Malcolm Hebden
Malcolm Hebden (born 21 December 1939) is an English actor. He is known for portraying the role of Norris Cole in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, a role which he played from 1994 to 1997, 1999 to 2017, and again from 2019 to 2020. At the age of 81, he announced his retirement from acting.
Malcolm Hebden | |
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Born | |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1972–2020 |
Early life
Hebden was born in Chester before his family moved to Burnley, Lancashire, three weeks later.[1] He was educated at West Gate High School and began his career as a window dresser in Burnley.[1] He was involved in amateur dramatics groups, one of which included Richard Moore, called The Highcliffe Players.[2] When aged 28, he attended the Rose Bruford Drama School in London[1] before beginning a career in theatre. He found school difficult due to "severe dyslexia".[3]
Career
Hebden first appeared in Coronation Street from 1974 to 1975, as Mavis Riley's (Thelma Barlow) Spanish boyfriend Carlos.[4] He first appeared as Norris Cole in 1994; he left in 1997, before returning to the role in December 1999. Also in 1999, Hebden made an appearance as a pharmacist in the television film Lost for Words, alongside Pete Postlethwaite, Anne Reid and Thora Hird.[5][6] Along with his on-screen business partner Barbara Knox (Rita Sullivan), Hebden won the Best Onscreen Partnership award at the British Soap Awards in May 2006. Additionally, he won the Funniest Character award for two consecutive years at the 2001 and 2002 Inside Soap Awards. He also made an appearance in Last of the Summer Wine. Hebden had a heart attack in December 2017, and was absent from Coronation Street from December 2017 to April 2019.[7] However, in March 2019, it was announced that Hebden would return briefly in May 2019.[8][9] He made his final appearance in June 2020, and in January 2021, he announced his retirement from acting, at the age of 81.[10]
References
- I see Pendle and I'm home Archived 6 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Lancashire Evening Telegraph, 4 March 1998
- "Preview: Comedians in Bolton". Lancashire Telegraph. 13 April 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
- "Interview: Coronation Street's Norris Cole, Malcolm Hebden". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
- corrie.net Biography: Malcolm Hebden
- https://metro.co.uk/2019/05/06/how-long-has-malcolm-hebden-played-norris-in-coronation-street-and-what-else-has-he-been-in-9417932/
- https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b821b0258
- "Corrie fan favourite recovering from heart attack". Digital Spy. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
- Lee, Jess (26 November 2018). "Corrie confirms return for Malcolm Hebden as Norris". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- Street, Coronation (28 February 2019). "Norris Cole - back where he belongs Welcome home Malcolm Hebden - see him on screen in April! #Corrie #Norris #BehindTheScenes #Exclusivepic.twitter.com/uDivXP3pKx". @itvcorrie. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
- "No more Norris! Coronation Street actor Malcolm Hebden retires from screen". Lancashire Telegraph. 22 January 2021.