Bill, a true Londoner, was born with the distinct sound of Bow Bells ringing in his ears, although he grew up in the vibrant neighborhoods of Hackney and Bethnal Green. One of eight siblings, comprising six brothers and two sisters, Bill left school at the tender age of 14 to begin his career as a tailboard monkey, clinging to the back of railway lorries as they transported parcels to stations across the city.
After completing his national service in the Royal Air Force, Bill's passion for acting led him to decide on a career in the performing arts. However, financial constraints forced him to seek alternative means of supporting himself, and he enlisted as a state room steward on a P&O liner for a period of four years. This stint allowed him to pay his way through drama school, where he honed his craft and prepared for a life on stage and screen.
Bill's early career took him through various mediums, including repertory theater, summer schools, radio, and commercials. He brought to life memorable characters, such as Sidney the milkman in the popular radio series "Mrs. Dale's Diary" and a charismatic greengrocer in a toothpaste advertisement.
In his personal life, Bill married Australian actress Kate three years after they met, when he was 35 and she was 21. Together, they welcomed two children: Jamie, born in 1974, and Sophie, born in 1978. The family made their home in a charming 19th-century gamekeepers' cottage in Suffolk.
Bill's most iconic role, however, was that of Arthur Fowler in the BBC's long-running soap opera "EastEnders."
