About Paul Barber (actor)
Paul Barber (born Patrick Barber, 18 March 1951) is an English actor. In a career spanning more than 45 years, he is best known for playing Denzil in Only Fools and Horses and Horse in The Full Monty. He also had two small parts in Coronation Street, first as Billy Arrowsmith in 2004, then as Nelson in 2008. == Early life == Barber was taken into care at the age of seven, following the death of his mother, Margret, from tuberculosis. His mother was from Middlesbrough. His father died when Patrick (or Paddy as he was then known) and his brothers Brian, Paul, Mike and sisters Claudette and Lorraine were very young. Whilst he was in care, he was abused both physically and mentally. He notes that he has suffered like others, but channelled his emotions into acting. == Acting career == Barber began on the stage in the musical Hair. His first major TV role was as Sam "Lucky" Ubootu in the 1974 ITV Playhouse production Lucky, set in Liverpool and made by Granada TV. He then played the flamboyant but vicious gang boss Malleson in a Play for Today episode and Series 1 of the off-beat BBC Birmingham-based series Gangsters from 1975 to 1976.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.