Frederick "Fred" Gee was potman at the Rovers Return Inn from 1976 to 1984, under landlady Annie Walker.
Fred's first wife Edna worked at the Mark Brittain Warehouse from 1971. When Edna died in a fire at the warehouse, Fred became known to her friends in Coronation Street and in 1976 he was recommended to Annie when she was looking for a live-in cellar man at the Rovers. Petty, ignorant and coarse, Fred liked to think he was in charge of the pub, but Annie easily dominated him, Bet Lynch ridiculed him and Betty Turpin did nothing to hide her contempt for him; even cleaner Hilda Ogden, the only person he carried some clout over, spoke to him with sarcasm and only begrudgingly obeyed him after being prompted by Bet or Betty.
In 1981, Fred married Eunice Nuttall and they tried to get a pub of their own but they were refused by Newton & Ridley, and became caretakers at the Community Centre instead. After less than a year of marriage, they drifted apart and separated. Fred returned to the Rovers and became temporary manager after Annie's retirement, although when Billy Walker became licensee he and Fred didn't get on and Billy fired Fred, who soon left the area.
In 1999, Eunice briefly returned and announced that Fred had died of a heart attack the previous year.
Biography[]
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1929-1975[]
Frederick Gee was born on 6th October 1929. He later met and married Edna. Shortly before her death he became known to her friends in Coronation Street. Edna died in a fire at the Mark Brittain Warehouse in 1975.
1976-1984[]
In 1976, Fred was recommended to Annie Walker when she was looking for a live in cellar man at the Rovers. Fred had recently been made redundant from his job as a storeman at Fosters foundry. Fred then moved into the Rovers. He sometimes tried to pretend that he was in charge of the pub and was often bolshy, petty and coarse. He had a brief fling with Vera Duckworth shortly after moving into the pub.
Annie dominated Fred and he was often on the losing side of verbal jousts with barmaids Bet Lynch and Betty Turpin. In 1981 he met Eunice Nuttall at a singles evening and they married on 13th May. Their marriage was far from happy and, despite their securing the tenancy of the community centre caretaker's flat, was soon on the rocks. Eunice left and Fred returned to the Rovers. In 1983 Eunice wanted to marry again and sought a divorce. Fred became temporary manager of the Rovers when Annie retired. When Billy Walker became the licensee he took a dislike to Fred. Billy wanted to sack him but did not want to pay compensation. In the end, Billy successfully goaded Fred into punching him, giving him grounds for Fred's dismissal. Fred then got a job working for Mike Baldwin, who disapproved of the way Billy treated Fred and mostly gave him the job out of pity. Fred worked delivering stock for Mike and got involved in a shirt selling scam with Jack Duckworth in which Fred reluctantly posed as Mike to a salesman while Mike was away on business.
Fred last appeared at Stan Ogden's funeral on 28th November 1984. Mike Baldwin found out about Fred's involvement in the shirt selling scam and fired him. Fred left Weatherfield shortly afterwards and never returned.
In early 1999, Eunice briefly returned to the area and announced that Fred had died a few months previously.
Personality[]
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Fred bought himself a wig, but only wore it briefly as it made him a laughing stock in the Rovers.
Relationships[]
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Background information[]
Fred Feast also appeared as another barman called Fred in two episodes in January and March 1972. No indication was given in either episode that it was the same character as Fred Gee, even when he appeared in scenes in Episode 1145 (5th January 1972) alongside Edna Gee when she was customer at The Red Lion where Fred was working.
Feast left the role in late 1984 after a long, drawn out situation with him taking time off work. Following another break in 1984 he decided not to renew his contract, stating in the press that he didn't want to become "another Coronation Street cabbage", referring to recently deceased cast members such as Bernard Youens and Peter Dudley. Following his departure, Fred was not mentioned again until 1999 when Eunice revealed he had recently died. Feast himself died six months following this revelation.
First and last lines[]
"Pleased to meet you." (First line, to Ken Barlow)
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"Well, I..." (Final line, to Mike Baldwin)
Appendices[]
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