Ivan Beavis

Ivan Beavis (22 April 1926 – 24 December 1997) was an English actor, best known for his role as Harry Hewitt, one of the original characters in the British television soap opera Coronation Street.

Early life and career Beavis was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, to Walter Douglas Stuart Beavis and Gladys Emily Bowling. He was one of five children, with two sisters and two brothers. The family subsequently moved to Hendon, Middlesex (now north London), where Beavis attended Christ's College, Finchley from 1937 to 1941. In 1943, at the age of 17, he enrolled in the Fleet Air Arm, where he served for three years. His father died in 1946.

Following his spell in the forces, Beavis joined Price Waterhouse, in Manchester, as an audit clerk, before being transferred to Northern Ireland. Beavis contracted tuberculosis and spent six months convalescing in a sanatorium in Shropshire. Following his recovery, Beavis took a job as an accountant for Industrial Models, Manchester.

Coronation Street In 1960, Beavis approached a casting agent, Margaret Morris, from Granada Television. He was shortlisted to play Captain Birdseye, but lost out to John Hewer. He appeared in The Army Game (which starred Bill Fraser and Alfie Bass), Skyport, Knight Errant, Biggles and Famous Trials before he was cast in Coronation Street. Beavis joined the serial from the second episode, on 14 December 1960, playing the shy widowed bus conductor Harry Hewitt. Beavis then toured New Zealand with Pat Phoenix in Gaslight. He appeared in the 1967 film Frankenstein Created Women. By 1968, Beavis was living in Teddington, south west London. He died on 24 December 1997, in Northampton, at the age of 71.