John Savident (born 21 January 1938) is a retired British actor, known for his numerous television roles, including his portrayal of

Fred Elliott Fred Elliott is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' played by John Savident. He made his first appearance during the episode airing on 26 August 1994. Savident quit the role in 2005 and Fred died on-scre ...

in the soap opera '' Coronation Street'' from 1994-2006. He is also known for his performance as Monsieur Firmin in the West End debut of

The Phantom of the Opera ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pier ...

and ''

The Lion King ''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance ...

.''

Early life

Savident was born in Guernsey and still lived there at the time of the German occupation of the island in 1940. He and his family escaped to England in a fishing boat. During his early years, he was a police officer before turning to acting as his profession.

Career

Savident created the role of Monsieur Firmin in the original production of ''

Phantom of the Opera ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pierr ...

'', which opened on 9 October 1986 at

Her Majesty's Theatre Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Haymarket in the City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established t ...

in Haymarket, London. He appeared as the renegade scientist Egrorian in a 1981 episode of the cult science fiction TV series ''

Blake's 7 ''Blake's 7'' (sometimes styled ''Blakes7'') is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. Four 13-episode series were broadcast on BBC1 between 1978 and 1981. It was created by Terry Nation, who also wrote the first ...

''. He also had other television appearances in '' The Saint'', ''

Callan Callan is a given name and surname of Irish and Scottish origin. It can derive from Ó Cathaláin, meaning ''descendant of Cathalán''. Callan can also be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Allin or Mac Callin. Notable people with the name includ ...

'' and '' Doctor Who'' .

''Coronation Street''

Despite his many film and TV roles (including civil servant Sir Frederick Stewart in ''

Yes, Minister ''Yes Minister'' is a British political satire sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn. Comprising three seven-episode series, it was first transmitted on BBC2 from 1980 to 1984. A sequel, ''Yes, Prime Minister'', ran for 16 episodes fr ...

'' and a memorable part in '' A Clockwork Orange''), it was only during the 1990s when Savident joined the cast of '' Coronation Street'' as the bellicose but romantic butcher

that he became a household name. He made his first appearance on the show in 1994 and his character quickly became popular with viewers. In December 2005, Savident announced that he was to leave ''Coronation Street'' citing (undisclosed) "personal reasons". His character died of a stroke nine months later, in October 2006. He later revealed that he had retired from the show "because he wanted to spend more time with his family in Hertfordshire". Since leaving, he has been critical of the way the series is produced in a number of articles and television interviews, claiming that the programme is amongst other things "on too frequently" and "badly lit". He has also said he disagrees with the programme hiring well-known actors, as it takes jobs away from struggling, unknown actors.

Later work

Savident was one of the readers on the BBC's online Advent Calendar in December 2006. That year, he appeared in the

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...

Snow White "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection '' Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as T ...

and the Seven Dwarfs'' as the

henchman A henchman (''vernacular:'' "hencher"), is a loyal Employment, employee, supporter, or aide to some powerful figure engaged in nefarious or criminal enterprises. Henchmen are typically relatively unimportant in the organization: minions whose val ...

Manchester Opera House The Opera House in Quay Street, Manchester, England, is a 1,920-seater commercial touring theatre that plays host to touring musicals, ballet, concerts and a Christmas pantomime. It is a Grade II listed building. The Opera House is one of the mai ...

, alongside his former ''Coronation Street'' co-star

Suranne Jones Sarah Anne Akers (née Jones; born 27 August 1978), known professionally as Suranne Jones, is an English actress and producer. She rose to prominence as Karen McDonald in ''Coronation Street'' between 2000 to 2004. Upon leaving, she furthered h ...

, as well as

Justin Moorhouse Justin Moorhouse (born 15 May 1970) is an English stand-up comedian, radio DJ and actor from Manchester. He appeared in '' Phoenix Nights'', '' Looking for Eric'' and Guess The Attendance. Moorhouse has also appeared as a guest on the Dave TV s ...

and an all-star seven dwarves including

Warwick Davis Warwick Ashley Davis (born 3 February 1970) is an English actor. He played the title character in ''Willow'' (1988) and the ''Leprechaun'' film series (1993–2003), several characters in the ''Star Wars'' film series (1983–2019), most nota ...

. In 2007, he was touring as the lead in a production of '' Hobson's Choice''. He appeared on '' Loose Women'' on 19 March 2009 to discuss his part as Sir Joseph Porter in the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta ''

HMS Pinafore ''H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, which ...

'', which toured the United Kingdom during the spring and summer of 2009. He guest-starred in the Christmas special episode of '' Holby City'' in 2012, playing patient Rupert Pool. He voiced the character Pendle in the '' Doctor Who'' audio-drama ''Order of the Daleks''.

Personal life

On 1 December 2000, Savident was stabbed in the neck at his home in

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

by Michael Smith, who claimed he was acting in self-defence. Savident said at the time, "I suddenly felt somebody come up behind me and whizz me round so I was face down on the bed and then I felt a prick on my throat". Smith demanded valuables from Savident, and the keys to his classic Morgan sports car. Savident had met Smith in Napoleon's, a gay bar, following a personal appearance at an event for

World AIDS Day World AIDS Day, designated on 1 December every year since 1988, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who have died of the disease. The acquired imm ...

. They then went to Savident's home – apparently to discuss the theatre – which Smith claimed was a euphemism for sex. In September 2002, Smith, by then aged 30, was sentenced to seven years in prison. He had been charged with wounding Savident with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm and robbing him of his wallet, credit cards, a silver money clip and cash, a

Georg Jensen Georg Arthur Jensen (31 August 1866 in Rådvad – 2 October 1935 in Copenhagen) was a Danish silversmith and founder of Georg Jensen A/S (also known as Georg Jensen Sølvsmedie). Early life Born in 1866, Jensen was the son of a knife gr ...

watch and ring, keys, and an invitation to ''Coronation Streets 40th anniversary birthday party. Savident's neck was pierced twice in a struggle with Smith; one of the wounds only missed the main artery in Savident's neck by less than an inch, and sliced straight through a minor blood vessel. The next week on ''Coronation Street'', the large sticking plaster on his character's neck was explained as a "butchering accident". Savident has been married to Rona Hopkinson since 1961; the couple have two children and several grandchildren.

Filmography

*'' Robbery'' (1967) – Policeman with Dog (uncredited) *''

The White Bus ''The White Bus'' is a 1967 British short drama film directed by Lindsay Anderson. The screenplay was jointly adapted with Shelagh Delaney from a short story in her collection ''Sweetly Sings the Donkey'' (1963). ''The White Bus'' was also the f ...

'' (1967) – Supporter *'' The Avengers'' (1968) - Henry Winthrop *'' Inadmissible Evidence'' (1968) – Mr. Watson *''

Otley Otley is a market town and civil parish at a bridging point on the River Wharfe, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the population was 13,668 at the 20 ...

'' (1969) – Businessman *''

Before Winter Comes ''Before Winter Comes'' is a 1969 British comedy-drama war film directed by J. Lee Thompson from a screenplay by Andrew Sinclair. Plot ''Before Winter Comes'' takes place in the immediate aftermath of World War II. British Major Giles Burnside ...

'' (1969) – British Corporal *''

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...

'' (1969) – RAF Officer (uncredited) *'' Waterloo'' (1970) – Muffling *'' A Family at War'' (1970-1972, TV Series) – George Askew * '' Man of Straw'' (1972, TV series) – Von Wulchow *''

The Raging Moon ''The Raging Moon'' (released in the US as ''Long Ago, Tomorrow'') is a 1971 British romantic drama film starring Malcolm McDowell and Nanette Newman and based on the book by British novelist Peter Marshall. Adapted and directed by Bryan Forbes ( ...

'' (1971) – Fete Guest *'' A Clockwork Orange'' (1971) – Conspirator Dolin *''

Penny Gold ''Penny Gold'' is a 1973 British drama film directed by Jack Cardiff and starring James Booth, Francesca Annis, Nicky Henson and Joss Ackland. The screenplay concerns two policemen who investigate a series of murders. Premise A police detective ...

'' (1973) – Sir Robert Hampton *'' Hitler: The Last Ten Days'' (1973) – Hewel *'' Diamonds on Wheels'' (1974) – Steward *'' Butley'' (1974) – James (uncredited) *''

QB VII ''QB VII'' by Leon Uris is a dramatic courtroom novel published in 1970. The four-part novel highlights the events leading to a libel trial in the United Kingdom. The novel was Uris's second consecutive #1 ''New York Times'' Best Seller and th ...

'' (1974) – Anaesthetist *'' Galileo'' (1974) – Second Senator *'' Looking For Clancy'' (1975) – Sir John Kernan *''

Trial by Combat Trial by combat (also wager of battle, trial by battle or judicial duel) was a method of Germanic law to settle accusations in the absence of witnesses or a confession in which two parties in dispute fought in single combat; the winner of the ...

'' (1976) – Oliver Griggs – Police Commissioner *'' Raffles (1976) (TV series) Series 1, Episode 10 Mr. Justice Raffles - Daniel Brigstock *''Rachel and the Beelzebub Bombardiers'' (1977) – Captain Verney, MP *''

1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of humanity on Earth, astrophysicist ...

'' (1977) – Dan Mellor *'' The Professionals'' (1978) - Robert Plumb (Servant of Two Masters episode) *''

'' (1979) – Samor *''

Yes Minister ''Yes Minister'' is a British political satire sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn. Comprising three seven-episode series, it was first transmitted on BBC2 from 1980 to 1984. A sequel, ''Yes, Prime Minister'', ran for 16 episodes fr ...

'' (1980) *''

'' (1981) – Egrorian *'' Doctor Who: The Visitation'' (1982) – The Squire (1 episode) *''

Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

'' (1982) – Manager of the Mine *'' Oliver Twist'' (1982, TV Movie) – Mr. Fang *''

The Wicked Lady ''The Wicked Lady'' is a 1945 British costume drama film directed by Leslie Arliss and starring Margaret Lockwood in the title role as a nobleman's wife who becomes a highwayman for the excitement. The film had one of the top audiences for a f ...

'' (1983) – Squire Thornton *''

The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983. The programme focused o ...

'' (1984, TV Series) – Video shop owner *''

Little Dorrit ''Little Dorrit'' is a novel by Charles Dickens, originally published in serial form between 1855 and 1857. The story features Amy Dorrit, youngest child of her family, born and raised in the Marshalsea prison for debtors in London. Arthur Cl ...

'' (1987) – Tite Barnacle *''

A Summer Story ''A Summer Story'' is a British drama film released in 1988, directed by Piers Haggard, based on John Galsworthy’s 1916 short story "The Apple Tree", with a script by Penelope Mortimer. It stars James Wilby, Imogen Stubbs, and Susannah Yo ...

'' (1988) – A Banc Clerk *''Camping'' (1990) – English camper *'' Mountains of the Moon'' (1990) – Lord Murchison8 *''

Impromptu An impromptu (, , loosely meaning "offhand") is a free-form musical composition with the character of an ''ex tempore'' improvisation as if prompted by the spirit of the moment, usually for a solo instrument, such as piano. According to ''Allgeme ...

'' (1991) – Buloz *''

Hudson Hawk ''Hudson Hawk'' is a 1991 American action comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann. Bruce Willis stars in the title role and also co-wrote both the story and the theme song. Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell, James Coburn, David Caruso, Lorraine To ...

'' (1991) – Auctioneer *'' Mr.Bean Takes an Exam'' (1991) - examination invigilator *''

Jeeves and Wooster ''Jeeves and Wooster'' is a British comedy-drama television series adapted by Clive Exton from P. G. Wodehouse's "Jeeves" stories. It aired on the ITV network from 22 April 1990 to 20 June 1993, with the last series nominated for a Britis ...

'' (1992) (TV Series) Series 3, Episode 2 Edgar Gascoyne Bickersteth, 8th Duke of Chiswick *'' Brain Donors'' (1992) – Edmund Lazlo * ''Mrs 'Arris Goes to Paris'' (1992) - Mr Armont *''

The Remains of the Day ''The Remains of the Day'' is a 1989 novel by the Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Prize-winning British author Kazuo Ishiguro. The protagonist, Stevens, is a butler with a long record of service at Darlington Hall, a stately home near Oxford, ...

'' (1993) – Doctor Meredith *''

Tom & Viv ''Tom & Viv'' is a 1994 historical drama film directed by Brian Gilbert, based on the 1984 play of the same name by British playwright Michael Hastings about the early love life of American poet T. S. Eliot. The film stars Willem Dafoe, Miran ...

'' (1994) – Sir Frederick Lamb *'' Coronation Street'' (1994–2006) – Fred Elliott (1,063 episodes) *''

Middlemarch ''Middlemarch, A Study of Provincial Life'' is a novel by the English author Mary Anne Evans, who wrote as George Eliot. It first appeared in eight installments (volumes) in 1871 and 1872. Set in Middlemarch, a fictional English Midland town, ...

'' (1994) – Raffles *'' Othello'' (1995) – 2nd Senator *''

Loch Ness Loch Ness (; gd, Loch Nis ) is a large freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands extending for approximately southwest of Inverness. It takes its name from the River Ness, which flows from the northern end. Loch Ness is best known for claim ...

'' (1996) – Dr. Binns *''Sharpe - Sharpe's Regiment'' (1996) - Maj. Gen. Sir Barstan Maxwell *''

The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall ''The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall'' is a 2011 British concert film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical ''The Phantom of the Opera'', which in turn was based on the 1910 French novel ''Le Fantôme de l'Opéra'' by G ...

'' (2011) – Monsieur Firmin *''The Life and Times of Mim Stewart'' (2019) – Gary Brennan

Notes

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Savident, John 1938 births British police officers Living people People educated at Ashton-under-Lyne Grammar School Guernsey male actors British male actors British male film actors British male soap opera actors LGBT male actors