Walter Frederick George Williams (8 October 1928 – 30 March 2018),Heartbeat actor Bill Maynard dies after fall better known by his stage name Bill Maynard, was an English comedian and actor. 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 confectionery, Maynard's Wine Gums, when he was to do performances for the BBC.On 15 October 2010 episode of the Alan Titchmarsh Show. 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; 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. 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. 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 including 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). 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. Maynard published a new book, Stand Up...And Be Counted, in 1997 with Breedon Books. He remained with Heartbeat until December 2000, when he decided to retire from the programme following a series of strokes. Despite this, he returned to acting in 2002 to reprise his character in spin off series The Royal until 2003. 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.
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. 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; which 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.
Maynard married Muriel Linnett on 5 November 1949, and they had two children. She died in June 1983. He was a vegetarian. His son is musician Martin Maynard Williams.
Maynard was a supporter of the Labour Party, but in March 1984 he 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.
On 4 September 1989, Maynard married actress and singer Tonia Bern, the widow of Donald Campbell, at Hinckley Register 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.
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 cut1973 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 Voice1990 Oddball Hall Copperthewaite 1991 Hear My Song Barry Haden 2016 Speed Love Radio DJ
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1957Pantomania: Babes in the WoodBabeTV film1960No Hiding PlaceVic WilsonEpisode: "The Head Case"You Too Can Have a BodyChick WadeTV film1969The Ugliest Girl in TownVladimirEpisode: "The Track Star"1970Coronation StreetMickie Malone5 episodesUp Pompeii!ParcantusEpisode: "The Actors"1971ITV Sunday Night TheatreClarence HubbardEpisode: "Paper Roses"Thirty-Minute TheatreZinkEpisode: "Psychological Warfare"1972SykesJim the PolicemanEpisode: "Journey"Til Death Us Do PartBert2 episodes1973Comedy PlayhouseFrank PotterEpisode: "Elementary, My Dear Watson: The Strange Case of the Dead Solicitors"Play for TodayHarryEpisode: Kisses at FiftyLove Thy NeighbourPolice SergeantEpisode: "The G.P.O."Seven of OneCouncillor ToddEpisode: "Spanner's Eleven"Armchair TheatreReg TurnbullEpisode: "The Death of Glory"1974-1978Oh No It's Selwyn FroggittSelwyn FroggittTelevision series1974Father BrownMr. CarverEpisode: "The Man With Two Beards"1975The Life of RileyFrank RileyTelevision seriesThe SweeneyDet. Chief Insp. Stephen QuirkEpisode: "Supersnout"1977Paradise IslandRev. Alexander GoodwinTelevision series1980Worzel Gummidge Sergeant Beetroot3 episodesTales of the UnexpectedMerv PottingerEpisode: "A Picture of a Place"1981-1983The GafferFred MoffattTelevision series1984MinderBarney ToddEpisode: "The Second Time Around"1989In Sickness and in HealthBert LuscombeChristmas Special1991Screen OneGeorge TroutEpisode: "Fillipina Dreamgirls"1992-2000HeartbeatClaude Jeremiah GreengrassTelevision series (155 episodes)2002Dalziel and PascoeCouncillor Cyril SteelEpisode: "Dialogues of the Dead"2003The RoyalClaude Jeremiah GreengrassTelevision series (seven episodes)2017The MoorsideCecilTV film
References
External links
Bill Maynard's "Stock Car Racing is Magic" lyrics Bill Maynard's "Stock Car Racing is Magic" recording Bill Maynard (Aveleyman)