Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Jack Duckworth and Me by Bill Tarmey Jack Duckworth and Me by Bill Tarmey. Hooray! You've discovered a title that's missing from our library. Can you help donate a copy? If you own this book, you can mail it to our address below. You can also purchase this book from a vendor and ship it to our address: Better World Books Amazon More Bookshop.org. When you buy books using these links the Internet Archive may earn a small commission. Benefits of donating. When you donate a physical book to the Internet Archive, your book will enjoy: Beautiful high-fidelity digitization Long-term archival preservation Free controlled digital library access by the print-disabled and public † Open Library is a project of the Internet Archive, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Jack Duckworth and Me. Product Description Actor Bill Tarmey first appeared as Jack Duckworth in Coronation Street in November 1979, when his formidable on-screen wife Vera dragged him to Brian and Gail Tilsley's wedding, only to have him sneak off for a pint at the first opportunity. After playing what is arguably the nation's best-loved soap character for 31 years, Bill leaves the series in Dec Product Description Actor Bill Tarmey first appeared as Jack Duckworth in Coronation Street in November 1979, when his formidable on-screen wife Vera dragged him to Brian and Gail Tilsley's wedding, only to have him sneak off for a pint at the first opportunity. After playing what is arguably the nation's best-loved soap character for 31 years, Bill leaves the series in December 2010. To coincide with this momentous event in soap history, Bill now tells the full story of what it has been like to play this loveable rogue for almost half his life. He reveals the hilarious on-set japes behind the scenes - such as getting fits of the giggles with Curly Watts and Alec Gilroy, what it was like playing the Romeo to Bet Lynch and Dulcie Froggat, plus the more emotional times such as when Bernard Youens, who played Stan Ogden, died. There is also the fascinating story of Bill's early years growing up in the streets of post- war Manchester, with bombsites for playgrounds and an ex-Navy grandpa who taught him how to box. Destined to become a master asphalter like his Dad, Bill never gave up his love of singing, and by the late 1960s he had made a name for himself in the unforgiving environment of the Working Men's Club circuit. Taking work as a TV extra, Bill soon found himself treading the famous cobbled streets, and was a natural in his newly created role of Jack, which has been uncanny in mirroring Bill's own life for its lurches of fortune. Packed with anecdotes to delight both Corrie fans and lovers of British TV everywhere, this warm-hearted and substantial autobiography is THE soap star memoir the country has been waiting for. They will not be disappointed. About the Author Actor Bill Tarmey is best known as Jack Duckworth, one of the UK's best-loved soap characters. Bill grew up in post-war Manchester, began a career in the building trade, but a love of singing drew him to the entertainment business. By the late 1960s he was established on the northern Working Men's Club circuit and also doing part-time work as a TV 'extra'. He was spotted as one of the crowd in the Rover's Return pub on the set of Coronation Street and soon offered the role of Jack to on-screen wife Vera, which he has played for 31 years. He retires from the show in December 2010. . more. Get A Copy. Friend Reviews. Reader Q&A. Be the first to ask a question about Jack Duckworth and Me. Lists with This Book. Community Reviews. About a quarter of this bio is a really good, super interesting read. Unfortunately once Bill Tarmey’s life catches up to when he takes the role of Jack Duckworth on Coronation Street it becomes Jack’s biography and hardly includes anything else from the rest of Bill’s life. Instead we get a complete breakdown of Jack’s adventures and follies on The Street. How many episodes he was in per year based on appearance charts, which cast members, left the show or died or were added. How he and Vera’s About a quarter of this bio is a really good, super interesting read. Unfortunately once Bill Tarmey’s life catches up to when he takes the role of Jack Duckworth on Coronation Street it becomes Jack’s biography and hardly includes anything else from the rest of Bill’s life. Instead we get a complete breakdown of Jack’s adventures and follies on The Street. How many episodes he was in per year based on appearance charts, which cast members, left the show or died or were added. How he and Vera’s volatile on screen marriage was holding out. Basically it’s a rundown of Coronation Street for the past 31 years. I will admit that these behind the scenes moments and story synopsis became way more interesting once it got to the point that I started watching the show and knew the characters and storylines. But still, I wanted to read more about Bill Tarmey not the character Jack. I guess I should have surmised from the title “JACK DUCKWORTH and me (the “and me” is written in tiny letters) that this was going to be a bio about a fictional character. Shouldn’t I? Anyways. Born in 1941 in a rented terrace house in Manchester England, Bill’s early life was one of poverty, food rationing, tragedy and a close knit family that all lived a stone’s throw from each other. His biological father was killed in 1944 while serving as an ambulance driver in the Second World War and Bill has no memories of him. What I found interesting here is that despite the adversity of his childhood, he only has happy memories of the time. Everyone was in the same boat. Young widowed mothers, air raid sirens and playing in bombed out buildings were the norm. You were often hungry and there was no time to be idle, everyone worked at what they could which often included factories. He admits to being hopeless in the classroom but gifted when it came to music. This entire early section really took me into postwar England and the struggles the country faced. “There was never a turkey for Christmas lunch. It would be a chicken and most of the breast would go to my dad because he was a working man and needed to keep up his strength. For me, whose only experience of meat was corned beef or Prem (a cheap version of Spam) a chicken wing was a real treat.” Bill met Alice, the woman he would spend the rest of his life with at the age of 14 and married her at 18. At the time of their marriage in 1962 he was working as an asphalter and had .37p in his pocket. There is very little insight into his marriage or personal life, except for his children being born, but it seems to me like theirs is a real love story. Bill talks a lot about his singing career which started in the church, and continued into the pubs and club scene. It’s my opinion that this is the career path he would have preferred and his true passion. His real life eerily mirrored that of his alter ego he played on screen, with lurches into fortune and fame and just plain luck. “I feared that some new producer would recognise my failings and wonder what Bill Tarmey was doing pretending to be an actor. I could never relax because I always thought the bubble was going to burst at any moment. I’ve had a wonderful time playing him it’s just that for a long time I felt a bit of a fraud.” Sadly The Cobbles lost Bill Tarmey (Nov 10/12) and with his passing Coronation Street loses a true legend. I will miss Jack Duckworth; his last Corrie episode still brings tears to my eyes, as he dances with his Vera. Cheers Jack! 374jb3. . more. When you hear the cast who worked with talk about Bill Tarmey, they always talk fondly of what a lovely man he was, and that is exactly what you think when you read this book. He does sound like an honest, decent and caring human being, who was totally devoted to first love and wife Ali. The book covers his early life, trying to make ends meet to provide the money to marry Ali, who he felt was out of his league in every way. He gets involved in singing in clubs and makes a living from that and wo When you hear the cast who worked with talk about Bill Tarmey, they always talk fondly of what a lovely man he was, and that is exactly what you think when you read this book. He does sound like an honest, decent and caring human being, who was totally devoted to first love and wife Ali. The book covers his early life, trying to make ends meet to provide the money to marry Ali, who he felt was out of his league in every way. He gets involved in singing in clubs and makes a living from that and work as an extra on TV. It was during these appearances as an extra on Coronation Street-remember the man who once dropped the bar hatch on Ernie Bishop's hand?-that he was spotted and brought in as the husband of Vera Duckworth. Bill goes into a lot of detail about his years on Corrie, including a year by year update about what was happening to the Duckworths. It was actually very sad to read about the filming of his and Vera's on screen deaths and the effects that it had on everyone involved. He talks about his protests to Brian Park for the spate of sackings he brought in. He was angry that Kevin Kennedy was sacked because the writers couldn't think up a story for his character Curly, which he thought was totally crazy when these people are paid to think up stories. His on set stories are funny. He first appeared as Jack at Gail and Brian Tilsley's wedding, and Liz Dawn who plays Vera stood too close to a heater between takes and set her dress on fire. His first filming with Liz ends with them on the ground and him slapping her bum to get the flames out! That would've been pretty funny to watch! It's no surprise that it started one of the funniest partnerships ever seen on Corrie. Bill went through some very scary health scares with his heart, on one occasion being saved by a friend getting him medical help. Sadly that ill health finally caused the death of the actor. He was a great character and a lovely man from all accounts which is a good legacy to have. . more. Jack Duckworth and Me - Ebook. Actor Bill Tarmey first appeared as Jack Duckworth in Coronation Streetin November 1979, when his formidable on-screen wife Vera dragged him to Brian and Gail Tilsley's wedding, only to have him sneak off for a pint at the first opportunity. After playing what is arguably the nation's best-loved soap character for 31 years, Bill leaves the series in December 2010. To coincide with this momentous event in soap history, Bill now tells the full story of what it has been like to play this loveable rogue for almost half his life. He reveals the hilarious on-set japes behind the scenes - such as getting fits of the giggles with Curly Watts and Alec Gilroy, what it was like playing the Romeo to Bet Lynch and Dulcie Froggat, plus the more emotional times such as when Bernard Youens, who played Stan Ogden, died. There is also the fascinating story of Bill's early years growing up in the streets of post-war Manchester, with bombsites for playgrounds and an ex-Navy grandpa who taught him how to box. Destined to become a master asphalter like his Dad, Bill never gave up his love of singing, and by the late 1960s he had made a name for himself in the unforgiving environment of the Working Men's Club circuit. Taking work as a TV extra, Bill soon found himself treading the famous cobbled streets, and was a natural in his newly created role of Jack, which has been uncanny in mirroring Bill's own life for its lurches of fortune. Packed with anecdotes to delight both Corrie fans and lovers of British TV everywhere, this warm-hearted and substantial autobiography is THE soap star memoir the country has been waiting for. They will not be disappointed. Jack Duckworth and Me by Bill Tarmey. Published: 13:21 BST, 9 November 2012 | Updated: 14:43 BST, 10 November 2012. Coronation Street actor Bill Tarmey, who played Jack Duckworth in the soap, has died. The actor, who was 71, passed away in Tenerife on Friday morning. He is survived by wife Alma, son Carl and daughter Sara. Scroll down for video. Passing: Actor Bill Tarmey, aka Coronation Street's Jack Duckworth, has died aged 71. A statement from the family of the actor read: 'The family of Bill Tarmey have confirmed that he sadly passed away this morning in Tenerife. 'They have respectfully asked the media for privacy as they grieve for a wonderful husband, father and brother.' And a statement from ITV soap Coronation Street read: 'The cast, crew and production team at Coronation Street are devastated to hear of Bill's death. Screen star: Tarmey as Jack with his on-screen wife Vera Duckworth (Liz Dawn) and Julie Goodyear as Bet Lynch in a scene from the show in May 1983. National treasures: Jack and Vera Duckworth are one of the most famous soap couples in history. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with Bill's wife and soulmate Ali and their family at this very sad time.' Actor Charlie Condou, who plays Marcus Dent in Coronation Street, shortly after the news was announced: 'I am devastated to hear that the wonderful Bill Tarmey has died. He was a beautiful, funny and lovely man, and he will be missed by us all.' Antony Cotton - who plays Sean Tully - wrote: 'Goodnight Bill Tarmey. You were the best. We'll miss you so much x' Departure: When Tarmey retired in 2010, his character Jack was written out of the soap by peacefully dying in his armchair at No. 9 Coronation Street. In good spirits: One of the last pictures of Tarmey in public, taken in December 2011. Jack P Shepherd, who plays David Platt, tweeted: 'Just heard the news about Bills death tragic news for everyone #RIPBILL'. Nigel Pivaro, who played the Duckworths' layabout son Terry, said: 'I am devastated to learn of the passing of someone who became a huge part of both my professional and personal life, who I came to look on as a second father. 'He was a very wise and dignified man who taught me a great deal and whose counsel I came to value greatly. 'He was a lovely man who cared deeply for his family and friends. We are all rightly bereft at the loss we will feel knowing that the world will be a little poorer without Bill to lighten it up with his warm humour.' Michael Le Vell, who has played mechanic Kevin Webster in the show for years, said: 'Bill met my dad briefly when I first joined Coronation Street. And when my dad passed away Bill became like a surrogate dad to me. 'He and Liz looked after me and got me through those early days and we've been friends ever since. My heart goes out to Ali and his family. We knew Bill was poorly, but this is still a very great shock. I am going to miss him very much.' Tributes also flooded in from the entertainment world, with This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes writing: 'RIP Bill Tarmey aka Jack Duckworth. Known him for many years - always remembered the small things. Ruth & I getting more like Jack & Vera. (sic)' A life-long heavy smoker, Tarmey suffered from ailing health over the years. He had a heart attack in 1976, followed by a stroke in 1977, and underwent a quintuple heart bypass in 1986. Family comes first: One of the main reasons for Tarmey quitting Coronation Street in 2010 was to look after his son Carl, who is battling a life- threatening brain tumour. Singing star: Tarmey also had a successful music career. Julie Goodyear, who played Bet Lynch, said: 'This news is so very sad, not just for me but for all his other friends and of course his wife Ali, and all his family. 'This wonderful man will be sadly missed.' Catherine Tyldesley, who plays Eva in show, said: 'So sad to hear that Bill Tarmey has died. £legend #RIPBILL. My deepest sympathies to all who knew him best xxx.' Speaking about his illness following a second heart attack in 2002, which saw him fitted with a pacemaker afterwards, Tarmey said: 'I'm deeply worried. 'I have cheated death so many times I feel like a cat running out of lives. 'I've already died twice and the last time they brought me back to life using a medical version of jump leads.' Happy marriage: Tarmey seen with wife Alma, to whom he was married for 50 years. TRIBUTES FLOOD IN TO A SOAP ICON. Antony Cotton: Goodnight Bill Tarmey. You were the best. We'll miss you so much x. Jack P Shepherd: Just heard the news about Bills death tragic news for everyone #RIPBILL. Catherine Tyldesley: So sad to hear that Bill Tarmey has died. #legend #RIPBILL. My deepest sympathies to all who knew him best xxx. Julie Goodyear: This news is so very sad, not just for me but for all his other friends and of course his wife Ali, and all his family. This wonderful man will be sadly missed. Nigel Pivaro: I am devastated to learn of the passing of someone who became a huge part of both my professional and personal life, who I came to look on as a second father. Michael Le Vell: When my dad passed away Bill became like a surrogate dad to me. My heart goes out to Ali and his family. We knew Bill was poorly, but this is still a very great shock. Nick Cochrane: He was such a funny guy, he will be much missed by all who knew him and watched him, he made millions watching laugh every week for over 30 years - a true professional. Tarmey also long refused to give up smoking, saying in one interview: 'I could make it easier on myself. I could give up smoking. I could go and sit in a rocking chair. ' But that wouldn't be me. That would kill me sooner than the old ticker would.' Tarmey quit Coronation Street in April 2010 to spend more time with his family, after 30 years playing Duckworth. His decision to leave also came as his son Carl is battling a life-threatening brain tumour. Tarmey said: 'You would have had to drag me kicking and screaming from the Street. 'It was my life and I loved it. But I needed to be with my family and Carl.' His final scenes in the show saw Jack dying peacefully in his armchair at No.9 Coronation Street after attending his 74th birthday party at the Rovers Return pub. He said at the time: 'People often ask me if I like Jack Duckworth and I always reply, "Like him, I bloody love him!" I have had the most amazing 30 years playing Jack. 'Because of him I have made some fantastic friends and travelled all over the world and I will be sorry to say goodbye to Jack.' Tarmey was born in Ashton-under-Lyne on April 4 1941, and w as just three years old when his ambulance driver father, William Snr, was killed by shellfire as he ferried casualties to a field hospital in Uden, Holland. Tragic loss: Tarmey began his career as an extra on Corrie before he moved on to his starring role, which netted him £100,000-a-year. The family grew up with little money and Tarmey left school to enter the building trade. He married his childhood sweetheart Alison - to whom he remained married for 50 years - and they had two children. Before joining Coronation Street as an extra in 1977, he struggled to make ends meet and said one incident involving his young son brought home to him the importance of money. The little boy came home upset one day because he had been dropped from his football team. Tragic news: Jennie McAlpine looked upset as she headed for home after a day on set.