Gee Wizz Video Enterprises

Gee Whiz Video Enterprises was a London-based company set up by Frankie Baldwin, father of Mike in December 1980, supposedly for the purpose of providing a wedding video service. Mike refused to lend his father the money for the scheme when he came up from London, knowing his past history as a con-artist. Frankie, however, found a much more gullible victim in the greedy Fred Gee who loaned him seventy pounds and tried desperately to get his money back when Mike warned him of his father's reputation but the wily Frankie skipped Weatherfield and returned down south.

Just six weeks later in January 1981, Frankie returned, telling Mike that the vice squad were after him as Terry, his business partner, was using the video equipment to make blue movies. Nevertheless, Frankie conned the unknowing Fred again into thinking that his investment had gained him a large return (using a dud cheque) and got another fifty pounds out of him and one hundred pounds off Alf Roberts to “invest” further.

Just over a week later, Fred was astounded to be questioned by Det Sgt Cross of the CID over his financial interest in illegal pornography and demanded Mike pay him his money back in lieu of his absent father but, not surprisingly, Mike refused.

In April, Frankie came back again, the police having dropped their enquiries and the business actually turning in a legitimate profit. As a result of this, Frankie was able to pay back Fred and Alf, this time in cash.