The actor Janet Hargreaves, who has died aged 81, played Rosemary Hunter in Crossroads during the 1970s heyday of the TV serial. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Early life [ edit] Briggs was born in Battersea, south-west London, on 5 September 1935. She was educated at a Malaysian boarding school, Pensionnat Notre Dame, in Pahang. She retired to her home in Birmingham, where she died in 1985 of stomach cancer. David Moran. Mention of Heather Chasen having been nominated for a Tony award for A Severed Head was deleted. Susan played Diane 'Miss Diane' Parker until her character was controversially killed off by a brain haemorrhage. Group Shot, cast members with Producer William Smethurst, Susan Hanson, Jane Rossington and Tony Adams, Jeremy Nicholas And Jane Rossington in Crossroads- 1988 The Final Scene, Jane Rossington, Paul Henry, and Susan Hanson, Jessica Fox has played Nancy on Hollyoaks since 2008, Sue Nicholls plays Audrey Roberts on Coronation Street, Kathy Staff starred as Nora Batty in the hit show, Tony Adams was almost stabbed by a furious viewer. This list features Elizabeth Berkley James Dean and more. Her last stage role was in No, No, Nanette at Plymouth's Theatre Royal. Jane, now 77, played Jill Richardson, the daughter of Meg and Charles Richardson, the older sister of Alexander 'Sandy'. Chasen held her own against the male cast during the Sunday studio recordings. Judy Cornwell, one of only a handful of other women in the show over its entire history, was in awe of them at first but told the author Richard Webber: Heather showed me how to push the men out of the way, because they would grab the microphones and not let us in, so we had to kick them in the shins and get to the microphones that way.. [1] Early life The decision to dismiss Gordon the show's most popular cast member was taken in the hope that viewers would desert the show, giving Central a valid excuse to axe it. She is survived by their son, Rupert. She is buried in the churchyard of St Mary's Parish Church in Ross-on-Wye. Died August 1976 Add photos, demo reels Add to list Known for Dracula A.D. 1972 5.9 Crying Matron 1972 Crossroads 4.2 TV Series Mrs. Witton Mrs. Witten Mrs Witton 1967-1976 44 eps Morning Story Her parents split up when she was 10, and both remarried. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. To accommodate his disability and not lose an original character, a story was developed in which Sandy became paralysed and a wheelchair user through an accident. Although you would never have known it from her on-screen squawk, she loved to sing and made a special appearance at Birmingham Town Hall, singing in Handels Messiah. I took the flack as that was part of my job to protect my staff. Croaky-voiced Anthony Roger Tonge was working as an 8-a-week post office clerk and performing in amateur dramatics in the evenings when he landed the role of Sandy Richardson, the motel owners son, a role he would play for 17 years. While he had much success in films and other television series, he never forgot Crossroads and was always keen to be involved with reunion events. While in Crossroads he became a well-known face among the soaps army of loyal fans with his comic turn as the irascible Shughie McFee. She is patron of the Crossroads Appreciation Society, a fan club for the show. The British actress is now 79 years old and she is married with two children. An appearance on Crossroads in 1971 as Harry Silver, a GI on the run in the village, led to a recurring role on the series in the 1980s as the garage mechanic Sid Hooper. A former chat show host she was the first woman ever to interview a serving Prime Minister she had been presenter of ATVs Lunchbox. Tony Adams played womanising accountant, Adam Chance in Crossroads for 10 years. let infinite_scroll_server_settings = JSON.parse('{"max_screen_index":50,"site_initial":"bs","total_media_id":"","is_active_mode":"GeneralMode","campaign_hash":"7caa701b2bd5a182b80c72b9bdf88e2d","article_url":"\/entertainment\/cast-crossroads-now-yh\/","country_code":"US","cloudfront_country_code":"US","first_article_max_page_num":49,"additional_post_url":"https:\/\/brain-sharper.com\/entertainment\/baywatch-tan-tb-2\/"}'); Original star Tony played Adam Chanced from 1978 until he was killed off in a fire during the reprisal. She had a natural eccentricity that was on display at OConnors wedding she turned up in camouflage pants and dark glasses with impenetrable blue lenses. Angus Wilson Lennie (18 April 1930 - 14 September 2014) was a Scottish film and theatre character actor with a 50-year career span. The killing of Georgie Broadhead could have come straight from the script . He was aged just 35. Melanie Harper, played by Cleo Sylvestre, arrived at the motel in 1970 as Megs foster daughter itself a taboo issue. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. She joins the many original cast members from Crossroads who are no longer with us, including Noele Gordon, Beryl Johnstone, Roger Tonge, Zeph Gladstone, and Ronald Allen . The arrival of Valerie Pollard at the Crossroads motel in 1982, Heather Chasen being interviewed about her career, authority on south-east Asian birds and mammals, Young Sherlock: The Mystery of the Manor House. This permanent character development was made to accommodate actor Roger Tonge who had been developing increasing ill-health. Actress. [7], In the summer of 1964, Lunchbox came to an end after more than 2,000 episodes. Just a couple of years after her debut TV role as Lola Wise, Agyeman became the companion in Doctor Who, Martha Jones. According to Denton, "I simply carried out the request of the Crossroads producer [Barton] to dismiss her. With adept changes of voice, Chasens roles included Ramona Povey, the wife of Richard Caldicots commander; Miss Simpkins, assistant to the Sea Lord; and Wren Chasen, alongside Leslie Phillips and Jon Pertwee as, respectively, the sub-lieutenant and chief petty officer perpetually trying to get the vessel out of the trouble they had personally created. Funnily enough, she starred alongside her fellow Crossroads actor Sue Nicholls, who played Audrey Roberts. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. She was the only original cast member of Crossroads to star in both the first and last ever episodes, and she spoke the first words spoken on the soap, "Crossroads Motel, good evening". His fans included British troops serving in the Falklands War in 1982, who nicknamed the Falkland Islanders Bennies after the character. [8] She then moved on to present a daily live entertainment show, Lunchbox, an early daytime programme. The former Coronation Street actor Amanda Barrie, who had a 10-year relationship with Chasen after appearing on stage with her in 1980, recalled her loose grasp on reality. then this list will help you answer those questions. var device = 'mobile'; Paul played Benny Hawkins from 1975-1988, and then went on to star in prison drama Bad Girls, Doctors, and The Sweeney. He had caught chicken pox and died of heart failure, his system unable to cope with the infection. Crossroads cast list, including photos of the actors when available. In the same interview, she commented that a future role as a breakfast television presenter was being negotiated. She may be best known for her long-running role (1979 to 1985) as Barbara Hunter ( ne Brady) in the British soap opera Crossroads and Cordelia Winfield in the ITC series The Baron . I enjoyed playing Benny, the studios were nearby and we built up an audience of 15 million viewers in its daily 6.30pm slot, just as people arrived home from work. The show had many memorable characters in its early years including the likes of hotel chef Carlos Raphael, kitchen assistant Amy Turtle, postmistress Edith Tatum, long-running character Diane Lawton, motel director David Hunter, chef Shughie McFee, hairdresser Vera Downend, and the womanising Adam Chance. However, this high living meant she was often short of money. Don't miss out on the biggest soaps gossip! Paul also set his sights on other avenues and purchased and ran a nightclub for a long time before his TV stints after Crossroads. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. What a Lovely War, directed by his Great Escape co-star Richard Attenborough, with a cast that included Dirk Bogarde and Laurence Olivier. It would be great to be working again, but at the end of the day, Ive got a lovely family and they are the love of my life.. Noele Gordon was the star of the show who played Meg Mortimer until she was fired in 1981. She eventually left the show in 1977 and the role was her last on TV. Prior to the accident storyline, Tonge had for many months only been seen in seated scenes, standing rigid or lying in bed. Born in 1930, Angus spent his early years in Glasgow, attending Eastbank Academy in the city. With the increase in the number and popularity of cars, adventurous travellers were starting to take trips that previously were impossible. [14], For many years in the 1960s and early 1970s, Gordon lived in a large white-washed country house in Weir End, near Ross-on-Wye, beside the A40 road to Monmouth. [1] She played the role of Meg Mortimer (originally Richardson, later Ryder) in the long-running British soap opera Crossroads from 1964 to 1981, with a brief return in 1983. The popular actor starred for nine years in the Midland soap and also took on a memorable role opposite Hollywood legend Steve McQueen in iconic war movie, The Great Escape. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. She said she partly based the alcoholic lesbian she played in the Enid Bagnold play Call Me Jacky (Oxford playhouse, 1967-68) on the novelist Patricia Highsmith, with whom she had a brief relationship in the 1960s. [1] She played the role of Meg Mortimer (originally Richardson, later Ryder) in the long-running British soap opera Crossroads from 1964 to 1981, with a brief return in 1983.[2]. It took him nine years to escape from the Midland soap. I wasnt keen, but as it was only for a few weeks, I thought, Why not? I dressed in a set of overalls and my brothers green woolly hat that he wore when he went fishing. If you are wondering, "Who are the actors from Crossroads?" She now lives in Staffordshire and in 2022 her family revealed she was suffering from Alzheimers disease. Benny went to peoples hearts and many spoke of his relationship with Diane [Susan Hanson], which worked because she was an established character whom the public loved. Royal Shakespeare Company-trained Elisabeth Croft had been a withdrawn child, so acting was perhaps an odd choice of career. She became ill during the run and had to be replaced. Now 37, she is best known for her long-standing role as Nancy Hayton on Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks , which she began in 2008. Heather found fame playing Valerie Pollard on Crossroads (not Emmerdale) for four years from 1982. (Image: Central Television) David Hunter A. The original soap ran from 1964 to 1988 and was followed by a short revival in 2001. Instructed to stop using the name, the troops came up with Stills for locals because they were still Bennies. It led to her playing most of her scenes opposite Sue Nicholls (Audrey Roberts), no doubt with both having a sense of deja vu. Since 1988, she has been the main patron of the Crossroads Appreciation Society, and continues to take an active role in the group. Having dropped in at ATV during his lunch break to enquire about acting parts, a cleaner directed him to a meeting where production manager Margaret French handed him a script and invited him to return for an audition. let advertisementDisclaimer = 'ADVERTISEMENT'; In 2011, Chasen returned to soap to take over the role of Lydia Simmonds, Janine Butchers grandmother, in EastEnders for a short stint when Margaret Tyzack had to pull out. His father was a master carpenter. She was also very well known for her role as Nora Batty in Last Of The Summer Wine , which she played from its inception in 1973 until her death. In 1981, after a long fight with Hodgkin's lymphoma, Tonge died aged 35. Peggy Aitchison played Vi Blundell for six years between 1964 and 1970. [5][6] Her acting career came to a halt in 1955, when she joined Associated Television in London, where she presented their first-ever programme, The Weekend Show. The character - whom Hargreaves described as a "Technicolor. But Heineman opened the worlds first motel in world, almost accidentally, in San Luis Obispo, California in December 1925. He was writing a storyline for a new character called Benny Hawkins in Crossroads and he felt Id be perfect. He is currently recovering from prostate cancer treatment, and he praised the NHS staff as "angels" for their care in a 2019 news report. While at drama school in the 60s, I used to work backstage watching actors like Laurence Olivier play Othello. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. This article was amended on 29 May 2020. Susan married Radio 1 presenter Tommy Vance in the 60s, and then married former Move frontman Carl Wayne until his death in 2004. This cast list of actors from Crossroads focuses primarily on the main characters, but there may be a few actors who played smaller roles on Crossroads that are on here as well. I met Sheila at The British Legion Club when I was working at Birmingham Rep and she was a hairdresser. Crossroads also turned Noele Gordon into a gay icon.[3][10]. His last known role was in the short film The Gigolo in 2017. In 1981, after a long fight with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Tonge died age 35. He frequently returned to Scotland to appear in pantomime, often as a double act with his friend Stanley Baxter, their partnership as pantomime dames becoming part of the legend of Scottish theatre. During his tenure in the series, his ill health left him increasingly immobile. [11], In October 2017, Henry appeared on Pointless Celebrities alongside Shaun Williamson. Then there was perhaps the most memorable character of all, village idiot Benny Hawkins, whose trademark was a woolly hat worn all year round. Tuesday, 2nd May 2023See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. Benny wasnt the brightest character to emerge from planet soap. "[13] She returned to Crossroads in August 1983 for two episodes. Arguably the most successful actress to have starred in Crossroads, both old and new, the sky seems to be the limit for Freema Agyeman! Cameron Chapman is much older than his character Anthony Lockwood, Angela Piper has left The Archers as Jennifer Aldridge after 60 years, Meet Vera star Brenda Blethyn's eight siblings, Pamela Anderson 'realised no one has perfect childhood' in look-back. Who's Who on Television. His absence and death were mentioned in an episode of Crossroads between his character's mother Meg and sister Jill and again in the episode featuring Meg leaving for a new life on the QE2. . A former fashion model, Valerie was used to the finer things in life, spending her husbands money, devouring Tom Collins cocktails and men. Crossroads took up six months every year, which left me time for theatre, pantomime and guest spots on shows like Bullseye and then Eamonn Andrews surprised me on one of his last This Is Your Life shows in 1985. She led her soap life to the full for 24 years during which scripts saw her married five times once bigamously become a drug addict, an alcoholic and have a baby with her stepbrother. Mike Garrett, of the Crossroads fan club, said: Angus became one of the most popular and loved characters in Crossroads thanks to his perfectly timed comedy performances. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. In 2019, she won the Outstanding Achievement gong at the British Soap Awards. She appeared in two British films, 29 Acacia Avenue (1945) and Lisbon Story (1946) in minor parts. He was only 35. Since then he has run his own business and recently played Tony Hancock on stage. All rights reserved. Lovable Crossroads legend Angus Lennie, who played cheeky chef, Shughie McFee. Joan Noele Gordon (25 December 1919 - 14 April 1985) was a British actor of Scottish descent and television presenter. In a tragic scene, his character is shot by German guards as he makes a run for the prison camps fence. He was reported as having laughed off the jibes of journalists, by saying: "I'm allergic to criticism". He had caught chicken pox and died of heart failure, his system unable to cope with the infection. Arguably the most successful actress to have starred in Crossroads, both old and new, the sky seems to be the limit for Freema Agyeman! [2], The slang phrase "throwing a benny" refers to someone having a temper tantrum and may originate from Henry's Crossroads character. In 2013, at the age of 72, Adams began suffering from osteoarthritis, which he blames on a seafood diet. Noele appeared in two episodes in 1983 as a surprise, and there were plans to bring her back as an occasional character in 1985. She has two grown children, Sorrel and Harry. {PPInfiniteScroll.addLazyLoadingAds()}; BrainSharper is your news, entertainment, music fashion website. Her father died the following day on a steamer that was sunk, and her stepfather, Ginger (GCR) Franks, died in the fighting that followed the invasion. Years later, I did Doctors, several episodes of Bad Girls and recently a tour playing Tony Hancock in Hancocks Finest Hour. Tonge thus became the first disabled actor in a soap; however, it was something he always played down and his illness was never talked about. Tony went on to star in a stage production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but largely stayed out of the spotlight. She would, however, not return to television full-time because of her theatre commitments. No, I agree, its not immediately obvious. The famous tart with a heart was played by Zephyrine Frances Zeph Gladstone and her character was a big hit with fans. This list includes all of the Crossroads main actors and actresses, so if they are an integral part of the show you'll find them below. In 1942 Heather, with her mother and siblings, Christine and Jeremy, fled Singapore for England on the last boat to leave before the Japanese wartime occupation. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Heather Jean Chasen, actor, born 20 July 1927; died 22 May 2020. Cook Shughie blagged his way into a job at the motel, boasting he once worked on a luxury cruise ship which turned out to be a workers ferry on the Clyde. He was an actor, known for Yes Minister (1980), Mind Your Language (1977) and Crossroads (1964). He started out acting in amateur productions before landing parts in theatres across the UK. [3] Henry's post-Crossroads career included minor stage roles and the running of a nightclub in Whitchurch, Shropshire, but, in 1994, he returned to television briefly in a tribute to Crossroads, called 30 Years On. [9], First in 1969, and over the following decade, she won the TV Times award for most popular television actress on eight occasions. She made her professional debut as Marcella in Donna Clarines at the Castle theatre, Farnham (1945). The actor Heather Chasen, who has died aged 92, landed her best-known screen role in the television soap Crossroads. [4] He was in character as Benny in the song, but spoke rather than sang. He was married to actress Sue Lloyd, who played his onscreen wife, Barbara Hunter, before lung cancer claimed his life in 1991. The Birmingham actor who played Carlos in Crossroads has died at the age of 73. She died in August 1976 in Seychelles. Crossroads cast now: What happened to Noele Gordon and her co-stars in the soap as Nolly airs on ITVX It follows the life of Noele Gordon, one of the nations most famous and beloved soap. His numerous credits include the character of Flying Officer. In August 2012, it was announced that Hanson had joined the cast of long-running soap opera Coronation Street as a character called Penny Thornley. [9], Returning to the stage in 2009, he appeared in a touring version of Run for Your Wife and in the following year portrayed Tony Hancock in the play Hancock's Finest Hour. [1] Henry's first acting credit was for his role as Guiccioli on the TV miniseries The Roads to Freedom. The actor was previously married to Margery Field and he died on July 2, 1985 in London. Arnold Ridley played Reverend Guy Atkins between 1964 and 1972 as part of the main cast. (modern). Years active. But in later years his ill-health left him increasingly immobile. [16] Written by Russell T Davies, and directed by Peter Hoar, the production is titled Nolly and depicts her time in, and sacking from, Crossroads. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. She was previously married to Brian Kent and she died in 1975 in Bromley, Kent, at the age of 62. She died in London in 2002, at the age of 65. The programme's new look was designed to bring back Gordon on an 'as and when' basis, starting with a three-month stint from April 1985. has died, aged 84. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the entertainment industry. Roger Tonge (30 January 1946 26 February 1981) was a British actor. [1] Henry's first acting credit was for his role as Guiccioli on the TV miniseries The Roads to Freedom. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Crossroads was a much-loved soap which spanned decades and underwent a revival until its end in 2003, but what did the cast members do next? Angus Wilson Lennie (18 April 1930 14 September 2014) was a Scottish film and theatre character actor with a 50-year career span. 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