Frank Rogers (Brookside)

Frank Rogers is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Peter Christian. The character made his first on-screen appearance during the episode of 23 November 1982 as a recurring character and departed 3 August 1983. Frank returned as a permanent character during the episode broadcast 1 December 1987 and remained in the show for six years, being killed off in the episode aired on 5 November 1993.

Frank Rogers
Brookside character
Portrayed byPeter Christian
Duration1982–1983, 1987–1993
First appearance1 December 1982
Last appearance5 November 1993
ClassificationFormer; regular

Development

Frank, a lorry driver, had been promised a desk-job but failed to gain the promotion.[1] The breakdown of their marriage deeply effects their youngest daughter Katie Rogers (Diane Burke). Burke told the Liverpool Echo's Peter Grant that "as the youngest daughter of Frank and Chrissy Rogers, [Katie] had a lot on her plate."[2]

Frank later enters a relationship with Lyn McLoughlin (Sharon Power). He has to fight off unwanted advances from Lyn's sister Bev McLoughlin (Sarah White).[3] Frank's departure storyline saw him killed in a car crash caused by a "drug-crazed" Jimmy Corkhill (Dean Sullivan).[4] The accident happens as Frank tries to make it to his wedding reception to Lyn McLoughlin (Sharon Power). Frank dies just after reaching hospital, and his other passenger Tony Dixon (Mark Lennock) is in a coma for three months before dying in hospital.[4]

Storylines

Frank, originally a guest character, came to Brookside Close in November 1982 as a friend of Gavin (Danny Webb) and Petra Taylor (Alexandra Pigg), and helped them move into Number 10. Following Gavin's death from a brain aneurysm, Frank and Barry Grant (Paul Usher) helped Petra cope with Gavin's death. After Petra's suicide in 1983 Frank was written out of the soap and left on the after Petra's funeral.

Four years later, Frank returns as a permanent character with his wife Chrissy (Eithne Brown) and children, renting No.7 from Harry Cross (Bill Dean). Frank is promised a desk job at his lorry firm but they do not offer him the position. He travels to London to sort the problem out, but his lorry is stolen and he faces disciplinary action. Frank decides to upscale and buys the more spacious No.5 in 1989, following its repossession from Sheila Grant (Sue Johnston). Frank later attends a funeral where he meets Lyn McLoughlin (Sharon Power). The pair form a close bond and begin a relationship, following the end of his marriage to Chrissy in 1991. Frank and Chrissy's children continue living at the house with him, although Sammy (Rachael Lindsay) moves out in 1992.

After Lyn becomes pregnant, the pair marry in November 1993. Frank drives to his wedding reception with Tony Dixon (Mark Lennock) as a passenger - Frank offered Tony a lift to get him away from his feuding (separated) parents, Ron (Vince Earl) and DD (Irene Marot). Jimmy Corkhill (Dean Sullivan) is also driving, but while under the influence of cocaine. He causes Frank to swerve off the road and crash into a wall. Lyn, who was sitting in the back of the Rolls Royce car, escapes uninjured, but Frank and Tony took the brunt of the impact. Frank dies shortly after reaching the hospital, and Tony is left in a coma. After Frank's funeral, it is revealed that the post-mortem showed him to be above the drink-drive limit. In Frank's will it states No.5, along with his savings, are to be split between his children and new wife. No.5 is eventually sold to Barry Grant in 1994 and the proceeds split between Lyn, Sammy, Geoff (Stephen Walters) and Katie (Diane Burke).

Tony Dixon dies three months later, having never regained consciousness, and at his funeral, Jimmy confesses that he was the driver of the other car.

Reception

Just before Brookside's demise in 2003, Frances Traynor from the Daily Record named the crash that caused Frank's death one of the show's "most controversial plotlines".[5]

References
  1. Kibble-White 2002, p.55.
  2. Grant, Peter (13 November 2002). "What Katie Did Next - Stayed in Brookie; Peter Grant Meets a Very Young and Very Happy Soap Veteran". Liverpool Echo. (Trinity Mirror via Questia Online Library). Retrieved 30 March 2014.(subscription required)
  3. Bevron, Casa (2 September 2003). "Happy Ending for Couple from Hell?". Liverpool Echo. (Trinity Mirror via Questia Online Library). Retrieved 30 March 2014.(subscription required)
  4. Gould, Phil (28 February 2001). "Bells Ring in Potential Disaster for Soap Stars; It Is Highly Unlikely That Steve and Mel Will Live Happy Ever; in the World of Soap, Happy Couples Equals Boring Drama GMTV Soap Expert Tina Baker". The News Letter. (Johnston Publishing (NI) via Questia Online Library). Retrieved 30 March 2014.(subscription required)
  5. Traynor, Frances (31 October 2003). "Close encounters; as Brookside Prepares for Its Final Episode after 21 Years, TV Editor Frances Traynor Takes a Look at the Soap's Most Controversial Plotlines". Daily Record. (Trinity Mirror via Questia Online Library). Retrieved 30 March 2014.(subscription required)
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