Walter Frederick George Williams, later known as Bill Maynard, was a talented actor and comedian who was fondly remembered for his iconic role as Claude Jeremiah Greengrass in the long-running nostalgic police drama Heartbeat. Born to a gardener and a laundry worker, Maynard came from humble beginnings, but he displayed an early aptitude for music and began performing in local clubs and music halls at the age of nine.
He progressed to repertory theatre, touring army camps with Jon Pertwee, and even made a few recordings for Decca and EMI. Maynard's early success led to a stint as a stand-up comic at The Windmill in London, where he shared the stage with a strip show. In the 1950s, he emerged as a TV star, sharing top billing with Terry Scott in Great Scott, It's Maynard.
Despite his early success, Maynard's ambition to become a "serious actor" backfired, and he eventually returned to repertory theatre, leading to a hiatus in his career. He went on to appear in over 30 films, but regarded none of them as particularly worthwhile, stating in a 2013 interview that they damaged his reputation.
In the mid-1970s, Maynard returned to his forte with consecutive hits in TV sitcoms, including The Life of Riley, Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt, and The Gaffer. He also had diverse guest roles in shows such as Worzel Gummidge, Minder, and Dalziel and Pascoe.
In the 2000s, Maynard hosted his own radio chat show on BBC Leicester, Maynard's Bill of Fare, and made occasional guest appearances, including in the spin-off series The Royal. After suffering a stroke in 2000, Maynard was confined to wheelchairs and mobility scooters, but he continued to give lectures at universities on humour and acting.
Bill Maynard passed away on March 30, 2018, at the age of 89, leaving behind a legacy as a talented and beloved actor and comedian.
