ON THE BUSES
Guest Book & Ring Tone
BUSES EVENT new pics 4.10.08
Photos from the event
Fans photos from the event
Fans emails about the event
The Creators Ronald Wolfe and
Ronald Chesney Hon. Members
Stuart Allen Producer / Director
Bryan Izzard (Director)
Stan Butler, Reg Varney
Buses fanclub meets Reg Varney
Reg Varney opens 1st ATM
Reg Varney article
Reg photo album
Jack Harper, Bob Grant
Bob Grant photos
Blakey (Stephen Lewis)
Panto 2008 Blakey NEW LINK
Stephen/Blakey photos
Stephen Lewis interview
Stephen Lewis
Mum Series One
Mum (Doris Hare)
Arthur (Michael Robbins)
Arthur /Michael photos
Olive (Anna Karen)
Anna photo gallery
Terry Duggan
The Clippies
Guest Stars Wendy Richards
Pat Coombs
Michael Sheard
Kate Williams
Arthur Mullard & Queenie Watts
Wilfred Brambell (Steptoe)
Henry Mcgee
GEOFF UNWIN (hon member)
Harry Fielder (hon. member)
Douglas Mounce
quick episode guide
Series One
Series Two
Series Three
Series Four
Series Five
Series Six
Series Seven
Episode locations
Why ON THE BUSES
YOUR favourite moments
fans emails FROM THE UK
UK fans emails 2nd page
emails FROM AROUND THE WORLD
ON THE BUSES dvd page NEW
ON THE BUSES movie
Mutiny On The Buses
Holiday On The Buses
Movie posters
Elstree Studios
Depots & locations,
Locations info on the movies
Movie locations continued 2
Movie Locations 3
Movie locations 4
Had someone seen the future
Holiday ON THE BUSES locations
Holiday movie stills
Pre Pontins Event
Pontins On The Buses Plaque
PONTINS 1971
PAUL BURTON *UPDATED 02.10.08
Elstree and Borehamwood Times
Elstree 80 years of movies
Buses & Vehicles from the show
ON THE BUSES play 1987 Canada
ON THE BUSES play A New Life 2
Petition and polls
Last years film event
Look In Comics
Magazine Covers
theatre posters etc
Panto Oh yes it is
DVD & VIDEO COVERS
dvd & video covers 2
Look In comic strip
TRIVIA PAGE,
Other ON THE BUSES WEB SITES
other DEPOT NEWS bus related
Lotsa luck TV Show OTB spin off
GARAGE SALE update 1st June
Rag Trade on dvd
Begger My Neighbour
Links to other favourite sites
Fav Links page 2
BUS LINKS
Real life ON THE BUSES
ReaL life ON THE BUSES 2
Farwell Routemaster
Buses party
Stars and Charity
TV and Theatre Links


Reg Alfred Varney was born on 11th July 1916 in London's East End.
He attended Star Lane Primary School in Newham.

His dad worked in a rubber factory in Silvertown. Reg had 2 sisters.
Leaving school at 14 he worked as a messenger boy and a page boy at Regents Park Hotel.

He also started his career as a piano player after taking lessons as a child.
His first paid engagement was at Plumstead Radical Club in Woolwich for which he was paid eight shillings and sixpence

Playing in working mens clubs at the age of 14, and later singing with Big Bands of the time. Also appearing in ABC Cinemas and Pubs he and his mum decided that a showbiz was the career for him and gave up his day jobs

His career altered slightly with the onset of war with him joining the Royal Electrical Engineers during the war, he continued performing in Stars in Battledress and did a tour of the Far East.

He then went on to become an all round entertain working his way around the Music Halls. Also doing Summer Shows, Benny Hill would play his straight man.(yes that Benny Hill)

In 1961 he got the role as a foreman in a TV series called The Rag Trade.
After that followed another comedy role in Begger My Neighbour.
This also starred Pat Coombs, June Whitfield and Peter JonesBeggar my Neighbour. Pat Coombs was to play Reg Varneys wife and of course would Pat would later appear in the ON THE BUSES movie
The series ran from March 1967 to March 1968 and a short special was shown as part of Christmas Night With The Stars on 25th December 1967.
24 episodes of 30 minute duration


Then another sitcom was penned by Ronald Wolfe and Ronald Chessney whohad wrote The Rag Trade.
The series was called On The Buses. It proved a great success and Reg started to take on more film roles

Go For A Take,
The Best Pair of Legs In The Business. In this Reg gives what I think is a brilliant performance as a Drag Artist come Compere at a caravan holiday site.
It is a bitter sweet film and you should get to watch it if evewr you get the chance.
Down The Gate followed but was not a great success. He played a Billingsgate Fish Porter

He also had six of his own hour long spectaculars "The Other Reg Varney."

He had his own cabaret act and toured places like Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

In 1988 On The Buses went onto the stage and again Reg went over to Australia playing Stan.
A few years later Reg was found to have health problems and took up residence in a small village near Dartmouth. He also owns
a villa in Malta
He is now retired and spends his time between his home and villa.


1954 14th March at Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Centenary Year Appeal of the Royal Hospital and Home for Incurables in Putney.

The show featured comperes Margaret Lockwood, McDonald Hobley and Robert Moreton introducing Dick Henderson jnr, Bruce Trent, Reg Varney, Beryl Reid, Freddie Phillips, Anne Shelton, Bill Maynard, Lizbeth Webb and Edmund Hockridge, Max Jaffa, Jack Byfield, Reginald Kilbey, Leo Fuld, Ivor Moreton, Dave Kaye and Freddie Bamberger.Music wasby Billy Ternent and his Orchestra

1949 , The Marquis Trio, Lance Fairfax, Joyce Clifford, Greta Grayson, Jack Desmonde.

1950 Reg Varney Ventriloquist, James Durban, Three O'Doyle Brothers, Eileen Bishop, Benny Hill, Maureen Riscoe.

1950'Red Riding Hood.'pantomime

Golders Green Hippodrome The pantomine stared Reg Varney, Leo Franklyn, Rosalind Melville, Doreen Lavender and an early appearance of Morecambe & Wise as Jimmy Green & Johnny Stout

1951"Sky High",Empire Theatre, Nottingham

Reg Varney, Roy Jeffries, and The Heavenly Nudes among the cast.

which opened at The Royal Court Theatre Liverpool on 22nd December 1951.

Reg as Buttons Nicolette Roeg as Cinderella

1952, Miss Robin Hood 1952 3rd October

15 minute Sketch show for the BBC

,

1953.December "CINDERELLA" AT THE THEATRE ROYAL, NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE,

REG VARNEY, HOPE JACKMAN, KENNETH HENRY, COLIN ROSS, ALAN HAYES, MARJORIE MEE-JONES, JUNE CLARE, PETA PARRY, CAROL ERIC, PEARL GADEN, MAUREEN GIBSON, DEREK WESTLAKE, ROBERT BELL.

1955 Hackney Empire, East London.

Heading the bill were 'The Stargazers' supported by Reg Varney

1956 "THIS IS THE SHOW"

Theatre Royal, PortsmouthDavid Nixon, Reg Varney, Aileen Cochrane



Blackpool 1958 SHOWTIME

The North Pier Pavilion, STARRING David Nixon, Edmond Hockridge, Joan Regan, Reg Varney, Billy Dainty & the King Brothers.

December 1960 Pantomine A Wish for Jamie
Opened at the Alhambra on 9th December, Principal Boy Reg Varney as Percy the English farm-hand.
CASTING: Clement Ashby, Mary Benning, Rikki Fulton, Russell Hunter, Fay Lenore, Doris McClure, Kenneth McKellar, Paul & Peta Page, Ethel Scott, Reg Varney, The George Mitchell Singers, The Geraldo Orchestra and dancers of Western Theatre Ballet

The Rag Trade (Reg) 1961 tv seriesUK, BBC,
Sitcom, B/W, Starring: Peter Jones, Desmond Walter-Ellis, June Whitfield

"Holiday Show"1962 Bournemouth Winter Gardens (week commencing 16th July) Harold Fielding's starring Roy Castle, Mark Wynter, Southlanders, Reg Varney & Tony Fayne

Sunday November 1961

ARMY BENEVOLENT FUND ROYAL PERFORMANCE PROGRAMME all star show at Victoria Palace starring Eddie Calvert, Tiller Girls, Harry Secombe, Eric Sykes, Reg Varney, Vera Lynn, Kenneth Connor, John Le Mesurier, Hattie Jacques, Gracie Fields.

JUNE 1962, WINTER GARDENS, BOURNMOUTH, THE HOLIDAY SHOW - THE TOBERT DANCERS, RALPH TOLBERT, BARBARA DAY, JACKIE DALTON, GERI O'GORMAN, PATRICIA SQUIBB, REG VARNEY, TONY FAYNE, THE SOUTHENDERS, MARK WYNTER, BEVERLEY SISTERS

1962 JULY

The Winter Gardens, Bournemouth"The Holiday Show". Jimmy Edwards

Reg Varney, The Hermannis, Tony Fayne,The Southlanders,Mark Wynter and 1963/64The Pied Piper Of Hamlin at the Alambra Bradford

1963 Hippodrome Bristol 13th Septemeber for a season

Autumn Spectacular.

Cast Includeded Jiimy Edwards, Beryl Reid and Reg Varney.

Joey Boy 1965 film starring Harry H. Corbett as Joey Boy Thompson
Stanley Baxter as Benny "The Kid" Lindowski Bill Fraser as Sgt. Dobbs
Percy Herbert Mad George Long Lance Percival Clarence Doubleday
Reg Varney Rabbit Malone John Arnatt Brigadier Chapman
 John Harvey Signals Officer
Lloyd Lamble Sir John Averycorn
Moira Lister Lady Thameridge

1963/64, Pied Piper Of Hamelin, Alhambra Theatre

1966 The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery

June 27 1967, he launched the world's first cash dispenser at Barclays' branch in Enfield, north London

Beggar My Neighbour (Harry Butt) 1967 tv series

Pat Coombs was to play Reg Varneys Wife and of course would later appear in the ON THE BUSES movieThe series ran from March 1967 to March 1968 and a short special was shown as part of Christmas Night With The Stars on 25th December 1967. 24 episodes of 30 minute duration.

Australian TV
Airdate: 20/11/69Series called The Rovers
Episode 16 The story of Reginald Peck.

Reginald Peck.......Reg Varney
Dawn Tobin.......Dawn Lake
Simon.......Robert Evans
Wilbur.......Ricky Cilona
Tara.......Leonie Williams
Dog.......'Lonsdale'


On the Buses 1969-1973,

1970 20th May THIS IS YOUR LIFE Reg Varney

1970 The Other Reg Varney
ITV (LWT), Standup/sketch, 1970 9 Aug 1970, Sun 8.50pm
Starring: Reg Varney, Peter Jones, Shari Lewis
1 episodes: 60 mins


On the Buses 1971

1972 Go for a Take 1972 Film
Reg Varney, with Harry Booth, Sue Lloyd, Dennis Price

The Best Pair of Legs in the Business 1972, lead role
Reg Varney also sang- Come And Tickle My Fancy, song from Best Pair of Legs in the Buisness.

The Best Pair of Legs in the Business was also released as The Best Pair of Legs in Town. The story is set at a British holiday caravan park. Reg plays the resident compere and drag artist. It is about how his life revolves around the need to perform even though it is a dreary caravan park. An entertainer at the end of his career but who tries to kid himself he can return to the big time. It is about having hope when there is no hope. A sad comedy that sees Reg Varney giving a brilliant performance. (See it if you can)

Go for a Take also known as Double Take1972,

Mutiny On the Buses 1972,

Holiday on the Buses 1973,

The Plank (Window Cleaner)1979, film with Eric Sykes
19th January 1975 Share and Share Alike
An Odd Couple comedy featuring two chalk and cheese brothers forced to live together by the terms of their mothers will.


Pilot show with Reg Varney & Roy Kinnear recorded 19th January 1975 (never broadcast

Reg Varneyscabaret act toured Austrailia Canadaand New Zealand. In 1988, On The Buses went onto the stage and again Varney went over to Australia to play Stan.

ON THE BUSES Austrailia stage tour

1996 October 10th
A pre-recorded local independent TV show (Westcountry TV) in front of a live studio audience


Autobiography
THE LITTLE CLOWN BOOK AND AUDIO TAPE
His early life, from his birth in 1916 up until 1942.


Records
.................................
Reg Varney - This Is Reg Varney
Vinyl LP, M-M-, Columbia, SCX 6518
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Best Pair Of Legs In The Buisness, Single 45

B SIDE Come on and Tickle my Fancy

Columbia 1973 DB 8977

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Reg's Party, LP 1973

One Up EMI OU 2029

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A Variety of Varney 1976

Pye records PKL EE44