Neville (real name John David Howell) was the youngest of four children whose father was a doctor. He was educated at Eagle House prep school and Radley College. He started training to be a doctor at St Thomas' Hospital but gave it up to go to RADA after which he worked in repertory companies at Bradford, Hull, Richmond and London's Royal Court. He retired from the stage in 1975 and was employed by BMW to visit their many branches as a 'mystery shopper'. When the project was finished he became a salesman at their Park Lane, London showroom.