Kevin Kennedy (actor)
| Kevin Kennedy | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Kevin Patrick Williams 4 September 1961 Wythenshawe, Manchester, Lancashire, England |
| Occupation | Actor and musician |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Spouse(s) | Clare Kennedy |
| Children | 2 |
Kevin Kennedy (born Kevin Patrick Williams, 4 September 1961) is an English actor and musician, best known for playing the character Curly Watts for 20 years in ITV's long-running television soap opera Coronation Street.
Early life
Kennedy was born in Wythenshawe, Manchester, Lancashire. He attended St. Paul's Catholic High School and was a keen member of Manchester Youth Theatre. Kennedy later studied drama at Manchester Polytechnic.
Career
Kennedy was in the band the Paris Valentinos with Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke.[1]
Between 1983 until 2003, Kennedy played the character of Norman Watts (known as Curly Watts) in the Coronation Street television series. He started as a paperboy, then a dustman and later an assistant manager at a supermarket. The character had two marriages which produced two children - one from each wife. After a short break from acting while recovering from alcohol addiction in 2000,[2] he released an album, Bulldog Nation, with his band the Bunch of Thieves, on the RCA Records label. The single peaked at Number 70 in the UK Singles Chart.[3]
He returned to Coronation Street a few months later, before being written out in September 2003. In an interview in 2009, Kennedy said that he would consider a return to the show[4] and it was later confirmed that he would film scenes for its 50th anniversary DVD. However, more than a decade after his departure, he has yet to make a return.[5] Kennedy was the writer and producer of the 2005 television series Spanish Capers. A second series was recorded in 2006-07 for Sky Television plc.
In 2009, Kennedy played the part of ageing hippie "Pop" in the touring production of Ben Elton's We Will Rock You[6] before joining the cast of the West End London production in 2010. 2015 Kevin was asked to be involved with the launch of the worlds 3rd largest cruise liner "Anthem of the seas" appearing in a West end production of "We will rock you"
He also appeared in the 2009 "Scent from Heaven?" advert for Daz, as part of the company's "Cleaner Close" campaign.[7] In 2010, Kennedy, along with several other Coronation Street stars, contributed to Trisha Ward's album Rogues, Angels, Heroes and Fools, recorded for the 50th anniversary of the TV series.[8]
He is a supporter of Manchester City. He serves as director of Cornstone recovery services LTD with his wife Clare, the Brighton-based organisation's CEO, offering free telephone advice, signposting to local recovery services, home based detox and recovery programs and a professional advice service to the business sector.[9]
Credits
| Year(s) | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Dear Ladies | Boy in photo booth |
| 1983–03 | Coronation Street | Curly Watts |
| 1984 | Keep on Running | Pete Bennett |
| 2005–07 | Spanish Capers | Presenter |
| 2006 | Blue Murder | Donny McAvoy |
| 2006 | Doctors | Mick Carter |
| 2010 | Coronation Street: A Knights Tale | Curly Watts |
Albums
- Bulldog Nation (2000)
- Present Kennedy (2002)
- Rogues, Heroes, Angels & Fools. (2010)
References
- ↑ Johnny Maher fansite
- ↑ Blyth, Gavin (20 February 2000). "I was a washed-up alcoholic soap star until the day I started". Sunday Mirror.
- ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 299. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ↑ Published Tuesday, Apr 14 2009, 19:46 BST (2009-04-14). "Kennedy: 'I'd like to return to Corrie' - Coronation Street News - Soaps". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
- ↑ "Ken Morley and Kevin Kennedy to return to Coronation Street | Unreality TV". Primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk. 2 August 2010. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
- ↑ "Get ready to go Ga Ga over We Will Rock You". Sunderland Echo. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
- ↑ "Sniffing out white lies and dirty laundry - in Cleaner Close". Dazwhite.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
- ↑ "Coronation Street - Rogues, Angels, Heroes and Fools - The Making of". YouTube. 2010-12-21. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
- ↑ "Kevin Kennedy". LinkedIn. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
External links
| Preceded by Craig McLachlan |
Actor to portray Caractacus Potts 2008 |
Succeeded by Matt Baker |