Geoffrey Hughes (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Geoffrey Hughes DL
Hughes as he appeared in Heartbeat
Born	Geoffrey William Hughes (1944-02-02)2 February 1944 Wallasey, Cheshire, England
Died	27 July 2012(2012-07-27) (aged 68) Isle of Wight, England
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1964–2010
Spouse(s)	Susan Mundell ​ (m. 1975)​

Geoffrey William Hughes (2 February 1944 – 27 July 2012) was a well-known English actor. He was famous for playing many different characters on British television. You might know him best as the friendly bin man Eddie Yeats in the soap opera Coronation Street. He also played the lovable Onslow in the comedy show Keeping Up Appearances. Another popular role was 'Twiggy' in The Royle Family.

Geoffrey Hughes also lent his voice to Paul McCartney in the Beatles' cartoon film Yellow Submarine. Later in his career, he played Vernon Scripps, a charming conman, in the police drama Heartbeat. He retired from acting in 2010 due to illness and passed away peacefully in 2012 at the age of 68.

Life and Career

Geoffrey Hughes was born in Wallasey, Cheshire, England. He grew up in Liverpool and started his acting journey in theatre. He performed in many plays, including his first big show in London's West End, a musical called Maggie May. He also toured with plays across Britain and other countries.

Film Roles

Geoffrey Hughes appeared in several films. He was the voice of Paul McCartney in the Beatles' 1968 animated movie Yellow Submarine. Some of his other film roles included Smashing Time (1967), The Bofors Gun (1968), and Carry On at Your Convenience (1971).

Television Highlights

Geoffrey Hughes became very popular for his television roles.

Coronation Street

In 1974, he joined the long-running soap opera Coronation Street as Eddie Yeats. Eddie was a binman and a good friend to characters like Stan Ogden and Hilda. Geoffrey played Eddie for nine years, leaving in 1983. He made a short return in 1987.

Keeping Up Appearances

From 1990 to 1995, Geoffrey starred as Onslow in the popular BBC comedy Keeping Up Appearances. Onslow was a laid-back character, often seen in his vest, who was married to Daisy. The show was a huge success, and Geoffrey appeared in all 44 episodes. He even reprised his role for special compilation shows released on video.

The Royle Family

He also had a regular role as Twiggy in The Royle Family from 1998 to 2008. Twiggy was a friend of the Royle family, known for his funny stories.

Heartbeat

From 2001 to 2005, Geoffrey played Vernon Scripps in the ITV police drama Heartbeat. Vernon was a charming conman and a bit of a rogue, often getting into funny situations. He returned briefly to the show in 2007.

Other TV Shows

Geoffrey appeared in many other TV shows, including The Saint, Z-Cars, Dad's Army, and Doctor Who. He also performed in pantomime shows around Christmas time. In 2007, he played the Angel Gabriel in the BBC production Liverpool Nativity. He also appeared as Uncle Keith in the first three series of the E4 drama Skins.

Personal Life and Later Years

Geoffrey Hughes married Susan Mundell in 1975. Outside of acting, he enjoyed sailing, football, golf, cricket, and listening to rock music. He was a big fan of Everton Football Club. In 2009, he was given the honorary title of deputy lieutenant for the Isle of Wight.

Geoffrey was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1996. In 2010, he became unwell again and decided to retire from acting. He passed away peacefully from his illness on 27 July 2012, at the age of 68.

Filmography