Ozzie Yue

Austin J. "Ozzie" Yue (born 12 August 1947) is a British actor of Chinese heritage, guitarist and singer. He is most noted for his roles in television programmes such as Father Ted, All Quiet on the Preston Front and Coronation Street as well as for roles in films such as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Syriana and Nuns on the Run. In the 1960s Yue was guitarist with Merseybeat group the Hideaways and later for the 1970s group Supercharge; today he has his own band, "Yue Who", and in 2008 starred in the title role in Kensuke's Kingdom, a theatre production which has toured the UK.

Ozzie Yue
Born
Austin J. Yue

(1947-08-12) 12 August 1947
Liverpool, England

Early life and education

Yue was born in Liverpool, Lancashire. His father, Jack, was well known in Liverpool as a restaurateur, court translator and point of contact between Liverpool's Chinese and English communities.[1] Ozzie went to junior schools in the Wirral and Skerry's School in Rodney Street, Liverpool. He then attended the Liverpool Institute High School for Boys as a contemporary of Paul McCartney and George Harrison, although junior to them. Yue has admitted that he did "flick pieces of paper" at McCartney during art classes.[1]

Musical career

After a spell as an apprentice electrician, Yue joined the Hideaways as guitarist during the Merseybeat era; he played at the Cavern Club more often than the Beatles.[1] In the 1970s, he joined funk, soul & RnB group Supercharge, which achieved some reputation and local success, but failed to make an impression on the UK charts. They did however have a number 1 single in Australia in 1976. In the late 1970s he played with Liverpool band "Joker".[2] Today Yue has his own RnB group playing locally, "Yue Who".[3]

Acting career

In his teens, Yue appeared in productions such as The King and I and South Pacific at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool. However, acting took a back seat during his musical career until the 1980s, when he began to be cast in British film and television, usually in stereotypical Chinese roles such as waiters and minor villains. He was initially offered work by Granada TV as an extra, and of this he says,

I was one of very few oriental-looking actors at that time. A London agent saw my photograph in casting and said 'you don't do any more extras work from now on'.[4]

From the early 1990s onwards, Yue has appeared in numerous productions and in 2006 branched out into theatre, starring in Kensuke's Kingdom across the country and finally at London's Bloomsbury Theatre. In March/April 2015 he returned to the Liverpool stage playing the roles of Snug and Mustardseed in the Everyman Theatre production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.[5]

In 2013, he played "Taxi Driver" in the BBC comedy-drama Being Eileen.[6]

Selected appearances

Television

Film
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References
  1. Jonathan Sale (11 January 2007). "Passed/Failed: An education in the life of Ozzie Yue, actor and musician". The Independent. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
  2. "Chittick, Phil". Merseybeat. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  3. "REVIEW: 'Tommy - The Musical Live' at Floral Pavilion, New Brighton". Wirral Globe. 20 August 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  4. "Pop castaway". The Northern Echo. 15 June 2006.
  5. "A Midsummer Night's Dream | Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse theatres".
  6. Michael Wynne (writer) (11 February 2013). "Homeless (11 February 2013)". Being Eileen. BBC. BBC One.
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