The nation knew him as the lovable rogue Frank Butcher, the trilby-whearing, fast-talking landlord of the Queen Vic in EastEnders. But behind the iconic soap character, actor and comedian Mike Reid endured a life marred by profound personal loss and financial ruin, culminating in his death in 2007 at the age of 67 with very little to his name.
From Comedy Clubs to Albert Square
Born in Hackney, East London in 1940, Mike Reid's journey to stardom was unconventional. After leaving school early and dabbling in a colourful East End life that included associations with figures like the Kray twins, he found his footing in entertainment. He started as a stuntman in 1960s films like The Dirty Dozen before his razor-sharp wit propelled him to fame on the stand-up circuit and ITV's The Comedians.
His big break came in 1987 when he joined the cast of BBC's EastEnders as used car dealer Frank Butcher. The character, who famously bought the Queen Vic in 1988, became a cornerstone of the show for years. Reid's portrayal was so intense that filming a mental health breakdown storyline in the mid-1990s triggered his own anxiety attacks, forcing a temporary departure from the soap.
A Life Shattered by Unimaginable Tragedy
While his career soared, Reid's personal life was devastated by a series of heartbreaking events. The most shattering occurred in 1990 when his youngest son, Mark, who had struggled with mental health issues, shot and killed a friend before taking his own life in a horrific manner.
In his memoir, Reid wrote of his belief that the shooting was a tragic accident, but that Mark subsequently felt he had caused too much suffering and inflicted the worst on himself. Months later, Reid's granddaughter—Mark's daughter—died from cot death, compounding the family's grief. Years earlier, his first child had also died just five days after birth.
Reid later confessed that the pain never left him, saying he locked his grief away privately to be able to function and continue performing.
Financial Downfall and Final Years
Parallel to his personal anguish, Reid's finances collapsed. A disastrous investment in Spain wiped out a significant portion of his wealth, leaving him and relatives in financial difficulty. Despite a long career in prime-time television, lucrative comedy tours, and film roles like in Guy Ritchie's Snatch, his fortune was gone.
A lifelong chain smoker against medical advice, Reid suffered a suspected heart attack while at his home in Marbella, Spain, in July 2007. This came just weeks after he had been given a clean bill of health. He passed away at the age of 67, reportedly with very little money left.
His funeral in Essex was attended by over 250 people, including EastEnders co-stars Pam St Clement, Barbara Windsor, and June Brown. The BBC paid tribute by dedicating an episode of the soap to his memory, honouring the man behind one of Walford's most unforgettable legends.
