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The actor Geoffrey Hinsliff, who played at least three different characters in Coronation Street; the most famous being Don Brennan, has died aged 86 or 87, depending on which source that mentions his age - he and Brennan were both born in 1937, although Don didn't make it to 86 or 87; more like 60-ish. Hinsliff also appeared in Brass (and perhaps Brideshead Revisited?) becoming one of Granada's many "own name brand" of actors on their books.
I have to admit that Don Brennan was one of my favourite characters during the late 1980s and early 1990s; very much a sort of anti-Thatcher (and anti-capitalist Baldwin for that matter) socialist and was not afraid to speak his mind, and I suppose that he would have been on the Ken Barlow side of the fence; he certainly lived on the Barlow side of the street. I liked the August 1988 episode where he organised a day trip to Blackpool for the Coronation Street residents, and I suppose that was a well-received indication as to how community-spirited the Brennan character was at the time, and it was a great acid test into his character as he had only been in it for less than a year. Don drove a taxi for a living; nearly lost it playing cards with Mike Baldwin, and got married to staunch Catholic machinist Ivy - ironically, someone who worked for Baldwin twice. He even became a philantropist for Marie and Jamie Ramsden.
I do think that 1992-1993 was a turning point for the character and it was "no more Mt Nice Guy" all the way from then on; Julie Dewhurst wasn't Wendy Crozier or Dulcie Frogatt but his affair with her (not to mention his car crash) presented a different perspective for Brennan; not to mention the harassment to Denise Osbourne. And it all ended finally in 1997. As early as the 1960s he appeared as a very early charcater, and in 1977 he was Eric Bailey; someone who decorated the Rovers Return with that "circle" patterned wallpaper - remember that? There was a 15 minute PIF on YouTube which I think was about working in an office and the Health and Safety aspects of that - it was made around 1978 and Hinsliff appeared in that as well; just about recognisable in that. It was on YouTube for a while, but I couldn't find it when I thought about playing it as a tribute.
He was born in Leeds, and indeed he did look like a "Geoff". He also looked a little bit like an actor who would have played Doctor Who as well.
I have to admit that Don Brennan was one of my favourite characters during the late 1980s and early 1990s; very much a sort of anti-Thatcher (and anti-capitalist Baldwin for that matter) socialist and was not afraid to speak his mind, and I suppose that he would have been on the Ken Barlow side of the fence; he certainly lived on the Barlow side of the street. I liked the August 1988 episode where he organised a day trip to Blackpool for the Coronation Street residents, and I suppose that was a well-received indication as to how community-spirited the Brennan character was at the time, and it was a great acid test into his character as he had only been in it for less than a year. Don drove a taxi for a living; nearly lost it playing cards with Mike Baldwin, and got married to staunch Catholic machinist Ivy - ironically, someone who worked for Baldwin twice. He even became a philantropist for Marie and Jamie Ramsden.
I do think that 1992-1993 was a turning point for the character and it was "no more Mt Nice Guy" all the way from then on; Julie Dewhurst wasn't Wendy Crozier or Dulcie Frogatt but his affair with her (not to mention his car crash) presented a different perspective for Brennan; not to mention the harassment to Denise Osbourne. And it all ended finally in 1997. As early as the 1960s he appeared as a very early charcater, and in 1977 he was Eric Bailey; someone who decorated the Rovers Return with that "circle" patterned wallpaper - remember that? There was a 15 minute PIF on YouTube which I think was about working in an office and the Health and Safety aspects of that - it was made around 1978 and Hinsliff appeared in that as well; just about recognisable in that. It was on YouTube for a while, but I couldn't find it when I thought about playing it as a tribute.
He was born in Leeds, and indeed he did look like a "Geoff". He also looked a little bit like an actor who would have played Doctor Who as well.
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