Neville Buswell
Neville Buswell
Contact: c/o Granada Television
Played: Ray Langton (21 February 1966 - 15 November 1978)
Neville Buswell was born and brought up in Buxton, Derbyshire, the son of publicans. At school he fell in love with the theatre and performed in school plays. At the age of 18 he left school with 3 A levels and enrolled at RADA.
After graduation he began working at the Bristol Old Vic before taking a role in Love Story and Emergency Ward 10. He was noticed by Granada Television's casting department and was asked to audition for the role of ex-borstal boy Ray Langton in Coronation Street.
In February 1966 he made he debut in the Street and soon became a firm favourite with fans and producers. In 1978 Neville shocked everyone when he announced that he didn't want to renew his contract. The character, a new father of Tracy, had a mixed race affair with waitress Janice Stubbs and his marriage to Deirdre fell apart. The couple planned to move to Holland together but she had second thoughts and stayed behind.
In real life, Neville and his wife Susan had decided to make a new start in America, where Sue's brother had settled with his US wife. The couple sold their Manchester home and made the fresh start they wanted. He had hoped to work as an actor but found getting work difficult. He took a job in the Caesar's Palace casino and by 1989 he was a trained croupier of roulette, black jack and poker. During this time, Neville lost contact with Granada who held hundreds of pounds worth of residual payments for him.
In 1994 he was tracked down by the Sunday People newspaper who revealed that he had given up the casino job and had become a bank manager. He had left the casino and joined the banking system as a clerk at the Pri Merit Federal Savings Bank. In 1997, Granada made a movie with Liz Dawn and Bill Tarmey in Viva Las Vagas ! and Neville was delighted to take a role as Ray, now working as a barman, a gay barman at that ! The return delighted many Street fans.
Neville and his wife Susan live in a small bungalow, he drives a Toyota Celica sports car. His elderly mother Angela still lives in the Derbyshire Peak District.
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Actors index |
Profiles index |
|