Early TV and Granada

Granada TV which started in 1956, was just over the way in Manchester from where we lived in Huddersfield, an easy train journey, as Jack had never learnt to drive nor ever would. Liz was the driver, always.

Not sure how the work began at 'Manch', as it was referred to, but he began on a live show called ...can't remember.. Spotlight possibly and from there into other TV work. Here's Harry and The Trouble with Harry for the BBC with Harry Worth. An early episode (52) of Coronation Street - which he was in three times as different characters over the years.

Drama was still very much a part of TV schedules then and he began to clock up parts in many differents shows.

I remember as a pre-school kid sitting on the sink drainer looking out of the window waving him goodbye as he went 'off to Manch' with his little canvas and leather bestrapped case, a sea of musty but cologned cordouroy about his slight frame.

Life was tough for him and his family but things were getting better. Some well paid job must have happened about 1962 as a Grundig reel to reel tape recorder arrived in the house, not sure why, possibly an aid to rehearsal or just a big fun toy. We all got recorded.

He was in reasonably regular work things going well and then to add to it in 1963 Liz's father (grandpa Mann) bought us a house!

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