Reg Varney

Career

Varney had made only a small number of film and TV appearances prior to being cast in the role of long-suffering factory foreman Reg Turner in the BBC television sitcom The Rag Trade (1961–1963), which made him a household name. He was aware that he was the only performer without West End acting experience and worked hard to make up for it. Slightly later, he starred in a children's show for BBC TV called The Valiant Varneys (1964–65), performing multiple characters in front of a live audience. After that followed another comedy role in Beggar My Neighbour (1966–1968); this also starred Pat Coombs, June Whitfield and Peter Jones. Pat Coombs played the wife of Varney's character. Varney featured in The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery (1966) with Frankie Howerd, Dora Bryan and George Cole.

The world's first voucher-based cash dispensing machine (ATM) was installed at the Enfield Town branch of Barclays Bank. Varney was living in Enfield at the time and for publicity purposes he was photographed making the first withdrawal from the machine on Tuesday 27 June 1967.

Varney's most successful lead role was in the LWT sitcom On the Buses (1969–1973) as bus driver Stan Butler. Varney took considerable lengths to prepare for the role, even attempting to gain a public service vehicle licence so that he could be filmed driving on the open road. However, Varney was not insured so LWT had to employ professional drivers for these scenes. Three spin-off films were made — On the Buses (1971), Mutiny on the Buses (1972) and Holiday on the Buses (1973). Varney was 52 when the first series was recorded, although his character Stan, who lived with his mother and often tried to attract young women, was implied to be aged around 35. Varney was only 11 years younger than Doris Hare, the main actress who played Stan's mother, and 20 years older than Anna Karen who played his sister.

Varney left the series midway through its last season, hoping to move on to films and other projects. Ultimately, he only appeared in one further non-Buses film, The Best Pair of Legs in the Business (1973), and two television series, both made by ATV for the ITV network: an eponymously titled sketch show (1973–74) and another sitcom, Down the 'Gate (1975–76), which was set in Billingsgate Fish Market. However neither series replicated his success with On the Buses, and after Down the Gate was dropped after 12 episodes, Varney did not star in another television series. LWT revived The Rag Trade in 1977 but Varney did not reprise his role, though Anna Karen did play Olive.

He later worked as an entertainer on cruise ships and toured Australia with his one-man show. He told an interviewer, "Whatever I did after On the Buses, nobody wanted to know about it. But I can't knock the programme because it brought me offers to do concert tours in Australia, New Zealand and Canada."

At the height of his fame he was a subject of the television programme This Is Your Life on 20 May 1970 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews, making further appearances in programmes featuring Doris Hare, Douglas Bader, June Whitfield and Anthony Newley.

Varney released several LP albums during his career.

Retirement Varney had a heart attack in 1965, and in 1981 he suffered a more serious one. He then contracted a severe viral infection, which for three years made working difficult for him. In 1989, he suffered a stroke, which left him with an uneven heartbeat.

Death Varney died aged 92 in a nursing home in Budleigh Salterton, Devon, on 16 November 2008, following a chest infection.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Type 1952 Miss Robin Hood Dennis Feature film 1965 Joey Boy Rabbit Malone Feature film 1966 The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery Gilbert Feature film1971Too Close For Comfort (short)The motoristPublic Information Film for the Central Office of Information 1971 On the Buses Stan Butler Feature film 1972 Mutiny on the Buses Stan Butler Feature film 1972 Go for a Take a.k.a. Double Take Wilfred Stone Feature film 1973 The Best Pair of Legs in the Business Sherry Sheridan Feature film 1973 Holiday on the Buses Stan Butler Feature film

Television

Discography This list is partially sourced from discogs. Year Title Format Label 1962 The Rag Trade (TV cast, spoken word) LP Parlophone, PMC 1188 1968 Jingling Rag b/w Reg's Rag 7" single CBS, 3742 1972 This Is Reg Varney On The 88's At Abbey Road LP Columbia, SCX 6518 1973 Best Pair Of Legs In The Business b/w Come On And Tickle My Fancy 7" single Columbia, DB 8977 1973 Reg's Party – Reg Varney Plays And Sings LP EMI, OU 2029 1976 A Variety Of Varney (reissued in 1985 as Reg Varney Orchestra Conducted By Harry Robinson – A Variety Of Varney, Flash Backs, FBLP 8100) LP Pye, PKL 5544 1998 The Very Best Of On the Buses (TV cast, spoken word) Cassette MCI Spoken Word, GAGDMC 063