But they had no children together, partly because she knew he would leave all the parenting to her. ‘The prospect of Dennis getting up in the middle of the night to feed, wind and nappy change is, after all, remote. A role in the BBC's adaptation of the Just William books followed and the actor would, in his later years, reflect on some of the different roles he undertook. Waterman pictured in character as Terry McCann on location during filming of the television series Minder in London in October 1979

When interviewed in 2002, however, he seemed prouder of the shadier aspects of his business career: “I smuggled gold! I smuggled guns! Zambia, Rhodesia, the jungle.” a b c d e Burford, Brian (2019) "Squire Francis 'Split' Waterman (1923–2019) Speedway Star, 19 October 2019, pp. 43–45 By then, the headlines from Waterman’s wayward private life threatened to eclipse anything he did on camera.a b " "Split" Waterman Jailed for Four Years on Gold Charge". Glasgow Herald. 20 March 1968. p.7 . Retrieved 27 April 2012. Though his singing style always owed more to pub karaoke than the West End stage, the number from Minder (which he co-wrote) gave him a No 3 hit with I Could Be So Good For You in 1980. Insensitivity towards us is going to be hard to repair': Jewish BBC staff say dozens defied ban to attend London march against anti-Semitism and slam bosses who 'got it badly wrong' Following the news of his death, fellow TV personalities shared tributes to the actor, praising him for his career that began when he was a child and spanned six decades Further stints on television and in the theatre led to him landing a role in Nell Dunn's Up The Junction in 1967, playing Pete, a man from his native Clapham, who meets an upper class girl from Chelsea, west London, and begins dating her.

I’m much less politically correct than him,’ he said. ‘I hate political correctness. It makes liars out of everyone. I guess that makes me a chauvinist as well, then?’ Born in New Malden, Waterman worked as a toolmaker's apprentice after leaving school. [4] Wartime service [ edit ] You could occasionally tell that Waterman had cut his teeth as a DJ in the 70s when the sound of northern soul seeped into SAW’s productions. It’s there on Happenin’ All Over Again: you can imagine the glorious chorus transplanted from its chattering electronic setting and booming around a talcum powder-covered dancefloor. 13. Kylie Minogue – Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi (1987) I was tempted to add Edward Jancarz to my list...a very classy rider for Wimbledon. Shame he didn't ride regularly in Britain until quite late in his career. I recall Oxford attempting to sign Sverre Harrfeldt in 1972 but, personally, I feel that was Dave Lanning hyping things up! Some great names there and I always thought that Ron How didn't get the true recognition that he truly deserved. Fred Williams Speedway's New Champion". The Daily Herald. 18 September 1953 . Retrieved 19 October 2019– via British Newspaper Archive.By the time he retired in the early 1960s, however, his daredevil reputation and flair for getting in the news had made him a household name. a b c d e f g h i j k l m Davies, Trevor (2008) Warzone Speedway, Trevor Davies Publishing, ISBN 978-0-9558624-0-3, p. 143-150 A subsequent raid at her home found illegal firearms, including two Schmeisser submachine guns, and in August the pair were charged with conspiring with others to evade prohibitions on the export of gold, receiving 26 gold bars knowing they were stolen, and unlawful possession of firearms. In 2009, he starred in the BBC's hard-hitting drama Moses Jones, a role which he said at the time he had enjoyed because it cast him in a different light. The attraction was instant – ‘like being hit in the stomach by a ten-ton bag of cement’, said Waterman, who died yesterday aged 74 at his home in Spain.

In a tweet, he wrote: 'Myself and my Phoenix Nights cast mates used to sing the theme tune to Minder on tour and on the Karaoke! Parker Beaten at New Cross". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 2 August 1951 . Retrieved 16 October 2019– via British Newspaper Archive. At first, there were a few ill-fated projects. An album by Tom Watkins’ act Spelt Like This was shelved after single Contract Of The Heart stalled at No.91 (only Harding would work with future Watkins acts, producing Pet Shop Boy and remixing Bros). Top Speed Fee". The Daily Mirror. 14 February 1950 . Retrieved 16 October 2019– via British Newspaper Archive.Dennis Waterman was hailed an ‘icon’ last night as stars paid tribute to the star who has died aged 74. Squire Francis Waterman (27 July 1923 – 8 October 2019), better known as Split Waterman, was an English speedway rider who twice finished second in the Speedway World Championship final. Waterman took up speedway while serving in the British Army in Italy and went on to become one of the top riders of the post-war era. He made the headlines again in the late 1960s when he was convicted of gold smuggling and firearms offences. Biography He added: 'I really enjoyed it, because it was a very different kind of character - and that's important.