Freddie Fletcher, a renowned English actor, is most famously recognized for his portrayal of Jud Casper in Ken Loach's 1969 film Kes, which garnered widespread acclaim.
Born in Grimethorpe, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, Fletcher attended Willowgarth Secondary School. Unlike many of his fellow actors in Kes, he had no prior experience in acting, yet he quickly landed television roles following the film's release.
Fletcher secured a recurring role as layabout Raymond Shepherd, one of Diana Dors's wayward sons, in the popular comedy series Queenie's Castle. The show premiered on Bonfire Night in 1970 and ran for two years, consisting of 18 episodes, each lasting 30 minutes.
In the months preceding Queenie's Castle's conclusion in September 1972, Fletcher appeared as a football team captain in Jack Rosenthal's BAFTA-nominated drama Another Sunday and Sweet F.A., which was part of Granada Television's Sunday Night Theatre series.
Throughout the 1970s, Fletcher worked on various television plays, including four BBC Play for Today films between 1973-1978. He also starred in the successful movie Juggernaut in 1974, playing one of the ship's radio officers alongside Richard Harris and Anthony Hopkins.
In 1978, Fletcher appeared in the ITV movie Clouds of Glory, starring Felicity Kendal, written by Melvyn Bragg and directed by Ken Russell.
In November 1982, he played Chalkie Whitely's son Bob in two episodes of the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. Interestingly, actress Lynne Perrie, who played Fletcher's mother in Kes, was already an established cast member in the show, having worked alongside him in Queenie's Castle ten years prior. Additionally, Fletcher had previously acted alongside Perrie's brother Duggie Brown in Another Sunday and Sweet F.A.
In December 1980, Fletcher appeared in four episodes of Emmerdale Farm as law-breaking Derek Warner. He reprised the role in 1984 for an additional four episodes. When the character reappeared again in 1985, he was re-cast, with actor Dennis Blanch taking on the part until 1986.
In the 1990s, Fletcher continued to act regularly on television and in film. He held a regular role as Mr. Smithson in the ITV drama series Children's Ward. He also appeared as farmer Sam Carver in the "Bitter Harvest" episode of Heartbeat in 1992 and played George Milton in the "Tender" episode of Peak Practice in 1995.
