Geoffrey Hughes (actor)
Updated: 12/11/2025, 10:50:57 AM Wikipedia source
Geoffrey William Hughes DL (2 February 1944 – 27 July 2012) was an English actor. Hughes provided the voice of Paul McCartney in the animated film Yellow Submarine (1968), and rose to fame for portraying bin man Eddie Yeats in the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street from 1974 to 1983, making a return to the show in 1987. He is well known for playing loveable slob Onslow in the British sitcom Keeping Up Appearances (1990–1995) and "Twiggy" in the sitcom The Royle Family, playing the part from 1998 to 2008. From 2001 to 2005 he played conman and rogue businessman Vernon Scripps in the ITV police drama Heartbeat, taking over as the show's main rogue from Bill Maynard's Claude Greengrass, and returning to the programme briefly in 2007. Hughes was diagnosed with prostate cancer in the 1990s and in 2010 he suffered a relapse which led him to retire from acting. He died from the illness in 2012 at age 68.
Infobox
Born
Geoffrey William Hughes(1944-02-02)2 February 1944Kirkdale, Liverpool, England
Died
27 July 2012(2012-07-27) (aged 68)Isle of Wight, England
Occupation
Actor
Years active
1964–2010
Spouse
mw- Susan Mundell (m. 1975)
Tables
· Filmography
1968
Role(s)
Pvt. Samuel (cook)
Role(s)
Paul McCartney
Role(s)
Mike's Brother
1971
Role(s)
Drinking Villager
Role(s)
Fred
Role(s)
Willie
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1967 | Smashing Time | Builder | |
| 1968 | The Bofors Gun | Pvt. Samuel (cook) | |
| Yellow Submarine | Paul McCartney | ||
| Till Death Us Do Part | Mike's Brother | ||
| 1969 | The Virgin Soldiers | Lantry | |
| 1970 | The Man Who Had Power Over Women | Policeman | |
| 1971 | The Blood on Satan's Claw | Drinking Villager | |
| Revenge | Fred | ||
| Carry On at Your Convenience | Willie | ||
| 1973 | Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall | Larry | |
| Tiffany Jones | Georg | ||
| 1976 | Confessions of a Driving Instructor | Postman | |
| 1980 | Nijinsky | Gavrilov |
· Television
1966
1966-1967
Role(s)
ITV Play of the Week
Notes
Frank Monoghan/Chris Smitheringale
1967
1967-1972
Role(s)
Thirty-Minute Theatre
Notes
Lance-Corporal Williams/Chuck
1967, 1974–1983, 1987
Role(s)
Coronation Street
Notes
Phil Ferguson/Eddie Yeats
1968–1974
Role(s)
Z Cars
Notes
Billy Garvin, Wynne, Bartram, Mickey
1969
1970
1974
1985
The Bright Side
Role(s)
Mr. Lithgow
Notes
5 episodes
1986
1989–1993
Role(s)
I, Lovett
Notes
Dirk
1990
1990-1991
Role(s)
Making Out
Notes
Dilk
1990–1995
Role(s)
Keeping Up Appearances
Notes
Onslow
1997
1998–2008
Role(s)
The Royle Family
Notes
Twiggy
2001–2005, 2007
Role(s)
Heartbeat
Notes
Vernon Scripps
2007
2007–2009
Role(s)
Skins
Notes
Fat B*stard, Brandy, Uncle Keith
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1966 | The Likely Lads | Podge | 3 episodes |
| BBC Play of the Month | Second Workman | Episode: "The Making of Jericho" | |
| 1966-1967 | ITV Play of the Week | Frank Monoghan/Chris Smitheringale | 2 episodes |
| 1967 | The Saint | Party Boy | Episode: The Power Artists |
| 1967-1972 | Thirty-Minute Theatre | Lance-Corporal Williams/Chuck | 2 episodes |
| 1967, 1974–1983, 1987 | Coronation Street | Phil Ferguson/Eddie Yeats | 511 episodes |
| 1968–1974 | Z Cars | Billy Garvin, Wynne, Bartram, Mickey | 5 episodes |
| 1969 | Please Sir | Turner | Episode: "They're Off" |
| Curry and Chips | Dick | 6 episodes | |
| 1970 | Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) | Harper | Episode: "Somebody Just Walked Over My Grave" |
| The Wednesday Play | Flash Blakey | Episode: "The Hunting of Lionel Crane" | |
| Up Pompeii! | Piteous | Episode: "Vestal Virgins" | |
| 1971 | Play for Today | Derek | Episode: "The Pigeon Fancier" |
| 1972 | Dad's Army | The Bridge Corporal | Episode: "Brain Versus Brawn" |
| 1974 | No, Honestly | Derek | Episode: "The Object of the Game" |
| Crown Court | Robert Sims | Serial: "Winklers" | |
| 1975 | Don't Drink the Water | Frank | Episode: "Helping Hand" |
| 1985 | The Bright Side | Mr. Lithgow | 5 episodes |
| 1986 | Doctor Who | Mr. Popplewick | Serial: "The Ultimate Foe" |
| 1989–1993 | I, Lovett | Dirk | |
| 1990 | Screen Two | DS Bailey | Episode: "The Man from the Pru" |
| ScreenPlay | Repo Man | Episode: "Needle" | |
| Coasting | Ray Hartley | Episode: "Offshore" | |
| You Rang, M'Lord? | Sir Fred Kendal | Episode: "Royal Flush" | |
| 1990-1991 | Making Out | Dilk | 4 episodes |
| 1990–1995 | Keeping Up Appearances | Onslow | 44 episodes |
| 1992 | Boon | Tiny Tim | Episode: "Message in a Bottle" |
| 1993 | The Upper Hand | Ray | Episode: "Misery" |
| 1997 | The Memoirs of Hyacinth Bucket | Onslow | TV film |
| 1998–2008 | The Royle Family | Twiggy | 8 episodes |
| 2001–2005, 2007 | Heartbeat | Vernon Scripps | 88 episodes |
| 2007 | Casualty | Si Blake | Episode: "Brass in Pocket" |
| Keeping Up Appearances: Life Lessons from Onslow | Onslow | TV film | |
| 2007–2009 | Skins | Fat B*stard, Brandy, Uncle Keith | 4 episodes |
References
- freebmd.org.ukhttps://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=R5fMMs1%2Fbz5fIIhS8GJkzA&scan=1
- "Actor Geoffrey Hughes – Coronation Street's Eddie Yates – dies aged 68"http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/film-and-tv/actor-geoffrey-hughes---coronation-691929
- Liverpool Echohttps://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-share/8d3b361c-4525-497c-a41a-5f37f1f4f473
- tvguide.comhttps://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/geoffrey-hughes/credits/3000432998/
- Liverpool Echohttps://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/geoffrey-hughes-career-stage-tv-3398144
- "Expresso – A film by Kevin Powis and Martin Nigel Davey"http://www.li-safe.com/Expresso/
- "New nativity story played to city"https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/7146902.stm
- "Preview: Absolutely Frank, Harrogate Theatre, February 26 to March 14"https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/leisure/theatre/4142718.preview-absolutely-frank-harrogate-theatre-february-26-to-march-14/
- Fairport's Cropredy Convention Official Souvenir Programme 2007; Fairport's Cropredy Convention Official Souvenir Progra
- The Independenthttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/geoffrey-hughes-versatile-actor-who-was-happy-to-be-cast-as-the-lovable-scouser-7987839.html
- The London Gazettehttps://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/L-59102-846067
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jul/28/geoffrey-hughes-dies-aged-6
- The Guardianhttps://web.archive.org/web/20190714143306/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/29/geoffrey-hughes
- Encyclopædia Britannicahttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Geoffrey-Hughes
- "Coronation Street actor Geoffrey Hughes dies aged 68"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19032928