Bill Maynard

Infobox actor
name = Bill Maynard


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birthdate = Birth date and age|1928|10|8|df=yes
location = Heath End, Surrey, England
height =
deathdate =
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yearsactive = 1957–Present
spouse =

Walter Frederick George Williams (born 8 October, 1928 in Heath End, Surrey) more commonly known as Bill Maynard, is an English comedian and actor.

He attended Kibworth Beauchamp Grammar School and started as a variety performer, taking his professional surname from an advertising board (billboard) for Maynard's Wine Gums, a popular British confectionery. He placed fourth in the UK heat of the
1957 Eurovision Song Contest. With Terry Scott he appeared at Butlins Holiday Camp in Skegness and was teamed with him in the TV series "Great Scott, It's Maynard!".

He was at first best known on TV for his role as Selwyn Froggitt in the sitcom "Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt!" and for playing Fred Moffatt in "The Gaffer". In 1973, Maynard teamed up with BBC television actor and comedian Ronnie Barker in the (original) 'Football Blues' which aired as Spanners Eleven and was part of a series called Seven of One. In 1975 he had a film role as Yorkshire farmer Hinchcliffe in "It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet." In 1992, he played Claude Jeremiah Greengrass in the popular and long running television series "Heartbeat" until 2001, and its spinoff series "The Royal" until about 2004. He is also known for small roles in some of the Carry On Films including "Carry On Matron" (1972) and "Carry on Dick" (1974).

In the 1980s, Maynard stood against Tony Benn in a by-election at Chesterfield as an Independent Labour candidate. It was his only foray into politics and was purely to try to prevent Benn winning the seat and thus reentering Parliament as an MP. Benn won the seat; Maynard took fourth place.

Maynard published his autobiography 'The Yo-Yo Man' in November 1975 (by Leicester's Golden Eagle books) and having originally retired from acting in 2001 following a series of strokes he made a return and comeback to radio presenting in March 2003 for BBC Radio Leicester where he had last worked in 1968. His show, called 'Bill of Fare', aired every Sunday afternoon from 2-4 pm for nearly five years. Maynard was unceremoniously sacked from his show on 5 February 2008. Although no reason was given by BBC Radio Leicester the general feeling of Leicestershire folk was Bill's unwillingness to conform to the PC Brigade and his honest outspokeness.Fact|date=August 2008

He is a vegetarian. His son is Maynard Williams.

Filmography

*"It All Goes to Show" (1969)
*"One More Time" (1970)
*"Carry on Loving" (1970)
*"A Hole lot of Trouble" (1971)
*"Carry on Henry" (1971)
*"Carry On at Your Convenience" (1971)
*"Bless This House" (1972)
*"Four Dimensions of Greta" (1972)
*"Carry on Matron" (1972)
*"Steptoe and Son Ride Again" (1973)
*"Carry on Dick" (1974)
*"Confessions of a Window Cleaner" (1974)
*"Man About the House" (1974)
*"It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet" (1975)
*"Confessions of a Pop Performer" (1975)
*"Robin and Marian" (1976)
*"Confessions of a Driving Instructor" (1976)
*"Confessions from a Holiday Camp" (1977)
*"Sky Pirates" (1977)

Television Roles

Comedy

Drama

External links

*imdb name|id=0562732|name=Bill Maynard
* [http://www.tv.com/bill-maynard/person/72106/summary.html Bill Maynard at tv.com]
* [http://www.petermarsh.freeuk.com/stockcar/misc.html Bill Maynard's "Stock Car Racing is Magic" lyrics]
* [http://homepages.tesco.net/~autumnview/stockcar/magic.mp3 Bill Maynard's "Stock Car Racing is Magic" recording]

Persondata
NAME= Maynard, Bill
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= British comedian and actor
DATE OF BIRTH= 1928-10-8
PLACE OF BIRTH= Heath End, Surrey, England
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=