Stanley Meadows, a dependable British character actor, rose to fame as Laurie Frazer on the long-running soap Coronation Street, which premiered in 1960. Born and raised in the London East Borough of Stepney, Meadows came from a family with a complex background. His younger brother, who he described as "a frustrated actor," eventually became a barrister and tragically passed away at the age of 44.
When Meadows was 14, his family relocated to Bayswater, a significant turning point in his life. He had always been fascinated by the cinema, which served as an escape from the monotony of daily life in the East End. He idolized Hollywood star James Cagney, who greatly influenced his future endeavors.
Although Meadows had his sights set on acting, his journey to achieving his goal was circuitous. In 1948, he worked as a beach photographer in Brighton, but he soon transitioned to the hospitality industry as a waiter/bartender. Unfortunately, he hated this job, and his next role was in advertising. However, after being let go due to the company's disapproval of his ideas, Meadows worked in the shipping industry during the day while attending acting school at night.
In 1953, he began studying at RADA, and two years later, he made his debut on the repertory stage in Bournemouth, earning £8 a week. By 1957, he had progressed to more serious dramatic roles at the Old Vic, where he worked alongside John Gielgud.
Meadows' screen career began in 1953, and he quickly became a prolific face in TV shows of the 1960s and 1970s. He was frequently cast as detectives or public servants, appearing in popular British crime and espionage dramas such as The Saint, The Avengers, Softly Softly, Paul Temple, The Persuaders!, Dixon of Dock Green, The Professionals, and Minder. He also portrayed policemen in several films, including The Ipcress File and Blood Beast from Outer Space.
Meadows' last screen appearance was in 1984.
