The very beautiful Richard Beckinsale, star of two of the greatest sitcoms ever made, Porridge and Rising Damp, had his first television role on Coronation Street, way back in 1969.
Beckinsale played the part of PC Wilcox, who had to arrest Ena Sharples (brave man!) during a sit-in she had organised against plans to demolish the pensioners' club room to make way for a car park. At the time he had fashionably long hair, which he wore in a hair net under his policeman's helmet. Ena Sharples was, of course, famous for her ever-present hair net, but I doubt she'd have approved of an officer of the law wearing one!
The tiny role in Corrie led to greater things for Beckinsale.
Jack Rosenthal cast him in The Lovers, opposite Paula Wilcox, who herself appeared in Corrie as Ray Langton's sister Janice. He played Geoffrey Scrimshaw, who was always referred to by his girlfriend Beryl, played by Wilcox, as "Geoffrey Bubbles Bonbon."
This character set the tone for Beckinsale's more famous roles as Alan in Rising Damp, and Lenny Godber in Porridge - affable, gentle and with a sweet vulnerability.
His two daughters, Samantha and Kate, are both actresses. Samantha appeared in Coronation Street in 1996, playing Raquel Watts' friend Lorraine Mason, and has done a lot of television work. Kate is more famous for big-screen roles including Pearl Harbour and Underworld.
Richard Beckinsale died of a heart attack in 1979 at the tragically young age of 31. His co-star in Porridge, Ronnie Barker, said, "He was so loved. He hadn't done much but he was so loved that there was a universal sort of grief that went on."
More of Corrie's forgotten characters
(thanks to Ben for finding the arresting image!)
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