Peter Adamson (16 February 1930 – 17 January 2002) was a British stage and television actor. He is best known for playing the character of Len Fairclough in the long-running television series Coronation Street from 1961 to 1983.
In 1983 he was arrested for indecently assaulting two eight year old girls. It took place during a swimming lesson he was giving the girls at a Lancashire pool. It was alleged that his hand had slipped. He was found not guilty. Two months after being acquitted, he was sacked from his role as Len Fairclough in Coronation Street. The reason for this was breach of contract, after he sold behind the scenes stories that criticized cast and crew from the show. He died bankrupt and a self-declared alcoholic.
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His wife, Jean, suffered years of chronic ill-health and severe arthritis. Her early death in 1985 reignited Adamson's alcoholism, an addiction he had successfully overcome in his time as a soap actor.
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Following his departure from Coronation Street, he enjoyed a brief run on the London stage in "Dial M for Murder", before retiring from the acting profession.
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He was charged with indecently assaulting two girls at a public swimming pool. Despite being cleared by a jury, he was sacked from Coronation Street (1960) after he sold his story to a national newspaper. Script writers for the show killed him off when he suffered a heart attack at the wheel of his car. His exit from "Coronation Street" led to a collapse in his personal life. A year after the trial his wife died and by 1991 he was bankrupt. He spent last few years of his life living in Welton, Lincolnshire, far from the fame and glamour he once enjoyed. [1983]
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Children are Michael & Greig
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Coronation Street
1961-1983
TV Series
Len Fairclough
Violent Love
1967
Korba
Coronation Street: First Dry Run
1960
TV Movie
Harry Bailey
Knight Errant Limited
1959
TV Series
Taxi Driver
Skyport
1959
TV Series
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Coronation Street
1969
TV Series 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
This Is Your Life
1981
TV Series documentary
Himself
Look Who's Talking
1977
TV Series
Himself - Interviewee
Spectrum
1972
TV Series documentary
Himself
Spectrum: Coronation Street Special
1972
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Stars of the Street: 50 Years, 50 Classic Characters
2010
Video
Len Fairclough
Stars on the Street
2009
TV Movie documentary
Len Fairclough (uncredited)
Coronation Street: Through the Keyhole
1999
Video
Len Fairclough
Women of Coronation Street
1998
Video
Len Fairclough
Known for movies
Coronation Street (1961-1983) as Len Fairclough
Violent Love (1967) as Korba
Coronation Street: First Dry Run (1960) as Harry Bailey
$1.5 Million
