Chris Smith

Name: Chris Smith
First Appeared: 7th May 1985
Last Appeared: 2nd August 1988
Played by: Allan O’Keefe

Chris Smith, the haulage driver from Stockport, first rumbled into Walford in May 1985, looking to reconnect with his wayward daughter, Mary. Known to him as Theresa, Mary had fled from her family, hoping to start anew, but Chris had other plans. He tried to persuade her to return home so he could help raise her young daughter, Annie. Despite several heartfelt but ill-fated attempts, Mary remained firm, sending him packing back to Stockport.

Two years later, in 1987, Mary’s life took a darker turn as she began prostituting herself, leaving little Annie alone while she worked. A near-tragic incident involving a blanket and a fan heater prompted Dot Cotton to call Chris, who promptly returned to rescue his granddaughter, taking her back to Stockport. Despite the best efforts of Mary’s boyfriend, Rod Norman, to help Mary get her life in order, Edie, Chris’s wife, had grown attached to Annie and was reluctant to let her go. It wasn’t until Christmas Eve 1987, after a drunken Chris tried to abduct Annie and crashed into a wall, that Mary forgave him and allowed Annie to be reunited with her.

In early 1988, Chris aimed to establish a haulage company in Albert Square. However, plans hit a roadblock when his driving license was suspended for 18 months due to a drink-driving incident. Despite these setbacks, Chris managed to get the business off the ground by partnering with Harry Jameson and borrowing money from Walford Investments. However, familial strife continued as Mary’s descent into drug use and neglect of Annie caused more turmoil. Chris’s attempts to help by offering Mary a job backfired, leading to a dramatic exit by Mary and Annie after sabotaging his office with red paint.

Chris’s final months in Walford saw him struggling to keep his business afloat, employing the unreliable Charlie Cotton and still driving deliveries despite his suspended license. Darren Roberts, after several clashes with Chris, reported him to the police, resulting in a hefty fine and crippling the business. Forced by The Firm’s Gregory Mantel to sign over the company, Chris had no choice but to return to Stockport in August 1988.