Frank Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera
EastEnders, played by Mike Reid. Frank makes his first appearance
on-screen as a guest character in 1987, but due to a positive viewer
reception, he is reintroduced in 1988 as a regular. Reid took a long
hiatus from EastEnders in 1994 and Frank remained off-screen for over
a year and a half. Frank made his return as a recurring character from
December 1995 to January 1998. Frank eventually becomes a regular once
again from May 1998 to November 2000, when Reid quit the show. Frank
makes three brief reappearances after that, the final one in December
2005. Given the widespread identification of Mike Reid as Frank,
Reid's death in July 2007 led to BBC bosses deciding that it would not
be possible for the character to return in the future. In November
2007, it was announced that the character would die off-screen and in
April 2008 his funeral was screened as part of a special set of
episodes, dubbed "Frank Week".Frank is a wheeler-dealer who likes to
think of himself as a "big player" in the business world, but in
reality, he is little more than a wily conman. He is a smooth-talker
and full of charm, but his actions are often thoughtless and he tends
to run instead of facing up to his responsibilities, leaving his loved
ones to pick up the pieces. His love affair with Pat Harris (Pam St
Clement) stems back to his teens, and he can never quite let her go,
always breaking her heart, disappearing, and returning to break it all
over again.Frank started out as a used-car salesman. He met Pat Harris
(Pam St Clement) at Butlins in Clacton in 1959 and, despite being on
holiday with his girlfriend June Simmonds, he was attracted to Pat.
They had a passionate affair but June became pregnant, so he married
her and broke Pat's heart and her earrings . Frank and Pat met up from
time to time and on each occasion the affair was rekindled, but Frank
wouldn't leave June, and Pat eventually married and had two children
of her own. Frank and June had four children: Clare (Lucy
Foxell/Caroline O'Neill) in 1959, Ricky (Sid Owen) in 1973, Diane
(Sophie Lawrence) in 1974, and Janine (Charlie Brooks) in 1983. June
died of cancer in 1988, leaving Frank widowed and their children
motherless.
EastEnders, played by Mike Reid. Frank makes his first appearance
on-screen as a guest character in 1987, but due to a positive viewer
reception, he is reintroduced in 1988 as a regular. Reid took a long
hiatus from EastEnders in 1994 and Frank remained off-screen for over
a year and a half. Frank made his return as a recurring character from
December 1995 to January 1998. Frank eventually becomes a regular once
again from May 1998 to November 2000, when Reid quit the show. Frank
makes three brief reappearances after that, the final one in December
2005. Given the widespread identification of Mike Reid as Frank,
Reid's death in July 2007 led to BBC bosses deciding that it would not
be possible for the character to return in the future. In November
2007, it was announced that the character would die off-screen and in
April 2008 his funeral was screened as part of a special set of
episodes, dubbed "Frank Week".Frank is a wheeler-dealer who likes to
think of himself as a "big player" in the business world, but in
reality, he is little more than a wily conman. He is a smooth-talker
and full of charm, but his actions are often thoughtless and he tends
to run instead of facing up to his responsibilities, leaving his loved
ones to pick up the pieces. His love affair with Pat Harris (Pam St
Clement) stems back to his teens, and he can never quite let her go,
always breaking her heart, disappearing, and returning to break it all
over again.Frank started out as a used-car salesman. He met Pat Harris
(Pam St Clement) at Butlins in Clacton in 1959 and, despite being on
holiday with his girlfriend June Simmonds, he was attracted to Pat.
They had a passionate affair but June became pregnant, so he married
her and broke Pat's heart and her earrings . Frank and Pat met up from
time to time and on each occasion the affair was rekindled, but Frank
wouldn't leave June, and Pat eventually married and had two children
of her own. Frank and June had four children: Clare (Lucy
Foxell/Caroline O'Neill) in 1959, Ricky (Sid Owen) in 1973, Diane
(Sophie Lawrence) in 1974, and Janine (Charlie Brooks) in 1983. June
died of cancer in 1988, leaving Frank widowed and their children
motherless.
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