We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. They won the jackpot. The decision to dismiss Gordon the show's most popular cast member was taken in the hope that viewers would desert the show, giving Central a valid excuse to axe it. ADVERTISEMENT Roger Tonge played Sandy Richardson in the soap between 1964 and 1981. She continued her pop career after the show, before becoming a stage actress and appearing in pantomines. Rossington now lives in Staffordshire with her second husband, chartered surveyor David Dunger. Born in 1930, Angus spent his early years in Glasgow, attending Eastbank Academy in the city. She sang at a strip club in Vienna and toured America and Cananda with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Prior to the accident storyline, Tonge had for many months only been seen in seated scenes, standing rigid or lying in bed. Since 1988, she has been the main patron of the Crossroads Appreciation Society, and continues to take an active role in the group. Bullet-riddled Golf probed at hospital as A&E 'locked down' after man shot a mile away, West Midlands Police said officers believed a 'targeted attack' had taken place on a residential street around a mile away from Heartlands Hospital, 'I suffered horror symptoms for 8 years before docs diagnosed me - here's what I want people to know', Hannah was diagnosed with relapsing MS meaning she endures episodes of new or worsening symptoms - she wants to raise awareness of the often misunderstood condition, Coronation uproar as Birmingham residents react to allegiance pledge with everyone saying same thing, Around Birmingham, residents hit out at King Charles' allegiance pledge request, Michelle Heaton shares sad photo after celebrating two years of sobriety, The Liberty X singer shared a throwback photo to the last day she drank alcohol, Washwood Heath neighbour 'thought gunshots were fireworks' as Golf driver blasted, Residents have spoken after shots rang out on Shaw Hill Road in Washwood Heath in a shocking episode of bank holiday violence, Stourbridge shoppers 'intimidated by aggressive begging' in town centre, Shop doorways and street corners have also been littered with sleeping bags and other discarded items, Urgent warning for shoppers who bought these cheeses sold in Co-op, Tesco and Waitrose, The products are part of an urgent food recall over listeria fears, Mum who was bullied at school for her weight sheds seven stone after incredible transformation, Nikki Bailey, who lives with her partner and two children, was unable to stand for long periods of time and experienced difficulty in completing simple tasks, 'Cowboy builder' Steven Fidler on UK's most wanted list, Fidler is being sought by several police forces across the UK in connection with fraud offences, Man City set to deal Aston Villa transfer blow as midfielder catches 'attention', Latest Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive as the club are linked with a summer move for Manchester City prospect James McAtee, Aston Villa in 'strong' position to land 40m target as Benfica exit transfer battle, Latest Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive as the club reportedly receive boost to their hopes of signing Feyenoord captain Orkun Kokcu, Middlesbrough boss delivers 'wait and see' update after Aston Villa concern, Latest Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive as Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick gives an injury update on Aaron Ramsey, Sister sprayed brother with chili and vinegar concoction in long-running family feud, She attacked him after a chance meeting in the street and then tried to spray him again, hoping he would be peering through his letterbox, Birmingham street shooting live as bullet-riddled Golf probed at hospital, Shots were fired on Shaw Hill Road in Washwood Heath yesterday evening (April 30), Jailed in April - The latest criminals sent to prison from Birmingham and beyond, Our April 2023 roundup features a number of killers and serious sex offenders who have been locked up, Celebrity deaths 2023 all the stars who have died in April, Barry Humphries, Len Goodman and S Club 7's Paul Cattermole are among those who died this month, Aston Villa loan latest as Wesley and Sanson impress, Archer and Louie Barry fight for promotion, A run through Aston Villas loan players as it comes down to the business end of the season with players fighting for promotion and against relegation, England's stunning smallest city named one of best places to live that's dream day out, Tiny countryside city off M5 with charming pubs and restaurants has only 12,000 residents, Tower crane installed by 'spider men' next to Birmingham Town Hall, The 1.2 billion Paradise project in Birmingham city centre has reached another milestone with a 50-metre tower crane arriving to build Three Chamberlain Square, Six household appliances that can cost 450-a-year to run - full list, Fridges, freezers, and washing machines are all becoming significantly more expensive to run, Aston Villa 'confident' of completing record Tammy Abraham transfer, Latest Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive as the club are linked with a club record transfer for Roma striker Tammy Abraham. As Valerie Pollard, she played a cheating wife whose conquests in the. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. In 1981, after a long fight with Hodgkins disease, Tonge died at the age of 35. Anguss other film roles included appearances in 633 Squadron, Tunes of Glory and 1969 musical Oh! To accommodate his disability, and in order not to lose the character from the series, a plotline was developed where Sandy became paralysed and a wheelchair user through an accident. The character - whom Hargreaves described as a "Technicolor. Now, 76 he lives on the island of Anglesey in Wales, where he was born. Early life [ edit] He was only 35. Bless This Houses Robin Stewart. let infinite_scroll_layout_settings = JSON.parse('{"layoutSettings":{"autoConsent":0,"introParagraphType":"Social_image","imagePosition":"","notClickableHeader":1,"additionalPost":1,"vidazooPixelStartPage":0},"topAd":{"position":"Before","element":" figure","startsFrom":2},"video":{"provider":"Vidazoo","startsFrom":3}}'); Heather Chasen as Valerie Pollard in Crossroads, with her daughter Miranda, played by Claire Faulconbridge. [2] He was known for his role as Mike Baldwin in the soap opera Coronation Street, in which he appeared from 1976 to 2006. Angus Wilson Lennie (18 April 1930 14 September 2014) was a Scottish film and theatre character actor with a 50-year career span. [citation needed]. Her father died the following day on a steamer that was sunk, and her stepfather, Ginger (GCR) Franks, died in the fighting that followed the invasion. No, I agree, its not immediately obvious. Then, in February, 1981, four months before Noele was sacked, actor Roger Tonge - who had played Meg's son, Sandy, since the beginning - also died. She became ill during the run and had to be replaced. She died in August 1976 in Seychelles. It then moved to the Victoria Palace Theatre in the West End, where it ran for only 88 performances. Crossroads cast now: What happened to Noele Gordon and her co-stars in Where cast of Crossroads are now - The Sun I was playing the English Soldier in Saint Joan in 1970 for director James Cellan Jones, when he cast me in my first TV job as Guiccioli in the acclaimed drama series The Roads To Freedom. You can various bits of trivia about these Crossroads stars, such as where the actor was born and what their year of birth is. Margaret Matheson had stated that it was not Denton or herself who sacked Gordon. And little remains of the Crossroads Motel, where Noele Gordons character Meg Richardson ruled the roost in ITVs cheap television soap which attracted huge audiences as high as 15 million viewers in the 1970s and early 1980s. Angus passed away in a nursing home in London on Sunday. DON'T MISSHelena Bonham Carter transforms into Crossroads' Nolly[PICTURES]Helena Bonham Carter unrecognisable in red wig as Crossroads star[INSIGHT]Cross words on Helena playing ITV soap queen Noele in drama[INSIGHT]. Having dropped in at ATV during his lunch break to enquire about acting parts, a cleaner directed him to a meeting where production manager Margaret French handed him a script and invited him to return for an audition. [4] He was in character as Benny in the song, but spoke rather than sang. THE actor Paul Henry, who played Benny from Crossroads, has revealed how his grandfather was murdered by a Peaky Blinder. [1] She played the role of Meg Mortimer (originally Richardson, later Ryder) in the long-running British soap opera Crossroads from 1964 to 1981, with a brief return in 1983.[2]. She would, however, not return to television full-time because of her theatre commitments. His country-boy style gained him the part of Peter Stevens in The Archers for a time. She sought revenge by having an affair with Adam Chance (Tony Adams) who was previously in a relationship with her daughter Miranda (Claire Faulconbridge) after he became engaged to Jill Harvey (Jane Rossington). After this event, her mother and her aunt were keen for her to begin a stage career. It made way for a new daily soap opera, Crossroads, in which Gordon played the role of motel owner Meg Richardson (later Meg Mortimer), a part which had been developed with Gordon in mind, as she was still under contract to Lew Grade's ATV. Where are the original Crossroads cast now? | TV & Radio - Express While he had much success in films and other television series, he never forgot Crossroads and was always keen to be involved with reunion events. She has appeared on Loose Women and the Alan Titchmarsh Show, to promote the Crossroads 45th anniversary boxset. Benny wasnt the brightest character to emerge from planet soap. But in later years his ill-health left him increasingly immobile. Paul Henry's grandad was murdered by a Peaky Blinder - Express The British actress is now 79 years old. Tributes as Crossroads' Carlos dies, aged 73. - Free Online Library Get a daily email direct to your inbox with our newsletter. He was reported as having laughed off the jibes of journalists, by saying: "I'm allergic to criticism". His numerous credits include the character of Flying Officer. Cleo was given the role by producer Reg Watson after press coverage of racial tensions in the Birmingham area at that time. Company: ATV Master format: 16mm Description. Later, there was an inter-racial romance between garage mechanic Dennis Harper, played by Merlin Ward, and motel receptionist Meena Chaudri (Karan David). In 1981, after a long fight with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Tonge died age 35. 'Crossroads' TV Series. Crossroads actor John Bentley dies at 92 - Birmingham Live Crossroads, later known asCrossroads MotelandCrossroads King's Oak, was an ITV soap opera that ran from 1964-1988, and was revived from 2001-2003. She retired to her home in Birmingham, where she died in 1985 of stomach cancer. Chasen spent a year (1958-59) in the role of Mollie Ralston in the Agatha Christie whodunnit The Mousetrap (Ambassadors theatre, London) and many West End roles followed. This list includes all of the Crossroads main actors and actresses, so if they are an integral part of the show you'll find them below. Seventies chart-toppers Mud, Where are they now? Cameron Chapman is much older than his character Anthony Lockwood, Angela Piper has left The Archers as Jennifer Aldridge after 60 years, Meet Vera star Brenda Blethyn's eight siblings, Pamela Anderson 'realised no one has perfect childhood' in look-back. Judy Cornwell, one of only a handful of other women in the show over its entire history, was in awe of them at first but told the author Richard Webber: Heather showed me how to push the men out of the way, because they would grab the microphones and not let us in, so we had to kick them in the shins and get to the microphones that way.. READ MORE:Bradley Walsh in tears during emotional talk with son Barney. Gordon's father (from Scotland) was an engineer in the Merchant Navy and she was born in East Ham, East London (now part of the London Borough of Newham). It would be great to be working again, but at the end of the day, Ive got a lovely family and they are the love of my life.. She went on to have various TV roles before the one she is now most famous for - Audrey Roberts in Corrie, which she started in 1979 and still plays now. Following the accident, the character of Sandy was predominantly a wheelchair user, though he was able to stand and move upright with the aid of crutches. Crossroads was a much-loved soap which spanned decades and underwent a revival until its end in 2003, but what did the cast members do next? From June 1943 to July 1944, she appeared in the musical The Lisbon Story at the London Hippodrome. With the increase in the number and popularity of cars, adventurous travellers were starting to take trips that previously were impossible. Early life [ edit] Briggs was born in Battersea, south-west London, on 5 September 1935. Although you would never have known it from her on-screen squawk, she loved to sing and made a special appearance at Birmingham Town Hall, singing in Handels Messiah. She died in April 1985, aged 65, after a battle with stomach cancer. Susan married Radio 1 presenter Tommy Vance in the 60s, and then married former Move frontman Carl Wayne until his death in 2004. He had caught chicken pox and died of heart failure, his system unable to cope with the infection. He died on 26 February 1981 in London, England, UK. Actor: Crossroads. Paul also set his sights on other avenues and purchased and ran a nightclub for a long time before his TV stints after Crossroads. What's the connection between an American named Alfred Heineman and the late soap queen Noele Gordon? A former chat show host she was the first woman ever to interview a serving Prime Minister she had been presenter of ATVs Lunchbox. Duration: 0:02:21. Where are they now? Benny from Crossroads - Express She was also very well known for her role as Nora Batty in Last Of The Summer Wine , which she played from its inception in 1973 until her death. Benny went to peoples hearts and many spoke of his relationship with Diane [Susan Hanson], which worked because she was an established character whom the public loved. She is survived by their son, Rupert. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. David Fennell He starred in 298 episodes of Crossroads before moving on to The Bill and Inspector Morse. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Tonge's struggle with Hodgkin's Disease impacted his role in the programme. I learned my craft doing rep in plays like Billy Liar, then working with actors including Michael Gambon and Timothy Dalton at Birmingham Rep, where I spent eight years. Im well, despite having my right eye removed last year. She then met up with the nurse, named Sister Anna Bianconi-Moore, on the Corrie set to thank her. To accommodate his disability and not lose an original character, a story was developed in which Sandy became paralysed and a wheelchair user through an accident. [10], The comic actor Ronnie Barker revealed in his later years that he had suggested Henry for casting as his cellmate Lennie Godber in the sitcom Porridge, but that Richard Beckinsale was chosen instead. We built up an audience of 15 million viewers. Lovable Crossroads legend Angus Lennie, who played cheeky chef, Shughie McFee. Crossroads took up six months every year, which left me time for theatre, pantomime and guest spots on shows like Bullseye and then Eamonn Andrews surprised me on one of his last This Is Your Life shows in 1985. Express.co.uk has all you need to know about where the original cast are now. Crossroads: Benny helps Nicola Freeman change her tire Since then he has run his own business and recently played Tony Hancock on stage. Announcing the news of her death on Twitter, ex . I met Sheila at The British Legion Club when I was working at Birmingham Rep and she was a hairdresser. [1] She played the role of Meg Mortimer (originally Richardson, later Ryder) in the long-running British soap opera Crossroads from 1964 to 1981, with a brief return in 1983. Tonge thus became the first disabled actor in a soap, but it was something he always played down and his illness was never talked about. The Crossroads cast now: Hollyoaks stars, nightclub owners and murder The former Coronation Street actor Amanda Barrie, who had a 10-year relationship with Chasen after appearing on stage with her in 1980, recalled her loose grasp on reality. What happened to stars of hit motel soap of 70s & 80s? According to Denton, "I simply carried out the request of the Crossroads producer [Barton] to dismiss her. Underneath his soft woolly hat lurked a soft woolly brain but Aston-born Paul Henry played him to perfection. He starred in 298 episodes of Crossroads before moving on to The Bill and Inspector Morse. After the show ended for good, Jane appeared in an episode of children's TV show Dramarama , and had her own radio show on Beacon Radio. Independent Television Publications Ltd 1970, Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Roger_Tonge&oldid=1140554623, People educated at Lordswood Boys' School, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from September 2013, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 16:35. Crossroads Cast | List of All Crossroads Actors and Actresses - Ranker Created by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling, and originally produced by ATV, Crossroads Motel which was later upgraded to a hotel was to be found in the fictional village of Kings Oak, on the outskirts of Birmingham. In real life, after a short-lived marriage to BBC Radio 1 DJ Tommy Vance in the 1960s, Hanson married former Move frontman Carl Wayne in 1974, who lost a battle against cancer in 2004. That grief is with me today as if it was yesterday. The actress made a brief return to the soap in 1983 and went on to star in the musical Gypsy. (1990). He was an English playwright and actor who went on to star in The Flaxton Boys, Thriller and Hogg's Back. Gordon attended RADA, appearing in repertory theatres and the West End stage. Margery Field played Hilda Duvene between 1964 and 1968 on the soap but she joined slightly later than the original cast. 39 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1978. Royal Shakespeare Company-trained Elisabeth Croft had been a withdrawn child, so acting was perhaps an odd choice of career. Stan Stennett obituary | Comedy | The Guardian Crossroads was routinely assailed by TV critics for what they saw as its low quality, and Tonge was one of the members of the cast who was regularly criticised. Not much else is known about the soap actor and what became of him. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Her parents split up when she was 10, and both remarried. His last known role was in the short film The Gigolo in 2017. 1945-1984. Charles Stapley obituary | Soap opera | The Guardian Crossroads (TV Series 1964-1988) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb let infinite_scroll_device_constants = JSON.parse('{"TopAdUnit":{"Path":"\/21612127490\/bs-mobile-is1","Template":"ad_pos_bs-mobile-is1","SlotSizes":"[300, 250]","placeholder":"bs-ad-top-mobile_placeholder-"},"BottomAdUnit":{"Path":"\/21612127490\/bs-mobile-is2","Template":"ad_pos_bs-mobile-is2","SlotSizes":"[300, 250]","placeholder":"bs-ad-bottom-mobile_placeholder-"},"StickyAdUnit":{"Path":"\/21612127490\/bs-mobile-sticky","Template":"ad_pos_bs-mobile-sticky","SlotSizes":"[320, 50]","placeholder":"bs-sticky-ad-mobile_placeholder-"},"NativoDivPath":"","FanPlacementId":"","ObWidgetId":"AR_5","AdsLazyLoadingDelay":"700","AbTestPercentage":"10","VidazooPixelId":"5ed3b5e8e35b7200048a2c83","TaboolPerScreenMode":""}'); In 2011, a nurse watching Corrie noticed a mole on Sue's shoulder and contacted the show to express her concerns. Cast of Crossroads L-R Meg Mortimer (Noele Gordon) David Hunter (Ronald Allen) Jill (Jane Rossington) Sandy (Roger Tonge) and Benny (Paul Henry). Brian Kent played Dick Jarvis from 1964 until 1972 as part of the original cast. Tony went on to star in a stage production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but largely stayed out of the spotlight. I keep in touch with Tony Adams [Adam Chance from Crossroads] and I hear from Susan. If you are wondering, "Who are the actors from Crossroads?" Her last stage role was in No, No, Nanette at Plymouth's Theatre Royal. In 1985, Matheson's successor Ted Childs ordered Crossroads to be revamped; one element in the updating of the show was its renaming as Crossroads Motel. She has two grown children, Sorrel and Harry. In an interview she gave to TV Times in 1981, Gordon announced that she might, once her stage work had come to an end, take up the offer of returning to presenting. Then there was perhaps the most memorable character of all, village idiot Benny Hawkins, whose trademark was a woolly hat worn all year round. (Image: Central Television) David Hunter A. Arguably the most successful actress to have starred in Crossroads, both old and new, the sky seems to be the limit for Freema Agyeman!