The inimitable Arthur Lowe was born on the 22nd September 1915, and if he was still with us, he’d be one hundred years old today.

Best known these days for playing the irrascible Captain Mainwaring in BBC sitcom Dad’s Army, he also quietly stole scenes in cult British films like Spike Milligan’s surreal, post-apocalypic The Bed-Sitting Room’ and appeared as multiple characters in Lindsay Anderson’s Mick Travis trilogy, (‘If…’, ‘O Lucky Man!’ and ‘Britannia Hospital’), alongside Malcolm McDowell.

When he wasn’t performing, Lowe liked to entertain aboard his steam yacht Amazon. Behind a wooden bar, with a semi-circle cut out to accomodate his ample belly, he combined his love of boats and booze by mixing his own signature cocktail- ‘The Gin Amazon’.
Here’s the recipe so that you can mix one yourself:

Take a large tumbler and add a few large ice cubes. Pour in a generous measure of gin, top up with dry ginger ale, and add a single slice of cucumber.

Consume while listening to our tribute single. Happy Birthday Arthur!


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