Corrie Originals: - Ivan Beavis as Harry Hewitt

First appeared: 14th December 1960

Last appeared: 6th September 1967

Ivan Beavis played the role of bus driver Harry Hewitt between 1960 and 1964 and then in guest appearances in 1965 and 1967.

Born in Liverpool in 1926, Beavis joined the Fleet Air Army when he was a teenager before becoming an audit clerk, an accountant and company secretary. He later joined amateur dramatics before making his TV debut as 35 year old Harry Hewitt in new drama serial Coronation Street in 1960.

Debuting in the second episode, Harry was a regular character for nearly four years. His storylines included rebuilding his relationship with daughter Lucille; courting and marrying Irish barmaid Concepta Riley in 1961; fathering son Christopher; Christopher kidnapped by an unstable Joan Akers; and storylines involving his job in the bus depot. In 1964, new producer Tim Aspinall decided to get rid of some deadwood from the show and Harry, Concepta and Lucille were on the list. Lucille was salvaged as ITV bosses believed that a street without children would be unreal. Harry, Concepta and Christopher moved to Ireland while Lucille stayed put on the cobbles, taken in by Jack and Annie Walker at the Rovers. Harry visited Lucille in 1965 and appeared in two episodes.

Harry Hewitt became a burden for Beavis. He suffered from being typecast and in 1967 asked Coronation Street to kill off the character. And that they did. While visiting Weatherfield for Elsie Tanner’s wedding to Steve that year, Harry was crushed to death when the jack under his van slipped. Overall, Beavis appeared in 311 episodes. He could finally put Harry to rest. Despite killing off Harry, Beavis failed to secure big acting roles. He had roles in Dixon of Dock Green (1971), Public Eye (1971-1973), The Liver Birds (1971-1974), Crown Court (1974), Bless this House (1972-1974), The Sweeney (1975), Z Cars (1967-1978), Juliet Bravo (1982), All Creatures Great and Small (1988) and Casualty (1990). He made his final TV appearances in police drama The Bill in different roles in 1990 and 1991. He appeared as himself on Happy Birthday Coronation Street! in 1990, a programme celebrating the show's pearl anniversary.

Beavis married Kathleen Atkins in 1956 but they later separated. They had two children called Hilary and Michael. Bevis died in Northampton in the East Midlands on Christmas Eve 1997 aged 71.

Did you ever see or meet Ivan Beavis? Do you have any pieces of trivia about him?

Research from Corriepedia, Corrie Net and IMDB.

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