Corrie at 55: The Originals

The 21 originals

There were twenty-one original characters in Coronation Street in 1960. These being Florrie Lindley, Harry Hewitt, Minnie Caldwell, Martha Longhurst, Ena Sharples, Linda Cheveski, Ida Barlow, Christine Hardman, Albert Tatlock, Concepta Riley, Jack Walker, Leonard Swindley, Dennis Tanner, Lucille Hewitt, Esther Hayes, Frank Barlow, Elsie Tanner, Ken Barlow, David Barlow, Annie Walker and Ivan Cheveski.

Ken Barlow is the only character to remain since its inception. Of those originals actors still alive there is Anne Cunningham (Linda Cheveski), Doreen Keogh (Concepta Riley), Philip Lowrie (Dennis Tanner), William Roache (Ken Barlow) and Alan Rothwell (David Barlow). Out of these, only Rothwell’s character has been killed off in the show.

The first original character to leave was David Barlow in 1961 although he would return before his final appearance in 1968. The first original character to die was Ida Barlow in 1961 when Noel Dyson, who played, decided to leave. Six originals were axed between 1964 and 1965. The first member of the cast to die was Arthur Leslie, who played Jack Walker, in 1970. The latest original character to leave was Dennis Tanner in 2014. The latest original member of the cast to die was Daphne Oxenford, who died in 2012, 40 years after her last appearance as Esther Hayes.

The longest running originals: Ken, Albert, Annie, Elsie, Ena and Minnie

You can read a detailed account of every original cast member from this list:

Anne Cunningham (Linda Cheveski)

Alan Rothwell (David Barlow)

Philip Lowrie (Dennis Tanner)

William Roache (Ken Barlow)

Ernst Walder (Ivan Cheveski)

Doreen Keogh (Concepta Riley/Hewitt/Regan)

Daphne Oxenford (Esther Hayes)

Jennifer Moss (Lucille Hewitt)

Ivan Beavis (Harry Hewitt)

Noel Dyson (Ida Barlow)

Doris Speed (Annie Walker)

Betty Alberge (Florrie Lindley)

Lynne Carol (Martha Longhurst)

Margot Bryant (Minnie Caldwell)

Pat Phoenix (Elsie Tanner/Howard/Tanner)

Christine Hargreaves (Christine Hardman/Appleby)

Jack Howarth (Albert Tatlock)

Violet Carson (Ena Sharples)

Arthur Lowe (Leonard Swindley)

Frank Pemberton (Frank Barlow)

Arthur Leslie (Jack Walker)

Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.

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The faces of Corrie in 1960

If you remember, last year I had a series of posts looking at the top 12 faces of each Corrie decade - the 1960s, the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s and the 2000s. For the next 10 weeks or so, I’ll be looking at the top 12 faces of each year between 1960 and 2013.

With thanks to Corriepedia for the information.

In 1960, 7 episodes were broadcast.

1.    Linda Cheveski (7 episodes)
2.    Ena Sharples (7 episodes)
3.    Elsie Tanner (7 episodes)
4.    Annie Walker (7 episodes)
5.    Christine Hardman (6 episodes)
6.    Esther Hayes (6 episodes)
7.    Martha Longhurst (6 episodes)
8.    Dennis Tanner (6 episodes)
9.    Ivan Cheveski (5 episodes)
10.    Harry Hewitt (5 episodes)
11.    Jack Walker (5 episodes)
12.    Minnie Caldwell (4 episodes)

Due to lack of space, Leonard Swindley fails to make the top 12, but he also appeared for 4 episodes.

Average age: 41

Note: This is the only time Linda, Ivan (to date), Christine and Esther appear in the top 12.

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