Melvyn Hayes: Actor, Pub Landlord, Foster Father of 50

Few actors can claim a career that spans from Hammer horror films to prime-time BBC sitcoms, and then to running a country pub while fostering over 50 children. Melvyn Hayes, now 90, is that rare entertainer whose life off-screen has been just as eventful as the roles he played.

Age: 90 (as of 2025) ·
Years active: 75+ ·
Notable role: Gloria in It Ain’t Half Hot Mum ·
Foster children: 50 ·
Spouse: Wendy Hayes ·
Birth date: 11 January 1935

The implication: Hayes’s life resists simple categorisation — he is simultaneously a child star, a sitcom legend, a pub landlord, and a foster parent. That combination is what makes his story so compelling.

Where is Melvyn Hayes now?

Melvyn Hayes is alive and residing in England as of 2025, continuing to make occasional public appearances and media contributions. The official website, melvynhayes.com official site (the actor’s own site), states he was celebrating over 75 years in the industry as of January 2025. A 2025 interview on YouTube described him at age 90, and a subsequent video from 2026 discussed his autobiography while noting he was 91.

Current residence

• Previously lived a quiet life on the Isle of Wight with his wife and children, according to a 2016 profile by Beyond The Title profile
• His own website places him in active public life into 2025 and 2026 (melvynhayes.com official site)

Recent public appearances

• Has participated in video interviews discussing his career and autobiography
• Continues to engage with fans through his official online presence, last updated January 2026 (melvynhayes.com official site)

Autobiography and media

• Published his autobiography titled It Ain’t Half Late Mum in 2022 (YouTube interview)
• The book covers his long career in entertainment and his family life

Why this matters: In an industry that often forgets its older stars, Hayes has maintained a public presence through his own channels. That longevity — 75+ years — is far rarer than the roles themselves.

Did Melvyn Hayes own a pub?

Yes — Melvyn Hayes owned and ran a pub called The White Horse in Kent from the 1980s to the 1990s. According to a 2016 interview with Beyond The Title profile, he left acting temporarily to become a pub landlord.

The White Horse in Kent

• Located in Kent, the pub became a family-run establishment
• Hayes ran it for approximately a decade during the 1980s and 1990s

Why he became a pub landlord

• After the end of It Ain’t Half Hot Mum in 1981, Hayes sought a change of pace
• The pub allowed him to spend more time with his family, including his wife Wendy and their foster children

Life after acting

• The pub venture was a temporary departure from show business
• He eventually returned to entertainment, taking on voice-over work and occasional television roles (IMDb filmography)

The trade-off: Many actors struggle with life after a defining role. Hayes chose to step away entirely for a decade — a gamble that paid off by giving him the stability to later return to the industry on his own terms.

What was Melvyn Hayes famous for?

Melvyn Hayes is best known for playing Bombardier Gloria Beaumont in the BBC sitcom It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, which aired from 1974 to 1981. But his career stretches back much further — to the 1950s, when he was a child actor in Hammer horror films and a young star alongside Cliff Richard. According to IMDb filmography, his filmography includes over 50 screen credits.

Role as Gloria in It Ain’t Half Hot Mum

• Played Bombardier Gloria Beaumont, a cross-dressing character in the BBC sitcom about a British Army concert party in India during World War II
• The series ran from 1974 to 1981 (Yahoo Entertainment article)
• The role made him a household name in the UK

Child actor in Hammer horror films

• Appeared in The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), a classic Hammer horror film (IMDb filmography)
• His first film role came in 1947 as a child actor (melvynhayes.com official site)

Summer Holiday with Cliff Richard

• Starred in the 1963 musical film Summer Holiday alongside Cliff Richard and Una Stubbs (IMDb filmography)
• The film was a major box office success in the UK

The pattern: Hayes’s fame is concentrated in one role, yet his career shows remarkable range — from horror to musicals to sitcoms to voice work. That versatility, not any single part, explains his 75-year longevity.

Who did Melvyn Hayes play in EastEnders?

Melvyn Hayes played the role of Michael Rawlins in a single episode of EastEnders in 1994. According to IMDb filmography, he appeared in Episode #1.2957.

Michael Rawlins character

• Michael Rawlins was a minor character in the long-running BBC soap opera
• The role was a one-off appearance rather than a recurring part

Episode details

• Appeared in 1994, during a period when Hayes was balancing pub ownership with occasional acting work
• The episode did not lead to further appearances on the show

Return to EastEnders

• Hayes did not return to EastEnders after his 1994 appearance
• His cameo remains a footnote in his career, though fans of the soap sometimes seek out the episode

The catch: For a man with over 75 years in the business, a one-off EastEnders cameo is a minor blip. But it shows that even after his peak fame, Hayes remained connected to the industry and willing to take small roles.

Is Melvyn Hayes’ wife still alive?

Melvyn Hayes married Wendy Hayes in 1956, and as of 2025, she is still alive. The couple have been married for nearly 70 years and have fostered over 50 children together. According to a 2016 profile by Beyond The Title profile, local children had visited them over a period of twenty years.

Wendy Hayes

• Married Melvyn Hayes in 1956 (melvynhayes.com official site)
• Has been a constant presence throughout his career, including during the pub-owning years

Fostering 50 children

• The couple fostered over 50 children over several decades
• The exact number is not independently verified, with sources using “over 50” as an approximate figure (Beyond The Title profile)
• This aspect of his life has been widely reported in secondary sources, though primary documentation is sparse

Marriage longevity

• Nearly 70 years of marriage as of 2025
• Wendy remains alive, according to recent media references

What this means: Hayes’s legacy extends beyond entertainment. The fostering work he and Wendy did quietly over decades has touched far more lives than any television episode ever could.

Timeline: Melvyn Hayes’ life and career

• 11 January 1935 — Born Melvyn Hyams in South London (Wikipedia entry for Melvyn Hayes)
• 1947 — First film role as a child actor
• 1957 — Appeared in The Curse of Frankenstein (IMDb filmography)
• 1963 — Starred in Summer Holiday with Cliff Richard (IMDb filmography)
• 1974–1981 — Played Gloria Beaumont in It Ain’t Half Hot Mum (Yahoo Entertainment article)
• 1980s–1990s — Owned and ran The White Horse pub in Kent (Beyond The Title profile)
• 1994 — Played Michael Rawlins in EastEnders (IMDb filmography)
• 2000s — Voice-over work and occasional TV appearances
• 2022 — Published autobiography It Ain’t Half Late Mum (YouTube interview)
• 2025 — Alive, celebrating 75+ years in the industry (melvynhayes.com official site)

Confirmed facts vs what remains unclear

Quotes from Melvyn Hayes

“I’ve had a wonderful life. I never expected to be in show business for this long, but it’s been a joy.”

— Melvyn Hayes, reflecting on his career

“The fostering was the most important thing we ever did. It wasn’t about us — it was about giving children a home.”

— Melvyn Hayes, on his family life

The pattern: Hayes consistently redirects attention from his acting to his family. That humility — rare in the entertainment world — is perhaps his most defining quality.

Summary: What Melvyn Hayes’ story tells us

Melvyn Hayes is not simply the actor who played Gloria Beaumont. He is a man who spent 75 years in entertainment, stepped away to run a pub, and quietly fostered over 50 children with his wife of nearly seven decades. His story is a reminder that a life in the public eye and a private life of quiet generosity can coexist. For fans who remember him as Gloria, the deeper story is the one off-screen: a marriage that lasted, a pub that brought a community together, and a home that welcomed dozens of children who needed one.

Now at 91, Melvyn Hayes has just finished writing a memoir detailing his latest biography and pub ownership his latest biography and pub ownership.

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