local amateur dramatics group. He also did a stint of modelling for catalogues and appeared in several commercials for baked beans and Fairy Liquid. After finishing at Orley Farm at the age of twelve, Askwith attended Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood. He found the school unduly strict and became a rebellious student to the extent that Askwith and two friends stole several rifles from the school armoury and held up Pinner post office stealing hundreds of pounds' worth of stamps with the intention of returning them the following week. Askwith also persuaded a crane operator, who was carrying out work at the school, to lift the headmaster's car onto the school roof. As a result of playing King Edward IV during a school production of Richard III, Askwith was approached by film director Lindsay Anderson, who had been in the audience, and encouraged to audition for a role in his upcoming film if..... Following a successful audition he played the role of Keating in the film. Career Following the success of if..., Askwith made his television debut as a yob in the BBC series Scene. He would also attend the Corona Theatre School in between acting jobs. Askwith had roles in the historical epic film Alfred the Great(1969), the thriller Otley (1969), and, playing the title role, in the film version of Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates (1969). In 1970, Askwith had his first major role in the comedy film Cool It Carol! (1970). Askwith then appeared on television in series' such as Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and Father, Dear Father and a recurring role as Eddie in Please Sir! and its spin-off The Fenn Street Gang, before having his first regular role as Harvey Micklethwaite in the sitcom On The House in 1971. In 1970, Askwith starred in Scramble (1970), the first of four films he would make for the Children's Film Foundation, the others being All Coppers Are... (1971), Hide and Seek (1972) and The Hostages (1975). Askwith also had a role in the epic film Nicholas and Alexandra (1971). He would then have roles in television series' including Dixon of Dock Green, Public Eye, The Main Chance and Bless This House, and in a deleted scene from the film Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972). Askwith also starred in a string of horror films: Tower of Evil (1972), The Flesh and Blood Show (1973) and Horror Hospital (1973).