What connects Onslow and Paul McCartney?

The connection is actor Geoffrey Hughes, who played “Onslow” in Keeping Up Appearances and was the voice of Paul McCartney in the Beatles’ animated film Yellow Submarine.

In fact, Hughes is well loved for a variety of television, film and stage roles. Notable among them are the bin man “Eddie Yates” in Coronation Street, “Twiggy” in The Royle Family, and the conman and rogue businessman “Vernon Scripps” in Heartbeat. Onslow, in Keeping Up Appearances, was never given a surname, which acts as a running joke, particularly for his snobbish sister-in-law, Hyacinth Bucket, who is perpetually embarrassed by his working-class lifestyle.

The 1968 animated musical film Yellow Submarine has been credited with generating wider interest in animation as a serious art form. Inspired by the music of the Beatles, it was directed by George Dunning with art direction by Heinz Edelmann. The Beatles themselves only participated in the final scene of the film. The voices of their animated characters were provided by voice actors, including Geoffrey Hughes.

Yellow Submarine voice cast:
John Clive: John Lennon
Geoffrey Hughes: Paul McCartney
Peter Batten: George Harrison
Paul Angelis: Ringo Starr, George Harrison (additional dialogue), The Chief Blue Meanie
Dick Emery: Max, Lord Mayor, Jeremy Hillary Boob Ph.D.
Lance Percival: “Young / Old” Fred

Film trailer: