BILL WADDINGTONFormer Coronation Street actor Bill Waddington, better known by his character’s name of Percy Sugden,died aged 84 on September 11, 2000, after suffering for many years withParkinson’s disease.He was married four times, and enjoyed success on stage and intelevision, first as a stand-up comedian and later as an actor.He was grieving the death of his third wife, Lillian Day, in 1980 whensoap stardom called him to the Street. He took on a role he made his own,performing once again with Jill Summers, who he worked with after the war andwho was now his admirer across the cobbles, Phyllis Pearce.He had also previously worked with Betty Driver (long-serving barmaidBetty Turpin).It was a role he played for 14 years, until asking to leave because he wassaid to dislike the ever-racier storylines.William J Waddington was born on June 10, 1916, in Oldham, Lancashire , to a builder and his wife, who owned a chainof butchers’ shops.He developed his talent when in the Army serving in the Second World War,when he performed the ukulele and joined a concert party, the Blue Pencils.This brought his first radio roles as they performed variety and comedy for thetroops.Stage work beckoned after the war, and he went on to topthe bill at the Royal Variety Performance in front of the Queen Mother in 1955.He had been touring with former Carry On film star Sid James until Mr James' death, shortly before the Street offer came along.The role of Percy was said to have been specially-createdfor him, the scriptwriters getting hold of his CV and tailoring the newcharacter to his talents.Percy was a flat-capped widower,pursued by blue-rinsed siren pensioner Phyllis Pearce.When he left the soap, it marked the retirement of Mr Waddington, whose50-year career included roles in Family At War, Dear Enemy, Fallen Hero and TheMating Season.He was the author of two books, The Importance of Being Percy (1992) and Percy's War (1994)about the D-Day landings.The longest-serving CoronationStreet cast member, Bill Roache (Ken Barlow), paidtribute, saying: "He was one of television's great characters and eventhough he has not been in the show for a while it is an amazing sense of losswhen you hear something like that."Mr Waddington was married to Sheila Torr and had two daughters,one of whom is actress Barbara Waddington.
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