Each year we induct one person into the Panto Hall of Fame and

throughout 2021 we had reached out to many of John's ex panto

co-stars for them to share memories of working with him in preparation

of John being inducted in early 2022.

When we learnt on 19th September 2021 that John had passed away we

were devastated, he had been such an encouraging and supportive

person to us since we launched the website. Having met John on

several occasions he had always been a true gent, a very genuine person

and one that made time for everyone. 

 

In honour of John we would still like to share that video of contributions

with you and would ask you to remember that this was recorded before

John's illness was made public. We think this highlights just how loved

John was across the industry. 

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John Spurley Challis was born 16 August 1942 and is a well known actor with an extensive television career but he is best known for portraying Aubrey "Boycie" Boyce in the long-running BBC Television sitcom Only Fools and Horses and it's follow on series The Green Green Grass.  John credits his original passion for acting on a trip to see a production of Peter Pan (a non pantomime performance) at the tender age of six that cemented his desire to perform and would leave him harbouring an ambition to portray Captain Hook, something he would have to wait until he was in his 50s to accomplish. John has firmly made his mark on the world of panto having appeared for decades in panto productions up and down the UK and establishing himself as a well respected and dedicated performer who has left a positive influence on those he has worked alongside.

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John's other TV credits include Benidorm, Doctors, Doctor Who, Crossroads, Z-Cars, Coronation Street, Howards' Way and Wish Me Luck.

 

Pantomime History

 

1966/67 Cinderella at the Theatre Royal Windsor

1992/93 Cinderella at the Civic Hall Guildford

1993/94 Aladdin at the Theatre Royal  Windsor

1995/96 Cinderella at the Lyceum Theatre Crewe

1996/97 Dick Whittington at the Harlequin Theatre Redhill

1997/98 Cinderella at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford

1998/99 Jack and the Beanstalk - Theatre Royal Bath

1999/00 Cinderella - Southampton Guildhall

2000/01 Jack & The Beanstalk - Theatre Royal, Windsor

2001/02 Peter Pan at the Grand Theatre Swansea

2002/03 Aladdin at the Birmingham Hippodrome

2003/04 Dick Whittington at the Theatre Royal Plymouth

2004/05 Peter Pan at the Ashcroft Theatre Croydon

2005/06 Aladdin at the Grand Theatre Wolverhampton

2006/07 Jack and the Beanstalk at the Richmond Theatre

2007/08 Peter Pan at the Theatre Royal Nottingham

2008/09 Dick Whittington at Venue Cymru

2009/10 Peter Pan at the Sunderland Empire

2010/11 Peter Pan at the Stockport Plaza

2011/12 Aladdin at the Playhouse Weston Super Mare

2012/13 Peter Pan at the Middlesborough Theatre

2013/14 Dick Whittington at the Stockport Plaza

2014/15 Jack and the Beanstalk at the Theatre Royal Plymouth

2015/16 Jack and the Beanstalk at the Alhambra Bradford

2016/17 Beauty and the Beast at the Playhouse Weston Super Mare

2018/19 Peter Pan at the Theatre Royal Nottingham

2019/20 Aladdin at the Malvern Festival Theatre