Gary Holton facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Gary Holton
Performing in 1974.
Born	Gary Frederick Holton (1952-09-22)22 September 1952 Clapham, London, England
Died	25 October 1985(1985-10-25) (aged 33) London, England
Resting place	Maesgwastad Cemetery, Welshpool, Wales
Occupation	Musician, actor
Years active	1971–1985
Spouse(s)	Donna Campbell (m. 1979)
Children	1
Musical career
Genres	Glam rock hard rock folk rock
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica
Labels	Safari, Receiver, Magnet
Associated acts	The Koobas/Gary & Stu, Heavy Metal Kids, The Actors, Casino Steel, Mick Rossi

Gary Frederick Holton (born 22 September 1952 – died 25 October 1985) was a talented British singer, songwriter, musician, and actor from London. He was best known as the lead singer of the rock band Heavy Metal Kids from 1972 to 1977. He also worked with musician Casino Steel and played the popular character Wayne (also known as London) in the British TV comedy Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.

Early Life and Talents
Acting Career
Musical Career
Personal Life
Discography
- Albums
- Singles
Filmography

Early Life and Talents

Gary Holton was born in Clapham, south London. He grew up in Kennington and was the first child of Ernie and Joan Holton. From a young age, Gary showed a lot of musical talent. He was even in a rock band when he was a schoolboy.

But Gary's biggest dream was to become an actor. When he was just eleven, he started working in theatre with the Sadler's Wells Opera Company. He performed in operas for three years. In 1966, he acted in Love For Love with the famous actor Laurence Olivier. At fourteen, he played the main role in Amahl and the Night Visitors.

After finishing school, Gary joined the Old Vic Theatre Company. Later, he worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon. At seventeen, he joined the touring show of the musical Hair for two years. After this, his musical skills led him to become the lead singer of the rock band Heavy Metal Kids.

Acting Career

First Roles

Gary Holton started his screen acting career in 1979. He played Eddie Hairstyle in the TV movie The Knowledge. That same year, he had a small, uncredited role in the film Quadrophenia.

After appearing in the TV series Shoestring, Gary got a main role. He played Ken in the 1979 film Bloody Kids. In 1980, he was Keith in an episode of Play for Today and had a small part in the film Breaking Glass. He also appeared in the TV film Tiny Revolutions and as Rick Sloan in The Gentle Touch.

Gary also sang the theme song for the 1980s children's TV show, Murphy's Mob.

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet

Gary Holton became very well-known for his role as Wayne Norris in the hit TV comedy drama Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. Wayne was a carpenter from London who loved women and music.

Gary was the first of the seven main actors to be chosen for the show. He met one of the writers, Ian La Frenais, at a party. The writers, Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement, were developing the show's idea.

The first series of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet was shown between 1983 and 1984. Filming for the second series began in February 1985. The very last episode of the second series was dedicated to Gary's memory after he passed away.

The show was brought back in 2002. The original writers and surviving cast members returned. The character of Wayne's son, Wyman, played by Noel Clarke, joined the cast to fill the gap left by Gary.

Other Acting Work

While working on Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Gary had a few other acting jobs. In 1984, he played a character named Barry in the TV series Minder. The next year, he briefly appeared in the first episode of the TV series Bulman. He also appeared in an episode of Shoestring.

Gary was offered the role of a character called Nick Cotton in the TV soap opera EastEnders. However, he turned down the part. The role then went to his friend John Altman, who looked a lot like Gary. John Altman later also became the lead singer of the Heavy Metal Kids.

Musical Career

Solo Work

For a while, Gary's music was mostly one-off projects. In 1978, he filled in for the singer of The Damned for a short tour. He also recorded a solo song, a punk-country version of "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town". This song became a number one hit in Norway! He recorded it with Casino Steel, a keyboard player from the Boys. Gary and Casino Steel later wrote a song called "Auf Wiedersehen Pet" about his TV show experiences.

Gary and Casino Steel recorded three albums together, and they were all very popular in Norway. Gary also appeared on the TV show The Tube in 1984 with a band called The Actors. He even formed a band called The Gang Show with Glen Matlock and James Stevenson in 1985.

Heavy Metal Kids

Gary was the lead singer for the band Heavy Metal Kids, which started in 1972. With his unique London accent, he became a popular glam rock singer. The band was discovered by Dave Dee, who signed them to Atlantic Records. Their first album, named after the band, was liked by music critics. They also played many concerts with the punk rock band The Adverts.

In 1975, the band shortened their name to "The Kids" for their first American tour. In December 1975, they signed with Mickie Most's RAK label. But before they could make their next album, Gary was asked to leave the band.

Gary rejoined the band in late 1977 for some live shows and their third album, Kitsch. However, by mid-1978, he left again, and the band broke up. Even though the band was popular in Sweden, they didn't have much success in Britain. In 1976, their song "She's No Angel" was often played on BBC Radio 1, and they even appeared on Top of the Pops. Because they didn't have big commercial success, the band broke up, and Gary went back to acting.

Holton/Steel

Around 1980-1981, Gary Holton teamed up with Casino Steel, a musician from Norway. Over the next few years, they released several albums that sold very well in Norway. Their music was a mix of country rock with some punk influences. Their first hit song together was their cover of Kenny Rogers' "Ruby." Gary Holton's music career in Norway was not very well known in his home country of Britain.

Personal Life

Relationships and Family

Gary Holton had several relationships in the 1970s. In 1977, he dated singer Stella Palmer. They even performed a song together called "Somethin' Stupid". They got engaged in March 1977, but Stella ended the engagement a couple of months later.

From 1979, Gary was married to a model named Donna Campbell. They separated in 1981 but remained good friends. They were still married when Gary passed away.

After Donna, Gary had a relationship with another model, Susan Harrison. They had a son named Red in 1983. At the time of his death, Gary was engaged to a hairdresser named Jahnet McIllwain.

Passing Away

Gary Holton was found in his bed by his fiancée, Jahnet McIllwain, on 25 October 1985.

He passed away in the middle of filming the second series of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. The show's producers used body doubles and existing recordings to finish the series. They also rewrote parts of the show to explain his character's absence in indoor scenes.

Just before he passed away, Gary had released a song called "Catch A Falling Star". He was also planning to star in the pantomime Peter Pan that Christmas. He was survived by his son, Red.

Funeral

Gary Holton's funeral took place on 22 November 1985. A short service was held at Golders Green Crematorium in London. His co-stars from Auf Wiedersehen, Pet attended the service. His ashes were later placed on his grandparents' grave in Maesgwastad Cemetery, Welshpool.

Discography

Albums

With Heavy Metal Kids

Heavy Metal Kids (1974) Atlantic Records
Anvil Chorus (1975) Atlantic Records
Kitsch (1977) Rak Records

With Casino Steel

Gary Holton & Casino Steel (1981) Killroy Records
Part II (1982) Polydor Records
III Edition (1983) Polydor Records
No 4 (1984) Polydor Records

Solo

Sing It To Me (1989) Receiver Records Limited (Released After He Passed Away; Featuring Mick Rossi)

Singles