Paul Eddington’s road to stardom

Press, 27 September 1982, Page 19

Paul Eddington’s road to stardom

Paul Eddington, who has been successful in two previous comedy series, as Gerry in “The Good Life" and as Jim Hacker, Minister of Everything and Master of None, in “Yes Minister,” stars in a new/series on One starting ..tonight, at 9.30.

In “Let There Be Love” Eddington plays a confirmed bachelor^Timothy Love, who has everything a man could .want; freedom, money and plenty of girlfriends. But then he meets Judy and starts to think of wedding bells. He knows that marriage will mean new responsibilities but discovers that these are a lot more than he bargained for. It seems there is something that Judy has forgotten to mention — her three children.

Paul Eddington took a

long time to reach the stardom which came as Penelope Keith's long-suffer-ing husband in the everpopular “The Good Life."

His first stage appearance was with Ensa (a group of entertainers who performed for the armed forces during World War II) -in Colchester Garrison Theatre in 1944. This was followed by repertory at Birmingham and Sheffield before training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1951. Paul did not make his London stage debut until 10 years later in 1961. He joined the Bristol Old Vic the following year, leaving in 1963 to appear in “A Severed Head” in America. He returned to the Bristol Old Vic in 1965 and has since appeared in many plays

there and in London’s West End including the Alan Ayckbourne comedy — "Absurd Person Singular." the Michael Frayn farce "Donkey’s Years." and Roger Hall’s “Middle-Aged Spread" where he shared the honours with his "Good Life" co-star, Richard Briers.

. Apart from being an actor, Paul Eddington has also been a governor of the Old Vic Theatre Trust since 1975. He is married to the actress, Patricia Scott, and has one daughter, Gemma, and three sons. Toby, Hugo and Dominic.

Co-starring with Paul Eddington in “Let There Be Love” is Nanette Newman as Judy. The series was written by Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke and was produced and directed by Peter Fraser-Jones.