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Bill Dean
Actor
Died April 20, 2000 (78 years)
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.
Filmography
| 1998 | Brookside: Friday the 13th · as Harold Cross |
| 1996 | Hillsborough · as Additional Cast |
| 1994 | Priest · as Altar Boy |
| 1992 | Heartbeat (TV Series) · as Harry Capshaw |
| 1991 | Let Him Have It · as Foreman of the Jury |
| 1991 | Clarissa (TV Series) · as Priest |
| 1985 | Screen Two (TV Series) · as Old Man |
| 1983 | Slayground · as Compere |
| 1983 | Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1982 | Brookside (TV Series) · as Harry Cross |
| 1980 | The Mirror Crack'd · as Man in Village Hall (uncredited) |
| 1980 | Rising Damp · as Workman |
| 1980 | Juliet Bravo (TV Series) · as Mr. Bentham |
| 1980 | God's Wonderful Railway (TV Series) · as Ted Jarvis |
| 1980 | The Good Companions (TV Series) · as Ridvers |
| 1979 | Scum · as Mr Duke |
| 1979 | Minder (TV Series) · as Police Sgt. |
| 1978 | Law and Order (1978) (TV Series) · as David Shepley |
| 1976 | When the Boat Comes In (TV Series) · as Stobbs |
| 1976 | Beasts (TV Series) · as Duggie Jebb |
| 1975 | Slade in Flame · as Club Owner (uncredited) |
| 1974 | The Sweeney (TV Series) · as Charlie Norton |
| 1974 | Match of the Day · as Father |
| 1973 | Night Watch · as Inspector Walker |
| 1973 | Playhouse (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1973 | The Tomorrow People (TV Series) · as Mr. Greenhead |
| 1973 | Second City Firsts (TV Series) · as Father |
| 1972 | Emmerdale (TV Series) · as Abraham Scarsdale |
| 1971 | Gumshoe · as Tommy Wright |
| 1971 | The Rank and File · as Billy |
| 1971 | Family Life · as Mr. Baildon |
| 1971 | Budgie (TV Series) · as Dutchie Holland |
| 1971 | Follyfoot (TV Series) · as Mr. Clegg |
| 1970 | Praise Marx and Pass the Ammunition · as Liverpool Delegate |
| 1970 | Roll On Four O'Clock · as Arthur Foster |
| 1970 | The Lovers (TV Series) · as Waiter |
| 1970 | Play for Today (TV Series) · as Arthur Hardcastle |
| 1970 | A Family At War (TV Series) · as Alan Mills |
| 1969 | Kes · as Fish and Chip Shop Man |
| 1969 | The Big Flame · as Landlord |
| 1969 | ITV Saturday Night Theatre (TV Series) · as Arthur Foster |
| 1969 | In Loving Memory (TV Series) · as Garage Attendant |
| 1969 | Softly Softly Task Force (TV Series) · as Alf Bowen |
| 1969 | The Liver Birds (TV Series) · as Mr. Hennessey |
| 1968 | Nearest and Dearest (TV Series) · as Coach Driver |
| 1967 | Man in a Suitcase (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1965 | Public Eye (TV Series) · as Mr. Steadman |
| 1964 | The Wednesday Play (TV Series) · as John Coyne |
| 1962 | Z Cars (TV Series) · as Danny Marsden |
| 1960 | Coronation Street (TV Series) · as Taxi Driver |