John Savident

John Frederick Joseph Savident (21 January 1938 – 21 February 2024) was a British actor, known for his numerous television roles, including his portrayal of Fred Elliott in the soap opera Coronation Street from 1994 to 2006. He was also known for his performance as Monsieur Firmin in the West End cast of The Phantom of the Opera. His other credits include The Avengers (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), The Professionals (1978), Blake's 7 (1979), Yes Minister (1980), Gandhi (1982), The Remains of the Day (1993) and Middlemarch (1994).

Early life

Savident was born 21 January 1938 in St Peter Port, Guernsey,^[1] and still lived there at the time of the German occupation of the island in 1940. He and his family escaped to Britain in a fishing boat and settled in Ashton-under-Lyne.

In 1945 he joined the 3rd Ashton Cubs and although he didn't move up to the Scouts, he helped to run the Wolf Cub pack for some time. He was also a member of the choir at St James's Church. His acting career started when he joined Ashton Repertory.

Savident was educated at the town's grammar school and in 1955 joined the Manchester City Police, serving as a police officer before turning to acting as his profession.^[2]

Career

Savident created the role of Monsieur Firmin in the original production of Phantom of the Opera, which opened on 9 October 1986 at Her Majesty's Theatre in Haymarket, London.^[3] He appeared as the renegade scientist Egrorian in a 1981 episode of the cult science fiction TV series Blake's 7.^[4] He also had other television appearances in Danger Man, The Saint, Callan and Doctor Who.^[1] He played Doctor Meredith in The Remains of the Day.^[1]

Coronation Street

Despite his many film and television roles, including civil servant Sir Frederick Stewart in Yes Minister,^[1] and a part in A Clockwork Orange (1971),^[1] it was only when Savident joined the cast of Coronation Street as the bellicose but romantic butcher Fred Elliott during the 1990s that he became a household name.^[5][6] He made his first appearance on the show in 1994 and his character quickly became popular with viewers.^[7]

In December 2005, Savident announced that he was to leave Coronation Street citing undisclosed "personal reasons". His character died of a stroke nine months later, in October 2006. He later revealed that he had retired from the show "because he wanted to spend more time with his family in Hertfordshire".^[8]

Later work

Savident was one of the readers on the BBC's online Advent Calendar in December 2006.^{[citation needed]} That year, he appeared in the pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as the henchman at Manchester Opera House, alongside his former Coronation Street co-star Suranne Jones, as well as Justin Moorhouse and an all-star seven dwarves including Warwick Davis.^{[citation needed]}

In 2007, he was touring as the lead in a production of Hobson's Choice.^[9] He appeared on Loose Women on 19 March 2009 to discuss his part as Sir Joseph Porter in the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta HMS Pinafore, which toured the United Kingdom during the spring and summer of 2009.^[10]

He guest-starred in the Christmas special episode of Holby City in 2012, playing patient Rupert Pool.^[11] He voiced the character Pendle in the Doctor Who audio-drama Order of the Daleks.^[12]

Personal life

Savident married Rona Hopkinson in 1961; they had two children and several grandchildren.^[1]

On 1 December 2000, Savident was involved in a serious incident with an escort at his flat in Manchester. In the early hours of the morning, Savident was stabbed in the neck. The man was jailed for 7 years for the attack. ^[13]

Death

Savident died on 21 February 2024, at the age of 86.^[1]

Filmography

Notes

External links

• John Savident at IMDb
• John Savident discography at Discogs