Stanley McGeagh

Stanley McGeagh
Born(1936-08-30)30 August 1936
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Died5 August 2025(2025-08-05) (aged 88)
OccupationActor
Spouse(s)
Deborah Brayshaw
(m. 1970, divorced)

Judy John

Stanley McGeagh (30 August 1936 – 5 August 2025) was a Northern Irish actor.

Background

McGeagh was born in Belfast on 30 August 1936[1] to a shipwright father and had four siblings. During World War II, the street the family lived on was bombed and their house reduced to rubble. Their father was one of those people to help dig them out.[2][3]

Planning to have a career in either rugby or acting, McGeagh initially worked as an assistant statistics officer in the Belfast Corporation Transport Department. When the Northern Ireland Theatre Experiment started in 1959, he auditioned successfully, moving careers and gaining "bit" parts at the Belfast Arts Theatre.[4] Afterwards, he moved to London, joining Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop in 1964 as an ensemble player in Oh, What a Lovely War! before making his TV debut in 1967.[5]

While performing in between shows, McGeagh initially came to Australia in 1985 to visit family. After two years of work and travel, performing in a tour of Anything Goes, he decided to stay in Australia.

Personal life

On 28 March 1970, McGeagh married actress Deborah Brayshaw,[6] divorcing sometime afterwards. Upon relocating to Australia, he married artist and mandolin player Judy John.[3] McGeagh died in the Melbourne suburb of Springvale, on 5 August 2025, at the age of 88. He was cremated there.[1][3]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1969 Oh! What a Lovely War Soldier in Gassed Trench Uncredited
1971 William Webb Ellis, Are You Mad? Short
1972 Burke & Hare Sergeant MacTavish Credited as Stanley McCeagh
1974 The Land That Time Forgot Hiller
1975 Carry on Behind Short-Sighted Man Uncredited
1978 Carry on Emmannuelle Fleet Street Journalist
1982 Gandhi Prison Guard
2005 You and Your Stupid Mate Man at Door

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1967 No Hiding Place Con. Clark Episode: "Just Like the Old Days"
Haunted Tom Episode: "Many Happy Returns"
1968 Softly, Softly PC Walters Episodes: "Fortune on the Move: Part 1: Payment" and "Fortune on the Move: Part 2: Refund"
The Spanish Farm Medical Sergeant Episode: "The Crime at Vanderlynden's"
Frontier Lieutenant James Russell Episode: "The Last of the Line"
Resurrection Corporal Episodes: "Dmitri", "Maslova", and "Resurrection"
Dixon of Dock Green Billy Mahon Episode: "Olga and the Six Best Men"
1969 Jim Episode: "The One That Got Away"
Callan Ferguson Episode: "Let's Kill Everybody"
Thicker Than Water Porter Episode: "The Reunion"
Doctor in the House 2nd. Police Sergeant Episode: "The Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Casino"
Dad's Army Sergeant Waller Episode: "The Lion Has Phones"
1970 Germinal Miner Episode: "Mob Rule"
Rules, Rules, Rules Bill Episode: "Rules on a Desert Island"
The Doctors PC Brian Season 1, episodes 99 and 100
UFO SHADO Security Man Episode: "E.S.P."
1971 SHADO Guard Episode: "Mindbender"
Budgie Station Constable Episode: "A Pair of Charlies"
Doctor Who Allen 1 episode; serial: Colony in Space
1972 Castle Guard Drew 2 episodes; serial: The Sea Devils
Scene Policeman Episode: "Bank Holiday"; credited as Stanley McGeogh
The Liver Birds Delivery Man Episode: "Birds and Bottom Drawers"
Jason King The Hero Episode: "An Author in Search of Two Characters"
Villains Vicar Episode: "Smudger"
Play For Today New Member of the Orange Lodge Episode: "Carson Country"
1975 Churchill's People Harry Corlett Episode: "The Derry Boys"
1978 Law & Order Gladwell's Clerk Episode: "A Brief's Tale"
Trevor Reid Episode: "A Prisoner's Tale"
The Onedin Line Mr Hardy Episode: "Highly Explosive"
1979 Return of the Saint 2nd Customs Officer Episode: "The Diplomat's Daughter"
1981 Blood Money PC Able Season 1, episode 1
1982 Minder Police Sergeant Episode: "Back in Good Old England"
Billy Boy TV film; credited as Stanley McGeach
1984 The Bill Man in Street Episode: "A Friend in Need"
1985 Screen Two Special Security Block Officer Episode: "Knockback: Part 1"
1986 Big Deal Court PC Episode: "Innocent OK?"
1993 Neighbours Phil Friendly Episodes 1979 and 2007
2001 Halifax f.p. Judge's Associate Episode: "The Scorpion's Kiss"
2002 Worst Best Friends Bottle Expert Episode: "The Excursion"

References

  1. ^ a b "Mannings Funerals - Stanley McGeagh". Mannings Funerals. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  2. ^ "A man of many parts". Bass Coast Post. 13 October 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "Stanley McGeagh: A life in many acts". Bass Coast Post. 13 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  4. ^ "Statistics man now an actor at Derby". Derby Evening Telegraph. 15 June 1962. p. 13. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  5. ^ "M". Ulster Actors. 22 December 2011.
  6. ^ "Actress Deborah loses her honeymoon, to the stage". Western Daily Press. 28 March 1970. p. 7. Retrieved 23 August 2025.