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Jack walker

Arthur Leslie as Jack Walker

Arthur Leslie (Full name: Arthur Leslie Scottorn Broughton) (8th December, 1899 - 30th June, 1970) was a British actor who was born in Newark, Nottinghamshire but who moved to Lancashire at an early age. His first job was in 1916 at the Old Queen's Theatre in Farnworth after which he was with the Terrence Conlin Players in Northwich. In the First World War he served on the North Atlantic Convoys and met his wife Betty Morton Powell in repertory theatre and married her in 1925. She also later appeared in Coronation Street. After many years in such theatres, including the role of actor-director at Wigan at the Hippodrome Theatre for the Frank H. Fortescue Players (whose performances were often seen by a young Ian McKellen) [1], he earned his greatest fame playing genial Rovers Return Inn landlord Jack Walker on Coronation Street from 1960 to 1970. He debuted on the programme in the second episode, and remained a fixture on the Street until his death from a sudden heart attack in June 1970.

Arthur Leslie

An August 1941 theatre bill for the Frank H. Fortescue Players showing Arthur Leslie as both manager and cast member alongside his wife Betty Morton Powell

Well-loved by Street audiences and his fellow cast members, Arthur's character Jack was quietly written out of the programme only a few weeks after his unexpected passing. Upon the actor's death, fellow cast members paid the following tributes - Violet Carson: "He was a loyal friend and a great professional."; Doris Speed: "The qualities of sweetness and kindness in Jack Walker came in fact from Arthur Leslie himself." and Patricia Phoenix: "We all just loved him. He was the most loved man on both the inside and outside of the studio."

Arthur's only son, the late Tony Broughton, also became an actor and appeared in Coronation Street on several occasions.

In addition to his acting, Arthur also wrote plays, one of which - Welcome Little Stranger - enjoyed some success in repertory companies and was sometimes credited under the name of Arthur S. Broughton.

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