Lewis Collins: A Time-Line
by Paris7am
1946
- born on May 27 – first home is at No 6 Gautby Road, in Birkenhead, Cheshire (CD)
mother Jane (Davies), father Bill (William Daniel Collins, a ship wright and musician), brother Gerald (20 years senior), older sister Valerie
1948
- wins the "most beautiful baby in Liverpool" contest
- enjoys camping trips to an isolated farm in Shropshire (Brickyard Farm in the 5 house Hamlet of Eaton Constantine, housekeeper Doris Wild)
- boyhood friends with Freddie Star (comedian)
1957
- 11 when his parents split, sister leaves with mother and he remains with his father
1957-62
- attends Tollemache Road Secondary School – Classmate Paul Bradley tells story on Knowhere site about playing with toy soldiers and a WW2 shell at "Lewy’s" house. (CD)
1959
- First show at 13 with Dad on piano and Lew on drums (Lobol Club, Port Sunlight) play regularly together for over three years. Bill's band is called the "Savoy Swingers"
- Auditions and wins drummer position with the Renegades as a 13 year old, plays with them for about 3 years.
- Joins rifle-club team which beats the Liverpool police team in a target event. (Liverpool Central Rifle Club?) Inspired in shooting by his aunt, who was a champion wild pheasant hunter.
1961
- first job - at a Liverpool hair salon called Andre's Bernards. Works with mike mcgear (Paul McCartney's brother)
1963
- as bassist with the band "the eyes", tours Hamburg, Kiel and Berlin (plays the newStar club in Berlin)
- bands include The Eyes, The Renegades, Kansas City Five and the georgians
- last job as a drummer was with the Kansas City 5 - moves onto bass or guitar so he could sing
1964
- passes driving test, acquires old van, names it Dumbo because the doors fly open like elephant ears when it corners
- (Dec.) joins the mojos as a bassist.
1966
- leaves the Mojos
1967
- spends some time on the cabaret circuit
- withdraws from the music scene
- drives a lorry delivering lemonade and chips in Warrington
1967
- Lew and Bill move to London. Bill owns a home at 7 Park Ave, Golders Green. When Bill becomes badfinger’s manager, they move in as well.
1968
- enters Lamda, classmates include Patricia Hodge, Cheryl Campbell
- Cheryl Campbell (Pennies from Heaven) "She was my girlfriend but I was a full-time student...so we didn't go out much"
- while at Lamda plays Romeo in Romeo and Juliet
1969
- "I shared a bed-sit in Hampstead London, with Lewis Collins, Bill Collin's son. We were both at LAMDA" - story told by Gordon Roberts -
1970
- early summer – Bill Collins re-marries, Lew is in charge of decorating for the wedding. A film crew documenting Badfinger captures the festivities.
- finishes at Lamda
- 42 weeks rep in Chesterfield - undergoes a "rigorous regime of Shakespeare and Chekhov classics"
1971
- (Aug.) first theatrical role was as a sentry in "Dance of Death" (Civic Theatre, Chesterfield) – "had one line, got it wrong..."
- Theatre: Twelfth Night, Valentine (Manchester University)
1972
- Edinburgh Festival performance - title role in Marlowe's Tamburlaine the Great
- a year at Glasgow Citizen's
- "Back in my Citizens days I gave drama lessons to deaf kids"
- Theatre: Love on the Dole, Under Milk Wood, Three-Penny Opera, Marat Sade, Lear, Dracula
1973
- Theatre: Govnmt Inspector, Troilus and Cressida, The Farm (West End debut, as Albert, Sept.)
1974
- first TV role - Z Cars "Waste" (Derek Cunningham) plays lad locked away in an attic
- Theatre: The Farm and Blues, Whites and Reds
- TV: Crown Court "Arson" (PC Henry Williams)
- Theatre: City Sugar - lead role of a disc jockey
- TV: Marked Personal (starring Stephanie Beacham)
- TV: Warship "Away Seaboat's Crew" (leading seaman Steele)
- TV: They Disappear When You Lie Down (Bobby)
- TV: Village Hall "Friendly Encounter" (Jimmy Jackson)
1975
- Theatre: Double, Double (Maximist Actors' Arena) Lew directs
- Theatre: Real Inspector Hount, Dialogue Between Friends
- TV: Rooms
1975-77
- TV: Cuckoo Waltz, Gavin Rumsey
1976
- First film role - Confessions of a Driving Instructor (role is a Monks Hill rugger with beard)
- TV: Men Must Wear Tights - as Gemma Craven's fantasy idol
1977
- (Feb) buys a trailer, which he lives in on theatrical tours.
- TV: The New Avengers, Kilner, episode is called "Obsession" with Martin Shaw
- TV: Cilla Black show - debut as a singer / dancer
- June 20 - Pros begins filming, with Lewis joining in later
- joins Territorial Army and tries out for SAS - member of the 10 para tavr at same time as filming Pros (6 mos on, 6 mos off?)
- works out with john conteh, enjoys jiujitsu and Ki
1978
- TV: (Feb) Freddie Starr Experience - appears with Martin, doing a silly golfing sketch (filmed halfway through transmission of the first season of the Pros)
- TV: Jim'll Fix It appearance visiting little girl Michelle in hospital (Jim to Martin: "You're her favourite!" Lewis: "Oh, right, that's it, I'm off then!")
- TV: Royal Variety performance
- (Nov?) Breaks ankle on a parachute jump at Brize Norton and suspends filming of second season of Pros. Bill drives his bike home for him.
1979
- (March) Pros filming resumes following the broken ankle
- Marion Sheffield and he begin living together (in '83 - "for the past four years he has lived with glamorous blonde Marion Sheffield")
1980
- ITV awards with Martin
- Motor Show - Lew test drives Porsche, spins it off the road
- Lewis and John Conteh are part of a sponsored walk for handicapped children (Granada Reports)
- TV: Tiswas - kids show
- (Sept) wins coveted red beret from Territorial Paras regiment
1981
- summer, Pros filming wraps
Apart from innumerable bumps and bruises, the injury tally has included - three broken ankles (Shaw two, Collins one), one broken collarbone (Collins), three concussions (Collins two, Shaw one), 27 stitches (Collins five, Shaw 22). (TV Times, 6-12 November 1982)
- buys a house in the country and plans to get a German Shepherd
- fined 300 pounds for firing a shotgun in his living room
- spends Christmas with family (in the Caribbean) then goes over to LA and stays with friends ("I know I could always use Rock Hudson's place to stay in, which is nice.")
1982
- Film: Who Dares Wins (Peter Skellen)
- Bid for 007 fails (replacing Roger Moore)
- summer (after WDW and before Task Force South was to begin) - moves into 15th century (Tudor) farmhouse in Buckinghamshire, 28 rooms, "the new bits are at least 200 years old," white gates, local pub is the Greyhound. Lives with father and Marion Sheffield (his fiance of three years) "They (Lew and Marion) share a country farmhouse, just outside London, with his father Bill, and stepmother (Anne)" -(83)
- TV: This is Your Life for Diane Keen (from Cuckoo's Waltz)
- Music: releases album "When You Come Home Again"
- Nov - last series of Pros begins to air
- TV: This is Your Life, Lewis Collins, at 36 (8 Dec)
- Panto: Cinderella, Prince Charming to Suzanne Dando (Dec - Jan 83) Plymouth
1983
- TV: A Night on the Town, co-starring Ann Reinking
- Panto: Babes in the Woods, Robin Hood (Dec - Jan 84) Southsea
- Pros ends airing
1984
- Film: Codename: Wildgeese (Robert Wesley)
- Panto: Cinderella, Dandini (Dec – Feb 85) Hanley
1985
- Film: Commando Leopard (Enrique Carrasco)
- Voted Sexiest Man
- The Comic Strip Presents: The Bullshitters, starring Peter Richardson and Keith Allen as "Foyle" and "Bonehead"
1986
- TV: Robin of Sherwood "The Sherriff of Nottingham" (Phillip Mark)
- Theatre: (Oct-Dec) on tour with Death Trap in Australia
- Panto: Cinderella, Dandini (Dec – Jan 87) Stockport
- during interview says, "my last girlfriend moved out"
1987
- TV: Carley's Web - US tv movie (Alexander Prescott) cameo role
- Loses license for drunk driving offence
- Takes up flying
- Goes to the aid and saves a couple of children knocked down by a car in The Wirral when he was back home celebrating his cousin Colin Jones's 40th birthday (LdA)
1988
- Film: The Commander (Jack Colby)
- TV: Blue Blood, Hugh Sinclair/Max Zinder
- TV: Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Bill Stewart "The Man Who Knew Too Little"
- (April) controversy over Pros re-runs and Martin blocking them
- Guest at Scorpio 6 with other Robin of Sherwood stars
- "You have only to look at the family world in which he lives. His father, sister, brother-in-law and two nieces share the old farm-house to the west of London, charmingly rural before the M25 came a bit too close."
- No lady in his life - "I'll probably marry an airplane" he’s quoted saying in article
- TV: Jack the Ripper (det sgt. George Godley)
late '80s
- moving towards LA, a few American parts, film school
1989
- Detectives On The Edge Of A Nervous Breakdown released
1990
- 14 Jan - Gordon Jackson dies
- Film: A Ghost in Monte Carlo, Lord Drayton (husband to Jo Lumley)
early 90s
- Lew studies at la film school
1992
- TV: Cluedo (gameshow) Col. Mustard, Jack Peacock (with Jo Lumley)
- TV: This Morning appearance - about Cluedo
- Theatre: Sleuth tour cut short, financing failed
- Wedding: private ceremony at St. Nicholas Church, Alfold, Surrey. Marries Michelle Larrett, a 24 year old school teacher. They have a 20 month old son, Oliver Sky. Receive a telegram from Martin. Mike McGear sings "Lily the Pink" and "Thank U Very Much" at their reception, held at a local restaurant.
- Panto: Aladdin, Aladdin (Dec-Jan 93) Merseyside
1993
- TV: North Tonight - interviewed about Agatha Christie play
- TV: Tarzan, Hauser (filmed in Mexico)
1994
- qualifies as a Film Director
- Theatre: The Decorator, Walter, various venues
- Panto: Aladdin, a villain (Dec-Jan 95)
1995
- TV: Granada Tonight brief interview about Pros
- Elliot, second son, is born
- Lew moves to LA permanently with his wife and sons
- Theatre: Who Killed Agatha Christie? (with Patrick Mower)
1996
- Nissan commercials air, spoof the Pros (Doyle: "This car's well-sprung!" Bodie: "Yeah, just like your perm!")
1997
- TV: Bob Mills "The Show" (28 Feb) appearance
- TV: Confessions - surprises a closet Pros fan
- TV: Richard and Judy - (18 Jun) interview
1998
- Panto: Beauty and the Beast, Danton, Canterbury
- TV: The Grimleys, Daryl Digby (lampooning his Commando character)
1999
- Theatre: Dangerous Corner, Charles Stanton
- from Candis article - "He lives today in LA with his wife and three kids ...running a successful computer business."
2002
- The Tudor mansion is raided by police who find lots of unsecured weapons – Lew hadn’t been there for several years
- August 6 - Bill Collins dies of a heart attack, (June 21, 1913 – August 6, 2002)
Services held August 16. "Bill continued to work hard for over 25 years on a project to help children learn to play music in a creative, fulfilling environment." Bill is survived by wife, Anne.
- TV: The Bill, cameo as Dr. Peter Allen
2006
- from Daily Express (1-6) "He now lives in LA with wife Michelle and their three sons (Oliver, Elliot and Cameron) and keeps a decidedly low profile. His agent Susan James says: 'Lewis is doing a lot of writing on his autobiography and other projects'."
Credit and tremendous thanks to the webmasters, list-owners, and individuals who compile, research, scan and host the sources for this information, including but not limited to:
operation lew c
dave matthew’s site
ci5 addict
lewis collins: more than a professional
Martin Shaw Scrapbook
Yahoo Groups - Lewis_Collins, LewisCollins_The_Professionals_Star, BodieAndDoyleProfessionalGaga
Lisa de Azevedo (LDA) and Chris Dixon (CD)
Notes:
* This is a work in progress and hopefully will continue to evolve and grow in detail and accuracy. If you have comments, corrections or additions, please let me know by leaving a comment anywhere at my livejournal. Thank you! * Photos thanks to Lisa de Azevedo and MJ at Lewis Collins: More Than a Professional.
* Disclaimer: The Time-Line is a personal project, no copyright infringement is intended.
This Time-Line was compiled and written by Paris7am in honour of Lewis' 60th birthday and was first published on her livejournal on this occasion. Thank you kindly for giving me the permission to repost it here, Paris!
Please do NOT repost this Time-Line elsewhere without her permission! Thanks!