Robert Charles Bentley
Nottingham drummer and bass player from the early sixties to the 2020’s. Comedian and actor.
As Bobby Charles he was first a drummer then a bass guitarist who also performed stand up comedy. Starting in 1962 with local groups The Fantoms, The Tykons, The Mysteries and Mystery Blues he played the local pubs and clubs of Nottingham, later toured the German clubs and army bases and learnt his trade. In the late sixties he joined Six Across. Later in the seventies and eighties he played the Mike Shepard Trio, Reg Guest and Carlo Santanna. Branching out into comedy as Bobby Charles he has made a career out of music and entertainment. He has met and played alongside some of rock music’s royalty and made his living from music both here and abroad for his entire working life with the many memories and stories to go with it.
I spoke to Bobby about his career in 2023.
Photo’s courtesy of Bobby Charles.
EARLY DAYS
Bob was born in Carlton in 1947 and went to Cavendish Secondary Modern School. His father was Charles Bentley, a comedian and double bass player who used the name Nat Bentley. Bob’s uncle was also a double bass player so music and entertainment ran through the family. Robert Charles Bentley grew up, the only child, with his mother, Ruth and father Charlie who were both born in 1910. Bob’s parents grew up in Hyson Green
“My mum lived on Collison street. my dad on Oldknow St. My mum might have had a Stamford background”. “My dad was called up during the second world war and they soon got him in the “band”. Mum was a fabulous ballroom dancer. She won cups. My dad did too”.
When Bob’s parents were married they moved to Carlton where Bob grew up. The two things he liked most, drums and comedy were fuelled by his dads entertainment career.
“I started playing drums on a biscuit tin. I played in a box room on a biscuit tin. I bought a pair of brushes and then put a record on and played along sweeping the brushes. I used the biscuit tin as a snare. I could just play along easy”.
“The Cornhill club on Carlton Road. Johnathan Kane and the freemen used to play. I went on my bike and lent my bike against the window and watched. They had a really good drummer. Johnathan Kane became Chapman Brown and went into comedy”.
“The only lessons I ever had were years later from Alan Sillitoe’s brother. He taught me the drum dots. 90% of drummers didn’t have a clue what they were but it was very useful. For some jobs you might need it. You might need to read the dots in a recording studio for an arrangement or something. Sometimes it might be the pianist who wrote the drum dots and you had to be able to read them. The reason I got some jobs was because I could read the dots”.
“I got the yearning to be a comic from watching my dad even before I played the drums. I used to watch him when I was still a child. A place on Sneinton Dale near Oakdale Road called the Rio. He had a residence there. I saw many acts who played”.
The Rio Music Hall on Oakdale Road, Bakersfield, Nottingham had been a cinema which closed in 1959 and reopened as a music hall in 1964. Acts that performed there were Joe Henderson (Mr. Piano) who had a radio series in 1965 called “Sing along with Joe”, Bryan Burden, Aly Wilson, Joe Black, Rosemary Roberts, Sally Barnes and Vince Eager in Mother Goose and Ronan O’Casey from TV’s “Take it from us” with Duggie Chapman and Frankie Parker.
“Fred Reachers pub. He was booking my dad. My dads trio. My dad was the front man of the trio, compered it. Do his own bit of patter. When they played it was just dance music and they were called the Allstars. His fellow musicians were Vernon Johnson on piano and Bernard Crossland on drums”.
“When Vernon couldn’t play any more he got Alan Davies. He was a brilliant organ player. He married a stripper”.
“I had a thirst for knowledge. When I saw musicians and comedians I thought I want to do that”.
“It was early sixties. My dad knew I was good. One night his drummer took bad and my dad said you’re not going out tonight are you. No, I said. Your’e on drums with me, Johnny’s ill. Put your gear in the van. The keyboard player was a character called Alan Davies. It was at the Matlock Bath hotel. A bit of latin, a bit of rumba. I was a bit embarrassed but did ok. That’s where I got to learn some dance, quickstep 2/4, 3/4”.
FIRST GROUP
The Fantoms – 1962
The first group Bob was in was “The Fantoms”. Formed at the end of 1962 they were a school group at Cavendish Sec. Mod. School in Carlton.
“Our school teacher Mr Ellis wanted to put a pop group together and when he heard I played drums in the Boys Brigade he roped me in. We were a four piece called The Fantoms with Andy Williams, Rob Duffy and Richard Hammond. It was the teachers pet project“
“The first problem we had was getting equipment. I was a good player so my dad got me a Gigster drum kit for £25“.
“All this was when the Beatles first single “Love me do” came out. I was 15. They were our favourite band” “We couldn’t even get a bass guitar. We got this six string and put 4 strings on it”.
FIRST WORKING GROUP
The Tykons – 1963/64
Bob left school at the age of 14 around Christmas 1962 and got a job as an apprentice at the Co-op.
In 1963 the Fantoms changed their name to “The Tykons”, sometimes “The Rockin’ Tykons” and added Terry Bennett as a front man. Terry sometimes went under the name of “Jay or Jimmy Burns”.
“Terry Bennetts dad (Reg), he was a foreman down the pit and he used to run the old Gedling Miners Welfare before they rebuilt it”.
“Our first gig was at the William Lawrence factory, furniture makers on Vale Road, Colwick. we played in their social club“. The factory was an old building built in 1899. The building is now demolished and Verona Avenue is situated where the main entry gates once stood.
“We kept our eye on what was in the charts. The first one was “Twist and Shout”. Every time the Beatles brought a new song out we played it. Unfortunately for me we decided to play “Wipe Out” which is basically a drum solo. Which was all on me. we used to play The Kinks You really got me”.
“I needed a new drum kit and bought a Premier kit”.
In 1964 The Tykons were gigging regularly.
“We played the Elizabethan Rooms in The Co-op, Nottingham. We supported Dave Berry and the Cruisers, The Kinks and The Big Three”.
“We kept our eye on what was in the charts. The first one was “Twist and Shout”. Every time the Beatles brought a new song out we played it. Unfortunately for me we decided to play “Wipe Out” which is basically a drum solo. Which was all on me. we used to play The Kinks You really got me”.
SOME GIGS BY THE TYKONS
19th March 1964 – The Tykons – Gedling Secondary Modern School
There were many Beat Barbecues in the early and mid sixties and Bob remembers one from July 14th 1964 when he got to play alongside future “Woodstock” legends Alvin Lee and Leo Lyons. (Ad above).
“I used to do the soundcheck for Dave Quickmire (Jaybirds drummer) in the afternoons. We were supporting the Jaybirds and once at one of the Big Beat Barbecue’s near Eastwood. I was doing the drum soundcheck, I used to do the soundcheck for the Jaybirds sometimes as well. Often it was just one microphone, we hadn’t got the PA systems to handle it in those days, big bass drums and so on. Anyway, Alvin Lee said to me “Our drummer isn’t very well, you know all our songs and I know you can play it, can you fill in for him? So I ended up playing with the Jaybirds. I used to enjoy just doing their soundcheck”.
In August 1964 The Tykons featured alongside a host of Nottingham groups: The Beatmen, Frankie and Lance B Trio, The Chunks, Blues and Roots and M.I.5. at the Rhythmic Beat Festival at the Sherwood Rooms.
“MI5 they were the first band in Nottingham that bought a precision bass and two strats all in pink, so all three guitarists matched. I went to see them and they looked great. They got them sent over from America to Papworths shop”.
“I knew Mick Franks and Spike (Robin Cowlard). They played in Sons and Lovers but before that they were in The Volume 4 who used to play at Thurland Hall on Pelham Street”.
In 1965 The Tykons split up. Bob Bentley would join The Mysteries. Rob Duffy would go on to be in The Zodiacs, The Children and then success with The Lovin’, The Nerve and The Duffy Taylor Blues. Terry Bennett would go on to be in The Breed, XIT and find success with Sassafras in the 1970’s.
NEW GROUP AND TOUR OF GERMANY
The Mysteries / Mystery Blues – 1965 – 1967
1965
The Mysteries had been working around Nottingham and originally had a line up in 1964 of :
Wayne Ford: Lead Guitar, Bob Todd: Drums, Mick Hanson: Bass guitar, Mick Foukes: Vocals, John Spray: Rhythm Guitar
Wayne Ford and Bob Todd left the band together at the beginning of 1965 and the replacement drummer was Bobby Charles. Wayne Ford joined Carl and the Starlighters. Bob Todd went on double-day shifts and joined a group “The Trolls” for a brief spell before joining Carl Pagan and the Heathens with old pal Wayne Ford. John Spray moved to lead guitar. You can read about The original Mysteries on Bob Todd’s page here. So the new line up at the beginning of 1965 was:
Bobby Charles – Drums
Mick Hanson – Bass
John Spray – Guitar
Mick Foukes – Vocals
When Mick Foukes left Clive (Sutch) Lynch joined on vocals and a new four piece line up was created during 1966.
Bobby Charles – Drums
Mick Hanson – Bass
John Spray – Guitar
Clive (Sutch) Lynch – Vocals
By the summer of 1965 they had became known as “Mystery Blues“. Ian Ryley was their roadie and they had a red van.
1966
TOURS OF GERMANY 1966 AND 1967
In 1966 Bobby Charles decided to get a new drum kit. The Premier kit had served him well but he now wanted a “Ludwig”.
“At Papworths in Nottingham I said, could you get me 3 Ludwig shells, bass and two toms. It was just before the world cup in ’66. The bloke at Papworths said, I’m going to have to import these. They cost me £313. In 1966 that could buy you a small car. Papworths asked “could we set this kit up in our front window. We’ll put your groups name on it and your name too”. I got my Ludwigs. I wanted a bass drum shell, top tom tom, and floor tom. I got my kit and went to Germany straight away and they were showing the film of England winning the world cup when I got there. That was with the Mystery Blues”.
Mystery Blues headed for Germany in June 1966. Mick Anson had some contacts, maybe through his brother Robert, and they found an agent in Germany who could organise work for them. The agent in Germany was Günter Geißler. A German schlager singer, born 19 December 1929 in Cottbus, Germany and died 16 July 2006 in Cottbus, Germany. A small bio here.
They toured Germany a couple of times playing such famous places as the Star Club in Hamburg and the K52 Club in Frankfurt as well as the American army bases which littered the country.
The guitarist John Spray couldn’t or wouldn’t go so they roped in friends Graham Ruffles and Mel and their first German tour line up was:
Bobby Charles – Drums
Mick Hanson – Bass
Ruffles – Guitar & Vocals
Mel – Rhythm Guitar
Clive (Sutch) Lynch – Vocals
We played the US Army base near Ansbach.
There were three clubs situated around the army camp. One was an RnB club. Black music, Tamla, Knock on wood etc. Another was a “Popular” club with modern songs by The Beatles, The Who, The Stones etc. We played My generation and Substitute. Another club was a rednecks “Hillbilly” club country and western. We would play a month in one then a month in the next and so on.
“We also played in a civvies club in Ludwigsburg near Stuttgart. I learnt to speak a bit of German. Well you had too didn’t you. If you going out to the towns you had to. The Germans only spoke a little English”.
“It paid well , the yanks had money. We also played the Star club in Hamburg, K52 in Frankfurt,
rota first band for an hour, then the second band played for an hour. We did two hour long spots a night.
There was a Birmingham band around at the time, maybe “Wizard of Oz” who played “Warmth of the sun”.
MOTHERS WORRY
The Mystery Blues changed their name to Mothers Worry.
Their second trip to German in 1967 was also a changed line up and another friend “Ruffles” both sang and played guitar.
Bobby Charles – Drums
Mick Hanson – Bass
Chris Mee – Guitar
Graham Ruffles – Vocals
SPAIN
The Mystery Blues had become Mothers Worry.
On the second trip Clive Sutch didn’t play with us. Graham Ruffles took over to sing and play guitar. We were still a four piece. After the second German tour we said why don’t we go down to Spain. So we went over the border into Spain. We went down the east coast. Sitges, Benidorm and Alicante. Mel the rhythm guitarist’s mum and dad lived there. We stayed with his family for a bit. We got straight into a club in Spain and played regularly.
We was walking along the beach and we saw this bloke with long hair. We said that’s Noel Redding. He came straight towards us and said what are you guys doing here. Hey up lads what you doing here. We said what you doing here. My grandmother lives here. Everybody’s looking at me. It was his hair. Jimi Hendrix was with him.
Back at home Mothers Worry had the familiar line up of:
Clive Lynch – Vocals
Bobby Bentley – Drums
Mick Anson – Bass
John Spray – Guitar
JULIEN COVEY
Bob met Nottingham born Julien Covey and a few times. Julien’s real name was Robert Anson, the brother of Mystery Blues bass player Mick (H)Anson. Julien Covey played in Nottingham at least three times. The Dungeon in February 1966, the Dancing Slipper in February 1967 and the Beachcomber in June 1967. Bob remembers going for a curry after the Beachcomber gig. Maybe the Star of India on Arkwright Street.
“I went to see Micks brother play at the Beachcomber. Julien Covey and the machine. Afterwards we went for a curry at The Star on Arkwright Street. On my first visit with Julien and Mick I had a Vindaloo. I got used to proper curry. All we had in Britain at the time was a packet of Vesta with raisons in it.
There were six or seven of us going for a curry one time and we had this guy, Ian Riley, who was our roadie with the Mystery blues. He bought a Comma van just to be our roadie. He didn’t like curry but next door was a Chinese restaurant. I said to Manik, one of the waiters, it was his dad who used to run the star, one of lads doesn’t like curry. He said no problem Rob, no problem. When you come in here I’ll nip next door and get a Chinese or steak or whatever it was and serve him that. Afterwards they would clean the plates and cutlery and return them. They would just rather have the customer sit in their restaurant”.
At the end of 1967 Mothers Worry came to an end. John Spray would end up forming “Purple Haze”.
SIX ACROSS (6AX)
Six Across or 6AX as they would abbreviate their name too were a group from Derby who had a long back history. Starting in 1958 as The Blue Dominoes Skiffle Group they became The Heralds in 1959 with long term members Dick Clarke, Graham Newton and Terry Wild staying as others left and new members appeared. In the mid sixties they changed their name to Six Across and became a big band across the East Midlands being promoted by Phil Smith’s Nottingham agency “Banner Productions”. Tony Sherwood was working for Phil Smith as well and at the end of 1967 when 6AX were looking for a new drummer Tony got Bobby Charles an audition.
The new line up was:
Graham Newton – Guitar
Terry Wild – Vocals
Mick Payne – Guitar
Kip Wilks – Sax and Flute
Bob Bentley – Drums
Dick Clarke – Bass
Front row, L to R: Bob Bentley and Dick Clarke
“I had an audition for Six Across. The auditions were with Tony Sherwood. He was running Six Across, Whichwhat, Sons and Lovers, Clockwork Toys, Carls Fables. I’d just finished, come back from Germany and I don’t know how but agent Tony Sherwood contacted me and said Six Across were looking for a drummer. They were playing a regular Monday night spot at the Shipley Boat Inn, in between the rail lines. I went and had a look. They were doing all Beach Boys stuff. It was good. There was a recording studio down Drury Lane and I went down there and set my kit up. It was just a try out with the band. We ran through a few numbers. I knew all the Beach Boys stuff. There not easy numbers to play, it’s not all straight drumming. They liked me straight away and I was in”.
“I was straight in at the deep end playing all big clubs with revolving stages. Castaways in Birmingham, support to Status Quo. The Forty Thieves at Coventry with the Barron Knights. It was a horrible load in. We were there all day handballing it in. We played the Boston Gliderdrome regularly. On the bill with The Nice one week, Amen Corner, Traffic and so on”.
Sat 23-Dec-67 The Ferris Wheel with Diane Feraz / 6-Across / Rubber Band / Ray Bones
Sat 17-Feb-68 Amen Corner, Mr Sammy Small and his Union Blues Band / Six Across / Ray Bones
Sat 30-Mar-68 Chantilly Rock and Roll Show / Six-Across / Jason Eddie / TheOriginal Impressions with the Cedar Set
Sat 18-May-68 Incredible Chicago Gangsters / 6AX (Six-Across)/ DJ Ricky Tee
Sat 27-Jul-68 6AX (Six Across) / Buttercup Jelly / DJ Ricky Tee
Sat 7-Sep-68 The Nice “One of most competent musicians on the scene today” / 6AX (Six Across)/ DJ Ricky Tee
Sat 2-Nov-68 The Soul Brothers with Baby May and Maze / 6AX (Six Across) / DJ Ricky Tee/ Ferryboys
Tues 24-Dec-68 Moth / 6AX (Six Across) / DJ Ricky Tee Christmas Eve Dance
Sat 24-May-69 Dictionary of Soul / 6AX (Six-Across) / DJ Ricky Tee Whit Saturday
Sat 26-Jul-69 Consortium / 6AX (Six-Across) / DJ Ricky Tee
Ray Bones was the resident organist.
Bobby designed a poster for Six Across.
“We played the Walkers Crisp factory at Thurmaston. Before they got all the machinery in there, they had a rock concert. Big bands were on at night, The Equals, John Mayall’s Blues Breakers. April 15th 1968.”
The “All nighter” Barn Barbeque Dance in Thurmaston, Leicester on April 15th 1968 had a strong line up of established and current groups. John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and Peter Greens Fleetwood Mac played danceable blues. Jimmy James, The Equals and Alan Bown provided the club soul while folk and prog were catered for by Fairport Convention and the Soft Machine. Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and Sheffield were represented by Sons and Lovers, Six Across, Legay, Peskey Gee and Pitiful Souls.
In the summer of 1968 Six Across played a residency at the Playboy club on Park Lane, London for two weeks. After they had finished fellow Nottingham group Sons and Lovers took their place.
Front row, L to R: Bob Bentley and Dick Clarke
They recorded an acetate of Penelope Breedlove in 1968.
“The first time I came up against someone writing their own song was when we recorded Penelope Breedlove. Penelope Breedlove de de de de de, I bought a new toothbrush. I said what’s that and they said it doesn’t matter what we sing does it. Well, Sons and Lovers had got their first record out and it was being played on the radio so we thought what the …..”
“We used to do a regular gig at the Derby Locarno. They said are you going back to Nottingham tonight. I said why. They let us have the Locarno to record a demo of Penelope Breedlove. We can rig it all up to do a demo. It was instigated by this fly by night. Not an agent, a manager. Different things. He was from Liverpool, a right fly by night. He said I’m going to get you on the radio. I thought, he thinks he’s Brian Epstein. I said to Graham Newton “What are we doing. Nothing is being produced at all. We’ve been here all night. It’s just play it again, play again”.
“I tell you what. There was a resident band there whose a drummer hanging about. He was a drummer. I said I’m going. I said play with them. I said it will get no where. I said you play. I’ve done it 14 times. I’m going home. As far as I’m concerned it never got released. Next time I speak to Kip I’ll ask him. Kip stills plays at that place on the way into Ilkeston, Festival Inn, Trowel. Cyril Stapleton played there. We reformed in 2004. We got together with the same line up in that formation on the photo with an up to date photo. Terry the singer, Kip, Graham Newton, Mick moved to Portugal, Dick Clark died a couple of years ago”.
Colour photo’s of Six Across courtesy of the British Music Archive.
Six Across went over to Ireland for a short tour.
1969
In 1969 Bobby Charles left Six Across and joined Mike Shepherd. The Mike Shepherd Three or Trio were in friendly rivalry with fellow Nottingham club legend Reg Guest and his trio.
1970’s
Bob Bentley changed his stage name to Bobby Charles
Bob played with the Mike Shepard Trio and also with Reg Guest
1980’s
NOTES
THE MIKE SHEPPARD
Pete Bottomley later played in Scallywag
Mike Sheppard
Bob Bentley (Ludwigs) drums
photos
They were a sort of rival to the Reg Guest Trio.
Mike Sheppard had shared the bill with my dad back in the day.
I’ve got three tapes of us. I played drums, bass. harmonies, percussion. Roy Orbison
We did “I don’t why I Love You” by Clarence Frogman Henry
All sorts on it . some modern stuff
It was great to say I’ve played all that stuff.
Reg Guest picked me up at the Park Tavern Nuthall when I was with Mike Sheppard
REG GUEST TRIO
John Newcombe ran the Picadilly club in Bulwell. We would play there.
Reg used to play
BOBBY CHARLES – COMEDIAN – STAND UP.
70’S and 80’s
8 or 9 years maybe more doing stand up.
Later I was resident drummer at the Manor club in West Bridgford.
Jasper Carrott – small theatre – the time of his television show.
I asked if I could get a couple of photo’s with him and he said “hang on, your not from “The Sun” are you?”
TV work
I got my own work and sometimes Jack Denman who would do the casting.
1983
Just Amazing Yorkshire TV in Leeds with Susan Daniel, Kenny Lynch and Chris Tarrant
(ITV answer to RECORD BREAKERS minus the “official” alcoholic endorsement of Guinness. None-more-eighties trio of KENNY LYNCH, BARRY SHEENE and SUZANNE DANIELLE introduced various dumb facts and stunts. Only one item was memorable: idiotic American who jumped over cars speeding towards him came into studio to show clip of himself not quite managing it, and tearing own foot from its socket in slow motion.)
jump in the grand canyon, spin plates blow up balloons, drive over stuff, break things etc
I said to Chris Tarrant “I eat raw Lemons”. He said this sounds interesting.
Eat a couple of Lemons. Do you want me to eat the peel? I’ll eat the lot.
“Bobby Charles, very pretty”
TISWAS
I was the Phantom Flan Flinger once on Tiswas.
They had to book a non speaking. why don’t we get one of thewe walk ons we know to do it. When you were in that cage. You were in plastic paddling pool. You were slipping and sliding.
UNMASKED: Jim was the first Phantom Flan Flinger.
Link/Page Citation
Byline: ROY BAYLISS
THE original Phantom Flan Flinger can be unmasked by the Sunday Mercury today – as top comedian Jim Davidson.
The pie-thrower, dressed in a black cape and hood, was one of the original stars of cult Midland TV show Tiswas.
His role was to creep up on guests and fling a foam-filled flan into their face.
The programme, broadcast by Birmingham-based ATV – the predecessor of Central TV – revolutionised Saturday morning viewing for children between 1974 and 1982.
Tiswas – which stood for Today is Saturday, Watch and Smile – mixed pop music and celebrity send-ups with pure anarchy.
As well as being loved by youngsters more used to sedate children’s shows like Blue Peter, it was also a big hit with parents and teachers, whoqueuedup for a drenching in the infamous cage.
Tiswas was presented by a young Chris Tarrant, Lenny Henry and Sally James. It also featured comics Bob Carolgees (plus Spit the dog) and John Gorman.
The identity of the Phantom Flan Flinger was always a closely-guarded secret. But taxi driver Benny Mills, who lives in Cheswick Green, Solihull, has recently revealed that he was the man behind the mask.
He recalled that his illustrious victims included cricketer David Gower and comedian Bernard Manning. He only ever ‘showed mercy’ once – when faced with flanning Sir Cliff Richard.
Benny, now 69, said: ‘My wife, June, thought my secret role was barmy but exciting and kept my real identity secret better than any MI5 agent.’
But Jim Davidson, then a rising young comic andnow one of Britain’s biggest entertainers, said: ‘With respect to Benny Mills, he may have been the longest-serving Phantom Flan Flinger, but he wasn’t the first.
‘I know – because I was.
‘But as I became more involved with the show, it was decided that I couldn’t play the Phantom anymore.
My girlfriend at the time, Jane Beaumont, was asked to take over.
‘After the show, we were walking to the dressing room with Jane in her costume with the hood off. A passing Tiswas fan remarked: ‘My, the Phantom Flan Flinger is a girl!’ ‘The Phantom was next played by Kevin Laming, my driver, but as he wasn’t a member of Equity – the actors’ union – Benny Mills stepped in and played the part brilliantly.’
Jim also recalled a near-miss involving himself and Chris Tarrant, now host of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.
‘The Phantom was nearly killed once,’ he said. ‘Chris Tarrant and I were devising a Phantom Flan Flinger detection machine. It exploded very loudly, throwing Chris and I into a state of shock.
‘On live TV, Chris uttered those immortal words: **** that for a lark!’
PIE TV: Phantom Flan Flinger with Gordon Astley, Sally James and Den Hegarty; SPLAT: the Phantom Flan Flinger gets to work
TRAIN SPOTTING
I got into train spotting. I’m a member of the Great Central Railway. I used to shoot super eight cine film and edit all together.
ALL CREATURE GREAT AND SMALL
British television series made by the BBC and based on the books of the British veterinary surgeon Alf Wight, who wrote under the pseudonym James Herriot. The title aired over seven series, totalling 90 episodes, from 1978 to 1990.
Set in the Yorkshire Dales and beginning in the mid-1930s, it stars Christopher Timothy as Herriot, Robert Hardy as Siegfried Farnon (based on Donald Sinclair), the proprietor of the Skeldale House surgery, and Peter Davison as Siegfried’s “little brother”, Tristan (based on Brian Sinclair). Herriot’s wife, Helen (based on Joan Wight), was initially played by Carol Drinkwater and in the latter series by Lynda Bellingham.
The series was produced throughout its run by Bill Sellars. In early 1977, the BBC tasked him with the creation of a television series from Herriot’s first two novels, If Only They Could Talk (1970) and It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet (1972), using the title of the 1975 film adaptation. It is part of a series of movies and television series based on Herriot’s novels. The Herriot novels were written in an episodic style, with each chapter generally containing a short story within the ongoing narrative of Herriot’s life. This format greatly facilitated their adaptation for a television series.
The series had two runs: the original (1978 to 1980, based directly on Herriot’s books) was for three series; the second (1988 to 1990, filmed with original scripts but generally regarded as a continuation of the 1978 series) for four. A total of ninety episodes was broadcast. The supporting cast, both recurring and one-offs, numbers over 600, most of whom appear as farmers or clients of the surgery.
photo
with Robert Hardy (Siegfried)
with Tristan
I’ve kept all my contracts from the BBC and ITV, walk on parts, speaking parts.
I used to run marathons. I was smoking cigars all the time and when I packed up at 50 I put weight on. I drink and eat and you know….
SORRY
with Ronnie Corbett.
Sorry! is a BBC television sitcom that aired on BBC1 from 1981 to 1982 and from 1985 to 1988.[1] It starred Ronnie Corbett and was created and written by Ian Davidson and Peter Vincent, both of whom had previously written for Corbett on The Two Ronnies.
I had a part as a German soldier when he was being chased by them in a dream sequence.
DH LAWRENCE
SONS AND LOVERS
Tom Bell, Eilein Atkinson
They set up the scene in the Lace Market. All the streets had rubber mats on them shaped as cobbled stones. All the post boxes had sleeves of the old fasioned boxes over them. It was the same with the doors of the buildings. They bought lorry loads of salt to use as snow. It took ages to clean it up. I went down there and they got me dressed up in Edwardian gear and beard. A mate of mine brought my son who was about ten at the time so he could see me performing. I talked to him and he didn’t recognise me the transformation was that good. They used the pub on the corner because they still had the old stained glass windows.
Another part was set in India. They use grease to make it look like you were sweating.
File 080223
90’s
SOUTH AFRICA
I lived in Durban, South Africa for a while. In Durban I played with Tony Darrell’s band with a bass player and a sax player.
I used to go down town in the daytime to the warehouses to smell the spices coming in of the boats. One night in Durban I wanted a curry and I went into a place and asked for a Madras or a Vindaloo. The guy went up the wall. He said we don’t eat European currys like you, we eat the authentic curry. I said alright, calm down, I’ll have one. It was absolutely fantastic.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2009
DEATH OF TONY DARRELL
Durban musician passes away on December 3.
Durban pianist Tony Darrell died in Durban on December 3. This is a tribute from friend and colleage Smelly Fellows:
Tony was born in Manchester, England, on April 20,1942. After school he did various jobs – butcher’s delivery boy, builder’s hod-carrier – all the while honing his craft in the hardest of schools – the Working Men’s Clubs and bars of Northern England. He was a contemporary of many of the future stars of the 60s, in particular Graham Nash of The Hollies and Crosby, Stills,Nash and Young.
In 1972, he came to South Africa for a three-week contract with The Gooderson Hotels Group and loved everything so much that he stayed and had never returned. He was a popular entertainer on the national and local music scene and toured the major centres regularly, building up a vast fan-base. He was known for his frenetic performances and rather ribald sense of humour!
After years of touring he settled in Durban, performing in beachfront clubs and bars as The Tony Darrell Trio and, occasionally, Tony Darrell and the Survivors. He was also in great demand at birthday parties for the more mature music fans who revelled in the energy of Rock ‘n Roll from the 50s and early 60s!
Tony was diagnosed diabetic and, over the past few years, his health deteriorated. Complications set in and he was no longer able to play his beloved piano. He passed away peacefully on December 3, 2009, and is survived by his wife, Wendy, and daughter, Spear.
TRIBUTE TO TONY DARRELL
Friends and colleagues of late musician to host an extensive fund-raising show to help his family.
Drummer Don Hastings and Eric “Smelly” Fellows – both well-known on the contemporary music scene – are arranging a fund-raising show to help the family of their late friend and colleague, Tony Darrell.
The line-up includes a veritable who’s who of Durban musos – Jo’s Garage, Sippies, Blues Experience, Undusted, Bobby & the Dynamites, West End Boys, Will’s Blues Band, Steve Fataar, Salty Dog, Rock ‘n Roll Madhouse, Rits, Stroh Dogs and True To Adopted. Each act will do 30 minutes with a 15 minute turn-around.
Compères are Danny Fisher, “Spider” Murch and Lamy. Music starts at 14h00 and the show will end after 23h30.
“We’ve had an overwhelming response from musos who want to play, which explains the huge line-up,” says Smelly Fellows who went on to add that people are still offering their services but he cannot accommodate any more. “The Cranford Hotel in Clarens has confirmed their sponsorship of a prize which is accommodation for two for a weekend, including a meal for two at the Phat Chef restaurant.”
The show will be held at the German/Shamwari Club, 7 Barham Road, Westville, on February 6
Errol “Smelly” Fellowes
And those socks? In the early ’90s, in the days of Durban’s beachfront venue the Castle Inn, Smelly was playing with Tony Darrell.
Smelly takes up the story: “For some strange reason, at the end of each evening, a group of middle-age women would rush the stage and drag my socks off my feet! Some years after that, I met one of them who said ‘I have 13 pairs of your socks’. Scary …
1990’s
THE MIMICS
I got a job with The Mimics. Michael Black agent top agent in London.
I got a phone call
we backed the Mimics. They were like The Grumbleweeds.
He rang me up and said
still playing bass. yes. can you link the comedy sketches together. I’d only have to learn a few nunbers so I said yes. we was earning really good money.
then Rifles in London.
Then the Lakeside club
My son Richard has his own gym, a body builder. I said to him get on my drum kit so I can soundcheck. He was a natural.
====================
bob bently 2
I changed my name briefley to Bobby Barnes but found out he was a wrestler so that didn’t last.
Equity. You have to have a name that nobody else had.
Bobby Lemon Charles.
I paid all my taxes even though I had a proper job. I had an account called Medlock and Rhodes. When they sent the cheques it was all above board.
There was a working mens club on every corner. Now it is arenas. It was a live circuit in those days. In the month of December, Mike Sheppard and Bobby Charles we had 32 gigs. We did lunchtimes as well.
I retired in 2000. I still did a few gigs. All the setting up is .
I did Americana. 3 stages on the field.
PSV license. I fancy coach driving for 9 or ten years part time.
A few jobs abroad. Italy
Tenerif. keep focused on my job
2 or 3 hours in some bars. comedy show and playing bass.
american bases. we were friends with the yanks
take you in the pX and buy you stuff. were did you get your Ludwigs from. I could have got you one here cheaper.
Take us to these night clubs. They paid for us.
In tenerife me and sammy we were on free beer, food. when we finished straight to the tapas bars. beer 80p a pint
bobby 3
jazz
it was all through
I learned to
I picked it up
Buddy Rich was the greatest drummer ever. I met him seven times.
take five I was able to pick it up straight away.
I worked with Dave Ives at the Manor club. He taught piano and flute. There was a bass player who was resident at the Commordore but he also had a studio in ………. where we recorded with Mike Sheppard.
work the clubs, a club land player. it’s died away now.
I liked big band. I didn’t see a lot of it but it must have been in my dads genes
I was with Reg Guest and he used to do some swing. Lady is a tramp. do it straight but I said to hom lets change the middle to a 3/4 then back. He liked it.
I loved arrangments. We would mix between Sweet Caroline and America by the Nice.
SIX ACROSS
Phil Smith ran Banner. Carls Fables, Sons and Lovers, Clockwork Toys etc. Tony Sherwood was the runner for Phil Smith.
Reg Guest when I joined with him we had seven residenceys
mon – Barleycorn
tue – ?
wed – Cherry tree
thur – Anglers Spondon
fri – Oval
sat – social club
sun – Calverton
evening – somewhere else.
Sometimes I got so bored I thought I’d play left handed. so I would play a gig left handed all night. I needed a challenge. I then learn’t to play bass. Now I know why bass players think I’m good.
Comedy is a very strict discipline. You do what you do what you do what you do. Don’t change. It’s a formula. I’ve seen people who died on their arse when they broke from their formula. You are in character. You stay in character.
This guy in Tenerife did an Elvis. He was great. But then he would break character and loose it. Another guy called Liberty Mountain. He did Elvis too. He broke character too.
Never let the audience guide you. When they heckle don’t follow, they’ll spoil your show. You’ve got to stay on track.
what I love most of all is the showband I had called “Full Portion”. Because I learn’t dicipline. I knew the structure. It was successful as well.
This agent said, you’ve good act. Some nights it might not go down so well but don’t change the act.
Alan Dale and Mike Sheppard were friendley rivals. Mike, when I met him, had a mike attached to his guitar, no mike stand involved. A few weeks later Alan followed suite.
when I went on to bass, Alan got a bass palyer.
I ended up in tenerife with Sammy Jay. We did a “Rainbow” routine with Geoffrey and Zippy. I made the screen and the puppets.
Geoffrey: what were the first words Eve said to Adam in the garden of Eden.
Zippy: Err. That’s a hard one.
All Sammy as Geoffrey had to say was “correct”
Sammy played Geoffrey. I told him not to divert from the script. Try and remember you are talking to Zippy I said. But he would get the kids up on stage and try and get them round the back of the screen. He destroyed the image. It was my experience with the showbands to don’t digress from what your’e doing. I said we are creating something here.
There were some bits where you can jump in, thinking on your feet but they are mainly following the script. All these people who think all these comedians are adlibbing, they aren’t.
they all fell about
get into a character and stay there. don’t change the gag. change the character if its not working.
I would have loved to be a director.
I had many walk on parts often I would suggest something just to liven the scene up.
During the filming of “The life and time of Lloyd George” the directer said you are all troops getting on the train. I said to the director what about if there is me and him with kit bags, we run down the platform and someone opens the door and I throw a kit bag in and then jump in. He said great.
Phil Maddock played Lloyd George.
Me being me, having been up since six in the morning on the train. They had broke for lunch, left me and the train pulled out. I was in the middle of the country. I jumped out the train and walked back along the line. I never got any lunch that day.
TRAINS
Tony Sherwood charted a train Nottingham to London. A day out. Six Across had a carriage. we put all the gear in but when the train started of the cymbals were falling down so we had to get sandbags pretty quick. There was students, people on a day out, anybody. They were drinking and dancing. It was a party. Sons and Lovers did train gigs too, Clockwork Toys too.
Fender Strat, Bob Blackhurst. he died 3 or 4 years ago. Rob Duffy said we are doing a testamonial. me, a bass player,
Mick Franks was there.
Mick Maltby was his real name.
Dave Ives. He was brilliant. I played with him for six months.
I use digital drum kits. I like them. Yes please.
========================
Bob 4
Langley Mill
my dad played a lot the Shoulder of Mutton. Normanton
Most of the places have gone now.
Boat, Union and the Brit. The Palais.
I saw Taste at the Boat. Rory Gallagher still had that old strat wzith no paintm on itz. I did watch other acts. Where are you going to learn if you don’t go out and watch them.
AT the Musters club there was a resident drummer. He was terrible. He could get by and back the acts but was nothing special. But then he did something, one little thing through the course of the night, just a little fill and I’d think where did that come from. I’d pick it up and use it.
6AX at University, Handbags and Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds.
In the sixties we had the venues and clubs, we had two railway stations.
6AX we were there for a fortnight.
1970 something
Playboy club in London. 3 major rooms
middle room – international acts – Fay somebody from america
downstairs – caberet and gambling
upstairs – disco
Then Sons and Lovers would do a Fortnight.
one night we at the Cromwellian club. In the audience were the Hollies.
coach driver, joiner,
I used to work out of the Sherwood bus depot.
4 hours sleep a night. I was working gig after gig. There was work every night.
The old ways have been killed off. There is all the indoor games and . Nobody goes out. Why don’t they go out.