Tony Capstick
Tony Capstick | |
---|---|
Born |
Joseph Anthony 'Tony' Capstick 27 July 1944 Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England |
Died |
23 October 2003 59) Wentworth, South Yorkshire | (aged
Years active | 1972–2003 |
Joseph Anthony 'Tony' Capstick (27 July 1944 – 23 October 2003)[1] was an English comedian, actor, musician and broadcaster.
Life and career
First son of Joe Capstick, a rear gunner in the RAF, and his wife, June, nee Duncan,he was born in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, and spent most of his childhood in [Swinton, near Mexborough]], also in South Yorkshire, and for over thirty years he was a presenter on BBC Radio Sheffield. Outside Sheffield, he is perhaps better known as one of the policemen in the long-running British sitcom, Last of the Summer Wine, where he played the role until his death in October 2003, with his final appearance on the show broadcast in April 2004.
Biography
A regular performer on the folk circuit, he recorded many albums. The first was for the Newcastle based record label Rubber Records (His Round with Hedgehog Pie, Punch and Judy Man, Tony Capstick Does a Turn, Songs of Ewan MacColl with Dick Gaughan and Dave Burland and There Was This Bloke with Mike Harding, Derek Brimstone and Bill Barclay). In 1981, he reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart with "The Sheffield Grinder" / "Capstick Comes Home".[1] It was recorded with the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band.[1] His recitation, "Capstick Comes Home", was based on the well-known Hovis wholemeal bread television commercials directed by Ridley Scott.
As a comedian, he had an eight-part television series, Capstick's Capers, on Channel 4 in 1983. Capstick was also a prolific bit-part actor, with a career including minor roles in the soap operas Emmerdale and Coronation Street. In the latter he played the recurring character of the brewer Harvey Nuttall.
His career at Radio Sheffield came to an end in January 2003, when he was dismissed for an alleged drop in quality, following the latest in a string of drink driving offences.[citation needed] He continued to write a regular column in a local weekly newspaper, the Rotherham Advertiser.
Capstick was an author, with Paul Donoghue, of a book on the Appleby Horse Fair.
In October 2003, he was found dead at his cottage in Hoober, near Wentworth, South Yorkshire. He was survived by wife Gillian, and first wife Carole, mother of his children, son James and daughter Vicky.
Discography
- His Round (with Hedgehog Pie), 1971
- Punch and Judy Man (with Hedgehog Pie), 1974
- Does a Turn, 1978
- Songs of Ewan MacColl (with Dick Gaughan and Dave Burland), 1978
- Capstick Comes Home, 1981
References
External links
- BBC Obituary
- Press release on Capstick's dismissal from Radio Sheffield
- BBC list of his work
- Tony Capstick at the Internet Movie Database