Paul Shane

Infobox actor
name = Paul Shane

---

caption =
birthname = George Frederick Speight
birthdate = birth date and age|1940|06|19
birthplace = Thrybergh, near Rotherham, Yorkshire, England
deathdate =
deathplace =
restingplace =
restingplacecoordinates =
othername =
occupation =
yearsactive = 1972 - Present
spouse =
domesticpartner =
children =
parents =
influences =
influenced =
website =
academyawards =
afiawards =
arielaward =
baftaawards =
cesarawards =
emmyawards =
filmfareawards =
geminiawards =
goldenglobeawards =
goldenraspberryawards =
goyaawards =
grammyawards =
iftaawards =
laurenceolivierawards =
naacpimageawards =
nationalfilmawards =
sagawards =
tonyawards =
awards =

Paul Shane (born June 19 1940) is a British actor, best known for his part in the sitcom, "Hi-de-Hi!".

He was born in Thrybergh, near Rotherham, his real name being George Frederick Speight. He worked as a miner, but had an accident at Silverwood Colliery in 1967 by slipping in the pit-head baths on some soap, resulting in double herniated discs, and was pensioned off from the pit at the age of 27. Two years later, he made the decision to turn to professional entertainer. He had already had 10 years experience as a part-time entertainer around the pubs and clubs in South Yorkshire. His first appearance, as a straight singer, was at the Grafton Pub on St Ann's Road, Rotherham, now demolished. Paul's first club booking was at St Ann's Club in Rotherham, for thirty shillings (£1.50).

Paul's transformation from singer to comedian was a gradual one, starting with his rendition of "Green Green Grass of Home", straight at first, but ultimately a hilarious send up of Tom Jones which marked the start of the Paul Shane act.

Small parts in television series began to materialise and in the late 1970s, comedy writer Jimmy Perry spotted Paul in an episode of "Coronation Street" and offered him the part of Ted Bovis in his new holiday camp sitcom "Hi-de-Hi!". The pilot episode knowingly featured a nod to the discovery, as Ted waits to hear whether he has got a part in a series which sounded suspiciously like "Coronation Street". His audition having proved unsuccessful, Ted is forced to remain as camp host at Maplin's Holiday Camp.

The series ran from 1980 to 1988, when Perry and co-writer David Croft penned the pilot episode of "You Rang, M'Lord?" and invited Paul to play Alf Stokes. The show ran until 1993. In 1991, Paul was given his own series entitled "Very Big, Very Soon" but it failed to achieve anything like the popularity of his other roles.

Between 1995 and 1997, Paul played Jack Skinner in two series of "Oh Doctor Beeching!". Subsequently, he has appeared most frequently in theatre but has also enjoyed recurring roles in television series "Holby City" and "Emmerdale".

Paul 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 a poll on Channel 4 in 2004. [ [http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/greatest_funny_moments/51-75.html Channel4 - 100 Greatest FUNNY MOMENTS ] ]

In 2008 he will guest star in a new episode of the ITV drama series A Touch of Frost, playing the role of boatsman Diesel Bob.

He has appeared as a guest on the BBC game show Shooting Stars.

Television Roles

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm{1|0574542}/ {2|Paul Shane}] at the Internet Movie Database