Bill Maynard obit

Heartbeat actor Bill Maynard dies at 89

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Heartbeat actor Bill Maynard has died at the age of 89 after a career spanning eight decades.

Daughter-in-law Jacqueline Reddin said he died in hospital in Leicestershire, shortly after breaking his hip in a fall from a mobility scooter.

"He was larger than life and he just loved showbiz," she said. "He was so proud of the fact that he had been working for 81 years."

He was perhaps best known as Claude Jeremiah Greengrass in Heartbeat.

Maynard - whose real name was Walter Williams - starred as the scruffy, eccentric poacher in the police drama for eight years, from 1992 to 2000, and was in its spin-off The Royal until 2003.

Other roles included Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt!, The Gaffer and In Sickness and In Health. He also made appearances in Carry On films Carry On At Your Convenience, Carry On Matron and Carry On Dick, and was Sergeant Beetroot in TV series Worzel Gummidge in 1980.

Maynard's most recent role was a brief appearance in 2017 drama The Moorside, about the disappearance of Shannon Matthews.

Outside of acting, Maynard tried his hand at singing - coming second in the British heat of the 1957 Eurovision Song Contest - and politics, standing as an independent against Tony Benn in the 1984 Chesterfield by-election.

From 2003 to 2008 he had a BBC Radio Leicester show and he celebrated 60 years since his first TV appearance in 2013 by releasing a version of What a Wonderful World.

Speaking at the time, he said that "making people laugh and smile brings me a lot of personal satisfaction".

"I am delighted to be still in the entertainment industry doing what I love most - 76 years since I began my career," he had said. "I have had an amazing career and I consider myself to be very lucky to still have the energy and enthusiasm to take on new work."

Maynard's daughter-in-law said he had recently filmed an episode of BBC One quiz show Pointless, which was yet to air.

He leaves a daughter and a son, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Tributes have been paid to Maynard, with actor Ian Champion saying he "had the blessing" to work with the "colourful, warm and mischievous" actor on Heartbeat.

Photographer Mike Sewell, who had met Maynard at his home in Burbarge, said he was a "friendly and funny gentleman".

Actor

Sheridan Smith in The Moorside (2017)

The Moorside

7.2

TV Mini Series

Cecil

2017

1 episode

 

Speed Love (2016)

Speed Love

Radio DJ

2016

 

Dealer Boots

TV Short

The Gaffer

2013

 

The Royal (2003)

The Royal

7.5

TV Series

Claude Greengrass

2003

7 episodes

 

Dalziel and Pascoe (1996)

Dalziel and Pascoe

7.4

TV Series

Councillor Cyril Steel

2002

2 episodes

 

Nick Berry in Heartbeat (1992)

Heartbeat

6.9

TV Series

Claude Jeremiah Greengrass

1992–2000

155 episodes

 

Heartbeat Chronicles (1999)

Heartbeat Chronicles

7.5

Video

Self

Claude Jeremiah Greengrass

1999

 

Screen One (1985)

Screen One

6.8

TV Series

George Trout

1991

1 episode

 

Adrian Dunbar and Tara Fitzgerald in Hear My Song (1991)

Hear My Song

7.0

Barry Haden (uncredited)

1991

 

Mike & Angelo (1989)

Mike & Angelo

7.0

TV Series

George Luscombe

1991

1 episode

 

Timothy Spall in The Tale of Little Pig Robinson (1990)

The Tale of Little Pig Robinson

6.9

TV Movie

Ben

The Cook

1990

 

Don Ameche and Burgess Meredith in Oddball Hall (1990)

Oddball Hall

4.1

Copperthewaite

1990

 

Warren Mitchell, Dandy Nichols, and Una Stubbs in In Sickness and in Health (1985)

In Sickness and in Health

7.0

TV Series

Bert Luscombe

1989

1 episode

 

George Cole in Minder (1979)

Minder

7.8

TV Series

Barney Todd

1984

1 episode

 

Andy Robson

7.4

TV Series

Sgt. Hogg

1983

1 episode

 

Bill Maynard in The Gaffer (1981)

The Gaffer

7.3

TV Series

Fred Moffatt

1981–1983

20 episodes

 

The Plague Dogs (1982)

The Plague Dogs

7.7

Editor (voice)

1982

 

Theatre Box (1981)

Theatre Box

TV Series

Benny

1981

1 episode

 

Dangerous Davies: The Last Detective (1981)

Dangerous Davies: The Last Detective

7.0

TV Movie

Mod Lewis

1981

 

Jon Pertwee in Worzel Gummidge (1979)

Worzel Gummidge

7.3

TV Series

Sgt Beetroot

Sergeant Beetroot

1980

3 episodes

 

Jamie Foreman, Reginald Marsh, Bill Maynard, Michael McVey, Sylvia O'Donnell, and Adam Richens in Sky Pirates (1980)

Sky Pirates

6.8

Charlie

1980

 

Tales of the Unexpected (1979)

Tales of the Unexpected

7.6

TV Series

Merv Pottinger

1980

1 episode

 

Bill Maynard in Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt (1974)

Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt

6.8

TV Series

Selwyn Froggitt

1974–1978

29 episodes

 

Confessions from a Holiday Camp (1977)

Confessions from a Holiday Camp

4.3

Mr. Lea

1977

 

Paradise Island

TV Series

Rev. Alexander Goodwin

1977

7 episodes

 

Confessions of a Driving Instructor (1976)

Confessions of a Driving Instructor

4.5

Mr. Lea

1976

 

John Alderton, Colin Blakely, and Lisa Harrow in It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet (1976)

It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet

6.4

Hinchcliffe

1976

 

Audrey Hepburn, Sean Connery, Ian Holm, Richard Harris, Robert Shaw, and Nicol Williamson in Robin and Marian (1976)

Robin and Marian

6.5

Mercadier

1976

 

It'll Be OK on the Day

1975

 

Trinity Tales (1975)

Trinity Tales

8.5

TV Series

Stan the Fryer

1975

6 episodes

 

Confessions of a Pop Performer (1975)

Confessions of a Pop Performer

4.3

Mr. Lea

1975

 

John Thaw and Dennis Waterman in The Sweeney (1975)

The Sweeney

8.1

TV Series

Det. Chief Insp. Stephen Quirk

1975

1 episode

 

A Journey to London

TV Movie

Sir Francis Headpiece

1975

 

Bill Maynard in The Life of Riley (1975)

The Life of Riley

TV Series

Frank Riley

1975

7 episodes

 

John Louis Mansi, Stanley Meadows, and Lance Percival in The Boy with Two Heads (1974)

The Boy with Two Heads

7.2

TV Series

Farmer

1974

7 episodes

 

Yootha Joyce, Brian Murphy, Richard O'Sullivan, Sally Thomsett, and Paula Wilcox in Man About the House (1974)

Man About the House

5.9

Chef

1974

 

Kenneth More in Father Brown (1974)

Father Brown

6.9

TV Series

Carver

1974

1 episode

 

Peter Egan and Robert Urquhart in The Inheritors (1974)

The Inheritors

TV Series

Sefton Garrett

1974

5 episodes

 

Robin Askwith, Anthony Booth, Linda Hayden, John Le Mesurier, Bill Maynard, Dandy Nichols, Richard Wattis, and Sheila White in Confessions of a Window Cleaner (1974)

Confessions of a Window Cleaner

4.8

Mr. Lea

1974

 

Carry on Dick (1974)

Carry on Dick

5.9

Bodkin

1974

 

ITV Playhouse (1967)

ITV Playhouse

6.9

TV Series

J.P. Powers

1974

1 episode

 

Davyd Harries, Ewan Hooper, Duncan Preston, and Charles Rea in Hunters Walk (1973)

Hunters Walk

8.1

TV Series

Charlie Mead

1974

1 episode

 

Anouska Hempel and Anton Rodgers in Zodiac (1974)

Zodiac

7.0

TV Series

George Sutton

1974

1 episode

 

Orson Welles Great Mysteries (1973)

Orson Welles Great Mysteries

7.8

TV Series

Detective Superintendent Marker

1974

1 episode

 

You'd Better Go in Disguise

1973

 

Colin Barlow in Hovis: Boy on the Bike (1973)

Hovis: Boy on the Bike

6.5

Video

Baker

1973

 

Armchair Theatre (1956)

Armchair Theatre

7.5

TV Series

Reg Turnbull

1973

1 episode

 

Diana Dors in Steptoe and Son Ride Again (1973)

Steptoe and Son Ride Again

6.7

George

1973

 

Ronnie Barker in 7 of 1 (1973)

7 of 1

7.6

TV Series

Councillor Mortimer Todd

1973

1 episode

 

Jack Smethurst and Rudolph Walker in Love Thy Neighbour (1972)

Love Thy Neighbour

7.0

TV Series

Police Sergeant

1973

1 episode

 

Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall (1973)

Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall

5.7

Sgt. Ellis

1973

 

Play for Today (1970)

Play for Today

7.8

TV Series

Harry

1973

1 episode

 

Comedy Playhouse (1961)

Comedy Playhouse

7.2

TV Series

Frank Potter

Moriarty

1973

1 episode

 

Never Mind the Quality: Feel the Width (1973)

Never Mind the Quality: Feel the Width

6.6

Larkin

1973

 

Anthony Booth, Warren Mitchell, Dandy Nichols, and Una Stubbs in Till Death Us Do Part (1965)

Till Death Us Do Part

7.4

TV Series

Bert

1972

2 episodes

 

Carry on Abroad (1972)

Carry on Abroad

6.5

Mr. Fiddler (scenes deleted)

1972

 

Sykes (1972)

Sykes

7.4

TV Series

Jim the Policeman

1972

1 episode

 

Bless This House (1972)

Bless This House

6.2

Oldham

1972

 

Four Dimensions of Greta (1972)

Four Dimensions of Greta

4.4

Big Danny

1972

 

Carry on Matron (1972)

Carry on Matron

6.2

Freddy

1972

 

Carry on at Your Convenience (1971)

Carry on at Your Convenience

6.2

Fred Moore

1971

 

Thirty-Minute Theatre (1965)

Thirty-Minute Theatre

7.4

TV Series

Zink

1971

1 episode

 

Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Paul Scofield, and Anna Calder-Marshall in ITV Saturday Night Theatre (1969)

ITV Saturday Night Theatre

6.0

TV Series

Clarence Hubbard

1971

1 episode

 

Carry on Henry VIII (1971)

Carry on Henry VIII

6.2

Guy Fawkes

1971

 

A Hole Lot of Trouble (1971)

A Hole Lot of Trouble

4.6

Short

Bill

1971

 

Carry on Loving (1970)

Carry on Loving

5.9

Mr. Dreery

1970

 

One More Time (1970)

One More Time

5.0

Jenson

1970

 

Up Pompeii! (1969)

Up Pompeii!

7.6

TV Series

Parcantus

1970

1 episode

 

Peter Adamson, Jean Alexander, Johnny Briggs, Margot Bryant, and Doris Speed in Coronation Street (1960)

Coronation Street

5.6

TV Series

Mickie Malone

1970

5 episodes

 

Peter Kastner in The Ugliest Girl in Town (1968)

The Ugliest Girl in Town

4.7

TV Series

Vladimir

1969

1 episode

 

Tim Barrett, Arthur Lowe, and Norman Pitt in It All Goes to Show (1969)

It All Goes to Show

5.8

Short

Mike Sago

1969

 

The Magnificent Six and ½: The Magician

Short

The magician

1969

 

Warren Mitchell and Una Stubbs in Alf 'n' Family (1968)

Alf 'n' Family

6.2

Bert

1968

 

No Hiding Place (1959)

No Hiding Place

7.6

TV Series

Vic Wilson

1960

1 episode

 

The Anne Shelton Show

TV Series

1959

2 episodes

 

One O'Clock Show

TV Series

Bill

1959–1964

 

Pantomania: Babes in the Wood

TV Movie

Babe

1957

 

Writer

Bill Maynard in Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt (1974)

Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt

6.8

TV Series

creator

1974–1978

 

Producer

Speed Love (2016)

Speed Love

executive producer

2016