Ken Morley
Ken Morley
Contact: c/o ICM
Played: Reg Holdsworth (25 October 1989 - 27 October 1995)
Kenneth William Morley was born in Chorley Hospital, Lancashire on 17th January 1943 at 6am . He was the only child born to engineer Frank Morley and his wife Phylliss. Ken weighed 7lb 3oz at birth. He was educated at St. Peters Church of England School and Elementary School until the age of 12 and then went to Ashworth College until he was fifteen. He left school with no qualifications. His best friend at school was Peter Smith. Ken trained as an apprentice mechanic then in September 1963 he enrolled at Alston Hall College where he gained 6 O levels and 2 A levels. In 1966 he moved to London and became a teacher at a primary school in Holloway Road. He then became a supply teacher in Lancashire mainly teaching History and English. Later in his teaching career, Ken was a teacher at Smithills High School in Bolton, Craigmount School in Edinburgh and Archbishop Tennison School in London. Ken's father Frank died on 1 April 1970.
Ken made his television debut in Crown Court in 1972 and his stage debut in Romeo and Juliet in Sheffield. The following two years were spent at the Oxford Playhouse and with the Half Moon Theatre Company. In 1974 he enrolled at Manchester University reading English and Drama. During his studies he met a student teacher called Sue who became his girlfriend - and later his wife. Ken began acting on stage in productions including The Adventures of Mr Toad, Dracula, Pinocchio, Free Chicken Dinners, Cool Million, The Resistible Rise of Arturo, The Strongest Man In The World, Drums In The Night, Habeas Corpus, The Tempest, The Poet and The Women, What The Butler Saw, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist, Vapone and The Beaux Strategem.
Other television roles followed in Rainbow, The Incredible Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Comic Cuts, Who Dares Wins, Quest, Bulman, The Return of the Antelope, All Passion Spent and Blind Justice. He made his debut as a pantomime dame in Aladdin and appeared in the films Little Dorrit and Alfie Darling. He also appeared on television in The Motor Show. Ken has also been a regular face on television in commercials for Sharps Strong Mints, Yellow Pages, PG Tips and Cream Eggs.
Ken appeared on television in You Rang Me Lord, The Management, Chelmsford 123, KYTV and Les Girls. In 1987 he joined the cast of Allo Allo as Flockenstuffen and remained with the series till 1989. He also took the role of bird watcher Eric in the Granada TV comedy Watching. Ken was noticed by Coronation Street casting directors and offered the one episode role of Reg Holdsworth. He joined the cast in 1989 and remained there until 27 October 1995. He has since appeared on stage in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and in the pantomime Peter Pan. He also toured the UK talking about Coronation Street and wrote an autobiography called Knowledge Is Power with The Sun writer Charles Yates. He is best known nowadays for his window advertisements.
Ken married Blackheath High School teacher Sue on 27 July 1989 at Woolwich Town Hall. Their son Roger Oliver was born on 11 November 1990, two weeks late, weighing 7lb 14oz.
The family live in Clayton-le-Woods, Lancashire and in London.
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