Alan Rothwell is an English actor and television presenter. He was born in Oldham, Lancashire. He first came to fame in 1960, playing the character David Barlow in the then new ITV soap opera Coronation Street. He remained in this role in 1968, and the character was killed off two years later. He also featured as a regular character in all 26 episodes of the 1961-1962 British spy series Top Secret in the role of "Mike". Rothwell then became known as a presenter to a generation of children, appearing on the children's television programmes Picture Box from 1969 to 1990 and Hickory House from 1973 to 1978. He returned to soap operas in 1985, this time as the heroin addict Nicholas Black in Brookside. In 2002 he appeared in the television drama film Shipman. He also played Gerry Stringer in all six episodes of Dead Man Weds in 2005. Among his many other television credits are parts in Casualty, Emmerdale, Heartbeat, Doctors, Shameless and Bedlam. In 2004, Rothwell guest-starred in the Doctor Who audio adventure The Twilight Kingdom. 

February 9th, 1937 in Oldham (Age 87)