Clifford William Cumberbatch Simons (17 November 1940 – 21 June 2019) was a
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peopl ...
-born actor best known for his role as PC Alf Ventress in ''
Heartbeat'', a role he played for 18 years, from 1992 to 2010.
Early life
Simons was born on 17 November 1940 in
Swansea
Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the C ...
where his father was stationed in the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
and he grew up in
South Wales
South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...
until the family moved to
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England, north of the River Thames. It extends from Clerkenwell and Finsbury, on the edge of the City of London financial district, to Greater London's boundary with Hertfordshire.
The term ''nor ...
. He started acting as a child,
[http://www.boyactors.org.uk/actors/2389.jpg ] appearing in the films ''
No Place for Jennifer'' (1950), ''
Where No Vultures Fly'' (1951) and ''
West of Zanzibar'' (1954). He then suffered from severe
acne
Acne, also known as ''acne vulgaris'', is a long-term skin condition that occurs when dead skin cells and oil from the skin clog hair follicles. Typical features of the condition include blackheads or whiteheads, pimples, oily skin, and ...
, which caused him to prefer working backstage as a
stage manager
Stage management is a broad field that is generally defined as the practice of organization and coordination of an event or theatrical production. Stage management may encompass a variety of activities including the overseeing of the rehearsal p ...
for four years before deciding to become an adult actor.
Later in life, he would become a patron of the charity
Changing Faces, which supports people with facial deformities.
''Heartbeat''
He played PC Ventress for the entire 18-year run of ''Heartbeat''. Although playing a heavy smoker, Simons was a non-smoker in real life and was given
herbal cigarettes to play the part.
[ The character is a policeman that lacks in the physical side but makes up for that with his ‘local knowledge’. Ventress is the longest serving officer for much of the drama and often in a role as acting sergeant when Blaketon, Craddock and Merton are absent. In later series of the drama, Ventress is forced to retire from the force but continues as a civilian member of the team and also helps Oscar Blaketon (]Derek Fowlds
Derek James Fowlds (2 September 1937 – 17 January 2020) was an English actor. He was best known for his appearances as "Mr Derek" in ''The Basil Brush Show'' (1969–1973), Bernard Woolley in the sitcom ''Yes Minister'' (1980–1984) and its s ...
) in a private investigatory role. Simons was only absent from 4 subsequent episodes of Heartbeat throughout his entire stint playing constable Alf Ventress; during series 3.
Other acting roles
Other series regular roles in television included the political dissident Quarmby in the 1971 TV series ''The Guardians'', Martin O'Connor QC in ''Crown Court
The Crown Court is the court of first instance of England and Wales responsible for hearing all indictable offences, some either way offences and appeals lied to it by the magistrates' courts. It is one of three Senior Courts of England and W ...
'' (1973-83), Constable Thackeray in '' Cribb'' (1979-81), and Inspector "Brer" Fox in '' The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries'' (1990-94).
Simons also made guest appearances in ''Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the ...
: The Sun Makers'',Francis Storm Investigates
''Francis Storm Investigates'' is a British television series which originally aired on ITV in 1960.Pitts p.316 A former SOE operative sets up as a private detective from his mews house in Kensington.
Main cast
* Brian Worth as Francis Storm
...
'', ''Coronation Street
''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on inner-city Salford.
Orig ...
'', ''The Sweeney
''The Sweeney'' is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London. It stars John Thaw as Detective Insp ...
'', '' Minder'' as 'Pongo' Harris, ''Dempsey & Makepeace
''Dempsey and Makepeace'' is a British television crime drama made by LWT for ITV, created and produced by Ranald Graham. Lead roles were played by Michael Brandon (Lieutenant Dempsey) and Glynis Barber (Detective Makepeace), who later married ...
'', '' Give Us a Break'', '' The Darling Buds of May'', ''Wish Me Luck
''Wish Me Luck'' is a British television drama about the exploits of British women undercover agents during the Second World War. The series was made by London Weekend Television for the ITV network between 17 January 1988 and 25 February 199 ...
'', '' Bergerac'', '' Casualty'', ''The Bill
''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983.
The programme focused o ...
'', ''Lovejoy
''Lovejoy'' is a British television comedy-drama mystery series, based on the novels by John Grant under the pen name Jonathan Gash. The show, which ran to 71 episodes over six series, was originally broadcast on BBC1 between 10 January 19 ...
'', ''Enemy at the Door
''Enemy at the Door'' is a British television drama series made by London Weekend Television for ITV. The series was shown between 1978 and 1980 and dealt with the German occupation of Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands, during the Second W ...
'' and '' Rumpole of the Bailey''.
Partial filmography
* '' No Place for Jennifer'' (1950) - JeremyPope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
'' (1984, TV film) – Foreman Krauze
* ''The Woman in Black
''The Woman in Black'' is a 1983 gothic horror novel by English writer Susan Hill. The plot concerns a mysterious spectre that haunts a small English town. A television film based on the story, also called '' The Woman in Black'', was produced ...
'' (1989, TV film) – John Keckwick
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simons, William
1940 births
2019 deaths
Welsh male television actors
Male actors from Swansea
20th-century Welsh male actors
21st-century Welsh male actors
Male actors from London
Welsh male film actors