Death
In October 1988, he was taken to hospital after breaking his leg in a fall in front of a public house. He was discovered to be suffering from peripheral vascular disease, a condition of the arteries brought on by a lifetime of heavy smoking. Hawtrey was told that in order to save his life, his legs would have to be amputated. He refused, allegedly saying he preferred to die with his boots on, and died almost a month later, aged 73. On his deathbed, Hawtrey supposedly threw a vase at his nurse who asked for an autograph - it was the last thing he did. His ashes were scattered in Mortlake Crematorium, close to Chiswick in London; no friends or family attended.
Recent updates on the actor were broadcast by the BBC's Radio 4 in "Charles Hawtrey: That Funny Fella with the Glasses".
Read more about this topic: Charles Hawtrey (actor Born 1914)
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