Copyright Kaleidoscope:
"Ten years ago ITV gave us a lot of tapes, several thousand titles made by Granada. We have catalogued everything listed on the tape labels. So imagine our surprise when he found an extra programme on a tape, unlisted. Despite ITV giving us this tape ten years ago, it turns out they had not kept the master and were amazed when we asked about the show.
It's a missing episode of Coronation Street.
A missing episode of Corrie? "Impossible?" you say, "They all exist"
We have now returned the footage to ITV so it can be used by them. The Corrie archivist said she had no record of this missing episode ever being made. The archives say they don't hold it, except for a few stockshots of Manchester Airport.
Production numbered 1/0061/0008: A Coronation Street promo, possibly for a screening in New York, or America at least. It’s in colour and runs for about 18 minutes. It’s mainly shot from the point of view of an unseen air traveller who has arrived at Manchester Airport on a BOAC flight from New York.
After disembarking, he (she?) is picked up by a taxi driver (played by Fred Feast) and is taken to the Rovers Return in Coronation Street where Annie Walker introduces whoever it is to various folk in the bar. As well as the newly-shot material there are what I think are three or four clips from the series to help illustrate what some of the Corrie characters are like. It ends with the American leaving the Rovers and getting back in the taxi.
I’m not sure exactly when it was made but from what Annie Walker says it’s clearly after Ernest Bishop first gets together with Emily Nugent (sometime in 1969) but before they’re married (April 1972).
The cast includes Bet Lynch, Ena Sharples, Albert Tatlock. Billy Walker, Ken Barlow, Maggie and the Ogdens, all in new material.
Gareth Kavanagh is hoping to be able to show the missing episode at this year's Corriefest alongside other rareities and studio tapes.
This was possibly made to mark the debut of the programme in the USA on 13th November 1972. See note to this episode:
ReplyDeletehttp://coronationstreet.wikia.com/wiki/Episode_1082_%2831st_May_1971%29
What an awesome find! Yes John that could very well be when it was produced
ReplyDeleteSo it's more of a promotional piece rather than a regular episode, but it would still be great to see it. I remember they did something similar here in Australia in 1978 when Corrie returned after a few years off air. That special was helmed by Julie Goodyear. I wonder if that one's in the archives somewhere?
ReplyDeleteI know I keep asking, but has a date been set yet for Corriefest? Like possibly the evening of July 16th, 17th, 18th, or 20th perchance?
ReplyDeleteNo date yet for Corriefest, I'm waiting with bated breath too for the date. As soon as it's announced I'll be blogging it ;-)
ReplyDeleteThey also did one in the early 1980s (I think) for when the programme returned to the Netherlands after a gap of some years. Bet Lynch spoke to a Dutch visitor in the Rovers about events in the intervening period. I have no more details, I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteDoris Speed did something similar when the CBC started showing old episodes here in Canada, on Sept. 14, 1981. I believe they went back to when Corrie was first broadcast in colour.
ReplyDeleteMy brother in Oz has been watching corrie since he emigrated in the 1970's .its only on pay TV for the current stories but one free channel has been showing the back catalogue . They are up to 2006 when Fred Elliot dies but the channel have pulled the plug. Does anyone know if you can download or purchase box sets for the whole series or they just selected episodes?
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