Greater Manchester have never been short of local legends and talent.
We boast a huge catalogue of actors, musicians, comedians and more, many with careers spanning decades and others paving the way for the next generation. But before they rose to stardom, they grew up in our towns, went to the local schools and were known by our neighbours.
From starring in massive Marvel and Netflix productions to Grammy Awards and legendary soap status, Greater Manchester has produced a number of stars who have made it big. Delving into the archives, the Manchester Evening News has unearthed pics of these 'baby-faced' celebrities from way back when.
Read More: 20 photos that will transport you right back to Manchester in 2002
Some were taken in first breakout roles and as their careers were beginning, whereas other photos show our celebrities in their early years. And some seem not to have aged a day, while others are barely recognisable from the stars we now know and love.
From well-known artists to Hollywood A-listers, award winners and more, these throwbacks are fascinating. Here are 12 of Greater Manchester's famous exports in years gone by.
Ian McShane
Best known for his title role of Lovejoy in the BBC series and Al Swearengan in Deadwood, for which he won a Golden Globe, Ian McShane is one of Manchester's most famous sons. Born in Blackburn, but raised in Manchester, McShane grew up in Davyhulme before appearing on our screens.
As a youngster, he attended Stretford Grammar School before making California his home. He’s an ardent Red, which is not surprising given his dad Harry played for United in the early 50s and was later a scout and PA announcer at Old Trafford.
McShane has also starred in Dallas, Roots, Wuthering Heights as brooding anti-hero Heathcliff, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Below, you can see the star back in 1962, when he was about to make his screen debut in the Ralph Thomas film 'Young and Willing' - aka 'The Wild and the Willing'.
Phoebe Dynevor
Phoebe Dynevor was catapulted to worldwide fame after starring in Netflix's hit series Bridgerton. Her role as Daphne Bridgerton earned her a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, along with the main cast of the series
But this was not the first time we saw Dynevor on our screens. The eldest daughter of Coronation Street's Sally Dynevor, she has also starred in Prisoner's Wives and Younger and Snatch.
She also made her feature film debut as Clarice Cliff in Sky Cinema's The Colour Room. But it all started years ago for Dynevor in Waterloo Road, when she made her TV debut in the BBC series at 14 years old, playing school girl Siobhan Mailey.
Benedict Wong
Actor Benedict Wong is no stranger to Hollywood action films. After spending two years studying performing arts at Pendleton Sixth Form College, Wong, originally from Eccles, went on to star in a number of massive productions.
Best known for portraying Kublai Khan in Netflix’s Marco Polo and the character of Wong in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he's also been in some big blockbuster Sci-Fi films, like The Martian, Prometheus - as well a superhero films Doctor Strange and Avengers: Infinity War.
On television, Wong has appeared in The IT Crowd, Law & Order: UK and Black Mirror. We've scoured the archives and found this photo of Wong back in 2002, attending the premiere of "Dirty Pretty Things."
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Holliday Grainger
Holliday Grainger's first acting role was at six years old in the BBC comedy drama series All Quiet on the Preston Front - as seen in this adorable throwback snap below. Born in Didsbury, Grainger later went on to have roles in Casualty, Doctors, Dalziel and Pascoe, Where the Heart Is and Waterloo Road.
But she is perhaps best known for her roles as Lucrezia Borgia in The Borgias and Lady Chatterley in the BBC’s 2015 adaptation of D.H. Lawrence’s classic novel. As a youngster, Grainger attended Parrs Wood High School.
Now in her 30s, she played Bonnie Parker in the History Channel’s Bonnie and Clyde and starred in Mike Newell’s big screen version of Great Expectations. Grainger has also had roles in British drama film The Riot Club, Disney’s Cinderella remake.
Noel and Liam Gallagher
Members of rock band Oasis, formed in Manchester in 1991, brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher are household names. In the band, they spawned eight UK number one singles and eight UK number one albums.
But after rows and a changing band line-up over the years, the group formally disbanded in 2009. After leaving Oasis, Noel formed Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.
And Liam went on to front side project Beady Eye before launching his solo career in 2017. Here are the brothers in the 1970s, with mum Peggy and brother Paul.
Lisa Stansfield
Growing up in Rochdale, singer Lisa Stansfield first found fame as a 16-year-old presenter on early 80s children's show Razzmatazz. After winning a Manchester Evening News talent contest, the teenager began sending in tapes of music she had recorded at home, along with photographs, in an effort to get it heard.
She formed the band Blue Zone with two former school mates - future husband Ian, and Andy Morris. But it was the 1989 number one All Around The World that really established her.
With contributions to the soundtracks of The Bodyguard and Indecent Proposal, Lisa has won numerous awards, including Brit Awards and Billboard Music Awards. But before her time in the spotlight, Lisa was a school girl with big dreams.
Who is your favourite Manchester celebrity? Let us know in the comments section below.
Peter Kay
Arguably the UK's most successful comic, Peter Kay was born in Bolton and working at a loo roll factory before hitting the big time in 2000. Below, you can see Kay when he first burst onto the scene over two decades ago.
Television creations The Peter Kay Thing, Phoenix nights and Max and Paddy's Road To Nowhere brought Peter Kay to a wider audience. His Tour That Doesn't Tour later became one of the world's biggest selling stand-up comedy tours.
The comedian has sold more than 10 million DVDs and has a UK chart number one to his name. He also has a BAFTA Awards and a National Television Award.
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Tina O'Brien
Tina O'Brien is best known for playing Sarah Barlow - nee Platt - on ITV's Coronation Street. Back in 2000, she won the award for Best Newcomer at the National Television Awards and wore a purple top and dark pants to the occassion.
After taking a break from the soap in 2008, O'Brien returned in 2015 to reprise her role as Sarah. Over the years, she has also appeared on our screens in Doctors, Call The Midwife and Waterloo Road, as well as competing in BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.
In 2008, O'Brien and Corrie co-star Ryan Thomas welcomed a daughter called Scarlett. Along with daughter Scarlett, Tina also has a son called Beau with husband Adam Crofts.
Sir Ian McKellen
One of the most famous actors in the world, Sir Ian McKellen has a career spanning decades and genres - ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. He was born in Burnley, before his family moved to Wigan and then Bolton.
After getting a scholarship to study at Cambridge University, he became an esteemed theatre actor. With six Laurence Olivier Awards, a Golden Globe, a Tony Award and Critics’ Choice awards to his name, McKellen is about as good as they get in the world of theatre.
He has starred as Magneto in the X-Men films, and Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. In 2005, he achieved his life-time ambition of starring in Coronation Street, playing author Mel Hutchwright.
Lorraine Ashbourne
Manchester's own Lorraine Ashbourne is no stranger to the spotlight. Over the years, she has starred in King Kong (2005), Child 44 and more recently Netflix's hit series Bridgerton.
Ashbourne has appeared on our screens in Casualty, London Burning and more. As a stage actor, Lorraine has regularly appeared at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester.
She has been married to actor Andy Serkis since 2002 and together they have three children, with 17-year-old son Noah now following in his parent footsteps, starring in ITV's No Return. In the archives, we spotted this photo of Ashbourne in 1988, at the Cannes Film Festival in France.
The latest Memory Lane special is available in many local newsagents and major retailers now. This instalment of the bumper picture special looks at fun in the sun - with pages of stunning photographs and treasured memories of family holidays from years gone by. You can also buy Memory Lane online here.
The Bee Gees
Formed in 1958, The Bee Gees comprised of brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb. The Gibb family left Chorlton to emigrate to Australia, with all three future Bee Gees still of school age.
Known for hits such as Stayin' Alive, More Than A Woman, How Deep Is Your Love and more, the band went on to win numerous Grammy Awards. Barry is the last surviving musical Gibb brother following the death of brother Robin in May 2012 after a fight with cancer.
Robin died nine years after his twin Maurice died of complications from surgery for a twisted intestine. Their younger brother Andy – who had a solo music career - died in 1988, aged just 30, from heart failure following a viral infection.
Michelle Keegan
Hailing from Stockport, Michelle Keegan is best known for starring in Coronation Street as Tina McIntyre and BBC's Our Girl, playing the role of Georgie Lane. In her career, she has also starred in biopic Tina and Bobby, Ordinary Lies and Sky comedy Brassic.
She is currently filming a period drama in Australia which is said to be from the team behind Netflix’s Sex Education. Keegan, who is married to Mark Wright, recently launched her own swimwear brand named Orfila Bee.
It's now been 15 years since Keegan first stepped foot on the cobbles. Here is a throwback photo of the actress around that time.
