Bob Grant(1932-2003)
- Actor
- Writer
Bob Grant was trained at Rada after spending some time as a Lieutenant
with the Royal Artillery. He plied his trade to begin with in Repertory
and appeared on stage for many years all around the UK. His work in rep
continued up to the mid-90s. He will be best remembered for his role of
Jack Harper, the cheeky bus conductor with his traditional cigarette,
cheeky laugh and his passion for the ladies and, of course, winding up
old Blakey, the Inspector in On the Buses (1969). On the Buses was a huge success
for Bob and his co-star, Reg Varney, running from 1969 to 1973 with 76
episodes and 3 spin-off films. It sold in 38 countries and is a great
tribute to his comedy acting talents. In 1971 his popularity proved a
little too much as his wedding to Kim was attended by hundreds of fans
and it meant that everyone had to walk to the wedding! Famous other
roles included Sparrows Can't Sing (1963) and Mrs. Wilson's Diary (1969). He toured Australia, starring in
'No Sex please we're British'. He also appeared on stage in musicals
and pantomime. Sadly, he suffered from a depressive illness for a
number of years and was found dead in his car in Gloucestershire on
November 8th 2003. He was 71 years old.
