Eric Tomlinson (born 26 September 1939), known by his stage name Ricky Tomlinson, is an English actor and comedian, best known for his roles as Bobby Grant in Brookside, DCI Charlie Wise in Cracker and James "Jim" Royle in The Royle Family.
Tomlinson was born Eric Tomlinson in Bispham, Blackpool, Lancashire, but has lived in Liverpool for nearly all his life. Tomlinson was born in Bispham because his mother, Peggy, was evacuated there due to the ...
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Eric Tomlinson (born 26 September 1939), known by his stage name Ricky Tomlinson, is an English actor and comedian, best known for his roles as Bobby Grant in Brookside, DCI Charlie Wise in Cracker and James "Jim" Royle in The Royle Family.
Tomlinson was born Eric Tomlinson in Bispham, Blackpool, Lancashire, but has lived in Liverpool for nearly all his life. Tomlinson was born in Bispham because his mother, Peggy, was evacuated there due to the Liverpool Blitz in World War II. On 22 March 1962 he married his first wife Marlene; they had three children.
A trained and qualified plasterer by trade, he worked on various building sites for many years, becoming actively involved in politics (firstly with the far-right, then more predominantly with the far-left). In 1968 he joined the National Front in support of less immigration after Enoch Powell's Rivers of Blood speech. His views gradually changed over time and in 1972 he joined the flying pickets in a building workers' dispute in...
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