Tony Capstick
{{Short description|English actor (1944–2003)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| image =
| name = Tony Capstick
| caption =
| birth_name = Joseph Anthony Capstick
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1944|7|27}}
| birth_place = Rotherham, West Riding of Yorkshire England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2003|10|23|1944|7|27}}
| death_place = Hoober, Wentworth, South Yorkshire, England
| years_active = 1972–2003
}}
Joseph Anthony Capstick (27 July 1944 – 23 October 2003) was an English comedian, actor, musician and broadcaster.
Life and career
First son of Joe Capstick, a wireless operator in the RAF, and his wife, June, née Duncan, he was born in Rotherham, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, and spent most of his childhood in Swinton, near Mexborough. For over thirty years he was a presenter on BBC Radio Sheffield. In the 1970s he presented Folkweave for BBC Radio 2 and continued to work for that station sporadically until the early 1990s.[http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?q=Tony+Capstick&svc=9371514#search] {{dead link|date=August 2021}} Outside Sheffield, he is perhaps better known as one of the policemen in the long-running British sitcom, Last of the Summer Wine, where he played the role until his death in October 2003, with his final appearance on the show broadcast in April 2004.
Biography
File:Memorial to Tony Capstick - geograph.org.uk - 542128.jpg
A regular performer on the folk circuit, he recorded many albums. The first was for the Newcastle based record label Rubber Records (His Round with Hedgehog Pie, Punch and Judy Man, Tony Capstick Does a Turn, Songs of Ewan MacColl with Dick Gaughan and Dave Burland and There Was This Bloke with Mike Harding, Derek Brimstone and Bill Barclay). In 1981, he unexpectedly reached No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart with "The Sheffield Grinder" / "Capstick Comes Home".{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= British Hit Singles & Albums
| edition= 19th
| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 92}} It was recorded with the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band. His recitation, "Capstick Comes Home", was based on the well-known Hovis wholemeal bread television commercials directed by Ridley Scott. "Capstick Comes Home" also peaked at number 92 in Australia in July 1981.{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|authorlink=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=54}}
As a comedian, he had an eight-part television series, Capstick's Capers, on Channel 4 in 1983. Capstick was also a prolific bit-part actor, with a career including minor roles in the soap operas Emmerdale and Coronation Street. In the latter he played the recurring character of the brewer Harvey Nuttall.
His career at Radio Sheffield came to an end in January 2003.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/01_january/14/tony_capstick.shtml|title=Tony Capstick leaves BBC Radio Sheffield|website=Bbc.co.uk|access-date=19 August 2021}} He continued to write a regular column in a local weekly newspaper, the Rotherham Advertiser.
Capstick was an author, with Paul Donoghue, of a book on the Appleby Horse Fair.
Death
On 23 October 2003, Capstick was found dead at his cottage in Hoober, near Wentworth, South Yorkshire, he had suffered an aneurysm following a bout of pneumonia. He was survived by wife Gillian and his two children from his first marriage.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1445337/Tony-Capstick.html|title=Tony Capstick|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=18 August 2021}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/oct/27/broadcasting.artsobituaries|title=Obituary: Tony Capstick|date=27 October 2003|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=18 August 2021}}
Discography
- His Round (with Hedgehog Pie), 1971
- Punch and Judy Man (with Hedgehog Pie), 1974
- Does a Turn, 1978
- Songs of Ewan MacColl (with Dick Gaughan and Dave Burland), 1978
- "Capstick Comes Home" / "The Sheffield Grinder, No. 3 UK Singles Chart, 1981
Filmography
= Film =
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Resurrected | Photographer |
= Television =
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Punters | Man in Bookie's | TV movie |
| 1985–1989
|Fred Allan / Clem Hudson |2 episodes | |||
| 1986
|Fireman |Episode: "Song of Experience" | |||
| 1987
|Truckers |Garry Brown |Episode: "Hired Guns" | |||
| 1987–2004
|2nd PC / Policeman |33 episodes | |||
| 1988–1999
|Harvey Nuttall / Gas Board Official / Reg |6 episodes | |||
| 1989
|Taxi Driver |Episode: "A1 Rain Dancer" | |||
| 1993–1995
|Alfie Alker / Harold |2 episodes | |||
| rowspan="2" |1994
|Stranger at Inquest |Episode: "Episode #1.4" | |||
| Common as Muck
|Mr. Adlard |Episode: "Keeping the Refuse Tender" | |||
| rowspan="2" |1995
|Councillor Baker |3 episodes | |||
| Out of the Blue
|Des |Episode: "Survivor" | |||
| 1998
|Delivery Man |Episode: "Throwing It All Away" | |||
| 1998–1999
|Malcolm Rowley / Chip Shop Owner |2 episodes |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/south_yorkshire/3210035.stm BBC Obituary]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20031203062537/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/talent/c/capstick_tony.shtml BBC list of his work]
- {{IMDb name|0135701}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Capstick, Tony}}
Category:English male television actors
Category:English folk musicians
Category:English radio presenters
Category:English male comedians
Category:People from Mexborough
Category:Male actors from South Yorkshire
Category:BBC Radio 2 presenters
Category:20th-century English comedians
Category:Comedians from South Yorkshire