HEARTBEAT STAR
GREENGRASS DICKENS SELWYN PRESENTER THE GAFFER
BILL Maynard, best known for playing Claude Jeremiah Greengrass in TV’s Heartbeat, has died aged 89.
An entertainer for 81 years, he tried everything from Shakespeare to the Eurovision Song Contest, was a 50s sex symbol, dabbled in politics, wed speed ace Donald Campbell’s widow and lost and reclaimed a fortune.
He died in hospital in Leicestershire after breaking his hip falling off his mobility scooter. Daughter-in-law Jacqueline Reddin said: “He was larger than life and just loved showbiz. He was so proud of working for 81 years.”
At its peak, Heartbeat was watched by 18million. But rogue Greengrass was only one of the many roles Bill created.
He was in Carry On films in the 70s. And with his catchphrase “Magic”, he played the title character in ITV sitcom Oh No, It’s Selwyn Froggitt.
There wasn’t much Bill didn’t do. He came fourth in the British heat of the 1957 Eurovision Song Contest and stood as an independent Labour candidate against Tony Benn in 1984. Asked why voters should take a comedy actor seriously, he said: “Quite honestly, it’s been my experience that it takes someone serious to play the fool.”
In his heyday he earned £1000 a week but ended up losing his fortune by quitting TV for the stage for a time.
Yet, despite his ups and downs, he never regretted a moment of his career.
In 2009, he said: “I’ve done everything from acting and singing to tap dancing, opera and one-man shows.
“People can’t understand why I still want to work at my age and I tell them it’s not work, I love it.”
The son of an ex-military father turned gardener and a laundry worker mother, Bill was born Walter Frederick George Williams in Surrey. The family later settled in South Wigston, Leiceistershire.
Every Saturday they went to the local working men’s club. One night, the turn didn’t arrive so Bill, aged eight, went up and sang George Formby’s Leaning on a Lamppost. It went down a storm.
Next day he was struck with scarlet fever and was in quarantine for 16 weeks. Nobody was allowed to visit, so