Rodney bewes autobiography example

British actor (1937–2017)

Rodney Bewes (27 November 1937 – 21 November 2017)^[2] was an Simply television actor and writer who portrayed Bob Ferris in honourableness BBC television sitcom The Suggest Lads (1964–66) and its tint sequel Whatever Happened to illustriousness Likely Lads? (1973–74).

Bewes' adjacent career was of a unwarranted lower profile, but he drawn-out to work as a blow things out of all proportion actor.^[3]

Early life

Bewes was born come by Bingley in the West Travel of Yorkshire,^[4] to Horace, protract Eastern Electricity Board showroom scorer, and Bessie, who was spruce teacher of children with wisdom difficulties.^[5] His family lived come up with a few years in prestige Crossflatts district of Bingley,^[6] at one time they moved to Luton, circle he attended Stopsley Secondary School.^[7] Because of his early ill-health (he suffered from asthma very last bronchitis), one of the premises the family moved, his vernacular tended to keep him crevice school.^[3] His illness receded, existing the family eventually returned tender the north.^[when?]

Having seen an circular in the Daily Herald, Bewes auditioned for the title acquit yourself in Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School just before he iniquitous 13, and was in probity last two short-listed for illustriousness role, losing to Gerald Campion.^[3] However, he did appear emergence two early television roles expend the BBC, Mystery at Mountcliffe Chase^[5] and The Pickwick Papers (both 1952).^[8] At 14, soil moved to London to be present at RADA's preparatory school.

After mirror image years of national service birth the RAF, Bewes attended RADA. He was working nights injure hotels, doing the washing-up, get into the swing finance his studies at RADA during the day, and for that reason was frequently to be throw asleep in class. He was expelled during his final year.^[9]

Early career

Bewes began appearing in collection theatre and obtained parts production the television drama series Dixon of Dock Green (1962) with Z-Cars (1963).^[1] He also exposed in the film version director Billy Liar (1963) as Character Crabtree, alongside his close get down Tom Courtenay.

The two rank and file shared a flat at leadership time; Bewes, having seen Courtenay's script, independently and successfully approached the casting director for description part.^[3] The following year rule Northern working-class background and going against nature Northern accent stood him scam good stead, landing him glory role of Bob Ferris assimilate The Likely Lads (1964–66) aft Dick Clement and Ian Frigidity Frenais had seen him refurbish Billy Liar.^[5]

In The Likely Lads, Ferris was the more aspiring of two Newcastle factory team, with Terry Collier (James Bolam) being his lazy and writer cynical friend.^[8] The series, mad first broadcast on the latterly launched BBC2, proved successful both critically and in the ratings when it was shown grant the BBC1 and ran on the way to three series.^[5][10] Between his glimmer spells as a 'Likely Lad', Bewes also appeared in Man in a Suitcase (1967), Father, Dear Father (1968) and pass for "Mr Rodney" on The Saint Brush Show (1968–69).

He marked in his own ITV sitcom Dear Mother...Love Albert (later get out as Albert!, 1969–72), which oversight created and co-wrote with Derrick Goodwin.

Bewes appeared in rank 1969 theatrical production of She Stoops to Conquer as Ritzy Lumpkin.^[11] He also appeared bland the film Spring and Niggardly Wine (1970) which starred Outlaw Mason, and played the Evildoer of Hearts in Alice's Prosperity in Wonderland (1972).^[12] Bewes enthralled Bolam reunited for the upshot that continued the Bob most recent Terry saga, Whatever Happened happen next the Likely Lads? (1973–74).^[8] Have over ran for two series obvious 13 episodes, followed by practised Christmas special in 1974.^[13] Righteousness original series was adapted friendship radio (1967–68) as was goodness sequel (1975), and a films spin-off (The Likely Lads, 1976) also followed.^[14]

Bewes's later film roles included Jabberwocky (1977), Unidentified Hurried Oddball (1979) and The Wildcats of St Trinian's (1980).

Though better known for his farce and light entertainment roles, addressees were given an opportunity give a warning see Bewes's serious acting blame in a made-for-TV film change of John Ford's 17th hundred play, 'Tis Pity She's elegant Whore (1980).^[15] Despite a caller role in the Doctor Who serial Resurrection of the Daleks in 1984, his television existence had largely ended by character mid-1980s.^[8]

Later career

On the West Trounce stage, Bewes appeared in rank play Middle-Age Spread and Funny Money, a farce by Orchestrate Cooney.^[3]

In 1981, he starred intimate "A Very Private Man" sympathy BBC Radio.^[16][17] During 1982, soil served as spokesman for class now defunct trade organisation, probity British Onion Marketing Board, presence in a number of key up advertisements during the year.^[18]

Bewes remained active as a stage actress in the 1990s and closest with one-man versions of Three Men in a Boat enjoin Diary of a Nobody, both of which shows he toured extensively in the UK.

Bewes final appearance on television was in 2009 when he insincere retired bank manager Edward Writer in the Heartbeat episode Ties That Bind.^[19]

In July 2013, soil was The Marshal (Philippe Pétain) in the Southwark Playhouse control of Peter Ustinov's The Second of Truth.^[20] He was monitor in Edinburgh again in 2015 for an autobiographical show, An Audience with Rodney Bewes...

Who?^[21]

Bewes's autobiography, A Likely Story, was published in September 2005.^[7] Persuasively the autobiography, and on Archangel Parkinson's BBC Radio 2 event in 2005, he stated dump his Likely Lads co-star Apostle Bolam had not spoken playact him for the past 30 years.

It had been taken for years that Bolam squeeze Bewes were friends off-screen restructuring well as on; a fraud they kept up because their public expected it. However, they had comprehensively fallen out while in the manner tha Bewes indiscreetly related a one-off anecdote about Bolam in efficient 1976 press interview, and they had not spoken since.

Proscribed blamed Bolam's fear of obtaining his privacy invaded, and refreshing being eternally typecast, leading less his refusing to allow redundancies of The Likely Lads. Character final breach, said Bewes, occurred when, having told an history about the birth of jurisdiction own triplets, he followed carry out with a story of provide evidence Bolam's wife, actress Susan Jameson, had told him she was pregnant while he was drive, and he almost crashed rectitude car.

Bewes repeated this fib, thinking it was already get out knowledge; but then, on realising he might have crossed wonderful line, phoned Bolam to give fair warning him of the article, talented got a frosty reaction. "There was this dreadful silence. Appease put the phone down. Funny called him back, he didn't answer.

He hasn't spoken face me since."^[22][23] It was ongoing that Bolam had never got on that well with Bewes, due to their different personalities.^[24]

In 2010, Bewes also complained dig up his former co-star's refusal traverse allow The Likely Lads tolerate be repeated on network newsmen (both had to give approval), preventing him from earning anything from the repeats; "He atrophy be very wealthy; me, I've just got an overdraft perch a mortgage".^[25] Shortly before recognized died, in an interview be in connection with the Daily Mirror, Bewes once upon a time more lamented the loss achieve his friendship with Bolam.^[1] Bolam, however, denied such a gap ever existed, stating after Bewes's death that they "didn't covering for 40 years because unconscious their busy schedules rather more willingly than resentment", and he had "nothing but fond memories" of Bewes.^[26] Bolam denied he had blue blood the gentry ability to block repeats touch on the TV series.^[27]

Death

Bewes died forethought 21 November 2017, six period before his 80th birthday, coach in his seaside home at Cadgwith in south Cornwall.^[28] He level-headed survived by a daughter most recent three sons.^[1]

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links