Russ Abbot


Russell Allan Abbot is an English musician, actor and comedian. Born in Chester, he first came to public notice during the 1970s as the singer and drummer with British comedy showband the Black Abbots, later forging a prominent solo career as a television comedian with his own weekly show on British television.
Continuing his musical career as a solo artist, Abbot released several charting singles and albums. His career has continued with a shift into more mainstream serious acting in television shows, series, and stage productions.

Career

As a drummer/backing singer, Abbot joined the Black Abbots in Chester during the mid-1960s and they released several singles to modest chart success on minor labels in the early 1970s. The band only signed their first major recording contract in 1977, putting out a series of comedy singles and one live album before disbanding in 1980.
Subsequently, he appeared as a comedian, winning the 'Funniest Man on Television' award five times. Abbot appeared on the television show The Comedians under his birth name.
From 1980 onward, he released some albums as a solo artist and appeared in several TV series. The most successful of his music singles, "Atmosphere", did well in the UK top 10, peaking at No. 7 in 1985.
Russ Abbot's Madhouse and The Russ Abbot Show showcased his talents as an all-round entertainer, with impersonations and sketches, taking the BBC's primetime slot. These prompted two annuals to be published in 1982–83, featured comic strips based on the show's popular characters, plus some publicity photos of Abbot in a variety of guises, including his well-known James Bond satire featuring characters named Basildon Bond and Miss Funnyfanny.
In January 1993, Abbot hosted an Elvis special of Stars in Their Eyes; this was originally to be presented by Leslie Crowther, who had suffered serious injuries in a car crash in his Rolls-Royce in October 1992. Abbot was brought in as a temporary host, and this was the only episode he hosted. Crowther was unable to return, and died in 1996; he was replaced by Matthew Kelly, who then hosted the show until 2004.
Between 1993 and 1995, Abbot starred as Ted Fenwick, alongside Michael Williams in the ITV bittersweet comedy-drama, September Song.
From 2000, Abbot played the lead role in the British National Tour of Doctor Dolittle at the [Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and on tour; The Narrator in The Rocky Horror Show; Grandpa Potts in Chitty [Chitty Bang Bang |Chitty Chitty Bang Bang], at the London Palladium and Fagin in Oliver!.
From July 2007, Abbot took over the role of Roger De Bris in the UK tour of Mel Brooks' The Producers. In 2008, Abbot appeared at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton as the Tin Man in the stage production of The [Wizard of Oz |The Wizard of Oz].
In 2008, the BBC announced that Abbot would be joining the cast of Last of the Summer Wine, for the show's 30th series. He played Luther 'Hobbo' Hobdyke, who was the leader of a group consisting also of Entwistle, played by Burt Kwouk and Alvin, played by Brian Murphy.
In 2008, he guest-starred in The Sarah Jane Adventures episode "Secrets of the Stars" as a character called Martin Trueman, an astrologer who was possessed by the Ancient Lights. In 2009, Abbot played a pet shop owner in an episode of Casualty. This marked Abbot's second Casualty role – he previously appeared as a different character in a 1999 episode. He later parodied the character he played in Casualty when appearing in Harry Hill's TV Burp.
In 2009, when Rowan Atkinson fell ill during the original run of Cameron Mackintosh's West End revival of Oliver!, Abbot stepped into the role of Fagin for the second time. He again took the role after Griff Rhys Jones left the show on 12 June 2010.
Between 2014 and 2016 he co-starred in the BBC sitcom Boomers''.
In December 2020, University Radio Nottingham presenters George Scotland and Damian Stephen decided to start an internet campaign to get "Atmosphere" to number one for Christmas. The campaign, in the style of previous internet campaigns for Rage Against The Machine and AC/DC was endorsed by Abbot as well as Paul Chuckle and Alistair Griffin, with "Atmosphere" highlighted as one of the contenders for Christmas Number One by the Official Charts Company.

Family

Abbot has been married to Patricia Simpson since the late sixties.They have four children.

Discography

Singles

  • 1980 – "Space Invaders Meet the Purple People Eater" / "Country Cooper Man"
  • 1982 – "A Day in the Life of Vince Prince"
  • 1984 – "Atmosphere"
  • 1985 – "All Night Holiday"
  • 1985 – "Let's Go to the Disco"

    Albums

  • 1984 – Russ Abbot's Madhouse
  • 1985 – I Love A Party –
  • 1990 – ''Songs of Joy''

    Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1973The ComediansClownEpisode: "Music Hall"
1979Freddie Starr's Variety MadhouseVariousAll 6 episodes
1980–1985Russ Abbot's MadhouseVariousAll 50 episodes
1986– 1991The Russ Abbot ShowVariousAll 65 episodes
1993–1995September SongTed FenwickAll 20 episodes
1994–1995The Russ Abbot ShowVariousAll 14 episodes
1996Married for LifeTed ButlerAll 7 episodes
1998Noel's House PartyDetective Barret HolmesEpisode: #7.18
1999–2002Dream StreetNarrator
Tech
P.C. Snooze
P.C. Snore
P.C. Nod Off		Voice; 59 episodes
1999CasualtySimon LancasterEpisode: "Crossroads"
2000HeartbeatStanley LeroyEpisode: "Child's Play"
2002TV to GoVariousEpisode: #2.1
2003My FamilyLenEpisode: "It's a Window-Filled Life"
2005DoctorsBilly JenkinsEpisode: "Doctor's Orders"
2006Agatha Christie's MarpleCI Arthur PrimerEpisode: "Sleeping Murder"
2007Hotel BabylonMr. PoldarkEpisode: #2.1
2007The Last DetectiveJules RendellEpisode: "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Willesden"
2008The Sarah Jane AdventuresMartin TruemanSerial: "Secrets of the Stars"
2008–2010Last of the Summer WineLuther "Hobbo" Hobdyke17 episodes
2009CasualtyMalcolm CrowsonEpisode: "Leave Me Standing"
2009Harry Hill's TV BurpHimselfEpisode: #9.7
2012HacksBill BentleyTV film
2012Run for Your WifeHospital PatientFilm; Cameo role
2013The Home OfficeDonTV pilot
2014–2016BoomersJohnAll 13 episodes
2015Funny ValentinesMorris RoebuckEpisode: "Last Chance"