Alan Rothwell

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Alan Rothwell
Born (1937-02-09) 9 February 1937 (age 88)
Oldham, Lancashire, England
Notable workDavid Barlow in Coronation Street
Nicholas Black in Brookside
Spouse(s)Marjorie Ward (divorced)
Mollie Shanti (divorced)
Children2

Alan Rothwell (born 9 February 1937) is an English actor and television presenter. He played David Barlow in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street as a regular from 1960 to 1961, and again from 1963 to 1968, and Nicholas Black in Brookside between 1985 and 1986. His other acting credits include playing Mike in Top Secret (1961–1962), a recurring role in Heartbeat (1994–1995), and various roles in Doctors (2004–2016). He also presented the children's television series Picture Box and Hickory House .

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Career

Rothwell was born in Oldham, Lancashire. He first came to fame playing the character Jimmy Grange in The Archers, then David Barlow in the then new ITV soap opera Coronation Street as a regular from December 1960 until June 1961, then appeared for two episodes in June 1963, before returning as a regular from December 1964 to April 1968. The character was killed off off-screen two years later. He also featured as a regular character in all 26 episodes of the 1961–1962 British spy series Top Secret in the role of "Mike". He was a guest star in Gideon's Way 1964 as a young man wrongly accused of killing his girlfriend played by Carol White. He also had roles in the rediscovered 1960 film Linda , also starring Carol White, and the 1971 film Zeppelin , starring Michael York and Elke Sommer.

Rothwell then became known as a presenter to a generation of children, appearing on the children's television programmes Picture Box from 1969 to 1989 and Hickory House from 1973 to 1978.

Rothwell returned to soap operas in 1985, this time as the heroin addict Nicholas Black in Brookside . In 2002, he appeared in the television drama film Shipman . He also played Gerry Stringer in all six episodes of Dead Man Weds in 2005. Among his many other television credits are parts in Casualty , Emmerdale , Heartbeat , Doctors , Shameless and Bedlam , A Song For Jenny, (BBC 2015), Rovers, (Jellylegs, 2016). In 2004, Rothwell guest-starred in the Doctor Who audio adventure The Twilight Kingdom .

In 2015, Rothwell appeared as a villager in the BBC TV series The Musketeers episode 2.5 "The Return".

In 2018, Rothwell appeared as Douglas in 20th Century-Fox's British comedy, Walk Like A Panther , released in cinemas 9 March.

Filmography

TitleYearCharacter
The Appleyards (TV series)1957Leslie Holmes
The Claverdon Road Job (TV movie)1957Ernest Armitage
Behold, the King (TV movie)1957Boy Shepherd
Knight Errant Limited1960Arcade attendent
BBC Sunday Night Theatre1960Harry Hardcastle
Probation Officer (TV series)1969Ken Austin
Linda1961Phil
Two Living One Dead1961Karlson
Citizen James (TV series)1961Ron
Oliver Twist (TV miniseries(1962Charlie Bares
Top Secret (TV series)1961-1962Mike (26 episodes)
Z Cars (TV series)1963Eddie Cross
Maupassant (TV series)1963Cesar
Friday Night (TV series)1963Cuncliffe Jr.
Sergeant Cork (TV series)1964Mr. Carney
Nothing But the Best1964Young Man
The Villians (TV series)1964Eddie Machin
First Night (TV series)1964Ted
No Hiding Place ((TV series)1964Terry Baker
Gideon's Way (TV series)1964Bill Rose
ITV Play of the Week (TV series)1961-1965David Sheil - David Lonsdale
[Coronation Street (TV series)David Barlow1960-1968 (249 episodes)
Crime Buster (TV series)1968Quin
Parkin's Patch (TV series)1969Jack Kenny
Zeppelin1971Brander
Ollie's Comedy Six (TV series)1975Barrie Fosset


References