| Terry Scott | |
|---|---|
Terry Scott |
|
| Born | Owen John Scott 4 May 1927 Watford, Hertfordshire, England, UK |
| Died | 26 July 1994 (aged 67) Godalming, Surrey, England, UK |
| Occupation | actor, comedian |
Owen John "Terry" Scott (4 May 1927 – 26 July 1994) was an English actor and comedian who appeared in seven Carry On films. He also appeared in BBC1's popular domestic sitcom Terry and June with June Whitfield. As a regular comedy performer, he went on to become one of Britain's top stars.
Scott was born in Watford and educated at Watford Field Junior School and Watford Grammar School for Boys. He studied accounting and served in the Navy during World War II. With Bill Maynard he appeared at Butlins Holiday Camp in Skegness and partnered him in the TV series Great Scott, It's Maynard!. During the early 1960s, he became well known to television audiences for his role alongside Hugh Lloyd in Hugh and I. Scott later appeared with Lloyd as gnomes in the 1969 sitcom The Gnomes of Dulwich.
Scott is best remembered for starring alongside June Whitfield in several series of the comedy Happy Ever After and its successor, Terry and June. They also starred together in the film version of Bless This House.
Scott had played a small role in the very first of the Carry On series of movies, Carry On Sergeant in 1958. In 1968 he returned to the series with a role in Carry On Up the Khyber (1968), playing main roles in six of the films.
In the 1970s, he had a memorable role in TV commercials for a chocolate coated caramel bar called Curly Wurly, in which he appeared dressed as a schoolboy, complete with short trousers and cap.
Scott's novelty record "My Brother" (written by Mitch Murray) was based on this schoolboy character (he dressed in the uniform to sing it on TV) and received regular airplay on BBC radio (in particular Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart's Saturday and Sunday morning programme Junior Choice which was simulcast on BBC Radio 1 and 2) for many years. In the 1980s, with his distinctive speaking voice, Scott was the voice of Penfold the hamster in the animated series Danger Mouse.
Scott suffered from ill-health for many years. In 1979, he had a life-saving operation after a haemorrhage. He also suffered from creeping paralysis and had to wear a neck brace, even on television. When Terry and June was axed in 1987, Scott suffered a nervous breakdown. The attack was in part brought on by his public confession that he had had a series of affairs during his marriage to former dancer Maggie Pollen. He was also diagnosed with cancer that same year. Scott had married Pollen in 1957 and they had four daughters.
Scott died from the cancer he had battled for 7 years at the family home in Witley near Godalming in Surrey, on 26 July 1994, aged 67.[1]