Paul Eddington, 68, Star of 'Yes, Prime Minister'

Paul Eddington, an actor who gained attention on both sides of the Atlantic as the star of the satirical British television sitcoms "Yes, Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister," died on Saturday at his home in London. He was 68.

The cause was cancer, The Associated Press reported.

As Jim Hacker, an idealistic Parliamentary backbencher who bumbles his way into the obscure Cabinet post of Minister of Administrative Affairs, Mr. Eddington presided over a weekly series that captivated British viewers in the 1980's. The program and its successor, in which Hacker was elevated to Prime Minister, became so popular that Margaret Thatcher called them her favorite shows when she was Prime Minister.

The sitcoms were broadcast in 47 countries, including the United States, where they were carried on public television and cable stations for several seasons.

Mr. Eddington started his acting career in Birmingham, England, and in the mid-1970's was cast as the neighbor of Felicity Kendal and Richard Briers in "The Good Life," a BBC sitcom about a couple who take up farming in outer London. The show made Mr. Eddington a celebrity in Britain.

"Yes, Minister," which also starred Nigel Hawthorne as a venal aide, followed in 1980. Of Mr. Eddington's performance, John J. O'Connor wrote in The New York Times: "Playing Hacker, Mr. Eddington concocts a wonderful blend of ineffectual do-gooderism and touching decency."

In a 1988 interview, Mr. Eddington said he felt a kinship with Hacker. "I think an actor delves into himself and discovers that part of himself that's in the character he's playing," he said. "Had I chosen a political career, I can imagine myself in a very similar position to Jim, working one's way up the party, then suddenly swept into office with no experience of administration."

After the series, Mr. Eddington worked on the West End stage. In 1992, he appeared in a revival of Harold Pinter's "No Man's Land," playing opposite Mr. Pinter, and was nominated for an Olivier Award. Last year, he was onstage in London again, with Mr. Briers in a revival of the David Storey play "Home."

He is survived by his wife, Patricia Scott, and four children.