Christopher Beeny

2022-12-15T02:55:26Z

95.145.140.84: /* Early life */

{{Short description|British actor (1941–2020)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2016}}
{{refimprove|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Christopher Beeny
| birth_name = Christopher Winton Beeny
| birth_date = {{birth date|1941|7|7|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[London]], England
| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|1|3|1941|7|7|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Kent]], England
| occupation = Actor, dancer
| years_active = 1947–2010
| education = [[Arts Educational School]]<br>[[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]]
| employer = [[Ballet Rambert]]
| spouse = {{marriage|Lynda Price|1964|end=divorced}}<br>{{marriage|Diana Kirkwood|1979|end=divorced}}
| children = 3
}}
'''Christopher Winton Beeny''' (7 July 1941 – 3 January 2020) was an English actor and dancer.<ref name=bfi>{{cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba123d1df|title=Christopher Beeny|website=BFI}}</ref> He had a career as a child actor, but was best known for his work as the footman Edward Barnes on the 1970s television series ''[[Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series)|Upstairs, Downstairs]]'', as Billy Henshaw in the sitcom ''[[In Loving Memory (TV series)|In Loving Memory]]'' ([[ITV Yorkshire|Yorkshire Television]]), and as the incompetent debt collector and golfer Morton Beamish in ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]''.<ref name=kentlife/>

==Early life==
Beeny was born in [[London]].<ref>[http://theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/jan/10/christopher-beeny-obituary THE GUARDIAN]: Christopher Beeny obituary; Friday January 10, 2020</ref> He moved to [[Bristol]] with his family as a young child, spent several years at the [[Arts Educational School]], and later attended the [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rada.ac.uk/profiles/christopher-beeny/|title=Christopher Beeny — RADA|last=Fabrique|website=www.rada.ac.uk}}</ref> As a child, Beeny began his career at the age of six when he danced for the [[Ballet Rambert]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_S4f-nobIxEC&q=christopher+beeny+ballet+rambert&pg=PA20|title=Some Joe You Don't Know: An American Biographical Guide to 100 British Television Personalities|first=Anthony|last=Slide|date=13 May 1996|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=9780313295508|via=Google Books}}</ref>

Beeny's first screen role was in the film ''[[The Long Memory]]'' (1953).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/christopher-beeny-p207018|title=Christopher Beeny – Movies and Filmography|website=AllMovie}}</ref> It starred [[John Mills]] and featured [[Thora Hird]], Beeny's future co-star in ''[[In Loving Memory (TV series)|In Loving Memory]]'' and ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6af24530|title=The Long Memory (1953)|website=BFI}}</ref><ref name=kentlife/>

==Television==
Beeny played Lenny Grove in the first British television soap, the BBC TV series ''[[The Grove Family]]'', which was shown on Fridays from 1954 until 1957, (and named after the BBC Studios of [[Lime Grove Studios]]), as well as the feature film of the same, called [[It's a Great Day]].<ref>Cornell, P. et al Classic British TV, 2nd Ed. (1996) Guinness Publishing p. 15</ref>

He gained notice when he appeared in the highly successful period drama ''[[Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series)|Upstairs, Downstairs]]'' (1971–75) as the footman Edward Barnes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/473764/index.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Upstairs, Downstairs (1971–75)|website=www.screenonline.org.uk}}</ref> He appeared as Geoffrey in the single mother sitcom ''[[Miss Jones and Son]]'' (1977–78), as Tony in the remake of ''[[The Rag Trade]]'' (1977–78) and co-starring (as Billy Henshaw) with [[Thora Hird]] in a further sitcom, ''[[In Loving Memory (TV series)|In Loving Memory]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=20126|title=Christopher Beeny|website=www.aveleyman.com}}</ref>

In 2001 he made a guest appearance in ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'', something which he repeated numerous times until 2009 when he joined the cast as a regular character. He appeared originally as the character Herman Teasdale, who later became Morton Beamish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1382871/credits.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Last of the Summer Wine (1973–2010) Credits|website=www.screenonline.org.uk}}</ref>

In 2006, he played a cameo role in ''[[Emmerdale]]''. Coincidentally, he played the cousin of the character [[Noreen Bell]], who had been played by his ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' colleague [[Jenny Tomasin]]. Beeny also played cameo roles in BBC TV's ''[[Sense and Sensibility (2008 miniseries)|Sense & Sensibility]]'' and ITV's series ''[[Honest (TV series)|Honest]]''.<ref name=bfi/>

==Theatre==
Beeny's theatre appearances included ''[[Stop the World – I Want to Get Off]]''; ''[[The Long and the Short and the Tall (play)|The Long The Short And The Tall]]''; ''Scapino''; ''[[How the Other Half Loves]]''; ''[[Night Must Fall]]''; ''[[Oliver!]]''; ''Who Saw Him Die''; ''[[The Unexpected Guest (play)|The Unexpected Guest]]''; ''[[Boeing-Boeing (play)|Boeing, Boeing]]''; ''[[Move Over, Mrs. Markham]]''; ''[[Bedroom Farce (play)|Bedroom Farce]]''; ''[[Run for Your Wife (play)|Run For Your Wife]]''; ''[[Rough Crossing]]''; ''[[Present Laughter]]''; ''[[Brief Encounter]]''; ''Caught In The Net''; ''[[Crazy For You (musical)|Crazy For You]]''; ''Ten Times Table'', and ''[[Lark Rise to Candleford]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/person/163a/christopher-beeny|title=Christopher Beeny – Theatricalia|website=theatricalia.com}}</ref>

Beeny also toured in the play ''[[There's No Place Like a Home]]'' with [[Gorden Kaye]], and in 2011 toured in ''Five Blue Haired Ladies Sitting On A Park Bench''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/culture/1752067.allo-goodbye/|title='Allo Goodbye|website=The Northern Echo}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/entertainment/2011/06/02/review-five-blue-haired-ladies-sitting-on-a-green-park-bench/|title=Review: Five Blue Haired Ladies Sitting On A Green Park Bench|website=www.shropshirestar.com}}</ref> He appeared in [[pantomime]] at the [[Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells|Assembly Hall]], [[Tunbridge Wells]] in late 2011, early 2012.<ref name=kentlife>{{cite web|url=https://www.kent-life.co.uk/out-about/places/kent-actor-christopher-beeny-stars-in-pantomime-at-the-assembly-hall-in-tunbridge-wells-1-1648304|title=Kent actor Christopher Beeny stars in Pantomime at The Assembly Hall in Tunbridge Wells|website=Kent Life}}</ref>

Beeny's son, James, formed the band Virgin Soldiers in 2009 and co-wrote a production that commemorates the 100th Anniversary of WWI.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hotvox.co.uk/artists/virgin-soldiers|title=Virgin Soldiers – HOT VOX|website=hotvox.co.uk|access-date=13 May 2019|archive-date=13 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513112834/https://hotvox.co.uk/artists/virgin-soldiers|url-status=dead}}</ref> The production, ''The Dreamers'', premiered at the Assembly Hall Theatre Tunbridge Wells in October 2014, and reached the West End in the summer of 2015. Beeny played the role of The Storyteller in the production.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theatresoutheast.com/james-beeny-gina-giorgio-interview/|title=James Beeny and Gina Giorgio – The Dreamers – Interview -|date=11 June 2015|publisher=}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Beeny had two children – a daughter, Johanne and a son, Richard – from his first marriage, and a son, James, from his second marriage to singer Diana Kirkwood, who performed on the BBC's ''[[Pebble Mill at One]]'' in the 1970s and 1980s.

He died at his home in [[Kent]] on 3 January 2020, aged 78.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51035015|title=Christopher Beeny: Upstairs, Downstairs actor dies at 78|work=BBC News|date=8 January 2020|access-date=8 January 2020}}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| rowspan="3"|1953
| ''[[The Long Memory]]''
| Mickey
|
|-
| ''The Queen's Admiral''
| Pepito
| TV film
|-
| ''[[The Kidnappers]]''
| Jan Hooft Jr.
|
|-
| 1954
| ''[[Child's Play (1954 film)|Child's Play]]''
| Horatio Flynn
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|1955
| ''[[Man of the Moment (1955 film)|Man of the Moment]]''
| Boy
| Uncredited
|-
| ''[[It's a Great Day]]''
| Lennie Grove
|
|-
| 1960
| ''[[A French Mistress]]''
| Stephenson
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|1963
| ''[[Doctor in Distress (film)|Doctor in Distress]]''
| Medical Student
| Uncredited
|-
| ''[[Bitter Harvest (1963 film)|Bitter Harvest]]''
| Youth in Shopping Centre
| Uncredited
|-
| 1974
| ''Crown Matrimonial''
| John, the Page
| TV film
|-
| 1984
| ''[[Pop Pirates]]''
| Crawford
|
|-
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1954-1957
| ''[[The Grove Family]]''
| Lennie Grove
| Series regular
|-
| 1960
| ''[[Probation Officer (TV series)|Probation Officer]]''
| Johnny
| 1 episode
|-
| 1960-1961
| ''[[Emergency Ward 10]]''
| Nicholas Rhys
| 2 episodes
|-
| rowspan="3"|1961
| ''[[Spycatcher (TV series)|Spycatcher]]''
| Batman
| Episode: "Logic and Lives"
|-
| ''[[ITV Playhouse|ITV Television Playhouse]]''
| Chris
| Episode: "Different Drum"
|-
| ''Yorky''
| Bobbie
| Episode: "The Actress"
|-
| rowspan="3"|1962
| ''[[Dixon of Dock Green]]''
| Jonty
| Episode: "A Path Through the Jungle"
|-
| ''[[BBC Sunday-Night Play]]''
| Chad
| Episode: "Undercover Cat"
|-
| ''Outbreak of Murder''
| Ken Mitchell
| Series regular
|-
| rowspan="3"|1963
| ''[[The Plane Makers]]''
| Maurice Frame
| 2 episodes
|-
| ''[[ITV Play of the Week]]''
| Monte Marsh
| Episode: "For King and Country #1: Out There"
|-
| ''[[Taxi! (British TV series)|Taxi!]]''
| 'Taff' Evans
| Episode: "A Long Way to Go"
|-
| 1969-1986
| ''[[In Loving Memory (TV series)|In Loving Memory]]''
| Billy Henshaw
| Series regular
|-
| 1970
| ''[[Softly, Softly: Taskforce]]''
| Daley
| Episode: "Sunday, Sweet Sunday"
|-
| 1971
| ''[[The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (TV series)|The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes]]''
| Sparks
| Episode: "The Affair of the Avalanche Bicycle & Tyre Co. Ltd."
|-
| 1971-1975
| ''[[Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series)|Upstairs, Downstairs]]''
| Edward Barnes
| Series regular
|-
| 1972
| ''[[The Regiment (TV series)|The Regiment]]''
| Corporal Hobbert
| Episode: "A Gentleman's War"
|-
| 1973
| ''[[Armchair Theatre]]''
| Lance Corporal
| Episode: "The Square of Three"
|-
| rowspan="2"|1975
| ''[[The Sweeney]]''
| Photographer
| Episode: "Night Out"
|-
| ''[[My Old Man (TV series)|My Old Man]]''
| Darts captain
| 1 episode
|-
| 1976
| ''[[Whodunnit? (British game show)|Whodunnit?]]''
| Goodwin
| Episode: "The Final Verdict"
|-
| rowspan="2"|1977-1978
| ''[[Miss Jones and Son]]''
| Geoffrey
| Series regular
|-
| ''[[The Rag Trade]]''
| Tony
| Series regular
|-
| 2006
| ''[[Emmerdale]]''
| Gilbert Duff
| 1 episode
|-
| rowspan="2"|2008
| ''[[Sense and Sensibility (2008 TV series)|Sense and Sensibility]]''
| Doctor
| 1 episode
|-
| ''[[Honest (TV series)|Honest]]''
| Wilson
| 1 episode
|-
| 2008-2010
| ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]''
| Morton
| Series regular
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0066472}}
* [http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=20126 Chris Beeny] (Aveleyman)

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beeny, Christopher}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:English male child actors]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Bristol]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]]
[[Category:People educated at the Arts Educational Schools]]

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Christopher Beeny