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Bill Kenwright CBE (born 4th September 1945 in Liverpool, died 23rd October 2023) was a British actor and theatrical producer who played Gordon Clegg on Coronation Street from 1968 to 1969, and then intermittently until 1995. The part was taken over by Geoffrey Leesley for guest appearances in 2002 and 2004 before Bill reprised the role for the episodes following the death of Gordon's mother Betty in 2012. Prior to his casting on the Street, Bill was a contemporary of Paul McCartney's in school and became a part-time drama student at the Liverpool Playhouse. At the age of 17 he was invited to join the National Youth Theatre's tour of Europe followed by a short season in the West End. A year later he was awarded a place to read English Literature at Manchester University but immediately upon arrival made his way to Granada's Quay Street studios and asked for work. To his amazement he was taken on to appear in The Villains and then appeared in Strike Pay and First Timers before Coronation Street. He went on to appear in the 1972 film Carry on Matron and an episode of The Liver Birds the same year.

Bill gave up full-time acting in the mid 1970s to become a highly successful theatrical producer, his biggest hits being West End production Blood Brothers and a national tour of Joseph and the Amazing Techincolour Dreamcoat. He had a minor stint as a recording artist in the late 1960s, and now owns his own record label. Bill staged a successful takeover of Everton Football Club in 1999, and became the chairman in 2004.

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