Dennis Waterman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dennis Waterman
Waterman in 2012
Born	(1948-02-24)24 February 1948 Clapham, London, England
Died	8 May 2022(2022-05-08) (aged 74) Spain
Occupation	Actor, singer
Years active	1960–2015, 2019–2022
Spouse(s)	Penny Dixon ​ ​ (m. 1967; div. 1976)​ Patricia Maynard ​ ​ (m. 1977; div. 1987)​ Rula Lenska ​ ​ (m. 1987; div. 1998)​ Pam Flint ​ (m. 2011⁠–⁠2022)​
Children	2; including Hannah Waterman

Dennis Waterman (born 24 February 1948 – died 8 May 2022) was a famous English actor and singer. He was best known for playing tough-guy roles in popular TV shows. These included The Sweeney, Minder, and New Tricks. He even sang the theme songs for Minder and New Tricks.

Dennis Waterman's acting career lasted for 60 years. He started acting as a child in films and on stage. As an adult, he continued to star in movies, TV shows, and West End theatre productions. He was known for playing many different types of characters. These roles included parts in dramas, horror films, adventure series, comedies, and musicals. He also starred in police TV shows like The Sweeney. He appeared in 29 films, with his last movie released in 2020.

Early Life and Education

Dennis Waterman was the youngest of nine children. He was born in Clapham, London. His parents were Rose Juliana and Harry Frank Waterman. The family lived in Clapham Common South Side. His father, Harry, worked as a ticket collector for British Railways.

Boxing was a big part of Dennis's childhood. His father was an amateur boxer and taught all his sons to box. Dennis started boxing when he was just three years old. At age ten, he joined the Caius Boxing Club. His older brother, Peter, was even a boxing champion.

Dennis went to Granard Primary School in Putney. Later, he attended Corona Stage School. This was an independent school in Hammersmith, West London.

Life and Career as an Actor

Starting Out in the 1960s

Dennis Waterman began acting when he was a child. His first role was in the film Night Train for Inverness (1960). He also had small roles on stage for the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1960. In 1961, at age 13, he played Winthrop Paroo in the musical The Music Man.

A year later, he starred as William Brown in the BBC TV series William. This show was based on the popular Just William books. Dennis also played Oliver Twist in the musical Oliver! in London. He was part of the cast recording released in 1961. In 1963, he had a main role in the film Go Kart Go.

Waterman was in the first cast of Saved, a play by Edward Bond. He also had a major role in the film Up The Junction (1968). In this movie, he played Peter, the boyfriend of Polly.

Becoming Famous in the 1970s

In the early 1970s, Dennis appeared in the BBC series Colditz. He played a young Gestapo officer. He also appeared in the Hammer horror film Scars of Dracula (1970). He starred alongside Richard Harris in the Hollywood western Man in the Wilderness (1971).

He became very well known as DS George Carter in The Sweeney during the 1970s. This role made him a household name. Later, he starred as Terry McCann in Minder. He also sang the show's theme song, "I Could Be So Good for You." This song became a top three hit in the UK in 1980. It was also a top ten hit in Australia. His then-wife Patricia Maynard helped write the song.

In 1976, Dennis Waterman released his first album, Downwind of Angels. He also released a single called "I Will Glide." In 1978, he returned to the RSC to perform in the comedy Saratoga.

Roles in the 1980s

In 1982, Dennis Waterman starred in a TV film called The World Cup: A Captain's Tale. This was a true story about a part-time football team that won the 'First World Cup'. Waterman played Bob Jones, the team captain.

In 1982, Waterman also starred in the musical Windy City. The cast included Amanda Redman, who he later worked with again. Windy City ran for 250 performances. In 1986, he took the lead male role in the BBC show The Life and Loves of a She-Devil. This show won a BAFTA Award.

In 1983, Waterman narrated an eight-part BBC documentary series. It was about Asian martial arts and called The Way of the Warrior. In 1988, he voiced a character named Toaster in the children's animated series Tube Mice.

Work in the 1990s and 2000s

After Minder, Waterman appeared in the comedy drama Stay Lucky (1989–93). He also played Tony Carpenter in the sitcom On the Up (1990-2). From 1997 to 1999, he was John Danson in the crime drama The Knock.

He was a regular actor in New Tricks from 2003 to 2014. He played a main character in every season. He left the show during its final season in 2015. He also narrated the TV show Bad Lads' Army. In 2009, he appeared in the BBC2 miniseries Moses Jones.

Later Career in the 2020s

In 2020, Dennis Waterman starred in the Australian film Never Too Late. This drama-comedy movie was filmed in Adelaide, South Australia the year before.

Waterman filming New Tricks in 2012

Personal Life

Dennis Waterman was married four times:

• Penny Dixon (1967–1976)
• Patricia Maynard (1977–1987). She was an actress. They had two daughters together. One of their daughters, Hannah Waterman, is also an actress. Hannah is known for playing Laura Beale in EastEnders. She later appeared in New Tricks with her father.
• Rula Lenska (1987–1998)
• Pam Flint (November 2011–2022)

Dennis Waterman passed away in a hospital in Spain on 8 May 2022. He was 74 years old.

Books

• 2000: Waterman, Dennis; and Jill Arlon. – ReMinder. – London: Hutchinson. – ISBN: 978-0-09-180108-3.

Filmography

Discography

Albums

Singles

See also

In Spanish: Dennis Waterman para niños