List of Heartbeat Characters - "Lovable Rogue" Lineage

"Lovable Rogue" Lineage

• Bill Maynard as Claude Jeremiah Greengrass (1992–2000). Dishevelled and curmudgeonly yet lovable old rogue, always getting into scrapes. He apparently had some sort of farm or smallholding, but seemed to spend little time working this, preferring instead to poach game from Lord Ashfordly's estate and engage in dubious dealings with local low-life. In Episode 3.30 "Bringing It All Back Home", Greengrass is investigated by the Inland Revenue, and it is revealed that in the 1950s he had sold a piece of his land to the Ministry of Defence for £25,000 which explains his financial security, although he hadn't paid any Income Tax for at least the previous 12 years! He was usually to be seen accompanied by his faithful dog Alfred, a lurcher. Although he often had troubles with the police, he did come to have a (slightly grudging) respect for Nick Rowan (or "Ronan" as he habitually mispronounced it), who would often warn him in advance to keep a low profile if there was any kind of trouble brewing. His reputation as a borderline criminal appeared to be common knowledge among the villagers and police but nobody in particular showed any real dislike towards him. Sergeant Blaketon was the one exception as he utterly despised Greengrass and went to great pains to permanently put a stop to the latter's activities. At first, Greengrass was used as a comic relief character, but after some time Greengrass became a central character with his own intrigues and schemes. Claude had a brother called Cyril Isaiah Greengrass, played by Stratford Johns, who appeared a couple of times, and a sister, Isabelle Christie, widow of a West Indian cricketer Vivian Christie. Bill Maynard reluctantly left the series due to poor health, with the producers unwilling to take the risk of insuring him to be on set. The producers offered to have a departing episode written for him, but he declined and so the character's exit (to join his sister on a cruise in the Caribbean) was explained without his appearing. Maynard went on to reprise his popular role of Greengrass in the first series of The Royal. While Heartbeat is well known for quickly forgetting characters who have departed, Greengrass is unusual in continuing to be mentioned by his former sidekick David Stockwell in subsequent series, as both Vernon Scripps and Peggy Armstrong have tried to use Greengrass's old tricks in their schemes.

• Geoffrey Hughes as Vernon Scripps (2001–2005; 2007). Small-time businessman and entrepreneur, and half brother to Bernie Scripps (though the two are entirely dissimilar in both appearance and nature). A rotund, colourful, larger-than-life character, he replaced Claude Greengrass as the author of the hare-brained schemes which drive the show's various sub-plots. Vernon, who owned a small share in Bernie's garage business, arrived in Aidensfield having not seen his half-brother for 15 years. He moved in with David Stockwell as a lodger in Greengrass's house (which he later bought). After numerous failed business schemes, he landed a windfall by discovering very valuable modern art and seemed set for life. But he became a Lloyd's "name" and agreed to insure an oil tanker (the real-life Torrey Canyon), which was lost at sea, and so lost all the money he had gained. He was devastated, but it didn't take long before he began with his get-rich-quick schemes again. Vernon finally left the series in dramatic style—faking his own suicide to escape the taxman (though the taxman himself was in fact a con artist). In Series 16 he made a brief reappearance in Aidensfield, hoping to claim an inheritance from the estate of his recently deceased sister. It was revealed that he had established a new life running a beach bar in Spain, and wanted David to return with him. Aunt Peggy (see below) eventually persuaded David to stay. Vernon also has a half-sister called George (Georgina), who appeared in episode 12.10 ("Horses for Courses"); Bernie, Vernon and George all share the same father.

• Gwen Taylor as Peggy Armstrong (2005–2010). David Stockwell's aunt (known as "Aunt Peggy"). Indomitable old battleaxe, created in the Claude Greengrass / Vernon Scripps tradition to dream up colourful wheezes and bully David Stockwell. She arrived in Aidensfield out of the blue and promptly proceeded to impose herself on David, moving in with him and ordering him about. Like Greengrass before her, she is often to be found poaching game from Lord Ashfordly's estate, but somehow always manages to avoid prosecution.