Frank Pemberton (14 September 1914 – 26 March 1971) was an English stage and television actor, who after appearing in numerous series and telemovies, got his big break when he became best known as an original cast member of TV series Coronation Street as patriarch Frank Barlow.

Frank Pemberton
Born(1914-09-14)14 September 1914
Died26 March 1971(1971-03-26) (aged 56)
Copthorne, Sussex, England
NationalityEnglish
OccupationActor
Years active1939–1971
Known forRole of Frank Barlow in Coronation Street (1960–1964, 1967, 1971)

Biography

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Pemberton was born in Stretford, Lancashire, England on 14 September 1914. He initially studied engineering at the Birmingham Technical College and afterwards joined his father's business as a sales rep. Amateur dramatics in his then home town of Marston Green[1] led him into the theatre and a season with the Southampton Repertory Company. At the outbreak of war, Pemberton was directed into an engineering position, in his spare time teaming up with Mervyn R Pinfield and others to stage plays for the forces. He was later posted to the Royal Navy where he managed to find time to tour most of the Scottish bases with a Naval theatre company.[2]

Demobilisation was followed by the next step to a professional acting career with the formation in 1946 of the performance company “The Star Players”,[3] in partnership with Ernest Pickering and Mervyn R Pinfield (as general manager). Having played a six-week season at Birkenhead YMCA[4] the move was made to Falkirk to join the Falkirk Repertory Company in an arrangement with Aurora Productions Limited. The end of October saw Aurora Production's last performance in Falkirk and a move to The Little Theatre, Great Yarmouth, with Mervyn R Pinfield again general manager. In April 1948 both he and Mervyn R Pinfield left Aurora Productions to join the Morecambe Repertory Theatre Ltd, at the Royalty Theatre.[5] By 1949, he was touring with the Lawrence Williamson Players,[6] and after that joined the Charles Denville Repertory Players on Guernsey.[7]

By April 1957, Pemberton was working on TV with the BBC[8] and ITV.[9] By 1960 he had made more than 100 TV performances and had made the step to Coronation Street as Frank Barlow.[10]

Following his departure from Coronation Street in May 1964, he and other ex-members of the cast joined John Finch and Vince Powell's production of the farce “Firm Foundations”[11] at the Royal Court, Liverpool.

Illness and death

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Pemberton suffered a stroke on 24 February 1965[12] from which he recovered but which severely compromised his acting career. He died prematurely aged 56, in Copthorne, West Sussex of a fatal stroke on 26 March 1971, approximately six weeks after his last appearance as Frank Barlow.

Filmography (selected)

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Title Year Role
Barbados Quest 1955 Parking Garage Attendant
The Adventures of Annabel (TV series) 1955
A Yank in Ermine 1955 Member of Beveleau Household
Quiet Revolution (TV movie) 1956 Member in Crowd
The Count of Monte Carlo (TV series) 1956 The Woodcutter
The Condemned (TV movie) 1956
Tearaway (TV movie) 1956 Prisoner
The Hands (TV movie) 1957 Barman
Nathanial Titlark (TV series) 1957 Villager/Member of the Public
The Honourable Member 1957 Tibbetts
Shadow Squad (TV series) 1957 Larry Hoyle
A Time of Day (TV series) 1957 Sgt. Williams
Hotel Imperial (TV series) 1958
BBC Sunday Night Theatre 1956-1958 Various roles
Champion Road (TV series) 1958 Mr. Heskeith
Starr and Company (TV series) 1958 Harry Watson/Mr. Barker
The Chinese Dagger (TV series) 1958 Police Sergeant
Life with the Lyons (TV series) 1958
The Scarf (TV miniseries) 1959 PC. Shaw
Body Found (TV movie) 1959 Landlord of Pub
This Desirable Residence (TV movie) 1959 Jim
Emergency-Ward 10 (TV series)
In the Wake of a Stranger 1959 Landlord
Armchair Theatre (TV series) 1959 2nd creditor
Hancock's Half Hour (TV series) 1956-1959 Baron. Gregoffski
No Hiding Place (TV series) 1959 1st Customer
Suspense (TV series) 1960 Police Sergeant
ITV Television Playhouse (TV series) 1960 Various roles
Scotland Yard (TV series) 1960 Night Security Guard
Arthur's Treasured Volumes (TV series) 1960 Mr. Brown
The Herries Chronicle (TV series) 1960 First. Man in Inn
Boyd Q.C. (TV series) 1958-1960 Court Usher
On Trial (TV series) 1960 Foreman of the Jury
Tales from Dickens (TV series) 1960 2nd Creditor
BBC Sunday Night Play (TV series) 1960 Customer
Coronation Street: First Dry Run (TV movie) 1960 Frank Barlow
Theatre 625 1964 Carter

Principal role

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Title Year Role
Coronation Street 1960 -1971 Frank Barlow

References

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  1. ^ “Marston Green Amateur Players”, Coventry Standard, 22/04/1939, Page 7, BNA
  2. ^ "They're News This Week", Introduction Which Settled Career, The Morecambe Guardian, 8/05/1948, Page 3, BNA
  3. ^ “Theatrical Employer’s Registration Act”, Star Players, The Stage, 21/01/1946, BNA
  4. ^ “Theatres”, Birkenhead YMCA, The Liverpool Echo, 11/06/1946, Page 2, BNA
  5. ^ “Royalty Reps Latest Stars”, Morecambe Guardian, 24/04/1948, Page 5, BNA
  6. ^ Lawrence Williamson Players, Grand Theatre, Halifax Daily Courier, 30/07/1949, BNA
  7. ^ Guernsey, Charles Denville Company of Repertory Players, The Stage, 1/05/1952, Page 12, BNA
  8. ^ “A 24 year old Australian”, The Hands BBC, The Stage, 4/04/1957, Page 5, BNA
  9. ^ “In Murder Bag”, Daily Mirror, 30/12/1957, Page 12, BNA
  10. ^ “Enter Frank in a Hurry”, Liverpool Echo,10/12/1960, Page 2, BNA
  11. ^ “TV Stars from that Street”, Liverpool Echo, 4/09/1964, Page 4, BNA
  12. ^ “Actor Ill”, Birmingham Post, 25/02/1965, Page 1, BNA
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