Sam Kelly (born "Roger Michael Kelly" on 19th December 1943 in Salford, died 14th June 2014 in Esher, Surrey) appeared on Coronation Street in two roles: firstly between February and March 1975 as wine waiter and Weatherfield General patient Ronnie Barnes; and he returned to the programme in August and November 1983 as decorator Bob Challis.
Abandoned at birth, he was adopted by a couple who moved to Liverpool. After three years as a civil servant, he decided upon a change of profession and trained as an actor at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts from 1964 to 1967. He subsequently enjoyed a long career on screen, stage and radio, specialising in comedy roles. Perhaps best known to the public for the role of Captain Hans Geering in the initial years of the BBC sitcom 'Allo 'Allo!, he is also well-remembered for the regular roles of Bunny Warren in Porridge, Sam in On the Up opposite Dennis Waterman, and Ted Liversidge in the ITV sitcom Barbara, alongside Gwen Taylor, Madge Hindle and Sherrie Hewson from 1995 to 2003.
His other television credits included roles in The Strauss Family, Crown Court, Now and Then, Bleak House, Jenny's War, We'll Think of Something, Heart of the Country, Bad Boyes, Thin Air, Christabel, Blood Rights, Making Out, Haggard, The Bill, Martin Chuzzlewit, Casualty, Holding On, Oliver Twist, Micawber and Heartbeat.
On film, he featured in Carry on Dick, Carry on Behind, Porridge and Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang amongst others.
He worked extensively with acclaimed director Mike Leigh: on television in Grown-Ups, films including Topsy-Turvy, All or Nothing and Mr Turner, and in theatre in Grief.
His final role was the Wizard in Wicked - The Musical in the West End. He withdrew from the production due to illness in February 2014.
