Geoff Mellor, one of Bradford's best-known showbiz writers, has died at the age of 79.

Mr Mellor collapsed and died on his way to write a theatre review.

He was one of the region's most respected theatre and film writers, contributing articles to the Telegraph & Argus and the national theatrical magazine The Stage as well as having several books published.

Mr Mellor, of Langbar Avenue, Heaton, Bradford, had been on his way to the City Varieties in Leeds on Friday to review The Good Old Days.

He collapsed in Lands Lane and was taken to Leeds General Infirmary where he died. A post-mortem examination was expected to be carried out today

Mr Mellor began writing about the entertainment scene in 1961 and was particularly regarded as an expert in variety and music hall.

His books included Pom-Poms and Ruffles about northern seaside entertainment, which was published in 1966 and featured a contribution by JB Priestley.

He also published Northern Music Hall in 1970, which became a standard work; Picture Pioneers (1971), which celebrated 75 years of cinema in the north; Theatres of Bradford (1978); Cinemas of Bradford (1983), and They Made Us Laugh (1982), a book about comedians. His last book was Movie Makers and Picture Palaces, published by Bradford Libraries in 1996 to commemorate the centenary of cinema in Yorkshire.

Telegraph & Argus columnist Mike Priestley, who was features editor in the 1970s and early 1980s, remembers Mr Mellor as a conscientious and erudite contributor to the newspaper.

"He had a tremendous fund of knowledge of the world of theatre and early cinema. He was always reliable and unfailingly courteous - a modest and gentle man who never let his incapacitating stutter deter him from interviewing people in the course of his meticulous research."

John Martin, former publicity officer for the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford, said: "He always used to do our pantomime reviews for The Stage until a few years ago. He was a really nice man. He was someone you could always put people in contact with if they wanted helping out. He had a brilliant memory for music hall."

Peter Hepple, consultant editor and former editor of The Stage, said: "As far as I'm concerned, Geoff Mellor was the unrivalled expert on variety and music hall, particularly in the North of England.

"His book Northern Music Hall is indispensable reading for all those interested in the subject and he recently published a book that detailed all those long vanished cinemas in Yorkshire, their managements, architecture and what happened to them."

Mr Mellor is not believed to have had any immediate family living in the Bradford area.

Efforts are being made to trace relatives before funeral arrangements are finalised.

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