Geoffrey Hughes
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| Geoffrey Hughes | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2 February 1944 Wallasey, Cheshire, England |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1966–present |
| Spouse | Susan[1] (?–present) |
Geoffrey Hughes, DL (born 2 February 1944) is an English actor.
As well as a wide range of TV and film appearances, Hughes is best known for a series of supporting roles in popular UK television dramas. He played Vernon Scripps in the British drama series Heartbeat (2001–05, 2007); Twiggy in the popular television comedy The Royle Family (1998–2000, 2006, 2008); Onslow in the sitcom Keeping Up Appearances (1990–95) and Eddie Yeats in the soap opera Coronation Street (1974–83, 1987).
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[edit] Career
Hughes attended Ranworth Square Primary School, Liverpool 11. He then moved on to attending Abbotsford Secondary Modern School in Norris Green, Liverpool 11. He started his career in repertory at the Victoria Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent. This was followed by his first West End production, the Lionel Bart and Alun Owen musical, Maggie May. His other West End productions include the stage version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Say Goodnight to Grandma, The Secret Life of Cartoons and several seasons of Run for your Wife. He has recently[when?] played 'Pistol' in an open air production of Henry V at Barnwell Manor. He has also toured extensively in Britain and abroad. He has relatives in Shetland.
Among his many other appearances on television are: An Arrow for Little Audrey; The Saint; Shadows of Fear; Z-Cars; Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased); Flying Lady; Making Out; Coasting; Doctor Who; Spender; and Boon. He played 'Trinculo' in an all filmed version of The Tempest for the BBC and 'Squire Clodpoll' in Good Friday 1663, one of Channel Four's new avant-garde operas. His comedy appearances on TV include The Likely Lads, Please Sir!, Dad's Army, Curry and Chips The Upper Hand and the character of Onslow in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances.
Geoffrey's film credits include: Smashing Time; Till Death Us Do Part; The Bofors Gun; The Virgin Soldiers; Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall; Carry On At Your Convenience; and TV films: Needle and The Man from the Peru. He was also the voice of Paul McCartney in the Beatles' cartoon film Yellow Submarine.
In 1974 he was cast as binman Eddie Yeats in the long-running soap opera Coronation Street. Over the next nine years he became, with Stan Ogden (Bernard Youens), a foil to Stan's long-suffering wife Hilda (Jean Alexander). Many fans still regard these performances as a high point of the series. He left the series in 1983, making a brief final return appearance in 1987 as part of Hilda's departure from the series. In recent years he has been offered to return to the show but has declined.
Hughes' considerable acting experience before Coronation Street and popularity whilst in it meant that he never suffered from the lack of work which often bedevils actors departing long-running series.
Hughes usually appears in pantomime over the Christmas period.[citation needed] He appeared on That Antony Cotton Show on 6 September 2007, in which he spoke about his role in a short film called Expresso, which also starred Sir Norman Wisdom. Hughes played the part of a man who visits a coffee shop for a "normal" coffee but is served by a pompous waiter. The film was sold in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.
In 2007 he performed the Angel Gabriel, in the BBC production "Liverpool Nativity".[2] In 2008, he appeared in the second and fifth episode in series three of the E4 drama series Skins.
At Christmas 2008, he returned to play Twiggy in The Royle Family's Christmas Special titled 'The New Sofa'.
In 2009, he played Frank in Tim Firth's Absolutely Frank at Oldham's Coliseum Theatre.
[edit] Television roles
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Curry & Chips | Dick |
| 1970 | Up Pompeii! - Episode 1: Vestal Virgins | Piteous |
| 1974–83, 1987 | Coronation Street | Eddie Yeats |
| 1985 | The Bright Side | Mr. Lithgow |
| 1986 | Doctor Who - The Trial of a Time Lord, parts 13 & 14 | Mr. Popplewick |
| 1990–95 | Keeping Up Appearances | Onslow |
| 1993 | I, Lovett | Dirk |
| 1995 | The Smiths | Dooley |
| 1998–2000, 2006, 2008 | The Royle Family | Twiggy |
| 2001–05, 2007 | Heartbeat | Vernon Scripps |
| 2009 | Skins | Uncle Keith |
[edit] Personal life
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This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (May 2007) |
His off-stage interests are sailing, golf, cricket, music, trees, and beer. Born south of the city proper, he was brought up in Liverpool. In more recent years, he overcame prostate cancer. He currently resides on the Isle Of Wight,[3] and is a Deputy Lieutenant of the County.[4] On 4 August 2010 it was reported that Hughes had suffered a cancer relapse and was gravely ill; he is currently receiving intensive radiotherapy treatment at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, near his Isle of Wight home.[1]
Hughes is also the Honourary Squire of Dartington Morris Men and made an appearance at the Dartington Morris Ring meeting in September 2008. His musical interests include English folk-rock and he has compered at Fairport's Cropredy Convention annual music festival several times.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Colin Robertson; Alex Peake (4 August 2010). "Wife's bedside vigil for Corrie's Eddie... but pals fear the worst". The Sun. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/3080927/Geoffrey-Hughes-Corries-Eddie-Yeats-is-gravely-ill-with-cancer.html. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
- ^ "New nativity story played to city". BBC. 2007-12-16. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/7146902.stm. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ Isle of Wight County Press
- ^ http://www.iwight.com/living_here/lord_lieutenant/thevicel.asp
- ^ Fairport's Cropredy Convention Official Souvenir Programme 2007; Fairport's Cropredy Convention Official Souvenir Programme; 2008, page 1;
