John Hewer, who died on 16 March, 2008, aged 86, was an English actor whose face became one of the most familiar on British television over the course of three decades.

Between 1967 and 1998 he played Captain Birds Eye, the mascot of Birds Eye fish fingers. The character outlasted both the Milky Bar Kid and Ronald McDonald on British screens.

Mr Hewer was born on 13 January, 1922, in the Leyton area of London. He began his acting career at the London Players’ Theatre and appeared in shows for them throughout his life.

The highlights of his stage career were roles in The Boy Friend when it debuted on Broadway in 1954, a production which saw the first appearance of Julie Andrews, and Noel Coward’ musical Sail Away.

He was also a successful vaudeville star on Southend Pier where he later went into a management partnership with bandleader Henry Hall.

He made his debut as the jovial captain in 1967, 12 years after fish fingers first went on sale on Britain in 1955. The character was dropped in 1971, but revived again three years later at the height of the ‘cod wars’.

In 1998, at the age of 76, he handed the helm over to Thomas Pescod, a rugged 30-something update of the famous Captain, though this new captain did not prove popular and a more traditional Captain Birds Eye was once again seen on British screens, though played by a different actor.

Mr Hewer spent his final years at Brinsworth House, the retirement home in Twickenham famous for its many show business residents.