Sammy Johnson

Ronald Samuel Johnson (14 May 1949 – November 1998), known by his stage name Sammy Johnson, was an English actor and musician. His most popular role was playing Stick in the British television detective series Spender, created by Jimmy Nail and set in Tyneside. The Sunday for Sammy charity concert series is held regularly in his memory. He learned to play guitar at a young age. Pigmeat performed at major festivals in the UK and the Netherlands, as well as the blues club Honeysuckle in Gateshead. He then co-starred as Stick in Spender, a TV police drama which aired on BBC1. He also appeared in Jimmy Nail's Crocodile Shoes and Crocodile Shoes II as Archie Pate. He played the husband of Gillian Taylforth in the 1998 BBC2 World Cup comedy Lost in France.

Toward the end of his life, he moved to Spain to the Vélez-Málaga area to pursue a career in scriptwriting.

Death and legacy On 10 November 1998, British newspapers reported that Johnson had been found dead near Cútar, east of Málaga, Spain.

Sunday for Sammy

In 2000, his friends Tim Healy and Jimmy Nail hosted the first fundraising concert in Newcastle City Hall called Sunday for Sammy, featuring sketches with North East personalities from the worlds of music, comedy, and drama. Following its success, the concert was held biennially until 2020, the resumed in 2026.