George Frederick Speight (19 June 1940 – 16 May 2013), known professionally as Paul Shane, was a British actor and comedian. He was known for his television work, in particular for playing Ted Bovis in the 1980s BBC sitcom Hi-de-Hi!.
Early life Shane was born on 19 June 1940 as George Frederick Speight, in Thrybergh, near Rotherham, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. After leaving school in 1955, he was a miner at Silverwood Colliery until he suffered double herniated discs after slipping on soap in the pithead baths in 1967, being pensioned from the coal mines as a result. Two years later he became a professional entertainer. He already had ten years' experience as a part-time entertainer in pubs and clubs in south Yorkshire.
Career Shane's first appearance, as a singer, was at the Grafton pub — now demolished — in St Ann's Road, Rotherham. His first club booking was at St Ann's Club in Rotherham, for 30 shillings. His transformation from singer to comedian was gradual, starting with his version of "Green, Green Grass of Home", which was straight at first, but ultimately became a send-up of the version by Tom Jones.
Shane played small parts and made guest appearances in television series throughout the 1970s. In May 1979, the comedy writer Jimmy Perry spotted Shane playing Frank Roper in an episode of Coronation Street and offered him the part of Ted Bovis in his new holiday-camp sitcom Hi-de-Hi!. The series ran for 58 episodes from 1980 until 1988, when Perry and his co-writer David Croft wrote the pilot of You Rang, M'Lord? and invited Shane to play Alf Stokes. That show ran until 1993.
In 1991, Shane was given his own show, Very Big Very Soon, which ran for one series.
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 an opinion poll on Channel 4 in 2004.
Between 1995 and 1997, Shane played Jack Skinner in two series of Oh, Doctor Beeching!, another David Croft devised series. Subsequently, he appeared most frequently in theatre, including Oliver!, though he also had guest spots in Holby City, Common as Muck and Emmerdale on television.
Shane also appeared in variety theatre in towns including Blackpool in 2006, and in pantomime in Jack and the Beanstalk in 2008. In 2008, he was in an episode of the ITV drama series A Touch of Frost, playing boatsman "Diesel Bob". He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1981, when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews in London's Covent Garden.
Personal life and death Shane was married to Dorothy Shortt (born 28 February 1943) from 1961 until her death on 4 April 2001 aged 58.England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916–2007 They had three daughters.
On 1 April 1984, he was inducted into the Grand Order of Water Rats.
In May 2009, Shane was admitted to the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield for heart surgery and made a full recovery.
Following another short period of ill-health, he died on 16 May 2013 in a Rotherham hospice, aged 72. His funeral was held on 31 May 2013 at Rotherham Minster.
Filmography Year Title Role Details1972 A Day Out Baldring Television film 1973 Sporting Scenes Charabanc driver Episode: England, Their England1975–1980 Play for Today Various 1976 Second City Firsts Ricky Avon Episode: Summer Season Centre Play Garage clerk Episode: Showcase: Riding South1977 Coronation Street Dave-the-Rave 2 episodes 1979 Frank Roper Afternoon Off Alf Television film 1979–1980 Turtle's Progress Mashcan 1 Episode1980 Sounding Brass Gray 3 Episodes1980–1988 Hi-de-Hi! Ted Bovis 58 episodes; also title music, uncredited1982 Muck and Brass Dennis Catto Episode – Our Green and Pleasant Land1983–1989 Blankety Blank Himself 8 episodes1984 A Century of Stars: The Story of the Grand Order of Water Rats Himself Television documentary 1986 Super Gran Sid Scouse Christmas Special – Super Gran and the World's Worse Circus1988–1993 You Rang, M'Lord? Alf Stokes 26 episodes; 1991 Very Big Very Soon Harry James 4 Episodes1993 Woof! Honest Norman Episode: The Sure Thing1993 Cracker Pillarbox Episode: The Mad Woman in the Attic (Part Two)1994 Mother's Ruin Ernie Potts Series 1 episode 31995–1997 Oh, Doctor Beeching! Jack Skinner 20 episodes1995 ChuckleVision Perry Champagne Episode – My Lucky Number's 9 1996 New Voices Ernie Episode – Two Minutes La Passione Papasoundtrack to the album of the same title by Chris Rea Between Two Women Mayor 1997 Common As Muck Mike Roberts 6 episodes 1999 Hilltop Hospital The Teds (Voice role) Kavanagh QC Greg Dallimore Episode: End Game2000 Doctors Bill Joseph 4 Episodes2000–2004 Holby City Stan Ashley 13 Episodes2002 Heartlands Zippy 2003 Between Two Women Councillor Hoylake 2004 Emmerdale Solomon Dingle 8 Episodes2007 Children in Need Concierge 2008 A Touch of Frost Diesel Bob Episode – In the Public Interest2012 The Grey Mile Terry the Taxman Video short; final role
References
External links Official website