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Paul Shane
Paul Shane.jpg
Shane in 2011
Born
George Frederick Speight

(1940-06-19)19 June 1940
Thrybergh, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died 16 May 2013(2013-05-16) (aged 72)
Occupation Actor, comedian
Years active 1972–2013
Spouse(s)
Dorothy Shortt
(m. 1961; her death 2001)
Children 3

Paul Shane (born George Frederick Speight; 19 June 1940 – 16 May 2013) was a British actor and comedian. He was known for his television work, in particular playing Ted Bovis in Hi-de-Hi!, a 1980s BBC sitcom.

Early life

Shane was born on 19 June 1940 in Thrybergh, near Rotherham, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. After leaving school in 1955, he was a miner at Silverwood Colliery until he suffered double herniated discs after slipping on soap in the pithead baths in 1967, being pensioned from the coal mines as a result. Two years later he became a professional entertainer. He already had ten years' experience as a part-time entertainer in pubs and clubs in south Yorkshire.

Career

Shane's first appearance, as a singer, was at the Grafton pub — now demolished — in St Ann's Road, Rotherham. His first club booking was at St Ann's Club in Rotherham, for 30 shillings. His transformation from singer to comedian was gradual, starting with his version of "Green, Green Grass of Home", which was straight at first, but ultimately became a send-up of the version by Tom Jones.

Shane played small parts and made guest appearances in television series throughout the 1970s. In May 1979, the comedy writer Jimmy Perry spotted Shane playing Frank Roper in an episode of Coronation Street and offered him the part of Ted Bovis in his new holiday-camp sitcom Hi-de-Hi!. The series ran from 1980 until 1988, when Perry and his co-writer David Croft wrote the pilot of You Rang, M'Lord? and invited Shane to play Alf Stokes. That show ran until 1993.

In 1991, Shane was given his own show, Very Big Very Soon, which ran for one series.

Shane's performance of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" on Pebble Mill at One in 1996 was voted the 72nd-funniest moment on British television in an opinion poll on Channel 4 in 2004.

Between 1995 and 1997, Shane played Jack Skinner in two series of Oh, Doctor Beeching!. Subsequently, he appeared most frequently in theatre, though he also had guest spots in Holby City and Emmerdale.

Shane also appeared in variety theatre in towns including Blackpool in 2006, and in pantomime in Jack and the Beanstalk in 2008. In 2008, he was in an episode of the ITV drama series A Touch of Frost, playing boatsman "Diesel Bob". He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1981, when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews in London's Covent Garden.

Personal life

Shane was married to Dorothy Shortt (Born 28 February 1943) from 1961 until her death on 4 April 2001 aged 58. They had three daughters.

On 1 April 1984, he was inducted into the Grand Order of Water Rats.

In May 2009, Shane was admitted to the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield for heart surgery and made a full recovery.

Following another short period of ill-health, he died on 16 May 2013 in a Rotherham hospice, aged 72. His three daughters and six grandchildren survived him. His funeral was held on 31 May 2013 at Rotherham Minster.

Filmography

Year Title Role Details
1972 A Day Out Baldring Television film
1973 Sporting Scenes Charabanc driver Episode: England, Their England
1975-1980 Play for Today Various
1976 Second City Firsts Ricky Avon Episode: Summer Season
Centre Play Garage clerk Episode: Showcase: Riding South
1977 Coronation Street Dave-the-Rave 2 episodes
1979 Frank Roper
Afternoon Off Alf Television film
1979–1980 Turtle's Progress Mashcan 1 Episode
1980 Sounding Brass Gray 3 Episodes
1980–1988 Hi-de-Hi! Ted Bovis 58 episodes; also title music, uncredited
1982 Muck and Brass Dennis Catto Episode - Our Green and Pleasant Land
1983-1989 Blankety Blank Himself 8 episodes
1984 A Century of Stars: The Story of the Grand Order of Water Rats Himself Television documentary
1986 Super Gran Sid Scouse Christmas Special - Super Gran and the World's Worse Circus
1988–1993 You Rang, M'Lord? Alf Stokes 26 episodes; also performed theme tune
1991 Very Big Very Soon Harry James 4 Episodes
1993 Woof! Honest Norman Episode: The Sure Thing
1994 Mother's Ruin Ernie Potts Series 1 episode 3
1995–1997 Oh, Doctor Beeching! Jack Skinner 20 episodes
1995 ChuckleVision Perry Champagne Episode - My Lucky Number's 9
1996 New Voices Ernie Episode - Two Minutes
La Passione Papa
Between Two Women Mayor
1997 Common As Muck Mike Roberts 6 episodes
1999 Hilltop Hospital The Teds (Voice role) Episode: Gracey Greyshell's Last Day ...
Kavanagh QC Greg Dallimore Episode: End Game
2000 Doctors Bill Joseph 4 Episodes
2000–2004 Holby City Stan Ashley 13 Episodes
2002 Heartlands Zippy
2003 Between Two Women Councillor Hoylake
2004 Emmerdale Solomon Dingle 8 Episodes
2007 Children in Need Concierge
2008 A Touch of Frost Diesel Bob Episode - In the Public Interest
2012 The Grey Mile Terry the Taxman Video short; final role

See also

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