Anecdotes

National Service in Scotland with the RAF in air traffic control (1949-51). While there, he learned the art of fencing and later taught in schools around Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, as well as directing fights on stage in Perth, Scotland, and at the Theatre Royal, in York, North Yorkshire, England. He also coached actors Robert Hardy and Tom Courtenay. Mosley later became a founder member of the Society of British Fight Directors.

His character in the British television soap opera Coronation Street (1960), Alf Roberts, was Mayor of the series' fictional setting, Weatherfield and in a 1995 storyline, Alf was appointed OBE by the Queen for his public service. It is often stated incorrectly by many sources that Mosley himself was appointed OBE. He never was.

First acted on stage at the Byre Theatre in St. Andrews, Scotland.

Awarded an honorary degree from Bradford University.

Grew up in a working-class district in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.

Best-known as grocer and councillor Alf Roberts in the popular British soap Coronation Street (1960).

His mother Agnes was originally a Basquill with other family members in America and Ireland,.

His family name was originally Basquill with links with the French Revolution which fits in with Brian's reputation as an expert swordsman and stunt arranger.

Mosley was a practising Roman Catholic who had made at least one pilgrimage to Lourdes.

As part of the Coronation Street 40th anniversary celebrations in 2000, heritage plaques were unveiled outside the Granada Studios to four of the soap opera's stars, including Mosley. The other plaques commemorated the lives of Doris Speed, Pat Phoenix and Violet Carson.

In later life he began to suffer from cardiac troubles, and suffered his first heart attack in 1991. After a second more serious heart attack in 1997, he lost four stone in weight. In addition, Mosley had respiratory problems, and was told by producers of Coronation Street to leave the programme, ultimately leading him to give up his role as Alf Roberts. His final episode was broadcast on New Years' Day 1999, and Mosley died of a heart attack just five weeks later.

He fenced with Terence Stamp in the film Far from the Madding Crowd, and taught fencing in schools around Leeds.

Mosley also wrote a regular column for The Weekly News.

He also worked in a bookshop, as a drama teacher and sold encyclopedias door-to-door.

In 1999, a biography, Street Life: The Bryan Mosley Story, by Chris Gidney, was published.

He was the subject of "This is Your Life" in October 1997, being surprised by Michael Aspel on the set of Coronation Street. The episode went out on 3 November. Tributes were paid by actor Paul Shane and actress Kathy Staff. He was joined by the cast of Coronation Street.

In 2010, as part of the Coronation Street 50th anniversary celebrations, Alf Roberts featured in a video countdown, The Stars of the Street: 50 Years, 50 Classic Characters.

Bryan Mosley was cremated at Nab Wood Crematorium, Shipley, with his Coronation Street character's trademark trilby laid on his coffin; a brass band played "For All the Saints".

After national service in the RAF in 1952, working in air traffic control just outside Newcastle and in Scotland, Mosley trained as an actor at the Bradford Civic Theatre and Esme Church's Northern Theatre School. He then toured with the New Pilgrim Players, playing in churches, abbeys, pubs and prisons, before working in repertory theatre in York, Perth, Derby and Harrogate.

Mosley was a keen painter and trained at the Leeds College of Art. He was an honorary member of the British Watercolours Society, Ilkley, where he regularly exhibited his work.