His last known role was in the short film The Gigolo in 2017. Kathy played Doris Luke from 1978-1984, and then from 2001-2002. In April 1949, she took the role of Meg Brockie in the original London production of Brigadoon for 685 performances at Her Majesty's Theatre. The plan was for Amy to be arrested for being a Soviet double agent, Amelia Turtleovski, but sadly it never appeared on screen. Paul Henry as Crossroads lovable Benny Hawkins, Where are they now? The claim was not challenged on air.[2]. Birmingham-born Paul, 69, and his wife Sheila live in. In 1981, after a long fight with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Tonge died age 35. Year: 1981. The planned chain never worked out as other businessmen jumped on the bandwagon, offering cheaper rates. The famous tart with a heart was played by Zephyrine Frances Zeph Gladstone and her character was a big hit with fans. I enjoyed playing Benny, the studios were nearby and we built up an audience of 15 million viewers in its daily 6.30pm slot, just as people arrived home from work. It would be great to be working again, but at the end of the day, Ive got a lovely family and they are the love of my life.. The original soap ran from 1964 to 1988 and was followed by a short revival in 2001. Actress, Joan Collins took to her. Following the accident, the character of Sandy was predominantly a wheelchair user, though he was able to stand and move upright with the aid of crutches. Roger Tonge was born on 30 January 1946 in Birmingham, England, UK. Early life [ edit] Briggs was born in Battersea, south-west London, on 5 September 1935. He scored 215 and raised 215 for charity. [1] She played the role of Meg Mortimer (originally Richardson, later Ryder) in the long-running British soap opera Crossroads from 1964 to 1981, with a brief return in 1983. Just a couple of years after her debut TV role as Lola Wise, Agyeman became the companion in Doctor Who, Martha Jones. In the same interview, she commented that a future role as a breakfast television presenter was being negotiated. Funnily enough, she starred alongside her fellow Crossroads actor Sue Nicholls, who played Audrey Roberts. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the entertainment industry. Anguss other film roles included appearances in 633 Squadron, Tunes of Glory and 1969 musical Oh! Susan married Radio 1 presenter Tommy Vance in the 60s, and then married former Move frontman Carl Wayne until his death in 2004. If you are wondering, "Who are the actors from Crossroads?" In 1942 Heather, with her mother and siblings, Christine and Jeremy, fled Singapore for England on the last boat to leave before the Japanese wartime occupation. Prior to the 'accident' storyline, Tonge had for many months only been seen in seated scenes, standing rigid or lying in bed. Joan Noele Gordon (25 December 1919 14 April 1985) was a British actor of Scottish descent His fans included British troops serving in the Falklands War in 1982, who nicknamed the Falkland Islanders Bennies after the character. 1945-1984. Mike Garrett, of the Crossroads fan club, said: Angus became one of the most popular and loved characters in Crossroads thanks to his perfectly timed comedy performances. [5][6] Her acting career came to a halt in 1955, when she joined Associated Television in London, where she presented their first-ever programme, The Weekend Show. let advertisementDisclaimer = 'ADVERTISEMENT'; She made her professional debut as Marcella in Donna Clarines at the Castle theatre, Farnham (1945). We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Heather found fame playing Valerie Pollard on Crossroads (not Emmerdale) for four years from 1982. Announcing the news of her death on Twitter, ex . Judy Cornwell, one of only a handful of other women in the show over its entire history, was in awe of them at first but told the author Richard Webber: Heather showed me how to push the men out of the way, because they would grab the microphones and not let us in, so we had to kick them in the shins and get to the microphones that way.. She now lives in Staffordshire and in 2022 her family revealed she was suffering from Alzheimers disease. Arnold Ridley played Reverend Guy Atkins between 1964 and 1972 as part of the main cast. She died in 1969 at the age of 55, leaving behind her daughter Susan. Beryl Johnstone played Kitty Jarvis for five years until 1969. Bless This Houses Robin Stewart. Death In 1981, after a long fight with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Tonge died age 35. With adept changes of voice, Chasens roles included Ramona Povey, the wife of Richard Caldicots commander; Miss Simpkins, assistant to the Sea Lord; and Wren Chasen, alongside Leslie Phillips and Jon Pertwee as, respectively, the sub-lieutenant and chief petty officer perpetually trying to get the vessel out of the trouble they had personally created. Then, in February, 1981, four months before Noele was sacked, actor Roger Tonge - who had played Meg's son, Sandy, since the beginning - also died. Actor best known for her roles in Crossroads and The Navy Lark. This permanent character development was made to accommodate actor Roger Tonge who had been developing increasing ill-health. Now 73, she spoke the first words in the first episode on November 2, 1964, speaking into a telephone: Crossroads Motel, good evening. Actor: Yes Minister. He was reported as having laughed off the jibes of journalists, by saying: "I'm allergic to criticism". Arguably the most successful actress to have starred in Crossroads, both old and new, the sky seems to be the limit for Freema Agyeman! She is engaged to her long term boyfriend Nicholas Willes as of 2019, and calls herself a "cat mother" on Twitter. She toured in plays Murder in Mind and Don't Rock the Boat , and starred on Lily Savage's Blankety Blank . Years active. Instructed to stop using the name, the troops came up with Stills for locals because they were still Bennies. He had said: I was once in a large Birmingham department store, when an elegantly dressed lady rushed up to me and said I hate you.. A veteran of everything from Spaghetti westerns and films in Hong Kong to Shakespeare and plays at the Birmingham Rep, Morton launched . His country-boy style gained him the part of Peter Stevens in The Archers for a time. [citation needed]. Initially commissioned as an emergency schedule filler, the show became so successful that Gordon gave up her executive position to concentrate on presenting. Jessica played Belle Wise in Crossroads in 2001, when she was just 18 years old. [12], In the 2023 ITVX miniseries Nolly, which dramatised the life of his former Crossroads colleague Noele Gordon, Henry was portrayed by Lloyd Griffith. Tony Adams, who played Adam Chance in the series of Crossroads, commented in 1985 just after her death that "There has never been a star of Crossroads, although Nolly was Crossroads. Lovable Crossroads legend Angus Lennie, who played cheeky chef, Shughie McFee. Reg Watson, the producer, had already interviewed several actors for the part but was unsatisfied; after Tonge's audition, the producer offered him the role. She went on to star in episodes of Casualty, Worlds Beyond and Fizz. Henry's intended portrayal was the reason the character came from Birmingham. Benny went to peoples hearts and many spoke of his relationship with Diane [Susan Hanson], which worked because she was an established character whom the public loved. She died in August 1976 in Seychelles. John Ernest Briggs MBE (5 September 1935 - 28 February 2021) [1] was an English actor. Seventies chart-toppers Mud, Where are they now? This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. The former Coronation Street actor Amanda Barrie, who had a 10-year relationship with Chasen after appearing on stage with her in 1980, recalled her loose grasp on reality. Gordon was the only member of the Crossroads cast who had a permanent contract;[11] all other cast members were booked on an ad hoc basis. [4] He was in character as Benny in the song, but spoke rather than sang. As Valerie Pollard, she played a cheating wife whose conquests in the bedroom mounted up while her millionaire husband, J Henry, took care of affairs in the motel boardroom. [10], The comic actor Ronnie Barker revealed in his later years that he had suggested Henry for casting as his cellmate Lennie Godber in the sitcom Porridge, but that Richard Beckinsale was chosen instead. The programme's new look was designed to bring back Gordon on an 'as and when' basis, starting with a three-month stint from April 1985. In 2011, Chasen returned to soap to take over the role of Lydia Simmonds, Janine Butchers grandmother, in EastEnders for a short stint when Margaret Tyzack had to pull out. She was educated at a Malaysian boarding school, Pensionnat Notre Dame, in Pahang. Gordon, who had already appeared in 3,521 episodes, was too ill to make the planned return. The character is known for a story that never happened. The character caught on. . [1] He is also known for roles in other television series such as Gangsters, The Onedin Line, The Day of the Triffids and Doctor Who. But in later years his ill-health left him increasingly immobile. He was an actor, known for Crossroads (1964), Crossroads: A Celebration (1971) and Nearest and Dearest (1968). Henry made a guest appearance on the Central Television game show Bullseye, presented by Jim Bowen, on 11 February, 1985. What happened to stars of hit motel soap of 70s & 80s? [13], Henry and his wife Sheila had a son, Anthony, and a daughter, Justine, who died as a result of a traffic collision at the age of 19.[2]. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. The British actress is now 79 years old. He was writing a storyline for a new character called Benny Hawkins in Crossroads and he felt Id be perfect. In 1981, four years after The Navy Lark ended, Chasen appeared in Crossroads for the first time, in the role of a newspaper reporter for just one episode. Group Shot, cast members with Producer William Smethurst, Susan Hanson, Jane Rossington and Tony Adams, Jeremy Nicholas And Jane Rossington in Crossroads- 1988 The Final Scene, Jane Rossington, Paul Henry, and Susan Hanson, Jessica Fox has played Nancy on Hollyoaks since 2008, Sue Nicholls plays Audrey Roberts on Coronation Street, Kathy Staff starred as Nora Batty in the hit show, Tony Adams was almost stabbed by a furious viewer. (modern). Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Benny from Crossroads opens Monmouth Carnival", "Nolly cast: Meet the actors and their real-life counterparts", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_Henry_(actor)&oldid=1146225718, Male actors from Birmingham, West Midlands, Articles lacking reliable references from March 2023, Articles with dead external links from March 2023, Short description is different from Wikidata, BLP articles lacking sources from May 2010, Wikipedia introduction cleanup from April 2016, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from April 2016, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 23 March 2023, at 14:53. let infinite_scroll_device_constants = JSON.parse('{"TopAdUnit":{"Path":"\/21612127490\/bs-mobile-is1","Template":"ad_pos_bs-mobile-is1","SlotSizes":"[300, 250]","placeholder":"bs-ad-top-mobile_placeholder-"},"BottomAdUnit":{"Path":"\/21612127490\/bs-mobile-is2","Template":"ad_pos_bs-mobile-is2","SlotSizes":"[300, 250]","placeholder":"bs-ad-bottom-mobile_placeholder-"},"StickyAdUnit":{"Path":"\/21612127490\/bs-mobile-sticky","Template":"ad_pos_bs-mobile-sticky","SlotSizes":"[320, 50]","placeholder":"bs-sticky-ad-mobile_placeholder-"},"NativoDivPath":"","FanPlacementId":"","ObWidgetId":"AR_5","AdsLazyLoadingDelay":"700","AbTestPercentage":"10","VidazooPixelId":"5ed3b5e8e35b7200048a2c83","TaboolPerScreenMode":""}'); She was also very well known for her role as Nora Batty in Last Of The Summer Wine , which she played from its inception in 1973 until her death. The actor Heather Chasen, who has died aged 92, landed her best-known screen role in the television soap Crossroads. Paul played Benny Hawkins from 1975-1988, and then went on to star in prison drama Bad Girls, Doctors, and The Sweeney. (April 2016) Paul Henry (born 1947) is an English actor, best known for his role as Benny Hawkins in the soap opera Crossroads, on which he appeared on 354 episodes over 11 years. In The Great Escape, the Glasgow-born actor played Scottish prisoner of war Archibald The Mole Ives. [17] It first aired in February 2023. When the soap's first stint finished, Jane shied away from TV work in favour of stage performances, before returning to her role in 2000. Heather Chasen, most famed for her role as Valerie Pollard in Crossroads, has died at the age of 92.. During her career Chasen appeared in multiple British soaps, spending four years playing Pollard in the now-defunct Crossroads in the 1980s.. More recently she appeared in EastEnders as Janine's grandmother Lydia in 2011 for a brief stint.. ADVERTISEMENT Since 1988, she has been the main patron of the Crossroads Appreciation Society, and continues to take an active role in the group. He attended the citys Alderlea Boys School in Shard End with Jeff Lynne and later trained at the Birmingham School of Speech and Drama before spending time with Birmingham Rep and then in Crossroads. Gavin and Stacey actress Margaret John has died at the age of 84, it has been announced. She sang at a strip club in Vienna and toured America and Cananda with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Cook Shughie blagged his way into a job at the motel, boasting he once worked on a luxury cruise ship which turned out to be a workers ferry on the Clyde. He left the programme following a battle with Hodgkin's Disease which left him immobile. What's the connection between an American named Alfred Heineman and the late soap queen Noele Gordon? She would, however, not return to television full-time because of her theatre commitments. People still recognise me and say hello, which is nice. The Birmingham actor who played Carlos in Crossroads has died at the age of 73. Cameron Chapman is much older than his character Anthony Lockwood, Angela Piper has left The Archers as Jennifer Aldridge after 60 years, Meet Vera star Brenda Blethyn's eight siblings, Pamela Anderson 'realised no one has perfect childhood' in look-back. (Image: Central Television) David Hunter A. She made her first public appearance at the East Ham Palace and shortly afterwards, sang "Dear Little Jammy Face" at a restaurant in London. I found that once I knew who Benny was, the lines came easily and six weeks turned into 13 years. [8] She then moved on to present a daily live entertainment show, Lunchbox, an early daytime programme. Actress. Something went wrong, please try again later. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. The actor was previously married to Margery Field and he died on July 2, 1985 in London. This article was amended on 29 May 2020. Chasen also had an elegance and grand air about her that endeared her to friends, and she was often seen with a glass of champagne in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Crossroads took up six months every year, which left me time for theatre, pantomime and guest spots on shows like Bullseye and then Eamonn Andrews surprised me on one of his last This Is Your Life shows in 1985. Gordon attended RADA, appearing in repertory theatres and the West End stage. He was an actor, known for Yes Minister (1980), Mind Your Language (1977) and Crossroads (1964). She appeared in two British films, 29 Acacia Avenue (1945) and Lisbon Story (1946) in minor parts. After the show ended for good, Jane appeared in an episode of children's TV show Dramarama , and had her own radio show on Beacon Radio. Roger Tonge. Film type: Colour / Sound Genre: Television News. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. She was the only original cast member of Crossroads to star in both the first and last ever episodes, and she spoke the first words spoken on the soap, "Crossroads Motel, good evening". The actress made a brief return to the soap in 1983 and went on to star in the musical Gypsy. Crossroads was routinely assailed by TV critics for what they saw as its low quality, and Tonge was one of the members of the cast who was regularly criticised. An impressive career followed with appearances on EastEnders, Holby City, The Bill, and Navy. She led her soap life to the full for 24 years during which scripts saw her married five times once bigamously become a drug addict, an alcoholic and have a baby with her stepbrother. Throughout her life, she had relationships with both men and women sometimes at the same time. David Fennell played Brian Jarvis for 11 years between 1964 and 1975. 00:00, 18 AUG 2009. It then moved to the Victoria Palace Theatre in the West End, where it ran for only 88 performances. Since Crossroads , she also starred as Rusty Dickinson in film Back Home , and TV show Powers . She died in London in 2002, at the age of 65. Crossroads, later known as Crossroads Motel and Crossroads King's Oak, was an ITV soap opera that ran from 1964-1988, and was revived from 2001-2003. 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We got married in 1969 and here we are 45 years later. It made way for a new daily soap opera, Crossroads, in which Gordon played the role of motel owner Meg Richardson (later Meg Mortimer), a part which had been developed with Gordon in mind, as she was still under contract to Lew Grade's ATV. Duration: 0:02:21. Croaky-voiced Anthony Roger Tonge was working as an 8-a-week post office clerk and performing in amateur dramatics in the evenings when he landed the role of Sandy Richardson, the motel owners son, a role he would play for 17 years. However, Valerie showed a softer side when she provided support to Miranda after her daughters rape ordeal. Doctors, The Sandbaggers, Crossroads Diane Keen (born 29 July 1946) is an English actress, who starred in the British TV drama Doctors in which she played Julia Parsons from 2003 to 2012. Roger Tonge played Sandy Richardson in the soap between 1964 and 1981. We built up an audience of 15 million viewers. And it started the trend for overnight stops for motorists in individual accommodation. He was also in the film Catch Me Going Back. A single parent working at the motel seems staid now, but was hugely controversial in the mid-1960s; Sandy Richardson was injured in a car accident in 1972 and needed to use a wheelchair, the first paraplegic regular character portrayed in British soap opera. The popular actor starred for nine years in the Midland soap and also took on a memorable role opposite Hollywood legend Steve McQueen in iconic war movie, The Great Escape. Once, we were in a cafe on Marylebone High Street, Barrie told me, Heather was completely and utterly broke and said, Im going to phone the bank manager. She did, then said, Its wonderful. In real life, after a short-lived marriage to BBC Radio 1 DJ Tommy Vance in the 1960s, Hanson married former Move frontman Carl Wayne in 1974, who lost a battle against cancer in 2004. Heather Chasen as Valerie Pollard in Crossroads, with her daughter Miranda, played by Claire Faulconbridge. Her parents split up when she was 10, and both remarried. [3] Henry's post-Crossroads career included minor stage roles and the running of a nightclub in Whitchurch, Shropshire, but, in 1994, he returned to television briefly in a tribute to Crossroads, called 30 Years On. Over the years the series dealt with storylines which were controversial for the times. Ive managed to get a 40 overdraft.. I met Sheila at The British Legion Club when I was working at Birmingham Rep and she was a hairdresser. Get a daily email direct to your inbox with our newsletter. In 2019, she won the Outstanding Achievement gong at the British Soap Awards.
crossroads actor dies