Bill Tarmey:Bill Tarmey's career as one of Britain's best-loved soap stars began almost by accident. The former builder dreamed of becoming a singing star and was eking out a living as a crooner in working men's clubs.
He joined Coronation Street only as an extra to supplement his earnings in 1977 but his potential was soon spotted.
Tarmey landed the role of long-suffering Jack Duckworth two years later and a Street legend was born. His on-screen partnership with nagging wife Vera, played by Liz Dawn, has provided the show with some of its most memorable moments.
The fortunes of the ITV soap may have fluctuated over the years but Jack and Vera have always retained their place in the nation’s hearts, with British viewers last year voting them the Street’s favourite faces.
Tarmey was born in Ashton-under-Lyne in 1941.
He was just three years old when his ambulance-driver father, William snr, was killed by shellfire as he ferried casualties to a field hospital in Uden in the Netherlands.
The family grew up with little money. Tarmey left school to enter the building trade. He married his childhood sweetheart Alison – to whom he remained married for 50 years – and they had two children.
Despite his TV fame, music remained his first love. He released a host of cover versions and big band numbers.
He had a heart attack at the age of 35 and a stroke a year later. A heavy smoker, he underwent a quadruple heart bypass in 1986 and another in 2002.
Jack was written out of the Street in 2010, a year after he had originally considered leaving, but he had been persuaded to hang on a little longer with the aim of continuing until the show’s 50th anniversary.
He bowed out to spend time with his son Carl, who had a brain tumour. In his final episode, broadcast on November 8th, 2010, Jack died as he slept in his chair.
Bill Tarmey. Born April 4th, 1941, Died November 9th, 2012