Coronation Street cameos - Ben Kingsley : Corrieblog

Who'd have thought that Gandhi once trod the famous Weatherfield cobbles!

Sir Ben Kingsley, who won the Academy Award for his portrayal of the Indian spiritual and political leader, had a part in Coronation Street in 1966. He played Ron Jenkins, who chatted up Irma Barlow (the wife of Ken's brother David) while she was out at the cinema with Valerie, Ken's first wife. Irma encouraged his attention, but when Ron stole her compact and refused to give it back until she agreed to a date, the only way she could get rid of him was to introduce him to her husband and face the consequences.

Since his brief appearance on the Street, Ben Kingsley has appeared in numerous television and film roles. His role in Gandhi made him a household name, but he has also appeared in Schindler's List, kids' film Thunderbirds, and one of my all-time favourite films, Sexy Beast. His role as foul-mouthed psychotic gangland boss Don Logan earned him another Oscar nomination and numerous other awards.