Reg Varney's typical cheeky smile adorns this DVD cover of 'The Complete First Series Of On The Buses'
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On The Buses Star Reg Varney Dies At 92
Written by Paul Rance
Monday, 17 November 2008
Reg Varney, one of Britain's most popular comedy actors of the 1970s, died after a short illness on November 16th, 2008. He had been admitted to a nursing home in Budleigh Salterton, Devon with a chest infection. Reg was best-known for his role as Stan Butler in the massively popular ITV '70s sitcom, 'On The Buses', and he also starred in the popular '60s sitcom, 'The Rag Trade'.
Reg Varney's typical cheeky smile adorns this DVD cover of 'The Complete First Series Of On The Buses'
Born on July 11th, 1916, in Canning Town, East London, Reg Varney was one of five children, and at a young age had piano lessons. He was talented enough to use his playing skills in pubs and clubs, and also sang with Big Bands. Encouraged by his mother, Varney gave up his job to go into showbusiness full time. He performed as an army entertainer during his stint with the Royal Engineers in World War II, and in the late 1940s was in the revue, 'Gaytime' - with an unknown comedian called Benny Hill playing his stooge. Reg Varney appeared in music hall venues, before landing his first big TV role as foreman Reg Turner in 'The Rag Trade', which began in 1961. Later in the decade, Varney appeared in another comedy, 'Beggar My Neighbour', before landing the role of his career as cheeky bus driver Stan Butler in 'On The Buses', which began in 1969. As recently as 1988, Reg Varney reprised the role of Stan for an 'On The Buses' tour of Australia. Another notable role for Varney was as a drag artist in 'The Best Pair Of Legs In The Business', which was a TV play and then a film.
An unlikely claim to fame for Reg was when on June 27th, 1967, he became the first man in the world to use a cashpoint machine. Recruited by his local Barclays Bank in Enfield, Middlesex, as a local celebrity, and to publicise their new dispensing machine, Reg Varney pulled out the first cash from these often derided machines.
Reg Varney's wife Lilian died in 2002, and he is survived by daughter Jeanne Marley, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Reg Varney Filmography (films in bold, and most recent TV and film appearances listed first)
Paul Merton's Life Of Comedy (1995)
- Marital Bliss (1995) Character - Bingo Caller
Red Peppers (1991)
Tonight At 8.30 Character - Bert Bentley (1 episode, 1991)
The Plank (1979) Character - Window Cleaner
Down The 'Gate Character - Reg Furnell (12 episodes, 1975-1976)
Holiday On The Buses (1973) Character - Stan Butler
Reg Varney (1973) Various Characters
On The Buses Character - Stan Butler (63 episodes, 1969-1973)
Go For A Take (1972) Character - Wilfred Stone
The Reg Varney Revue (1972)
Mutiny On The Buses (1972) Character - Stan Butler
The Best Pair Of Legs In The Business (1972) Character - Sherry Sheridan
On The Buses (1971) Character - Stan Butler
The Other Reg Varney (1970) Various Characters
The Rovers (1 episode, 1969)
- The Odyssey Of Reginald Peck (1969) Character - Reginald Peck
ITV Playhouse (1 episode, 1968)
- The Best Pair Of Legs In The Business (1968) Character - Sherry
Beggar My Neighbour Character - Harry Butt (23 episodes, 1966-1968)
Hooray For Laughter (1967)
Comedy Playhouse (1 episode, 1966)
- Beggar My Neighbour (1966) Character - Harry Butt
The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery (1966) Character - Gilbert
Joey Boy (1965) Character - Rabbit Malone
The Valiant Varneys (1964) Various Characters
The Rag Trade Character - Reg Turner (2 episodes, 1961)
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