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Bill Maynard

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Bill Maynard
Birth nameWalter Frederick George Williams
Born(1928-10-08)8 October 1928
Heath End, Surrey, England
Died30 March 2018(2018-03-30) (aged 89)
Leicestershire, England[1]
MediumActor, comedian
Years active1953–2018
GenresComedy, television
Spouse
Muriel Linnett
​
​
(m. 1949; died 1983)​
Tonia Bern
​
​
(m. 1989; div. 1998)​
[2][3]
Children2; including Maynard Williams
Notable works and rolesSee below

Walter Frederick George Williams (8 October 1928 – 30 March 2018),[4] better known by his stage name Bill Maynard, was an English comedian and actor.[5] He began working in television in the 1950s, notably starring alongside Terry Scott in Great Scott – It's Maynard! (1955–56). In the 1970s and 1980s, he starred in the successful British sitcoms Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt and The Gaffer and appeared in five films in the Carry On series. After a hiatus from television work in the late 1980s, Maynard starred as Claude Jeremiah Greengrass in the long-running television series Heartbeat from 1992 to 2000, reprising the character in the spin-off The Royal in 2003.

Early life and career

Walter Williams began as a variety performer in the 1950s, under the stage name of Bill Maynard  – the surname was inspired from seeing a billboard for the popular British confectionery, Maynard's Wine Gums, when he was to do performances for the BBC.[6] Maynard progressed to repertory theatre, touring army camps with Jon Pertwee. Maynard's first television broadcast was on 12 September 1953 on Henry Hall's Face the Music. For much of his career until the 1970s, his work was mostly towards performances: he entered and placed fourth in the British heat of the 1957 Eurovision Song Contest; he worked alongside Terry Scott for the TV series Great Scott – It's Maynard!, after they worked together at Butlins Holiday Camp in Skegness;[2] and he served as part of the news team on the One O'Clock Show for Tyne Tees Television in Newcastle (1959–64). He also served for BBC Radio Leicester during the 1960s, until his departure in 1968.

In 1971, Maynard entered into acting, securing a role on Dennis Potter's television play Paper Roses, which was about the last day in the life of a reporter, and then securing another role for Colin Welland's television play, Kisses at Fifty in 1973. Around the same year, he worked with television actor and comedian Ronnie Barker in the (original) "Football Blues", which aired as "Spanners Eleven", and was part of a series called Seven of One. In 1974, Maynard became a subject of This Is Your Life, when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews.[7] Around the same time, Maynard went to work for Yorkshire Television, starring in a pilot episode for a new sitcom. In 1975, he published his autobiography, The Yo-Yo Man, with Leicester's Golden Eagle books.[8] Also in 1975 he appeared in The Sweeney episode Supersnout in which he played Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Quirk of the Metropolitan Police's Flying Squad being the subject of a conspiracy by Joey Stickley, a dirty and weasley informant who attempts to ruin his reputation. After a pilot episode in 1974, Maynard took on the lead role in the sitcom Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt for three series, followed by its sequel Selwyn for one series, between 1976 and 1978. The Selwyn Froggitt role made Maynard a nationwide household name. In 1980, Maynard appeared in three episodes of Worzel Gummidge as Sergeant Beetroot, alongside long-time friend Jon Pertwee.

In 1981, Maynard starred in three series of the ITV sitcom The Gaffer until its conclusion two years later in 1983. In The Gaffer, Maynard played Fred Moffat, a downbeat, cynical and cunning character focused on survival who runs a struggling engineering firm, and who is constantly trying to avoid his creditors, the tax man, the bank manager, trade unionists at his engineering firm, and indeed seeking to avoid anyone who might want him to pay for something. The character of Fred Moffat was in contrast to the high profile, upbeat, good hearted, bumbling, casual labourer Selwyn Froggitt from his earlier sitcom, with the contrasts between the two even going as far as Fred Moffat having a beard and Selwyn Froggitt being clean shaven.

During the 1970s, Maynard secured roles in a number of films: he starred in five of the Carry On films, including Carry On Matron (1972) and Carry On Dick (1974).[9] He starred as Mr. Lea alongside Anthony Booth, Robin Askwith and Doris Hare in all four films in the Confessions series of sex comedies and appeared in the 1976 film It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet.

In April 1992, he returned to Yorkshire Television as lovable rogue Claude Jeremiah Greengrass in Heartbeat, a new ITV drama series set in the 1960s. It was a major success, consistently drawing over 10 million viewers.[10] Maynard published a new book, Stand Up...And Be Counted, in 1997 with Breedon Books.[11] He remained with Heartbeat until December 2000, when he was forced to retire from the programme following a series of strokes.[2] Despite this, he returned to acting in 2002 to reprise his character in spin off series The Royal until 2003.[2] Maynard made a comeback to radio in March of that year on BBC Radio Leicester. His programme Bill of Fare aired every Sunday from 2pm to 4pm for nearly five years, until he was dismissed without notice on 5 February 2008.[2]

In October 2009, he made a return to the stage when he appeared as the main guest of honour at the Pride of Bridlington Awards held in the East Riding of Yorkshire.[12] By then, his career slowly wound down due to his age and impaired mobility from his strokes, whereupon his final television appearance was made on 14 April 2018 for an episode of Pointless Celebrities; filming took place prior to his death, while the episode aired 15 days after his death.

Personal life

Maynard was born in Farnham, Surrey, whereupon his family moved north to Leicestershire. He was educated at Kibworth Beauchamp Grammar School. Maynard lived in Sapcote, Leicestershire, during the latter part of his life.

He married Muriel Linnett on 5 November 1949, and they had two children. She died in June 1983.[2] Maynard was a vegetarian. His son is musician Martin Maynard Williams.

Maynard was a supporter of the Labour Party, but in March 1984 Maynard stood against Tony Benn in the by-election at Chesterfield as an Independent Labour candidate, after objecting to the way that Benn became the official Labour Party candidate in a safe seat. Maynard took fourth place in the by-election.[13]

On 4 September 1989, Maynard married actress and singer Tonia Bern, the widow of Donald Campbell, at Hinckley Registry Office. They divorced in 1998. Bern died on 14 June 2021.

In later life, having suffered multiple strokes which resulted in a reduction in his mobility, he used a scooter or wheelchair. He died in hospital on 30 March 2018, not long after falling and breaking his hip.[1]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1968 Til Death Us Do Part Bert
1969 It All Goes to Show Mike Sago
1970 One More Time Jenson
Carry On Loving Mr. Dreery
1971 A Hole Lot of Trouble Bill
Carry On Henry Guy Fawkes
Carry On at Your Convenience Fred Moore
1972 Carry On Matron Freddy
Four Dimensions of Greta Big Danny
Bless This House Oldham
Carry On Abroad Mr. Fiddler Scene cut
1973 Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall Sgt. Ellis
Never Mind the Quality Feel the Width Larkin
Steptoe and Son Ride Again George
1974 Carry On Dick Bodkin
Confessions of a Window Cleaner Mr. Lea
Man About the House Chef
1975 Confessions of a Pop Performer Mr. Lea
1976 Robin and Marian Mercadier
Confessions of a Driving Instructor Mr. Lea
It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet Hinchcliffe
1977 Confessions from a Holiday Camp Mr. Lea
Sky Pirates Charlie
1981 Dangerous Davies: The Last Detective Mod Lewis
1982 The Plague Dogs Editor Voice
1990 Oddball Hall Copperthewaite
1991 Hear My Song Barry Haden
2016 Speed Love Radio DJ

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1957 Pantomania: Babes in the Wood Babe TV film
1960 No Hiding Place Vic Wilson Episode: "The Head Case"
You Too Can Have a Body Chick Wade TV film
1969 The Ugliest Girl in Town Vladimir Episode: "The Track Star"
1970 Coronation Street Mickie Malone Episode: #1.962
Up Pompeii! Parcantus Episode: "The Actors"
1971 ITV Sunday Night Theatre Clarence Hubbard Episode: "Paper Roses"
Thirty-Minute Theatre Zink Episode: "Psychological Warfare"
1972 Sykes Jim the Policeman Episode: "Journey"
Til Death Us Do Part Bert 2 episodes
1973 Comedy Playhouse Frank Potter Episode: "Elementary, My Dear Watson: The Strange Case of the Dead Solicitors"
Play for Today Harry Episode: "Kisses at Fifty"
Love Thy Neighbour Police Sergeant Episode: "The G.P.O."
Seven of One Councillor Todd Episode: "Spanner's Eleven"
Armchair Theatre Reg Turnbull Episode: "The Death of Glory"
1974 Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt Selwyn Froggitt Television series
Father Brown Mr. Carver Television series
The Life of Riley Frank Riley Television series
The Sweeney Det. Chief Insp. Stephen Quirk Episode: "Supersnout"
Paradise Island Rev. Alexander Goodwin Television series
1980 Tales of the Unexpected Merv Pottinger
1981 The Gaffer Fred Moffatt Television series
1984 Minder Barney Todd Episode: "The Second Time Around"
1985 In Sickness and in Health Bert Luscombe Television series
1991 Screen One: Filipina Dreamgirls George Trout TV film
1992 Heartbeat Claude Jeremiah Greengrass Television series (155 episodes)
2002 Dalziel and Pascoe Councillor Cyril Steel Episode: "Dialogues of the Dead"
2003 The Royal Claude Jeremiah Greengrass Television series (seven episodes)
2017 The Moorside Cecil TV film

References

  1. ^ a b "Heartbeat actor Bill Maynard dies at 89". BBC News. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Where are they now? Heartbeat actor Bill Maynard". Daily Express. 17 January 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  3. ^ Barker, Dennis (30 March 2018). "Bill Maynard obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  4. ^ Heartbeat actor Bill Maynard dies after fall
  5. ^ "Bill Maynard". Bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 8 October 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  6. ^ On the 15 October 2010 episode of the Alan Titchmarsh Show.
  7. ^ "After 60 years, Bill Maynard has last laugh on his critics". Leicester Mercury. 16 September 2013. Archived from the original on 27 October 2013. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  8. ^ Maynard, Bill (1975). The Yo-Yo Man: The Autobiography of Bill Maynard. London: Golden Eagle Press. ISBN 0901482218.
  9. ^ McFarlane, Brian (16 May 2016). The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9781526111968 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ "Niamh Cusack". TV.com. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  11. ^ Maynard, Bill; Sheard, John (1997). Stand Up and Be Counted. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 9781859830802.
  12. ^ "Local Pride awards honoured 'caring and amazing people'". Bridlington Free Press. 5 November 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  13. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Results of Byelections in the 1983-87 Parliament". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
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