Freddy Marks
Encyclopedia
Freddy Marks was born on 10 September 1949 in Birkenhead
, Merseyside
, England. He is best known for being part of the musical trio Rod, Jane and Freddy
which appeared in children's programming on the British TV channel ITV in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. Freddy Marks has always been interested in music and the theatre from a very young age. He played in various bands in his hometown and often appeared in different shows and amateur productions at his local youth theatre. He trained at The Central School of Speech and Drama in London from 1968–1971.
His career before Rainbow was highly successful; he appeared in numerous London theatre productions, most notably playing Brad in The Rocky Horror Show
in the West End. He appeared in dozens of commercials and famous TV series including Z-Cars
, The Sweeney
, The Professionals
and Churchill's People
.
, the award-winning children's TV show, when they were looking for a new musician/singer/songwriter to replace Roger Walker, who had quit the show in order to focus on acting. Freddy got the job immediately and joined the two existing musicians Rod Burton and Jane Tucker and the now famous trio of Rod, Jane and Freddy was formed.
, Playdays
, Wizadora
and performed in pantomimes with Rod and Jane.
Today Freddy still writes and records music. He is currently living in south west London with his partner, fellow trio member Jane Tucker.
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, England. He is best known for being part of the musical trio Rod, Jane and Freddy
Rod, Jane and Freddy
Rod, Jane and Freddy was the most famous name for a singing trio who appeared in children's programming on the British TV channel ITV in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. They starred both in the long-running series Rainbow as well as their own 15-minute show, The Rod, Jane and Freddy Show...
which appeared in children's programming on the British TV channel ITV in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. Freddy Marks has always been interested in music and the theatre from a very young age. He played in various bands in his hometown and often appeared in different shows and amateur productions at his local youth theatre. He trained at The Central School of Speech and Drama in London from 1968–1971.
His career before Rainbow was highly successful; he appeared in numerous London theatre productions, most notably playing Brad in The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show is a long-running British horror comedy stage musical, which opened in London on 19 June 1973. It was written by Richard O'Brien, produced and directed by Jim Sharman. It came eighth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals"...
in the West End. He appeared in dozens of commercials and famous TV series including Z-Cars
Z-Cars
Z-Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby in the outskirts of Liverpool in Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978.-Origins:The series was developed by...
, The Sweeney
The Sweeney
The Sweeney is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London...
, The Professionals
The Professionals (TV series)
The Professionals was a British crime-action television drama series produced by Avengers Mk1 Productions and London Weekend Television that aired on the ITV network from 1977 to 1983. In all, 57 episodes were produced, filmed between 1977 and 1981. It starred Martin Shaw, Lewis Collins and Gordon...
and Churchill's People
Churchill's People
Churchill's People is series of 26 historical dramas produced by the BBC, based on Winston Churchill's A History of the English-Speaking Peoples. They were first broadcast on BBC1 in 1974 and 1975....
.
Rainbow
In 1979 Freddy auditioned to join the cast of RainbowRainbow (TV series)
Rainbow is a British children's television series, created by Pamela Lonsdale, which ran twice weekly at 12:10 on Tuesdays and Fridays on the ITV network, from 16 October 1972 to 6 March 1992...
, the award-winning children's TV show, when they were looking for a new musician/singer/songwriter to replace Roger Walker, who had quit the show in order to focus on acting. Freddy got the job immediately and joined the two existing musicians Rod Burton and Jane Tucker and the now famous trio of Rod, Jane and Freddy was formed.
The Rod, Jane and Freddy Show
Towards the end of 1980 Rod, Jane and Freddy were approached by ITV to do their own show. Plans went through to create a series of mini-musicals to be written and recorded by the trio, and in January 1981 the Rod, Jane and Freddy Show aired its first episode. They made 7 series in total, writing and performing some magical and memorable songs. Rod, Jane and Freddy appeared in both their own show and Rainbow for 10 years until in 1990 when Thames TV lost their franchise and Rainbow came to an end.Touring
After the Rod, Jane and Freddy Show finished in 1990, Rod, Jane and Freddy took their show on the road and toured extensively across the UK playing every major theatre for the next six years. In 1996 they won the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters (BACS) Gold Badge Award for outstanding contribution to the music industry.Present
Since 1996 Freddy has written scripts for SootySooty (TV series)
Sooty is a British children's television series that aired on ITV from 5 November 2001 - 6 January 2004 for three series. It replaces Sooty Heights, although the setting is much the same...
, Playdays
Playdays
Playdays was a children's television programme from the United Kingdom. The series ran from 17 October 1988 to 28 March 1997 on Children's BBC , and was aired in reruns until 2003. The show was the successor of Play School, and, like its predecessor, was designed as an educational programme...
, Wizadora
Wizadora
Wizadora was a children's television programme broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom from 1993 to 1998. However, it was first used as a language teaching tool for children to learn the English language, by Oxford University Press in 1991. The series was created by Don Arioli and Carolyne Cullum. ...
and performed in pantomimes with Rod and Jane.
Today Freddy still writes and records music. He is currently living in south west London with his partner, fellow trio member Jane Tucker.