Reginald Alfred Varney

Better known as Stan from
'On the buses'



Reg Varney, who has died aged 92, endeared himself to a wide television audience in the 1970s
through the role of the cheeky chappie bus driver in the ITV series On the Buses and the two
spin-off cinema films which followed. In 76 television episodes, lasting from February 1969 to May
1973, the bachelor boy Stan Butler who lived with his mother (Doris Hare) was always pitting his
wits against Blakey, the twitchily neurotic bus inspector played by Stephen Lewis - and usually
coming off bruised but not beaten

Reg Varney
Reg Alfred Varney was born on 11th July 1916 in London's East End.
He attended Star Lane Primary School in Newham.

His dad worked in a rubber factory in Silvertown. Reg had 2 sisters.
Leaving school at 14 he worked as a messenger boy and a page boy at Regents Park Hotel.

He also started his career as a piano player after taking lessons as a child.
His first paid engagement was at Plumstead Radical Club in Woolwich for which he was paid eight
shillings and sixpence

Playing in working mens clubs at the age of 14, and later singing with Big Bands of the time. Also
appearing in ABC Cinemas and Pubs he and his mum decided that a showbiz was the career for him and
gave up his day jobs

His career altered slightly with the onset of war with him joining the Royal Electrical Engineers
during the war, he continued performing in Stars in Battledress and did a tour of the Far East.

He then went on to become an all round entertain working his way around the Music Halls. Also doing
Summer Shows, Benny Hill would play his straight man.(yes that Benny Hill)

In 1961 he got the role as a foreman in a TV series called The Rag Trade.
After that followed another comedy role in Begger My Neighbour.
This also starred Pat Coombs, June Whitfield and Peter JonesBeggar my Neighbour. Pat Coombs was to
play Reg Varneys wife and of course would Pat would later appear in the ON THE BUSES movie
The series ran from March 1967 to March 1968 and a short special was shown as part of Christmas
Night With The Stars on 25th December 1967.
24 episodes of 30 minute duration


Then another sitcom was penned by Ronald Wolfe and Ronald Chessney who had wrote The Rag Trade.
The series was called On The Buses. It proved a great success and Reg started to take on more film
roles

Go For A Take,
The Best Pair of Legs In The Business. In this Reg gives what I think is a brilliant performance as
a Drag Artist come Compere at a caravan holiday site.
It is a bitter sweet film and you should get to watch it if evewr you get the chance.
Down The Gate followed but was not a great success. He played a Billingsgate Fish Porter

He also had six of his own hour long spectaculars "The Other Reg Varney."

He had his own cabaret act and toured places like Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

In 1988 On The Buses went onto the stage and again Reg went over to Australia playing Stan.
A few years later Reg was found to have health problems and took up residence in a small village
near Dartmouth. He also owns
a villa in Malta
He is now retired and spends his time between his home and villa.