Tony Selby: 1938-2021
Tributes have been coming in following the very sad announced by LCM_limited that actor Tony Selby passed away yesterday (September 5th 2021) at the age of 83
With great sadness we announce that actor Tony Selby passed away peacefully in London yesterday. In a career spanning 70 years in theatre, film and TV, Tony was highly respected and loved by family, friends and colleagues. His renowned sense of humour will be missed by us all. pic.twitter.com/AJw9VU9SbI
— LCM (@LCM_limited) September 6, 2021
Selby was born in Lambeth, London, in February 1938, the son of Annie Elizabeth (Weaver), a waitress, and Samuel Joseph Selby, a cab driver. After training at the Italia Conti Stage School, he made his adult stage debut in 1956. His theatre work includes the original production of Edward Bond’s controversial play Saved at the Royal Court Theatre in 1965. He has appeared in many television programmes including a starring role in RAF National Service comedy Get Some In!, and a recurring role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who as the intergalactic conman Sabalom Glitz.
In 1965 he appeared as a convict under sentence of death in the BBC television drama Three Clear Sundays, directed by Ken Loach.
He had one of his earliest film acting roles in The Early Bird (1965), Alfie (1966), starring Academy award-winner Michael Caine, and his other film appearances include Press for Time (1966), Poor Cow (1967), Witchfinder General (1968), Before Winter Comes (1969), In Search of Gregory (1969), Villain (1971), Nobody Ordered Love (1972), and Adolf Hitler: My Part in his Downfall (1973). In 1971-2 he played magician’s assistant Sam Maxstead in children’s supernatural TV series Ace of Wands and had a brief 1972 appearance as a jealous fiancé in Public Eye.
He appeared in the 1970s series Callan. Other notable television appearances included The Avengers as a villainous car mechanic, Bless This House as a depressed burglar, and as Boozy in the all-star Eric Sykes comedy If You Go Down in the Woods Today (1981). He appeared in three episodes of the critically acclaimed drama series Minder, twice playing Jack, the minder of gangster’s wife Rose Mellors. In the early 1990s he played chauffeur to Adam Faith’s character in the drama series Love Hurts; he also played Clive Mitchell in BBC’s soap opera EastEnders in 2002.
Selby appeared in the third episode of The Good Life (known as Good Neighbors in the US), as a rag-and-bone man who sold the Goods an old wood stove and brought them a cat.
In the United States, Selby had an uncredited role as a hood in the first Superman motion picture.
Selby played Susan Harper’s long-lost father Arthur in the BBC comedy My Family, in the episode “A Decent Proposal”, first broadcast on 12 August 2011.
In 2012 he appeared in the film Cockneys vs Zombies.
He appeared in the television series New Tricks as Danny Paye, an East End loan shark in the 2009 episode Meat is Murder.
Selby died in London on 5 September 2021, at the age of 83.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | The Wednesday Play | Up the Junction | Dave | |
| 1966 | Alfie | Lacey | |
| 1968 | The Avengers | Stanley | Episode: The Curious Case of the Countless Clues |
| Witchfinder General | Salter | ||
| 1970-1971 | Ace of Wands | Sam Maxstead | |
| 1971 | Catweazle | Sergeant Jones | Episode: The Walking Trees |
| Villain | Duncan | ||
| 1972 | The Adventures of Black Beauty | Moss | Episode: Day of Reckoning |
| 1974 | Thriller | Mark | Episode: I’m the Girl He Wants to Kill |
| 1974-1976 | Bless This House | Fingers/Intruder | 2 episodes |
| 1975 | The Good Life | Sam | Episode: The Weaker Sex? |
| 1975-1978 | Get Some In! | Corporal Marsh | |
| 1978 | Superman | 5th Hood | Uncredited |
| 1984 | Cockles | Bunter | Episode: Mermaids |
| 1986-1987 | Doctor Who | Sabalom Glitz | 9 episodes |
| 1987 | The Secret Garden | Sergeant Barney | TV Movie |
| 1991 | Lovejoy | Sgt. Hartley | Episode: Raise the Hispanic |
| 1992-1993 | Mulberry | Bert | 13 episodes |
| 1997-2004 | The Bill | Vinnie Rogers/Norman Klein/Barry Jackson | 4 episodes |
| 1999 | Holby City | Jim Horton | Episode: Puppy Love |
| 2002 | EastEnders | Uncle Clive | 2 episodes |
Many won’t know Tony Selby but he popped up all over the place when I was growing up. Without even looking, I’d guess he did The Sweeney and probably Minder too. Great solid British actor who never seemed to stop working. I assumed he was still about 35. https://t.co/1Lu56c86Rb
— Ian Collins (@iancollinsuk) September 6, 2021
Rest in Peace Tony Selby. The character of Sabalom Glitz was one of the more interesting and colourful characters of 80’s Who and Tony portrayed him perfectly. He will be missed. pic.twitter.com/dicHj9HO5g
— Kit – ORBIS Designs (@orbisdesigns) September 6, 2021