Roy Castle

Diagnoses

Vocation

Family

British entertainer and actor in show business since 1953, mostly television. With a companionable and uncomplicated personality, he had his own show, "The Roy Castle Show" from 1961. He was a singer, dancer, instrumentalist and actor, admired for his sense of fun and his dedication. In 1972 he began the long-running series "Record Breakers" with Norris and Ross McWhirter. He married in 1963; he and his wife had four kids. During 1974, his wife had a severe depression and he himself spent several years drinking heavily. Castle first became ill on 1/19/1992 and was diagnosed with lung cancer on 3/17/1992. After treatment, he was declared in remission by June. He became an active campaigner against the dangers of passive smoke as he had spent years in smoke-filled clubs when he was a trumpet-player. In November 1993 the disease returned and developed rapidly in the following six months. That summer he participated in a Tour of Hope that raised some 12 million pounds for a new cancer center. He died of cancer on 9/02/1994. His autobiography was published posthumously by Robson Books in 1994, "Now and Then, An Autobiography." Link to Wikipedia biography