Frederick Gerrard Ridgeway (16 October 1953 â€" 12 November 2012) was
an Irish-born stage and television actor. He began his professional
life pursuing a career as a money broker, but at the age of 42, he
decided to take up professional acting. He performed in a variety of
stage productions across the UK, including several Richard Bean plays
and a number of Royal Shakespeare Company productions. His final role
was as Charlie Clench in One Man, Two Guvnors, which toured the UK as
well as appearing in Broadway theatre. Prior to its Broadway run,
Ridgeway was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, from which he died
in November 2012.Fred Ridgeway was born into a Catholic family in
Dublin, Ireland on 16 October 1953. He was the youngest son of railway
worker Benjamin Ridgeway and Christine née McCormack. The family
later moved to Peckham in south-east London, as his father worked at
Peckham Rye station.Ridgeway's first serious experience of acting came
when he was a student at St Thomas the Apostle College, Nunhead.
Actively encouraged by his A Level English teacher, Terry O'Brien, he
joined the National Youth Theatre.
an Irish-born stage and television actor. He began his professional
life pursuing a career as a money broker, but at the age of 42, he
decided to take up professional acting. He performed in a variety of
stage productions across the UK, including several Richard Bean plays
and a number of Royal Shakespeare Company productions. His final role
was as Charlie Clench in One Man, Two Guvnors, which toured the UK as
well as appearing in Broadway theatre. Prior to its Broadway run,
Ridgeway was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, from which he died
in November 2012.Fred Ridgeway was born into a Catholic family in
Dublin, Ireland on 16 October 1953. He was the youngest son of railway
worker Benjamin Ridgeway and Christine née McCormack. The family
later moved to Peckham in south-east London, as his father worked at
Peckham Rye station.Ridgeway's first serious experience of acting came
when he was a student at St Thomas the Apostle College, Nunhead.
Actively encouraged by his A Level English teacher, Terry O'Brien, he
joined the National Youth Theatre.
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