Mike Reid (actor)
| Mike Reid | |
|---|---|
Reid as Frank Butcher in EastEnders
|
|
| Birth name | Michael Reid |
| Born |
19 January 1940 London, England, UK |
| Died | 29 July 2007 (aged 67) Marbella, Province of Málaga, Andalusia, Spain |
| Medium | Stand-up, television, film |
| Nationality | British |
| Years active | 1962–2007 |
| Spouse |
Sheila Reid (m. 1958; div. 1967) Shirley Collins (m. 1971–2007) |
| Children | 3 |
| Notable works and roles | See below |
Michael "Mike" Reid (19 January 1940 – 29 July 2007) was an English comedian, actor, author and occasional television presenter from London, who is best remembered for playing the role of Frank Butcher in EastEnders and hosting the popular children's TV show Runaround. He was noted for his gravelly voice and strong Cockney accent.
Michael Reid was born in 1940, the son of Ellen Louvian (née Ives) and Sidney Reid, during World War II, and the Blitz bombings of Central London caused him and his family to move to Tottenham, North London, where he attended Rowland Hill School.
In 1958, he married his first wife; they had a daughter, Jane Hall. They divorced in 1967, after which he married his longtime live-in partner Shirley (née Allder) in 1971; they had two sons, Michael and Mark Edward. Reid moved to a villa in Marbella, Spain so he could live close to a golf course which would enable him to pursue his passion of playing golf three to four times each week.
Reid was known to be opposed to plans to introduce blasphemy laws, for the effect this would have on satire, comedy and free speech.
Reid was good friends with fellow actor and stand up comedian Freddie Starr; together they introduced their sometime-bodyguard, the bareknuckle fighter Lenny McLean, to acting. McLean went on to star in .
Reid's first work in entertainment was as a stand-up comedian in clubs and aboard cruise liners in the early 1960s. He then became an extra playing uncredited roles in television series such as Doctor Who (in the story The War Machines), The Saint and Department S. He was fired from working as Roger Moore's underwater stunt double in The Saint after drawing attention to Moore's thinning hair. He also worked as a stuntman for films such as Casino Royale (1967) and The Dirty Dozen (1967).
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