Sidney Kean

Mini Biography
Sidney was born in Hackney, east London at a time when the East End was still a series of bomb sites and populated by prefabricated housing. At the tender age of two weeks he was rushed to Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital as it was noticed his feet did not look quite right. Therein began a long fight, 13 years, hard work, dedication and determination from his parents (John & Bettina), the doctors (Dr Lister) and not least of all Sidney himself. The constant visits to Great Ormond Street and the internship at Queen Mary's Hospital Carshalton, the six operations, took up most of his early life, thus where most young boys were out playing football or cricket because of his footwear Sidney could only watch, with the determination that one day he too would be able to play. That determination was rewarded when at the age of 13 he was discharged from Great Ormond Street with the words, "We are pleased to say that there is so much improvement that he no longer needs to come to us." With this the surgical boots were thrown away and instantly replaced by a pair of football boots. This of course was not without its hazards, as opposing teams discovered Sidney's weakness they took full advantage by deliberately kicking his feet. He joined the Alexander Boys club in Stoke Newington and ended up as their five-a-side goalkeeper. For which he was, by Alex, offered a trial for Fulham. This he turned down as he thought with his feet he would not be able to cope with the constant pressure.

He discovered acting when at school in 1965, a teacher, Mr Phillips, took his class to see The Arms & The Man, at the then Mountview Theatre School, a play they were doing for exams. On leaving, he and others noticed a poster for Hamlet, a student production and decided that watching men in tights would be a better laugh than the play they had just witnessed. It was at this performance that he was enthralled and whilst his friends were laughing he had made a resolve that this is what he wanted to do. The actor playing Hamlet was a very young Leigh Lawson.

On going home that evening he told his parents that that is what he wanted. They were not too pleased as at that time it was unheard of for a boy from an East End working class family to become an Actor!

Sidney decided he would have to pay for the training himself. One Saturday morning he got up early 5am and walked the length of the local market, Ridley Road, going f