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Gary Holton | |
|---|---|
 Performing in 1974. | |
| Born | Gary Frederick Holton (1952-09-22)22 September 1952[1] Clapham, London, England |
| Died | 25 October 1985(1985-10-25) (aged 33) London, England |
| Resting place | Maesgwastad Cemetery,Welshpool, Wales |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, actor |
| Years active | 1971–1985 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica |
| Labels | Safari, Receiver,Magnet |
Musical artist | |
Gary Frederick Holton[3] (22 September 1952 – 25 October 1985) was a British singer-songwriter, musician and actor from London. He was the frontman of the bandHeavy Metal Kids (1972–1977), worked withCasino Steel (1981–1984), and played the part of Wayne (a.k.a. London) in the UK television comedyAuf Wiedersehen, Pet (1983–1985). Holton died from an overdose ofmorphine combined with alcohol in 1985.
Gary Holton was born inClapham, south London, the first child of Ernie and Joan Holton, and grew up inKennington. Whilst musically talented, and a member of a rock band as a schoolboy at Beaufoy School, Lambeth,[4] his real ambition was to act.
Early on in his life, Holton began working in the theatre world with theSadler's Wells Opera Company, debuting in opera appearances aged eleven, and was with them for three years. In 1966 he had a part inCongreve'sLove For Love withLaurence Olivier, and at fourteen played the title role inMenotti'sAmahl and the Night Visitors.[4] Soon after leaving education atWestminster School, he joined theOld Vic Theatre Company, and from there he went on to work with theRoyal Shakespeare Company atStratford.
At seventeen, he joined the touring company ofHair, and remained with them for two years. When he left the company, his musical talents led him to front the rock bandHeavy Metal Kids as vocalist.
Holton made his screen acting debut in 1979, when he played the character of Eddie Hairstyle in the television movieThe Knowledge withMichael Elphick andKim Taylforth. Holton did not receive much credit for this role, nor for his role as an uncredited character in the filmQuadrophenia, released the same year. However, after appearing in the television seriesShoestring, Holton played the lead part of Ken in the 1979 filmBloody Kids.
In 1980, he played the character of Keith in an episode of television seriesPlay for Today, and as a minor character in the filmBreaking Glass. He appeared as a minor character in the 1981 television filmTiny Revolutions, and guest-starred as Rick Sloan in the television seriesThe Gentle Touch.
Holton also sang the theme tune to 1980s British children's drama,Murphy's Mob, which was produced byCentral Television.[5]
In the hit television comedy dramaAuf Wiedersehen, Pet Holton played Wayne Norris, a carpenter from London.[6] The character was fond of women, music and alcoholic drinks, as Holton was off-screen.[6]
Norris was the first of the seven main characters to be cast, after Gary Holton metIan La Frenais at a party. La Frenais and his writing partnerDick Clement had been drafting storylines and working on an idea given to them byFranc Roddam, who was the director ofQuadrophenia.
The first series ofAuf Wiedersehen, Pet ran between 1983 and 1984. In February 1985, filming began on the second series. The final episode of the second series, broadcast after Holton's death, was dedicated to his memory.
While acting onAuf Wiedersehen, Pet, Holton had only two other roles. He appeared in the TV seriesMinder, in which he played villain Barry, in 1984. He also briefly appeared in the first episode of the television seriesBulman the following year. He also appeared in an episode ofShoestring filmed in Bristol.
Holton was offered the role of villain 'Nasty'Nick Cotton in the television soap operaEastEnders, but he turned down the role and it was instead given to Holton's friendJohn Altman, who bore a strong resemblance to him, and would go on to succeed him as the lead singer of theHeavy Metal Kids.
His musical endeavours were confined to strict one-offs for a while: in December 1978, Holton stood in forThe Damned vocalistDave Vanian on a short Scottish tour; he auditioned to replace the late Bon Scott inAC/DC;[7] and he also recorded a solo single (which became a number one hit inNorway), a punk-country version ofKenny Rogers's "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" withthe Boys' keyboardistCasino Steel, with whom he would later write a song simply titled "Auf Wiedersehen Pet" about his experiences in the show. Holton and Steel recorded three albums together, all of them doing well inNorway.The Tube in 1984 with a band named as The Actors, which included fellowQuadrophenia star Gary Shail on bass guitar, and they performed a song entitled "Long-Legged Blue-Eyed Blonde". In 1985 he was also briefly in a band he formed withGlen Matlock andJames Stevenson called The Gang Show.
Gary was the front-man for the band, which formed in 1972. With his cockney accent, he became a popularglam rock singer. The band were discovered by formerDave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich front-manDave Dee, who signed them toAtlantic Records. Their eponymous debut album was well received by the press, but had achieved limited sales. They later played many gigs withpunk rock bandThe Adverts. On their first American tour in 1975, they shortened their name to "The Kids".
In December 1975, the group signed with producer Mickie Most's RAK label but before work could begin on their next album, Holton was sacked amid a storm of drink- and drug-related headlines. Plans for the remaining members to continue on without him came to nothing. In late 1977, Holton rejoined the band for a handful of live shows and the long-delayed third album,Kitsch. However, by mid-1978, he had departed once again and the band broke up.
Whilst the band was popular in Sweden, they had little commercial success in Britain although in 1976 their single "She's No Angel" was regularly played onBBC Radio 1, a favourite of DJJohn Peel, and this led to an appearance onTop of the Pops. The lack of commercial success led to the break-up of the band and Holton returned to acting.
In 1980/81, Holton hooked up withCasino Steel, a musician from Norway and in the following years released a couple of (in Norway) bestselling albums. The duo's musical style was country rock with strong punk influences, their first hit being a cover of Kenny Rogers' "Ruby". Gary Holton's Norwegian musical career went largely unnoticed in his homeland.
Holton had a string of relationships in the early to mid 1970s. In 1977, he dated singer Stella Palmer, with whom he performed his cover version of "Somethin' Stupid" in 1973. Holton and Palmer got engaged on 12 March 1977, but on 2 May the same year, Palmer called off the engagement, stating their relationship was not going quite as planned.
From 1979 he was married to model Donna Campbell. They were amicably separated from 1981 and remained friends, though they were still not divorced at the time of his death.
After Donna, Holton had a relationship with model Susan Harrison who gave birth to his son Red, in 1983.
At the time of his death, Holton had long separated from Harrison and was engaged to hairdresser Jahnet McIllwain.
Holton was found dead by his fiancée Jahnet McIllwain in his bed on 25 October 1985. He had died from an overdose of alcohol andmorphine, with traces ofdiazepam andcannabis in his system.Pathologist Rufus Crompton said during his inquest atHornsey, North London, that he would have been drinking less than half an hour before his death, and that the morphine would have made him unconscious within a matter of minutes.
Holton had a blood alcohol level of 199 mg and a morphine level of 0.8 mg per litre (0.5 mg per litre is considered invariably fatal).[8] He had been a drug user for several years after experiences through the music scene and was addicted to heroin, a habit he had quit some time after the first series ofAuf Wiedersehen, Pet had been broadcast. He was considering setting up a clinic to help others with their addictions.[citation needed]
Holton had considerable debts and had two bankruptcy orders totalling £61,000 over him. These debts were partly due to his not having paid tax since 1979, and also having a mortgage of £48,500 on his flat inMaida Vale, London.
He died midway through the second series ofAuf Wiedersehen, Pet, but the producers used body doubles and editing of dialogue already recorded to allow the series to be completed.[9] They eventually rescripted the series, such that in every indoor scene that originally included Holton, excuses were made for his absence.
Just before his death, he had released the single "Catch A Falling Star". He had been due to star in the pantomime Peter Pan that upcoming Christmas. He was survived by his son, Red, with model Susan Harrison.
Holton's funeral took place on 22 November 1985, with a 15-minute service atGolders Green Crematorium in London. HisAuf Wiedersehen, Pet co-stars attended. His ashes were placed on his grandparents' grave in Maesgwastad Cemetery,Welshpool.
With Heavy Metal Kids
With Casino Steel
Solo
With Heavy Metal Kids
With Casino Steel
Solo
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Quadrophenia | Aggressive Rocker | Uncredited |
| 1979 | Shoestring | Gary Molecombe | 1 episode |
| 1979 | The Knowledge | Eddie Hairstyle | |
| 1980 | Play for Today | Keith | 1 episode |
| 1980 | Bloody Kids | Ken | 1 episode |
| 1980 | Breaking Glass | Punk Guitarist | |
| 1981 | Tiny Revolutions | Neighbour | TV movie |
| 1981 | The Gentle Touch | Rick Sloan | 1 episode |
| 1983–85 | Auf Wiedersehen, Pet | Wayne Norris | 26 episodes, (final appearance) |
| 1984 | Minder | Barry | Series 5, Episode 3: A Number of Old Wives Tales |
| 1985 | Bulman | Bernie Scroop | 1 episode |
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