Gary Holton
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| Born: | 22 September 1952 East End of London |
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| Died: | 25 October 1985 London |
| Occupation: | Actor |
Gary Holton (1952-1985) was a British actor and musician from London. He is best known for playing the part of Wayne in the UK TV comedy Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.
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[edit] Early life
As a child he began working in the theatre with the Sadlers Wells Opera Company and was with them for three years. Soon after leaving the public Westminster School he joined the Old Vic Theatre Company and from there he went on to work with the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford.
At seventeen he joined the touring company of Hair and remained with them for two years. When he left the Company his musical talents led him to front the rock band Heavy Metal Kids as vocalist. The band although popular in Sweden had little commercial success in Britain (though in 1976 their single "She's No Angel" was regularly played on BBC Radio 1 and led to an appearance on Top Of The Pops), so they disbanded and Holton returned to acting. He played the lead part in Stephen Frears film Bloody Kids and smaller parts in Music Machine and Quadrophenia.
He played a number of small TV parts including: Dreams of Leaving, Shoestring, The Knowledge, Tiny Revolutions, The Gentle Touch and the Minder episode "A Number of Old Wives' Tales".
He also appeared in a successful series of TV adverts for Tennants Pilsner lager alongside model Debbie Linden in 1984.
Gary's big break came with the character Wayne in the Central Television production Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.
[edit] Auf Wiedersehen, Pet
Playing the part of Wayne Winston Norris in the smash hit comedy drama Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Holton became a household name. People came to have great affection for all the characters in the show. Holton played a Cockney carpenter who liked his women, music and drink, which was actually very similar to his off-screen personality.
The show lasted for two series and was a runaway success. He became very close to his acting colleagues in the show and, touchingly, the remaining members did not want to continue making the show without him after his death. The final episode of the second series, broadcast after Holton's death, was dedicated to his memory.
The show was successfully revived in 2002 with the original writers and all of the surviving cast members. The gap in the line-up left by Holton was filled by Wyman, Wayne's son, played by Noel Clarke.
[edit] Death
Holton was found dead by his girlfriend Janet Mclllewan on 25 October 1985. He had died from an overdose of alcohol and morphine. Holton had been a drug user for several years and was addicted to heroin. He also had considerable debts and had two bankruptcy orders over him. He died midway through the second series of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, but the producers used body doubles and clever editing of dialogue already recorded to allow the series to be completed. They eventually rescripted the series such that every indoor scene that originally included Holton excuses were made for his absence, normally tied into the character's love of the opposite sex. eg. Barry "Where's Wayne? Off down the port chasing skirt again?" Just before his death he had released a single "Catch A Falling Star". He is survived by two sons Max (who is adopted) and Red who he had with model Susan Harrison.
[edit] Trivia
- Gary Holton was good friends with Ronnie Wood
- He was rumoured to have been considered as a replacement for Bon Scott as the lead singer of AC/DC
