Tom Cotcher
28 Jul 1950, Glasgow
 
Tom Cotcher was born and bred in Glasgow and became a student at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama leading to five years spent with various repertory companies in Scotland.
When he moved south of the border he toured in rep in Europe and as far afield as India. He followed this with television work including Making News, The Bill from 1992-96 as DC Alan Woods, and a host of guest roles in Lovejoy, Dangerfield, Bad Girls and more recently Taggart. Tom is also the author of two children`s books.
He moved to Brighton in 1981 where he still lives with his actress wife, Cookie Weymouth. He proposed to her on the phone just three weeks after they had met. They have two sons.

Chris Ellison
16 Dec 1946, London
 
The Hove-based actor Chris Ellison made his name as DI Frank Burnside in the long running police series The Bill, followed by the spin-off Burnside series. Before that Chris was a familiar face on other series such as The Sweeney, Minder, The Professionals, Dempsey & Makepeace, Bird`s of a Feather, Widows, Brush Strokes, Bread and Judge John Deed.
Ellison is involved in fundraising for the local community in Brighton & Hove and regularly opens charity events. He is also a keen Brighton & Hove Albion supporter.

Adam Faith
23 Jun 1940, London
 
During the early 1960s Adam Faith was one of Britain`s top pop artists. A run of hit records, including the chart-toppers What Do You Want and Poor Me, saw him in the UK charts 24 times between 1959 and 1966.
He gave up singing in the mid-60s and went into repertory theatre. In 1971 he became an acting star in the UK television series Budgie and later reprised the role in the 1990s stage version. He also played Frank Carver in the TV series Love Hurts and in 2002 took the title role in the sitcom The House that Jack Built opposite Gillian Taylforth.
His film career began in the í60s when he appeared in three films Beat Girl, Never Let Go and What A Whopper! and continued with leading roles in Stardust and McVicar, for which he received critical acclaim. Other careers included financial consultant, co-producer & manager with his long term partner David Courtney for Roger Daltrey & Leo Sayer. Together they went on to base their management company in Brighton.
His connections with Brighton go back to the í60s when he played concerts in the city and lived in Brighton and Sussex on and off for years.
In February 2003, at the age of 62, he collapsed and died shortly after coming off stage. He was due to play the Theatre Royal, Brighton the next week.
David Courtney writes of Adam Faith: unique and loving human being irreplaceable and someone who will be greatly missed.

Frank Finlay CBE
6 Aug 1926, Lancashire
 
RADA-trained, Frank Finlay is one of England`s most prestigious actors of stage and screen. He made his London stage debut at the relatively advanced age of 31 and won critical acclaim during the first season of the new National Theatre playing Iago to Laurence Olivier`s Othello. His theatre work also includes many major new plays at the Royal Court Theatre in London.
He reprised the role of Iago in the 1965 film version of Othello and was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance. Other films include The Three Muskateer`s, The Four Muskateer`s and Roman Polanskiís The Pianist.
Dennis Potter`s Casanova, Adolph Hitler, Sancho Panchez to Rex Harrison`s Don Quixote and Irwin in The Sins.
He is a Brighton resident.

John Forgeham
14 May 1941, Birmingham
 
John Forgeham won a scholarship to RADA and in his final year at the academy, the silver medal prize. He is a very well-known TV, film and theatre actor who has appeared in over 1000 TV shows and more than 30 films including The Italian Job, Becket with Peter O`Toole and Richard Burton and Star Wars. Two of his most recent films are Luc Besson`s Kiss of the Dragon and Mean Machine with ex-footballer and Hollywood hardman Vinny Jones.
His many television appearances include Prime Suspect with Helen Mirren, Beau Geste and the recent drama series Footballers Wives. He is well-known from his six years in Crossroads. John also spent five years playing leading roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
A Brighton resident for five years, one of his first-ever plays, The School Mistress, visited the Theatre Royal, Brighton. He recently directed a short film set in the city called Seconds Out.

Michael Jayston
29 Oct 1935, Nottingham
 
A classical British stage actor, who also has many television and film credits to his name, Michael Jayston has appeared in some of the most popular shows in a career that has spanned 40 years.
He began in Shakespearean productions such as Hamlet and Henry V before moving on to the National Theatre in plays ranging from Noel Coward`s Private Lives to Wind in the Willows. He has also starred in the West End alongside Petula Clark in The Sound of Music.
Playing notable historical figures on the big screen such as Czar Nicholas in Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) and Cromwell, he has also portrayed Siegfried Sassoon and Beethoven on the small screen for BBC2. A very familiar face on television he has appeared in prime time shows such as The Power Game, EastEnders, The Bill, Heartbeat and The Outside Edge and David Nobb`s A Bit of a Do as well as more weighty roles for example in John Le CarrÈís Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.
Michael Jayston has lived in Hove for 18 years.

Lesley Manville
12 Mar 1956, Brighton
 
A successful screen, stage and television actress, Lesley was born in Brighton and grew up in Hove where her mother and two sisters still live.
As a child she enjoyed much success as a singer (frequently partnered by her sister Diana), particularly in the music festivals of Brighton and Worthing where she twice won Champion Soprano of Sussex for under 18s.
During her acting career spanning three decades, Lesley has worked extensively at the Royal Court Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company on some of the most significant new plays of the 20th century. She has appeared in a wealth of television programmes including Other Peoples Children, The Cazalets, Real Women, Bodily Harm and the Bafta award-winning Holding On. Lesley has been a long time collaborator with the Oscar-nominated film director Mike Leigh appearing in many of his films including the leading role in All or Nothing released in 2002.
Having lived in London for 20 years she returned to Sussex five years ago to live in the countryside son Alfie.

Joe McGann
24 Jul 1958, Liverpool
 
One of the acting McGann clan, Brighton-based Joe McGann has appeared in film and theatre but is probably best known for his role as Charlie in the television comedy The Upper Hand which ran for six series.
He also starred ñ with all three brothers ñ in the television drama The Hanging Gale and can currently be seen in ITV weekly drama Night and Day in which he stars as Alex Wells. He has appeared on stage in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls.

Dame Anna Neagle
20 Oct 1904, London
 
At the height of her fame this very British stage and screen actress was frequently voted Britain`s biggest box office draw.
She started out as Marjorie Robertson, a young dancer who made her debut in 1923 in a revue called Bubbly. She continued her career as a chorus girl until Jack Buchanan spotted her and cast her opposite him in Stand Up and Sing. It was an enormous hit in London and on Broadway.
From 1929 until 1970 she was almost exclusively a film actress. She was known for playing famous historical figures such as Nell Gwyn, Queen Victoria and Florence Nightingale and for portraying strong independent women such as Amy Johnson in They Flew Alone (1942) and a hero of the French Resistance in Odette (1950). She also starred in a series of romances including I Live in Grosvenor Square (1945), The Courtneys of Curzon Street (1947) and Maytime in Mayfair (1945).
She retired from the screen in 1958 but continued to appear on stage in light-hearted productions such as Charlie Girl, No, No, Nanette and My Fair Lady and was still appearing in pantomime into her eighties.
She lived in Brighton for many years with her mentor and film-director husband Herbert Wilcox and was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1969.

Lord Lawrence Olivier
22 May 1907, Surrey
 
Without acting I cannot breathe said one of the greatest classical actors of the 20th century, Laurence Olivier. He is revered and famous as an interpreter of Shakespeare, as an Academy Award winner, as founder and director of Britain`s National Theatre, as husband to film actors Vivien Leigh and Joan Plowright, and for his powerful Shakespearean film roles.
John Gielgudís production of Romeo and Juliet. The two actors famously alternated the roles of Mercutio and Romeo.
He returned to film playing Orlando in As You Like It and in 1939 became a Hollywood star when he played Heathcliff in Sam Goldwynís glossy production of Wuthering Heights. For this he received the first of 10 Academy nominations and awards. Henry V, Hamlet, Richard III, Othello, The Entertainer, Marathon Man, The Boys from Brazil and Sleuth earned him more nominations and awards and in his production of Hamlet he became the only performer in history to direct himself in an award-winning performance ñ the film won four Oscars including one for Best Picture and one for Olivier as Best Actor.
In 1947 he was knighted and in 1970 became the first actor to be elevated to the House of Lords. Apart from his acting, Olivier was instrumental in the development of British theatre, as codirector of the Old Vic Theatre Company (with Ralph Richardson) and founder and actor-manager of the new National Theatre in 1962. The Olivier theatre was named after him.
Married three times, the longest to actress Joan Plowright, Olivier lived in Brighton for many years. He occupied a house in Royal Crescent and took the title Baron Olivier of Brighton.
He died in 1989 and was buried in Westminister Abbey, only the fifth actor in history to be honoured in this way.

Bill Owen MBE
14 Mar 1914, London
 
Famous for his role in the long-running television series Last of the Summer Wine, Bill Owen began his acting career in serious theatre. He fell in love with an actress in Acton Co-operative players, an amateur company that specialised in Shaw and Galsworthy, and by the age of 20 was appearing in Cambridge repertory. In 1936 he was offered a job at Warners Holiday Camp entertaining the campers and from there progressed to the Unity Theatre which was a magnet for progressive writers and radical theatre.
After a stint in the Pioneer Corps during the Second World War, he appeared as Nobby Clark in The Way to the Stars and a contract with Rank Studios followed. But good parts were scarce for an actor who didn`t fit the matinee idol mould and he returned to the theatre. It was during the í60s that he lived in Lewes Crescent in Brighton`s Kemp Town.
In 1970, Bill Owen received the script for a single slot Comedy Playhouse called Last of the Summer Wine. Realising it was unique he accepted at once and spent the next 21 years playing the incorrigibly scruffy Compo.
In addition to his achievements on stage and television, Bill Owen composed the lyrics for over 70 songs, wrote and directed stage plays and was arts adviser to the National Association of Boys Clubs. He was married twice and had one son.
At his memorial service held at BBC Broadcasting House, fellow Summer Wine actor, Peter Sallis, paid tribute to his colleague claiming that his portrayal of Compo was the finest comic creation of its time.

Joan Plowright CBE
28 Oct 1929, Lincolnshire
 
Joan Plowright made her name at London's Royal Court Theatre, the home of contem-porary writers like John Osborne, Arnold Wesker and Harold Pinter. She appeared opposite Laurence Olivier in Osborneís The Entertainer on the London stage, in New York, and subsequently in the film which was made in 1960.
She and Olivier were married in America when both were starring in separate plays on Broadway ñ he in Becket and she as Josephine in A Taste of Honey. She won the Tony Award for Best Actress for that performance in 1961. Returning to England, they chose to live and bring up their three children in the Regency Royal Crescent, which over-looks the sea in Brighton. For the next ten years they commuted regularly on the Brighton Belle to London where they were both working at the National Theatre at The Old Vic.Joan, or Lady Olivier as she is officially called, is well known in the cinema for performances in Enchanted April, I Love You to Death, 101 Dalmatians and Tea With Mussolini. She has won Oscar nominations and two Golden Globes for work in her films.

Amanda Redman
12 Aug 1959, Brighton
 
A very busy and highly respected actor, Amanda Redman is well known for her television roles including Hope & Glory, Dangerfield and At Home with the Braithwaites which has run for four series and for which she was nominated as Best Actress at the Bafta awards in 2001.
She started on an acting career when she attended Brighton School of Music and Drama on Saturdays and went on to become a member of Centre Stage, Brighton`s Amateur School of Drama. She then trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and on com-pletion of the course was immediately offered a place touring with the Bristol Old Vic Theatre Company. She appeared in a range of the company`s productions including A Man for all Seasons, Love for Love and An Evening with Jacques Brel. West End roles include Our Country`s Good, King Lear and The Recruiting Officer.
Her first film part was in Richard`s Things with Liv Ullman and this led to one of her career highlights when she was voted Best Newcomer at the Venice Film Festival.
A trained drama teacher, Amanda runs her own Saturday Drama School in London. She supports several charities including The Children`s Fire and Burns Trust and the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust as patron. She also sponsors a child, Diaw, from Senegal.
Although Amanda lives in London with her daughter Emily and partner Damian, her family still live in Brighton and she visits the city regularly.

Dame Flora Robson
28 Mar 1902, Durham
 
Flora Robson was renowned as one of the major dramatic actresses of the first half of the 20th century. She is remembered for her great historical roles such as the Empress Elizabeth in Alexander Kordaís Catherine the Great (1934), Queen Elizabeth I in The Sea Hawk (1940) and, most famously, the same role in Fire over England (1937) with Laurence Olivier.
It was as a stage actress that she first made her mark with spellbinding performances in Pirandello, Ibsen, Shakespeare and Euripides. Her talent brought her to London to play in Eugene O`Neill`s Desire Under the Elms followed by her sensational West End debut in Bridie`s The Anatomist. She only had one scene, but the Observer critic wrote, ëIf you are not moved by this girl`s performance you are immovable. A season at the Old Vic followed, playing Isabella in Measure For Measure, Katherine in Henry VIII and Varya in Chekhovís The Cherry Orchard. Returning to England where she fought to re-establish herself on the London stage. She continued in theatre for many years and briefly appeared on television until she retired to concentrate on good works.
Flora Robson lived in Brighton and died there in 1984

Paul Scofield CH CBE
21 Jan 1922, Hustpierpoint
 
Paul Scofield has been called the finest 20th century interpreter of Shakespeare. He has starred in over 80 plays, co-directed the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1966-68 and was a director of the National Theatre in 1971.
Born just outside Brighton, he was educated at Varndean School for Boys in Brighton and was performing as a professional actor from the age of 14. He first acted Shakespeare with ENSA 1940-41 before joining Birmingham Repertory Theatre 1942-45 and then the Royal Shakespeare`s Company Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon 1946-48. His roles in a variety of London theatres are predominately in serious heavy-weight plays from the cream of the world`s playwrights such as Marlowe, Shakespeare and Ibsen and include Ring Around the Moon, Volpone, Amadeus, Heartbreak House and Othello.
International stardom and an Academy Award arrived in 1966 for his performance as Sir Thomas More in the film of A Man For All Seasons. This was followed by a Tony for the same role on Broadway.
Paul Scofield has continued to turn in award-winning performances throughout his career. In 1994 he was nominated for his role in Quiz Show, and other memorable films include Scorpio, The Train, and The Crucible. He has also performed in many BBC radio plays.
Decorated with a CBE and a Companion of Honour, Scofield was offered a knighthood, but he gracefully declined.

Victor Spinetti
2 Sep 1929, Wales
 
A versatile actor and director, Victor Spinetti has appeared on film with stars like Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, Fay Dunaway, Orson Welles, James Mason and Peter Sellers.With a range that encompasses Shakespeare and Ben Jonson, Neil Simon and Brendan Behan, career highlights include Lord Foppington in The Relapse and the Archbishops in Richard III, both with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
His film appearances include the Beatles A Hard Day`s Night, The Taming of the Shrew, The Return of the Pink Panther, The Krays and Dylan Thomas`s Under Milk Wood.
Spinetti has lived in Brighton since the 1970s, is part of the city theatre set and has enjoyed success at the Theatre Royal.

Stephen Tomkinson
15 Oct 1965, Stockton
 
Stephen Tompkinson is probably best known for his role as Father Peter Clifford in the BBC television series Ballykissangel. He played the part for three series opposite Dervla Kirwan.
After training at the Central School of Speech and Drama in the mid 1980s, he was accepted into the BBC Radio Drama Company which gave him an Equity card and a foothold in the business. He featured in many radio plays and theatre productions before joining the cast of Drop the Dead Donkey, playing daredevil reporter Damien Day. The role won him several awards.
Ballykissangel came next and since then he has become a television regular starring opposite Dawn French in Ted and Alice, Nick Berry in the hard-hitting drama In Deep and Robson Green in Grafters. He also joined Ewan McGregor, Tara Fitzgerald and Pete Postlethwaite in the popular British film Brassed Off.
Stephen has lived in Brighton and Sussex and is married to Nikki. They have one daughter, Daisy Ellen.

Anna Wing
30 October 1914, London
 
Anna Wing was born in London`s East End and decided at an early age that a stage career was for her after seeing John Gielgud at the Old Vic. She was offered a place at drama school and was able to accept the offer with a grant and the financial support of an unknown benefactor.
Much of her professional life has been spent on the stage and she has worked with some of the great names in film and theatre, actors such as the man who originally inspired her, Sir John Gielgud, and directors Jonathan Miller, Max Stafford-Clark and Alain Resnais. She is well-known to television viewers for her role as the matriarch Lou Beale in EastEnders but has made many other appearances in The Bill, The Last Detective, Casualty, Victoria Wood With All the Trimmings, Real Women and Doctors, to name just a few. She has recorded plays for BBC Radio 4 and appeared in several films including Disney`s 101 Dalmatians, The Ploughman`s Lunch, Dog Eat Dog and Calcium Kid.
Anna has a soft spot for Brighton and owns a house in the city. She has made many appearances at the Theatre Royal including the fairy godmother in Cinderella opposite Bill Owen (see page 64) as Baron Hardup.
A committed Quaker, Anna supports a wide range of charities including the Royal Alexandra Children`s Hospital and the Deaf Association in Brighton and SAGE, Third World and charities for the disabled and cancer. She has two sons and five grandchildren.

Brain Capron

The nation held it's breath this year as Hove-based actor Brian Capron alias Richard 'Tricky Dicky' Hillman, went on a one-man cull of Coronation Street characters. His lady-killing antics won many fans and awards for one of the most avidly followed storylines in years: never was there a more chilling invitation to a cup of tea than when he offered to "put t'kettle on" for hapless wife Gail after he confessed his crimes. An actor for 30 years, he first made his mark in children's TV drama Grange Hill. Even the was winning female fans, bringing unexpected sex appeal to his role as woodwork teacher Mr Hopwood. He is also a successful businessman, having launched a murder mystery business. Asked how he felt about the Walk of Fame award, he quipped: "I'm used to people walking all over me!"