<P> John Nightingale (23 December 1942--31 March 1980) was a British actor, from Burnley, Lancashire </P> <P> He was best known for his role in the popular 1970s TV series When the Boat Comes In . He played Tom Seaton, one of the two sons in the Seaton family at the centre of the series . </P>

John nightingale actor when the boat comes in