RIP George Armstrong

[80sChav]

George who famously was one of the very first year-group of Grange Hill back in 1978 along with Terry Sue Pat as Benny Green has sadly joined Benny amongst many famous Grange Hill Almini in the sky

George passed away Tuesday just gone from leukaemia.

Here is a photo from his youth and a more recent-er pic of him


Rip George Armstrong - hope you and Terry Sue Pat recollect the fun times in Heaven

[darren]

Very sad news a character i remember well..
R i p george.

Another one bites the dust.

[George 1978]

George Armstrong was a gentle giant on screen, and I suppose that in many ways Alan was the direct forerunner for characters such as Pogo and Roland.

There are two things I would associate with his character:

1) Alan's family (probably) being regulars at the Deed Poll place: in other words, he had quite a few changes of surname during his five year stint at GH - in episode one, he was called "Alan Turner", presumably due to his placing in the class register (I don't think that the name was changed due to the Emmerdale Farm character played by the late Richard Thorp as he didn't arrive in that soap until 1982). Later on, he became "Hargreaves" and then "Humphries" by 1981 - there was a Headteacher called Humphries and a Deputy Head called Hargreaves, but that was probably coincidental.

2) Series 4 episode 11 in 1981 - most of the plot involves: A) lightbulbs going missing; B) Caretaker Thompson's Frank Spencer-alike assistant Norman who was just that episode (thankfully); C) Cathy Hargreaves (presumably her surname was the reason why Alan eventually became "Humphries") almost turning the episode into a musical premise by singing: "The Black-Black Widow" or whatever it was called - making Lindy, Brill by name and Brill by nature - a gorgeous performance. And also...

D) George Armstrong's character's true legacy and most memorable scene: Alan smoking in his desk at break - his Form Tutor Stuart Hopwood catches him doing it, and gives him a clip around the head: "You stupid idiot - it's bad enough trying to kill yourself without smoking in here, causing a fire risk and possibly killing other people?" "Does your Dad knows you smoke?" (Alan shrugs his shoulders). "Well, he will by tonight - I'll be paying him a visit". "Go on, get out - and take that with you".

Brian Capron should have been the face of anti-smoking PIFs in 1981 in order to encourage young people to not start the disgusting habit in the first place, and making Armstrong's character an example of. I wonder whether he has paid tribute to Armstrong?

Although he played a supporting role to stars like Carty, he did make his mark in the five years he was in the series. A sad day.