Clive Swift is an English, character comedy; actor and songwriter. He is best known for his role as character Richard Bucket in the British television series Keeping Up Appearances.
Swift was born in Liverpool, England. He was educated at Clifton College and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he read English literature. He was previously a teacher at LAMDA and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Swift has appeared in many TV series and movies.
In the 1970s, he appeared as Doctor Black in two of the BBC's M.R. James adaptations: The Stalls of Barchester and A Warning to the Curious. He is most noted for his performance in Keeping Up Appearances, starring as Richard Bucket, the long-suffering husband of Hyacinth. He also starred in the BBC adaptation of The Barchester Chronicles. He played Sir Ector, the adoptive father of King Arthur in John Boorman's 1981 film Excalibur.
As well as acting, he is a songwriter. Many of his songs are included in his show, Richard Bucket Overflows: An Audience with Clive Swift, which toured the UK in 2007 and Clive Swift Entertains, performing his own music and lyrics, which toured the UK in 2009. He also played the part of the Reverend Eustacius Brewer, which aired on BBC 1,from 2002-2005.