Untitled Document

Ricky Tomlinson was born in Liverpool in 1940 and first came to our screens in the seventies. As a trade union activist in the building trade he was jailed in 1972 following a criminal damage incident on a building site. Tomlinson was called as witness to the incident but refused to testify. The resulting charge of conspiracy saw him serve a two year prison sentence. Prison was to be the turning point in Tomlinson's life and career. Refusing to wear prison clothes or work in the prison workshops he listened to Radio 4 and discovered opera and poetry for the first time in his life.

Ricky Tomlinson

Following his release, Tomlinson was unable to find work, effectively blacklisted by the building trade, and instead turned his attention to entertainment. He played the banjo in pubs and clubs to provide a wage and 'Hobo Rick' eventually gained his Equity card. His first major television appearance arrived with Alan Bleasdale's Boys From The Black Stuff. It was followed in 1982 with his role as Bobby Grant, ironically a trade unionist, in a new soap opera, Brookside. He left the soap after six years when he realised that producers planned to make his character corrupt.

Such moralistic instincts were to further test the character of this working class hero when playing the character of a docker who crosses the picket line in Jimmy McGovern's screenplay. Tomlinson unashamedly wept as his character executed such betrayal.

Having performed as a Detective Inspector in Jimmy McGovern's Cracker, it was BBC's 'Royle Family' which established Tomlinson as a household name. He was reunited with his Brookside wife, Sue Johnston, and the foul mouthed, Jim Royle became the driving force behind the show which became an instant hit. Tomlinson's popularity took off to such an extent that he spent hundreds of pounds on providing signed photographs for adoring fans.

Following on from the success of Jim Royle, Tomlinson has since received numerous offers of acting roles. The films 'The 51st State', 'Mike Bassett: Football Manager' and 'Nasty Neighbours' confirm the demand for the acting talents of the 62 year old. With television dramas Clocking Off and Nice Guy Eddie amongst his achievements, he has also released an album, 'Music: My Arse!' from which a re-vamped version of the Pogue's 'Are You Lookin' At Me' is taken.

Tomlinson regards himself as the luckiest guy in the world and admits that if it all finished tomorrow, that would be fine. Hopefully, he will fulfill another ambition before then. Ricky is in the process of writing his own sitcom, Tommo, Dick and Harry.

<<<< Order some of Ricky Tomlinson's finest on screen appearences on-line.