Sammy Johnson

Born: 1949-05-14

Born Ronald Samuel Johnson, Sammy Johnson (14th May 1949 to November 1998) was an English actor best known for the role of Stick in Spender. A close friend of Jimmy Nail, this was just one of the many programmes they co-starred in together (the others being Crocodile Shoes and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet). He also appeared in an adaptation of Catherine Cookson's The Gambling Man, and as Viz's famous comic book character Sid the Sexist, as well as the 1985 film Seacoal, 1989's And a Nightingale Sang, the 1997 TV film King Leek and a guest appearance in Casualty in 1996. One of his final roles was as Terry in Lost in France, a series of short topical specials that saw him play the patriarch of a family of football fans following the exploits of the England team during the 1998 World Cup. Later that year, and whilst training for Newcastle's the Great Northern Run, Johnson died of a heart attack whilst out jogging in the hills above his home in Málaga. He was 49 years old. Since his death, a memorial fund has been set up on his name and a biennial variety concert named Sunday for Sammy hosted by Tim Healy and (until 2008) Jimmy Nail, featuring sketches with North East personalities and former colleagues of Sammy. Kevin Whately, Denise Welch and Peter Beardsley are amongst the regular contributors. Away from acting, Sammy was a musician, playing guitar in bands such as Pigmeat, Ray Stubbs R&B Allstars and Matt Vinyl and the Decorators.


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Spender : The French Collection

as Kenneth Norman 'Stick' Oakley
Released: 1993-12-29

Spender Christmas Special: Spender is sent to France to escort Tommy Thornton who has been...

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King Leek

as Popeye
Released: 1997-09-01

A comic tale of competitive leek growing in the north of England, where the stakes are high and...

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Seacoal

as Ronnie
Released: 1985-01-01

Betty and her daughter Corinna are introduced to the harsh seacoaling way of life by Ray, an...

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And a Nightingale Sang

as Shipyard Worker
Released: 1989-04-17

Set in working class Newcastle, the Stott family fight their private battles against the...

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In Fading Light

as Dandy Mac
Released: 1989-01-01

A feature drama set in the declining fishing industry in North Shields, the film centres on the...

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The Happy Hunting Ground

as Ron
Released: 1976-02-10

In amongst the fishing quaysides of the North East of England, manipulative Bob is first able to...

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Sid the Sexist

as Sidney Smutt
Released: 1992-10-26

Viz magazine's 'Sid the Sexist' comes to life in this animated version of the exploits of...

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Wycliffe

as Adrian Wright
First aired: 1994-07-24

Wycliffe is a British television series, based on W. J. Burley's novels about Detective...

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Auf Wiedersehen, Pet

as Martin Cooper
First aired: 1983-11-11

Seven British construction workers escape Britain's ever growing dole queues and travel to...

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Crocodile Shoes

as uncredited
First aired: 1994-11-10

Crocodile Shoes is a British 7-part television series made by the BBC and screened on BBC One in...

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Lost In France

as Terry Rudd
First aired: 1998-06-23

This brief series (12 episodes of 10 or 15 minutes each screened over a three week period)...

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Spender

as Stick
First aired: 1991-01-08

Jimmy Nail plays tough cop Spender, forced to return to his native Newcastle after a failed...

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The Gambling Man

as uncredited
First aired: 1995-02-26

Based on one of Catherine Cookson's most beloved works which revolves around slick cardplayer...

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