Fred Feast
Fred Feast
Played: Fred Gee (1975 - August 1984)
Fred Feast was born in Scarborough, North Riding, Yorkshire on 5 October 1929. After leaving school he served as a sergeant in the RAF Parachute Regiment, and despite his screen persona he was at one time a physical training instructor for the Parachute Regiment and a keep-fit fanatic. After leaving the forces he auditioned at the Windmill Theatre as a stand up comic and learned his trade there alongside Bruce Forsythe and many successful summer seasons and pantomimes followed. Fred worked as a master of ceremonies in a wrestling hall before pursuing many other professions. He has been a dolphin trainer, a driving instructor, a pork butcher, carpet salesman and owned his own fishing trawler. Fred has also owner his own nightclub and has been a publican of two public houses; The Royal Oak in Filey and The Steam Engine in Manchester.
Fred appeared in the Alan Ladd film The Red Beret. In 1970, Fred made his debut on Coronation Street as a bread delivery man. He went on to appear in the drama's Family At War, Nearest and Dearest and Soldier and Me.
In 1974, Fred played Jeff Mallock in the film version of All Creatures Great and Small, appeared in the film Soldier and Me and made a guest appearance in Emmerdale Farm as a cricketer called Martin. He played alongside actress Anne Kirkbride in the Play For Today production Another Sunday and Sweet FA, written by Jack Rossenthal and Colin Welland.
In 1975 Fred joined Coronation Street again as Fred Gee and remained with the series until August 1984 when he left Granada under something of a cloud, publishing his story in the press, complaining of overwork which forced him to quit due to ill health. Producer Bill Podmore described Fred as 'earthy', and Fred Gee as being a toned-down screen version of Fred Feast.
In the mid 1990's Fred discovered at Leeds Royal Infirmary that he has cancer and had to have an operation to remove a tumour in his throat. He was then treated with radiotherapy to eliminate the illness.
Fred had made several guest appearances on GMTV, Sunday Sunday, Vanessa, 321 and Who's Baby and appeared in various pantomimes. He has more recently appeared in the Bobby Davro pilot You Can't Be Serious. His last role was as pigeon-fancying Arthur in the 1999 hit British film Little Voice, which was set in his native Scarborough, where he continued to live, constantly battling with his health. He died in a Bridlington hospital in June 1999.
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