From Porridge to serials, Sam was a real star
Looking back at the varied career of Salford sitcom star Sam Kelly
YOU could say Salford actor Sam Kelly had something of a liking for uniforms. He’s best known for playing Captain Hans Geering in the wartime comedy ‘Allo ‘Allo and inmate Bunny Warren in the prison drama Porridge.
On top of that, he was Dennis Waterman’s chauffeur Sam in the 1990s sitcom On the Up and Keith Barron’s liveried servant Grunge in the Georgian comedy Haggard.
From 1999 to 2003, Kelly played Ted Liversage – the taxi-driver husband of outspoken doctor’s receptionist Barbara Liversage (Gwen Taylor) in the Central TV sitcom Barbara.
As well as his popular comedy roles, Kelly enjoyed a distinguished stage career acting alongside the likes of Anthony Sher and appeared in a number of films.
He worked with director Mike Leigh in a series of movies including Knock for Knock in 1976, GrownUps in 1980, Topsy-Turvy in 1999 and A Running Jump in 2012.
Born in Salford during the war in December 1943, Kelly was abandoned as a baby and adopted by a couple who moved to Liverpool.
He showed early showbiz talent reciting monologues as a choirboy at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral before studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
After a spell in repertory theatre, Kelly landed a role in the 1973 British comedy Tiffany Jones, starring Anouska Hempel, and then appeared in two Carry On films – Carry On Dick in 1974 and Carry On Behind in 1975.
His big TV break came in 1974 in the prison sitcom Porridge starring Ronnie Barker, Richard Beckinsale, Fulton Mackay and Ashton-underLyne actor Brian Wilde.
Kelly played affable inmate Bunny Warren who reckoned he was only inside because he couldn’t read. As a result, he asked his fellow prisoners to read out all his letters from home.
Barker portrayed perennial offender Norman Stanley Fletcher while Beckinsale was his sidekick Lennie Godber. Mackay was sternfaced Principal Officer Mr MacKay.
Wilde played the well-meaning prison warder Mr Henry Barrowclough, the constant butt of Fletcher and Godber’s jokes.
Porridge ran for three series and two Christmas specials from 1974 to 1977. A feature film was released in 1979.
Kelly’s next major comedy role was that of German officer Captain Hans Geering in David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd’s BBC sitcom ‘Allo ‘Allo which ran from September 1984 to December 1992.
Starring Gorden Kaye as the café owner Rene Artois, the programme focused on life during occupied France in World War II. The plots involved trapped British airmen, local resistance fighters and a priceless missing painting.
Rene also had to conceal his numerous affairs from his suspicious wife Edith (Carmen Silvera) at the same time as ensuring that Gestapo agent Herr Otto Flick was kept well away from the café’s various illegal activities.
From 1995 to 2003, Kelly starred as Gwen Taylor’s husband Ted Liversage in the sitcom Barbara which ran for three series. Most of the action centred around the main character and her life as sharptongued doctor’s receptionist.
There were darker moments too. The last episode was something of a cliff-hanger as an unseen assailant shot Barbara from behind.
Barbara had a strong Coronation Street connection. Madge Hindle, who played corner-shop owner Renee Bradshaw on the Street, was Doreen in Barbara. Jean Alexander, the irrepressible Hilda Ogden, played Queenie Liversage in Barbara, and Sherrie Hewson (Maureen Holdsworth on the Street) portrayed Barbara character Jean Nesbitt.
Kelly also featured in the minisoap opera Acorn Antiques, written and performed by Prestwich comedienne Victoria Wood on her TV shows from 1985 to 1987.
A pastiche of the popular Midland soap Crossroads, Acorn Antiques also starred Celia Imrie and Julie Walters as elderly tea lady Mrs Overall. It was set in the fictional town of Manchesterford.
Wood created a comedy musical version of Acorn Antiques in 2005, again featuring Walters and Imrie. Our photo shows Kelly at the Theatre Royal premiere in London’s West End. Between TV work, Kelly appeared in War and Peace at the National Theatre and played Sir Joseph Porter in the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company’s version of HMS Pinafore in 2002. He also starred alongside Anthony Sher in the JeanPaul Sartre play Kean at the Theatre Royal, Bath, before transferring to the West End in 2007.
In May 2009, Kelly replaced Desmond Barrit as the Wizard in the London production of the musical Wicked. Kelly died in June 2014 at the age of 70 after a long battle with cancer.
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