JOHN HANNAM
his one play contract. This eventually
led to a West End debut in Maggie
May and the subsequent offer of
numerous television roles in series
like Z Cars, The Likely Lads, Curry
and Chips and Dad’s Army.
Unlike many of today’s young
television soap stars Geoffrey had
the background of early stage plays
which are so important for the real
longevity of an acting career. In
recent years I have been in theatres
and struggled to hear the words of
today’s young television stars. Many
cannot project their voices further
than the first few rows.
This is not the case with Geoffrey
Hughes and his contemporaries. He
has always enjoyed his varied theatre
roles, where the money is a pittance
when compared to the lucrative
world of huge hit TV series.
Before his television fame he
appeared in movies like The Virgin
Soldiers, Smashing Time and The
Bofors Gun and was the voice of Paul
McCartney in Yellow Submarine.
Geoffrey was one of the first
television soap stars to enjoy success
in multiple television series. He
proved there certainly was life after
Eddie Yeats in Coronation Street.
He created this popular character in
1974 and stayed nine years. He loved
his time in the show and is still asked
if he is ever going back.
After a West End stage season in
Run for Your Wife and a Channel
4 series called The Bright Side, he
eventually joined the last of Keeping
Up Appearances, as Onslow.
The success of Eddie Yeats had
typecast Geoffrey Hughes and this
was not unexpected.
“It was said that I had turned
slobbery into an art from,” quipped
Geoffrey loves country life, and now
Geoffrey.
plans to dedicate most of his time to
In reality, Onslow was the most
contented character in Keeping Up
his small- holding and woodland.
Appearances. Give him a beer and a
bacon sandwich and he was happy.
Geoffrey also enjoyed the off stage
camaraderie of the hit series, still
enjoying endless repeats and DVD
sales.
work for Geoffrey and his gradual disappearance from the series was purely
Twiggy in The Royle Family found Geoffrey success with another his own decision. His new role, of fewer episodes, will suit him and his n