Jegsy dodd biography of william hill

British actor (1921–2000)

For other people named William, Bill or Billy Dean, see William Dean (disambiguation).

Bill Dean (born Patrick Anthony Connolly, 3 September 1921 – 20 April 2000) was a British actor who was born in Everton, Liverpool, Lancashire.^[2] He took his stage name in honour of Everton football legend William 'Dixie' Dean.

Biography

Dean served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, seeing action in North Africa and Italy.^[1] His stage name was apparently inspired by being present when an Italian prisoner of war who had been captured by British troops in the Western Desert, told his captors "fuck your Winston Churchill and fuck your Dixie Dean", the latter being the well-known Everton footballer of the day.^[3]

He worked variously as a tram driver, pipe fitter, insurance agent, ship's steward, docker and local government officer, while also appearing as a stand-up comedian in Lancashire clubs a