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The tragic true story behind All Creatures Great and Small's Siegfried Farnon
The tragic true story behind All Creatures Great and Small's Siegfried Farnon
All Creatures Great and Small viewers have been charmed by Siegfried Farnon, the eccentric boss of Skeldale House Veterinary Practice - but what was the real story behind the character?
Siegfried Farnon played by Samuel West
(Image: CHANNEL 5)
Siegfried Farnon, the eccentric owner of Skeldale House veterinary practice, is a standout character in Channel 5's adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small, which has recently arrived on Netflix. The heartwarming family drama's first series is now available for streaming, drawing from the cherished books by Yorkshire vet Alf Wight, who penned his rural vet adventures under the pseudonym James Herriot.
The vibrant characters that fill the pages of the All Creatures books and their television adaptations are based on real-life figures, including Siegfried, who was modelled after Alf's actual boss, Donald Sinclair. Samuel West, who portrays Siegfried on screen, discussed how the series depicts his character and whether it aligns with Donald Sinclair's true experiences. West expressed contentment with the portrayal when asked about the inclusion of his character's history with his late wife.
For those intrigued about the true story behind Siegfried Farnon, here's what happened to him, including aspects of his personal life.
Donald Sinclair on crutches with Alf Wight and Donald's brother Brian
(Image: (Image: PETER WRIGHT))
Donald Sinclair took over his veterinary practice in 1939, but wartime duties called him away to serve in the Royal Air Force the following year.
Alf Wight was brought in to manage the practice during Donald's absence, but due to lying about his age, Donald was soon asked to hang up his RAF uniform and return to veterinary work.
The Irish Times reports that Donald Sinclair maintained a complicated relationship with how he was depicted in Alf's written works, calling it a "genuine challenge" to their friendship.
Robert Hardy, renowned for playing Siegfried in the original BBC adaptation, encountered the actual Donald Sinclair and observed that he appeared completely unaware of his own peculiarities.
Donald Sinclair passed away at his residence in 1995, merely a fortnight following the death of his spouse Audrey, with whom he had shared more than fifty years.
Actor Samuel, speaking about his role to Masterpiece, revealed: "In the original books, Siegfried is a bachelor, but I was very pleased that they decided to go with what happened to the real Donald Sinclair, which was that his wife had died."
Samuel West plays Siegfried Farnon in the Channel 5 drama
(Image: (Image: CHANNEL 5))
He felt this enhancement brought greater substance, explaining: "I thought that was a proper piece of homework that made it much more interesting, for Siegfried to have that history, that backstory."
He discovered complexity in portraying a character who was both a former charmer and someone who had experienced a fulfilling marriage, as he put it: "It's much more interesting to play somebody who was quite a beau in his youth, but had a deeply loving, and I think sexually very happy, relationship with his wife, which then ended without children."
Samuel depicted Siegfried as a man tormented by memories of past love: "He's felt a bit blocked ever since. He's still in love with his wife, and she's only four years dead. None of that really appears in the series- I'm talking about two things that happened four years, or 19 years, before the series begins- but it is all underneath."
He emphasised the significance of delivering genuine depth and complexity to his character beyond just the storylines: "It's not a Chekov play, but actually it becomes important; it's got to be believable. It's got to be textured on the same level. It's got to matter."
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All Creatures Great and Small airs on My5
