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 who had 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.
Reg died after a short illness in a nursing home in Budleigh Salterton, Devon, Varney, who had lived alone since his wife Lilian died in 2002, is survived by his daughter, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild |
Reg Varney