Born in Scarborough in 1929 and educated there at the Graham School Fred served with the RAF for six years as a parachute and physical training instructor which led him to being asked to be an adviser on the British World War !! film, 'The Red Beret' in 1953. Working closely with the actors in the film kindled his interest in show business. He started as a stand up comic between the nudes at London's Windmill Theatre, often sharing the bill with an up and coming comedian, Bruce Forsyth. While work was regular in Summer seasons and pantomimes with some cabaret work here and there the in between times were tough causing him to take what work he could which included butcher's assistant, driving instructor,barman and carpet salesman. He appeared briefly in Corrie in 1972 then became a regular from 1976 to 1984 as Fred Gee the Rovers barman(1976 - 1984) but had problems remembering his lines so had them written down and hidden in a sports paper, which he was very often was seen with. He quit without notice or reason causing the script writers to do hasty rewrites. He carried his character's work over into real life, although on a higher scale by sharing in the tenancy of the Steam Engine pub in the middle of Manchester. All his screen work was for television with the exception of a cameo in the film version of 'All Creatures Great and Small (which is incorrectly listed in his credits as TV) and Little Voice, which was filmed on his doorstep in Scarborough. which was where he had a shop - Midas Mail Order Surplus. In 1985 diagnosed with throat cancer. He died in June 1999 and was survived by his wife Kathleen, who he married in 1955, and their three daughters.