage or screen again. In April last year, his

bladder had to be removed. It left him unable to work and prone to

depression as he faced the grim prospect that his career was over after

nearly 50 years.

Terry Scott, who died at his home in Godalming, Surrey, is survived by

his wife and four daughters, all of whom were at his bedside when he

passed away.