Alan Rothwell (born 9 February 1937) is an English actor and television presenter. He was born in Oldham, Lancashire. He first came to fame in 1960, playing the character David Barlow in the then new ITV soap opera Coronation Street. He remained in this role in 1968, and the character was killed off two years later. He also featured as a regular character in all 26 episodes of the 1961-1962 British spy series Top Secret in the role of "Mike".Rothwell then became known as a presenter to a generation of children, appearing on the children's television programmes Picture Box from 1969 to 1990 and Hickory House from 1973 to 1978.He returned to soap operas in 1985, this time as the heroin addict Nicholas Black in Brookside. In 2002 he appeared in the television drama film Shipman. He also played Gerry Stringer in all six episodes of Dead Man Weds in 2005. Among his many other television credits are parts in Casualty, Emmerdale, Heartbeat, Doctors, Shameless and Bedlam. In 2004, Rothwell guest-starred in the Doctor Who audio adventure The Twilight Kingdom.
One of the original cast members of Coronation Street. The part of David Barlow was written with him in mind as the creator Tony Warren had worked with Alan during their childhoods on BBC Radio's Children's Hour.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Rovers
2016
TV Series
Stanley Bell
Doctors
2004-2016
TV Series
Alan Swann / Frank Loseley / Larry Tonkins / ...
A Song for Jenny
2015
TV Movie
Uncle Jimmie
The Musketeers
2015
TV Series
Villager
Casualty
1998-2015
TV Series
Anthony Rafferty / Henry Chalmers / Bernard Jones
The Driver
2014
TV Mini-Series
Reg
Starlings
2012-2013
TV Series
Brian Valentine
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
2013
Old Man on Pier
Shameless
2009-2013
TV Series
Stanton / Bill
Bedlam
2011
TV Series
Ray Bowman
Gods Guilty Conscience
2010
Short
Harry
Shiny Shiny Bright New Hole in My Heart
2006
TV Movie
Addict 1
New Street Law
2006
TV Series
Dennis Smith
No Angels
2006
TV Series
Mr. Hawley
Titanic: Birth of a Legend
2005
TV Movie documentary
Captain Smith
Fat Friends
2005
TV Series
Stanley
Dead Man Weds
2005
TV Series
Gerry Stringer
Conviction
2004
TV Series
Mr. Lindon
Harold Shipman: Doctor Death
2002
TV Movie
Alan Massey
The Falklands Play
2002
TV Movie
John Wells MP (Conservative)
Clocking Off
2002
TV Series
Solicitor
Bob & Rose
2001
TV Series
Registrar
Wilmot
1999-2000
TV Series
Mr. Ronson
Queer as Folk
2000
TV Series
Dudley Jackson
The Cater Street Hangman
1998
TV Movie
Duty Sergeant
Emmerdale
1997
TV Series
John Kenyon
The Grand
1997
TV Series
Paul Fairfax
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates
1996
TV Series
Peter Stone / Dr. Fisher
Matt's Million
1996
TV Mini-Series
Mr. Evans
Heartbeat
1994-1995
TV Series
Vicar / Reverend Jackson
Harry
1995
TV Series
Buxton
Mother's Ruin
1994
TV Series
Piano Tuner
All Quiet on the Preston Front
1994
TV Series
Mr. Dearman
Medics
1992
TV Series
Examiner
Watching
1992
TV Series
Vicar
The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes
1992
TV Series
Tronson, The Butler
The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship
1990
TV Movie voice
Children's Ward
1989
TV Series
Dr. Davies
Screen Two
1989
TV Series
Vicar
All Creatures Great and Small
1988
TV Series
Hubert Merrick
Brookside
1985-1986
TV Series
Nicholas Black / Community Lawyer
Cilla's Comedy Six
1975
TV Series
Barry Fosset
Play for Today
1970-1973
TV Series
Planning officer / Fisher
Zeppelin
1971
Brandner
Parkin's Patch
1969
TV Series
Jack Kenny
Crime Buster
1968
TV Series
Quin
Coronation Street
1960-1968
TV Series
David Barlow
ITV Play of the Week
1961-1965
TV Series
David Shields / David Lonsdale
Gideon C.I.D.
1964
TV Series
Bill Rose
No Hiding Place
1964
TV Series
Terry Baker
First Night
1964
TV Series
Ted
The Villains
1964
TV Series
Eddie Machin
Nothing But the Best
1964
Young Man
Sergeant Cork
1964
TV Series
Mr. Carney
Friday Night
1963
TV Series
Cunliffe Jr.
Maupassant
1963
TV Series
Cesar
Z Cars
1963
TV Series
Eddie Cross
Top Secret
1961-1962
TV Series
Mike
Oliver Twist
1962
TV Mini-Series
Charley Bates
Citizen James
1961
TV Series
Two Living, One Dead
1961
Karlson
Linda
1960
Phil
BBC Sunday-Night Play
1960
TV Mini-Series
Harry Hardcastle Jr.
Knight Errant Limited
1960
TV Series
Arcade attendant
Behold, the King
1957
TV Movie
Boy Shepherd
The Claverdon Road Job
1957
TV Movie
Ernest Armitage
The Appleyards
1957
TV Series
Leslie Holmes
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
Heart
1999
ADR artist
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Corrie Years
2011
TV Series documentary
Himself
Those Wonderful TV Times
1978
TV Series
Himself
Hickory House
1973
TV Series
Himself - Presenter
Picture Box
1966
TV Series
Himself - Presenter
Juke Box Jury
1961
TV Series
Himself - Panellist
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Stars of the Street: 50 Years, 50 Classic Characters