Famous Northeasterners – Page 6
Tim Healy
Tim Healy was born 29th January 1952 at Benwell, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Indeed, he married actress, Denise Welch in 1988. He is a life-long Newcastle Utd fan was first a paratrooper before becoming an actor.
Coronation Street was his first TV role, and he subsequently appeared in ‘The World Cup’, ‘A Captain’s Tale’, ‘Emmerdale Farm’, ‘When The Boat Comes In’, ‘Crown Court’ and ‘Minder’. This was all before his first major role as Dennis in Auf Wiedersehen Pet.
Tim Healy’s partner, Denise Welch was born on the 22nd of May 1958 in Tynemoutn, Tyne & Wear. They have 2 sons together, Matthew, born 1991 and Louis Vincent, born 2001. Denise Welch also acted in Auf Wiedersehen Pet and Solder Soldier.
She also appeared in the British soap, Coronation Street as the rovers return landlady Natalie Barnes. In fact, Denise Welch played that role for 4 years.
Eric Idle
Eric Idle born 29th March 1943 in South Shields, Tyne & Wear. Indeed, we know him best as a member of the comedy group, Monty Python. Eric studied English at Cambridge University.
While at university, he was a member of the prestigious Cambridge Footlights Club, and later, President of the Footlights Club. Eric’s father, who served in the Royal Air Force, died in a car crash on Christmas Eve. Eric was only two years old at the time.
He was the only member of the Monty Python group to write alone. Therefore, it was difficult at times for him to get his material acceptable for use by the others. In 1963, as a collegiate, he went into the Cambridge Footlights Comedy Club. He became president of the club the following year and one of his first acts was to open the membership up to include women. Feminist/writer Germaine Greer was one of the first to join. He had a son with Lyn Ashley named Carey in 1973, then a daughter named Lily with Tania Kosevich in 1990.
George Irving
George Irving actor born 6th May 1954 in South Shields, Tyne & Wear, where his dad worked in the coal industry. He now lives in East London with his wife TV/Theatre Director, Jan Sargent.
He met Jan, while they were at rep together in Newcastle where she directed him. Indeed, they had a prickly relationship until they realized they had fallen in love. They have a daughter, Lucy, 21 and still lives at home.
His father was a surface worker at the local pit in South Shields, County Durham but his mother Nell sadly died of leukaemia just as George was on the brink of fame. He has three younger sisters in the North East who he says feel uneasy at having a famous brother. George’s career could have been so much different. This is because, his plans were to go to college and study either human biology or zoology. But while working in a supermarket, waiting to go to college, he got the chance to join a drama group. He has been in several programs including, Holby City, Eastenders, Dangerfield, Coronation Street, The Bill, Inspector Morse, Casualty, Boon, Bergerac, Juliet Bravo, The Professionals and The Sweeney.
Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson was born on 5th October 1947, in Dunston, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, England. Indeed, as a kid, Brian performed Gang Shows with the Scouts. He also appeared in a TV play and even joined the local church choir. But he was quickly took in by the rock’n’roll demon.
Gravely voiced Brian formerly of local band, ‘Geordie’, is now with AC/DC. Brian joined AC/DC in 1980 after the death of Bon Scott, then he became lead singer with the band. His first album with the band, Back In Black, reached number 1 in the UK and Australia, number 4 in the USA, and spawned the UK number 15 single ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution’.
Stan Laurel
Firstly, Stan Laurel was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson on June 16, 1890 in Ulverston, Cumbria, England. He was the second child of five children born to Arthur Jefferson and Margaret Metcalfe. He spent his childhood living in Dockwray Square, North Shields, Tyne & Wear, England.
This is also where people knew him as Stan in his childhood years.
His parents were in the theatre business, of course. Indeed, his father was the manager of the Theatre Royal in Prudhoe Street, North Shields, Tyne & Wear. However, in his early years, he grew up with his grandmother because his parents had to travel for shows. He attended school in Bishop Auckland, County Durham and at King’s School in Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear. His father once built him a play theatre in the attic. His first official performance took place when he was 16 years old.
Obviously, Laurel and Hardy became one of the most famous comedy duos of all time. However, after a distinguished career spanning many decades, Stan Laurel died of a heart attack. This was on 23rd February 1965 at Santa Monica, California, USA but they remember him here still.
Indeed, a bronze statue of Stan Laurel now stands in the park at the centre of Dockwray, North Shields.
Hank Marvin
Hank Brian Marvin is a guitarist with the Shadows, of course. He was born Brian Robson Rankin on 28th October 1941, in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. Hank’s metallic, echoed picking on a red Fender Stratocaster was the inspirational source of many musicians.
Indeed, this includes, Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore and many other lead guitarists who began in groups imitating The Shadows. Hank, in his black, horn-rimmed glasses, was the principal public face of The Shadows, of course. After teaching himself guitar, banjo and boogie-woogie piano at school, Hank’s father presented him with a Hofner Congress on his sixteenth birthday.
When his Crescent City Skiffle Group won a South Shields Jazz Club talent contest, he got an invite to join Bruce Welch’s Railroaders. On moving to London, Hank and Bruce operated briefly as The Geordie Boys before joining a band called The Drifters, which then became The Shadows. While backing, and later composing songs such as ‘The Day I Met Marie’ for Cliff Richard, the quartet recorded independently and became generally acknowledged as Britain’s top instrumental act.
Jackie Milburn
Jackie Milburn (1924-1988), ‘Wor Jackie’, Milburn played football only for Newcastle United. Indeed, he remains their top goal scorer with 199 goals in 395 league and cup appearances. Born in Ashington, Northumberland, Jackie was an FA Cup Winner for Newcastle 3 times in 6 years.
This was in 1951, 1952 and 1955, of course. In the 1955, final he also scored the second fastest ever goal in a Wembley Cup Final, after only 45 seconds.
When he died, huge crowds lined the streets for his funeral parade. This was all the way from his home in Ashington to St Nicholas Cathedral in the centre of Newcastle. They scattered his ashes over the Gallowgate End of St James Park, where he scored so many of his goals. There is a statue of Jackie Millburn in Northumberland Street, Newcastle and also outside the Woodhorn Colliery Museum, Ashington.
Bob Mortimer
Bob Mortimer was born Robert Renwick Mortimer on the 23rd May 1959, in Middlesbrough. This was just twelve miles away from Jim Moir’s (Vic Reeves) home town of Darlington.
His father died when Bob was very young. So his mother Eunice had to care for him and his three brothers alone. Bob was a skilled footballer as a boy, and had trials for Middlesbrough FC. After leaving school with three A-levels he studied law at Sussex University. Then, after graduation, he began working as a solicitor and moved to London.
After falling out with a girlfriend, Bob contacted his old home acquaintance who was also living in London, Vic Reeves. Bob was originally Vic’s sidekick on the original Big Night Out, but as their TV careers blossomed, they became equal partners. However, they didn’t become known as ‘Reeves & Mortimer’ until their move to the BBC in 1993. Bob married Lisa and they have two sons, Harry and Thomas. He still supports Middlesbrough Football Club.
Famous Northeasterners
Click for Famous Northeasterners – Page 7
