Bill Dean

Biography

Bill Dean was a British actor who was born in Everton, Liverpool, Lancashire. He was born Patrick Anthony Connolly, but took his stage name in honour of Everton football legend William 'Dixie' Dean. After a atring of jobs, it was his work as a Lancashire club comedian that saw him spotted by Ken Loach who gave him his breakthrough role in his TV play The Golden Vision. Famous for his flat but penetrating Scouse tones, Dean went on to star as miserable pensioner Harry Cross in the long running Channel 4 soap Brookside from its inception in 1983 to 1990. He briefly returned to the series in 1999 for three episodes, when his character re-appeared in Brookside Close suffering from Alzheimer's disease and wrongly believing that he still lived there. The same character was the inspiration behind the 1980s group 'Jegsy Dodd and the sons of Harry Cross' who hailed from the Wirral and Dean himself appeared in the video of the Liverpudlian band The Farm's Groovy Train as Cross, who was a former train driver. He did of a heart attack aged 78 in 2000.

Movies & TV Shows

1. Kes (1970) — Fish and Chip Shop Man
2. The Mirror Crack'd (1980) — Man in Village Hall (uncredited)
3. Scum (1979) — Mr Duke
4. Priest (1995) — Altar Boy
5. Family Life (1971) — Mr. Baildon
6. Let Him Have It (1991) — Foreman of the Jury
7. Night Watch (1973) — Inspector Walker
8. Gumshoe (1971) — Tommy Wright
9. Heartbeat (1992) — Harry Capshaw
10. Minder (1979) — Police Sgt.
11. The Sweeney (1975) — Charlie Norton
12. Hillsborough (1996) — Additional Cast
13. Rising Damp (1980) — Workman
14. Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime (1983)
15. Pennies from Heaven (1978) — Alf
16. Flame (1975) — Club Owner (uncredited)
17. Slayground (1984) — Compere
18. Man in a Suitcase (1967)
19. Play for Today (1970) — Billy
20. Beasts (1976) — Duggie Jebb
21. The Best Pair of Legs in the Business (1973) — Bert
22. Public Eye (1965) — Mr. Steadman
23. Budgie (1971) — Dutchie Holland
24. The Wednesday Play (1964) — John Coyne
25. The Word (1990)
26. The Golden Vision (1968) — John Coyne
27. Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt! (1974) — Jack
28. The Rank and File (1971) — Billy
29. The Big Flame (1969) — Landlord
30. Skallagrigg (1994) — Old Man
31. The Wackers (1975) — Charlie
32. Justice (1971) — Charlie Keen
33. ITV Saturday Night Theatre (1969) — Uncle Sid
34. New Scotland Yard (1972) — Bernard Hobbs
35. Beasts: What Big Eyes (1976) — Duggie Jeb
36. Going Gently (1981) — Painter
37. Brookside: Friday the 13th (1998) — Harold Cross
38. The Expert (1968) — Leslie Stevens
39. Speech Day (1973) — George
40. Roll On Four O'Clock (1970) — Arthur Foster