Tony Selby - A Pimlico Boy

Published 1st September 2024

Tony Selby was a much loved and popular character actor who was born in Pimlico ,London in 1938, the son of a firebrand, militant cab driver and a hardworking benevolent mother.The story starts as Britain was rebuilding in the immediate years after the Second World War. Encouraged by both of his parents he attended the Italia Conti Stage School where he had been accepted as a part time pupil and where his burgeoning talents were quickly recognised and developed. By the age of twelve he made his professional stage debut in a production of Peter Pan sharing the stage with the theatrical and film star Stanley Holloway. In the early fifties he made his debut in the first pioneering childrens television shows on the BBC , where he gained valuable knowledge of television acting techniques and production methods.

By the time the early sixties arrived Tony Selby was in much demand to work with the new radical  directors and producers, on the stage with Joan Littlewood and on television collaborations with Ken Loach and Tony Garnett in the BBC Wednesday Play Productions. His role as a condemned prisoner in Three Clear Sundays brought national recognition. It was this film that would have great influence on the vote for the abolition of capital punishment. Similarly the film Up the Junction which highlighted the issue of abortion  was to have a profound and lasting social impact. His reputation for developing challenging roles and controversial issues led to an invitation to join the English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre. His first production there , an Edward Bond play called Saved  was soon banned by the censors because of its content. Such was the furore from actors, writers, producers and critics alike against the restrictive Stage Act, it was allowed to continue and eventually helped to bring an end to theatre censorship.

Tony Selby formed many friendships, both professionally and socially with some of the actors who were to become huge stars. He worked and played with many of the young actors from RADA and LAMDA , Peter O’Toole, Albert Finney and Ronald Fraser among many. His friendships with O’Toole and Finney were particularly close and at times wild and raucous, his experiences with them are written with warmth, candour and humour..

In the 1970s Tony Selby’s television and film career began to soar. For the big screen he co-starred in productions with David Niven, Vincent Price and then with Richard Burton who introduced him to Elizabeth Taylor. The television series Get Some In was especially written for him by the great writing duo of Bob Larry and John Esmonde .
as a result he became one of the main stars of television in that era.

Perhaps one role brought him to the attention of a younger generation  was that of Sabalom Glitz, the inter-galactic space spiv and villain in the Dr. Who series. The Whovians took his character to their hearts and for years after he was in much demand to appear at Dr. Who conventions and re-unions. 

Tony Selby was a prodigious talent, as well as his many theatre , radio and filmed work, he was also an accomplished musical performer, appearing in a number of high profile musical theatre productions in the West End and the National Theatre.

He was also a family man and was married twice. Both of his marriages were full of incident, some funny , some profound and some melancholy but all fascinating.

This is the story of the actor Tony Selby- Pimlico Boy.

About the author

Alan Rowlands was born in Barton-on-Irwell, Manchester. He has been a contributor to numerous football magazines and radio broadcasts, and has worked with the Footballers’ Football Channel.

He is the author of the acclaimed book Trautmann – The Biography, the story of which was made into the film The Keeper. He has appeared in the documentary Hello Fritz, Fancy a Cup of Tea?, and has also worked with ESPN.

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192 Pages

ISBN - 9781780916477

Ebook - 9781781563588 (Available on Amazon)