Pics: Corrie's golden couple open Dutch supermarket, 1967

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog August 2016, reposted to this blog with permission.)

One of the very many joys of writing the Coronation Street Blog is when you receive an email from someone you've never met before and he sends you some wonderful Corrie pics that he's found.

Coronation Street fan Paul van der Hart in the Netherlands emailed this week to say that he found these old photographs of Elsie and Dennis Tanner (Pat Phoenix and Philip Lowrie) on a visit to the Netherlands in 1967.

They were there for the opening of a new De Gruyter supermarket, an event that was kicked off by ringing a bell in a British themed pub in Amsterdam. The hatted gent in the photographs is the supermarket's owner, Mr Piet de Gruyter.

Paul tells us that Corrie was broadcast in the Netherlands between 1967 and 1975 with 428 episodes broadcast. Interestingly in 1981 a Dutch actor played a character in Corrie: Lex van Delden played Dirk van der Stek (who dated Deirdre Barlow). 

All I can say to Paul for sending us these pics is Met vriendelijke groet (Kind regards!) 

Corrie connections to Holland continued when Ray Langton naffed off to work there, leaving Deirdre as a single mum to Tracy.  And of course, Roy and Hayley's Amsterdam trip goes down in Corrie legend too.



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My disappointment in Dennis

(This post was originally posted by Llifon on the Coronation Street Blog in July 2014.)

Well, Dennis Tanner has gone! Will he be back? Who knows?

I have to say that since Dennis was re-introduced into Corrie over three years ago, I have been very disappointed at the way his character has been dealt with. And this is no fault of Philip Lowrie. It's in the hands of the powers that be. Here are some of my thoughts on the weaknesses of the charatcer.

His re-introduction

When I heard the news that Dennis Tanner was being re-introduced, I was a little apprehensive. Yes, I was thrilled they were thinking of bringing him back, but yet I questioned why? There were plenty of other characters to re-introduce, why Dennis Tanner? He hadn't appeared since 1968 and only two characters, three at a push would remember him.

Then we got more info on his comeback. He would return as a tramp which was an interesting angle. You would expect that maybe Emily would find him prowling around the charity shop. But oh no, it was Rita who found him while volunteering in a homeless shelter. The producers made a mountain out of a molehill, quite frankly, of their friendship. Yes, Rita was introduced as Dennis' friend in 1964, but that was about it. For me, it would have been better for Emily or Ken to come across him and then bring him home and for Rita to recognise him. What was also weird was that Dennis didn't comment on how the street had changed since he left. He didn't comment how the Rovers had changed - how the snug or select wasn't there any more.

Lack of historical references

As I said, I was apprehensive about his return. But what I was looking forward to were references to the past. Dennis was another link to the Corrie of the 1960s along with Ken and Emily. While we got told about Elsie's fate and a reference to Martha Longhurst, I have no recollection of Dennis making any references to past characters. He could've talked about Jack and Annie Walker, the snug trio, Albert Tatlock or Lucille Hewitt. Considering his links with Gamma Garments, he never talked about Swindley with Emily. He never discussed Emily having finally got married after years of being a spinster. 

His lack of scenes with Ken were a disappointment as well. Considering he was due to ruffle Ken's feathers, no such scenes were shown. There were two years before Ken left for Canada, so there were enough opportunities. Where were the scenes where Dennis and Ken reminisced about the past and about Elsie, Frank and Ida, David and Valerie? We never saw Dennis talk to Peter about his mum. A missed opportunity.

Why didn't Linda Cheveski re-appear? Or what about a reference to Dennis' first wife Jenny?

Confinement to Rita

This was the biggest mistake they did. Since 2011, his scenes have mainly been with Rita. But I don't know why the producers chose to confine him to just Rita. They could have always maintained Rita and Dennis' friendship, like her friendship with Alf, while Dennis could communicate with other characters. I was pleased when the producers recognised the ironic link that Eileen lived at Elsie's house and that Elsie's maiden name was also Grimshaw. And it was nice how Julie took Dennis in recently. 

I was also unhappy that they married Dennis and Rita. Rita mentioned time and again that she had always wanted to be Mrs Tanner. No reference was made before and it was odd considering Rita always said that her true love was Len. For years, she refused to remarry because she still loved Len. 

There was a lot of potential for Dennis to be linked with other characters. Yes he had a friendship with Sylvia and he ran off with Gloria, but what about Audrey? They could've talked about hairdressing - Dennis was interested at one time! And  despite Gail being Elsie's lodger, no scenes were done between the characters. He became a lollipop man which gave him a story with Steve, but all was forgotten.

While Rita had always had a fun-loving and humorous nature, her marriage to Dennis made her a miserable and boring shrew. When married to Len she could be a nag which was justified, but it was a change of personality for her to be so horrible to Dennis. It was no surprise that they finally separated but it was a shame that no effort was made to portray an old aged married couple. Not many have been portrayed in soaps so it would've been a change but alas the producers didn't have time. 

Ruination of a classic Corrie character

Maybe it was a mistake bringing him back. Too much time had passed. Although when they re-introduced Jed Stone, they didn't make a mess of things but he wasn't there long! Dennis could've brought some humour back to the OAP section of the show after the deaths of Blanche and Betty and would've been a brilliant double act with Sylvia. 

They made him totally dependant on Rita which was an error as he was a pensioner so received a pension. When he courted Rita, she was sweet but when they married, she turned into a harridan. He became henpecked like Jack Duckworth and Stan Ogden.

If not making him henpecked was enough, they made him an adulterer as well - running off with Gloria. He returned a desperate man but by the end he even retorted to even stealing money from The Kabin. 

It was a shame that he was axed - a real shame. What will Rita do now? Get a divorce and revert back to Sullivan? Who knows? Rita's not having the best luck with her old friends is she? She's fallen out with Bet Lynch, Alec Gilroy and Sharon Gaskell and now Dennis! Thank goodness she's still got Mavis!

You rarely disappoint me Corrie, but this time you have.

What about you? Were you disappointed with how Dennis was dealt with? Did you have hopes for him? Leave your comments!

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Should Rita take Dennis back - Yay or Nay?

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog June 2014, reposted to this blog with permission.)

It looks like Dennis helps support Rita in grieving over Tina's death, next week on Coronation Street. 

And our question today is, if Rita is thawing towards Dennis - as appears to be the case - whether you think Rita should forgive Dennis and take him back?   I say Nay. Send him packing, Reet. He's always been a bad 'un and he always will.



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Dennis reverts to type

Llifon wanted to know whether Rita and Dennis ever really worked as a couple. I have to agree that though I loved the characters individually and I did like seeing them get together at first, in the long run, they were not an equal couple. It didn't really have anything to do with Rita being the one that supported them financially. There was no reason for all that business to do with Dennis having to rely on her for money. He's of pensionable age so why wouldn't he have a bit of money of his own?

It became clear over time, that she really was taking him for granted. Perhaps just looking for someone as a companion in her final years? Dennis has always been a bit of a lad. Llifon mentioned that he saw Rita and Dennis as friends and I would agree with that, as well. If it hadn't been for Lewis being in the picture or colouring Audrey's recent past with heartbreak, I could have seen him with her as a great couple. Rita may have been a rival to Elsie, Dennis' mother, back in the day but enough time has past that I never saw that as a barrier to this couple but their chemistry as lovers didn't gel.

Rita was dragging Dennis down. Dennis returned on a downswing in his life but he still had that bounce and love for life and adventure, a scheme or two, and a cheeky joke. Rita isn't the going concern she used to be and, as most women at her age, you wouldn't expect her to be. She's settled, she's comfortable and she wanted company. The opportunity to get back into the music business was right up his alley and he proved that he was good at it. Gloria loved helping out but Rita decimated his confidence at every turn.

Dennis may love Rita but I don't think it's the same kind of passion he will have for Gloria. She really is more supportive and isn't trying to change him. They're two of a kind. It's been obvious in recent weeks. Dennis and Gloria both are still very young at heart and still looking for a life that contains the unexpected. It's what drives both of them. They may not last but by'eck they'll have a good time while it lasts.

He went from this, looking at a long, predictable life:

To this, most definitely not knowing what was around the next corner:

You can hardly blame him, can you?

Philip Lowrie and Sue Johnston were both sadly underused. Both actors sparkle on screen but can only be as good as the material they're given. It was nice to have a Tanner back on the screen with the occasional references to the past. I suppose they decided on Rita to be Dennis' wife because of the history and the temptation of having another red-headed Mrs. Tanner was too much to resist.

If Dennis ever does return, probably with his tail between his legs in defeat, he'll still be happier for the adventure. If he does come back, I hope Rita doesn't take him back and he becomes a strong character in his own right. If he doesn't come back, I'll wish him well.




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Yay or Nay: Did Rita and Dennis work for you?

Last night saw Dennis Tanner leaving wife Rita for Gloria Price. Although, I heard Sharon Marshall on ITV’s This Morning the other day saying that Dennis will return. I don’t know if it’s a brief comeback or have the producers given the character a reprieve? Who knows?

But for me, the writing’s on the wall where the Tanners are concerned. They’ve reunited so many times in recent weeks it’s very hard to keep track of when they’re off or on so I feel that they’re better apart. Honestly, I’ve never seen them as a great couple. I like them as individual characters, but as a couple it felt awkward for me watching. I feel cheated since Dennis’ return almost three years ago. We were promised big things by Phil Collinson about the character and I was excited that maybe Dennis would inject some humour back into the oldies section of the show. We were promised that Dennis would ruffle Ken’s feathers. Yet, that never happened. I was glad that the gossip of a love triangle between Rita, Dennis and Emily weren’t true because these women aren’t attracted to the same kind of men. And his returning storyline of being homeless was dealt with in a few episodes, which I found annoying as there could’ve been more potential for it. We wanted to know what led to his downfall.

Another mistake I felt the producers did was immediately link Dennis with Rita. They invented this love story that dated back to 1964. Whereas, in reality, Rita only stayed with Dennis the one night and from what I can see they were just friends. A far more plausible scenario would’ve been for Emily to see Dennis in the homeless shelter and let him lodge with her. And then at the Rovers, Dennis would happen to see Rita and they’d catch up. Emily recalled that she walked in on Rita at No.11 back in 1964. But in that particular episode, Emily didn’t even appear! 

Whereas I accepted Rita taking in Dennis as an old friend, I felt uncomfortable when it was revealed that they would fall in love. The age gap didn’t concern me – Rita’s been with younger men that herself in the past like Alan Bradley, Fred Elliott and Colin Grimshaw. The fact was that Rita had been married to Len Fairclough, who had a long history with Dennis’ mother Elsie. Rita had a love/hate relationship with Elsie due to her friendship with Len. And for that on-screen history between Rita and Dennis’ mother I felt uncomfortable with the pairing. I would’ve been more comfortable to see Dennis embark on a relationship with Sylvia, Audrey or Gloria and maintain a strong friendship with Rita. Phil Collinson wanted to see another Mrs Tanner on the street and felt that Rita was the one to suit the bill. Realistically, I couldn’t imagine Rita wanting to have the same surname as her one-time rival.

Having got them married and having got his wish of a Mrs Tanner treading the cobbles once again, Collinson soon forgot about the couple and we quickly realised that the producers weren’t dedicated to the success of the couple. Dennis was quickly labelled the hen-pecked husband, living on Rita’s hand-outs. He tried to find some fun in life that was usually dampened by an uncharacteristically boring Rita. Possibly Dennis soon realised that the Rita he knew back in the day had changed and maybe regretted marrying her? Rita herself told Bet Lynch in 2002 that she had changed whereas Bet was still the same. The Rita of today is a far cry from the Rita of the 1970s and 1980s. She had an edge and was cheekier whereas now she's content on sitting in the Rovers with Emily and winding up Norris in the Kabin. She was linked to more rough characters like Len, Bet and Elsie and Alan Bradley. But when she became Mrs Sullivan she changed. She became more of a lady – her choice of men changed from the rough and ready to gentlemen like Ted Sullivan, Fred Elliott, Anthony Stephens and Archie Shuttleworth. Like Bet, Dennis hasn’t changed with age – he hasn’t morphed into Ken Barlow. And with that, possibly the gap between Dennis and Rita was there from the start.

And so, for me, it’s a big nay. I think Stuart Blackburn did us a favour separating the two characters but I am sorry that they’re thinking of axing Dennis because as a character he’s got potential, but not with Rita. Yes, they can maintain a friendship but what about associating Dennis with other characters and having his own storylines and ventures instead of just with Rita. And as a historian, I have also been annoyed at the lack of mentions to the past we’ve had from Dennis with other characters. Elsie’s been mentioned sometimes and a reference was made to Martha Longhurst. No mention was given when he first walked into the Rovers and seeing the changes to the place. No mention of the Walkers or the snug. It’s been criminal that the scenes between him and Ken and Emily were so low – they could’ve reminisced about Albert Tatlock, Frank and Ida, David, Leonard Swindley and Gamma Garments. Dennis could’ve mentioned Valerie to Peter in a poignant moment or reminisced with Gail and Deirdre about Elsie. He could’ve walked into the Corner Shop and say “Eh, what would Lionel Petty say about this place?” So much potential lost. 

What’s your verdict on the Tanners? I’d love to hear your thoughts and sorry for rambling on!

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A Weatherfield week to remember

(This post was originally posted by Clinkers (David) on the Coronation Street Blog January 2013, reposted to this blog with permission.)

I don't suppose there is a great deal new to add to the overall comments about last week's drama. Fulsome praise was heaped on both Julie Hesmondhalgh and David Neilson. Rightly so. Their performances were stunning to say the least. David in particular portrayed Roy's conflicting emotions beautifully. Despair, horror, resignation, sadness and anger - all were on show. It all felt very raw at times.

The  blog reactions to Friday's episodes ring true.

My initial thought was 'why are all these women mythering Roy?' Anna, Carla and Fiz bumped around like wayward dodgems with their endless cups of tea, casseroles and pained expressions. Saying that, the latter could not be ascribed to Fiz who appeared in each scene with a face like an Easter Island statue. I know grief can affect people in many ways but a starched expression is a new one on me. Yes, the scenes were a bit on the clumsy side but this only reflects real life. Everyone wanted to help but the continuous milling around tends to be of little comfort to the bereaved. Roy's reaction to it all was probably the right one - take your casserole dishes, your blunt advice and your woeful faces and bog off!

Up against the heavy drama we had the never-ending (and if there is a God, please let it end once and for all) miserable marriage of the Tilsleys. Cue Nick with his screwed up face and Leanne clomping around the dreary Bistro set. Enough already! It can't go on. Time for Leanne to shine and time for Jane Danson (a joy of an actress) to be given something a little lighter. Also time for Nick and his beard to be released into the wild. Or on to the Red Rec. The scenes involving Nick and Kal on Friday were poor. Something about them did not feel right.

The writing is definitely on the wall for the Tanner marriage. As hard as it is to admit, Dennis seems to be a much better fit with Gloria than he does with his wife. Rita has been made to look crabby and a bit doddery of late which is not how we wanted to see her in her latter years. She's never been one of my favourite characters but to reinvent her as some spiteful old woman seems a little cruel. For viewers it will be interesting to see how Rita copes with life as a single woman in her eighties. Separation and divorce in old age does happen in life but seldom in TV drama.

Probably the joy of the week came courtesy of Ches and Sinead. Now that mahogany-faced Kayteh is off the scene and hanging around the bus stop all day, Ches can finally settle to a decent relationship with someone norm al. Well, normal save for the fixation with soap-making. Maybe Sinead can melt Kayteh down in time? Anyway with the addition of Kirk and Beth to the household, there should be fun times ahead. Here's hoping that Ches loses that 'teenage OAP' face that he's been sporting for months.

Also on the 'hurrah' list this week has to be new girl Steph. Thankfully we are not being bombarded with a new character (painful lessons learnt thanks to Michelle, Stella . . .) but she is, like Sinead, a breath of fresh air. Well, as fresh as the air gets near to Rosamund Street.

Hayley may have gone but there are reasons to be cheerful.




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Does Corrie make the most of its senior cast members?

(This post was originally posted by Graeme N on the Coronation Street Blog in December 2013.)

By gum but Coronation Street can be frustrating. It has all the elements of the best television programme on earth, yet recently it just keeps falling short. There are lots of big, explosive storylines and headline grabbing action, but I just don't feel the writers are making the most of the talent available.

This view has been reinforced only this very Sunday morning with the news that Philip Lowrie has been reportedly axed as Dennis Tanner. In my view one of the few really good things to happen under the reign of Phil Collinson was the decision to bring back Dennis. Philip Lowrie is such a good character and such an important link to former glories.

Apparently the Corrie writers can't think of anything else to do with him after being so underused for the past three years. I just can't fathom it.

There have been scant references to his glorious mother Elsie, no return for his sister Linda. Dennis has barely been seen on screen with characters like Deirdre, Audrey and Gail - characters who knew Elsie well back in the 70s. I'm not saying Corrie should live in the past, but I do think it is a fondness for what has gone before that keeps many of us loyal viewers watching. Instead we get a constant, tedious diet of Tina's trysts, Tracy's tantrums and Windass wingers.

The older Corrie cast are fast diminishing. It was inevitable really, but surely the sad losses in recent years should galvanise the writers to invest in the classic characters we are still lucky to have, while we have them? 

Rita still has plenty of screen time, but mainly as a foil to TIna's latest exploits. Involvement with Tina has turned Rita into something of a daft old dear. Would Rita really keep bailing Tina out and involving herself in all those dramas? Gail and Audrey are also still prominent but again only as a backdrop to the younger characters' infidelities and outlandish acts. Why can't Gail have a strong storyline of her own? Why can't Audrey? Let's see a female friend from either of their pasts come back and revitalise them.

We seldom see Emily these days and Norris also barely gets a look in. The biggest disappointment for me is the chronic way Deirdre has been underused of late. We've seen glimpses of the old sparkle whenever Anne Kirkbride has been given a chance, however I struggle to recall the last time she carried a major storyline of her own. 

So can it be true that storyline ideas for the older cast are drying up? 

Surely these longstanding characters should still be what drives the programme, even if they are all reaching a certain maturity. 





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Can we have more of the terrific Tanners please?

(This post was originally posted by Graeme N on the Coronation Street Blog in May 2013.)

I make no secret of the fact I love Rita. For me, she is one of Coronation Street's most wonderful creations, and she's as splendid today as she was forty years ago. I also enjoy see Dennis Tanner back in Weatherfield and think these characters work incredibly well together. They are a little slice of old fashioned Corrie gold every time they appear.

So why not provide them with a decent, high profile storyline? They are crying out for one!

Longstanding Coronation Street legends are becoming increasingly thin on the ground these days. We have lost so many classic characters in recent years that we must make the most of the ones we still have. Gail and Audrey still feature fairly prominently and I'm pleased we're seeing more of Deirdre, Roy and Hayley, however the feeling persists with me that there are a lack of storylines for the Tanners.

Dennis pops up infrequently in the background of fairly insignificant scenes while Rita tends to appear as the voice of reason in whatever Tina and Tommy are getting up to. I can't help but find it all a bit unsatisfying. We don't even see many of the classic Kabin scenes these days with Rita, Emily and Norris. These characters may be getting on in years but I think they still have plenty of spirit left in them. 

And more importantly they are a great deal more interesting and entertaining than the younger crop of Weatherfield residents.

So what would make a good story for the Tanners? Well, when Dennis returned, so did a large chunk of wonderful, amazing Coronation Street history. All those early days in black and white - another link back to the likes of Elsie Tanner, Annie Walker and Ena Sharples. When do we hear these brilliant characters mentioned or even given a name check? Yes, I know Corrie must keep moving forward in order to survive, but the reason it is held in so much affection is its rich past.

I would love to see Rita and Dennis delve into their back catalogue. To my knowledge, Dennis hasn't mentioned his sister Linda since his return. I believe the actress who played her back in the early 1960s is still around, so why not bring back another Tanner, at least for a guest appearance? It would be great to see the Tanner siblings interact once again.

So do you agree? What ideas do you have for future Rita and Dennis stories?


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Corrie's Oldies but Goodies

(This post was originally posted by Graeme N on the Coronation Street Blog in March 2013.)

Watching the lovely little scene between Norris and Rita the other evening was one of the highlights of the recent Rovers fire drama. It was terrific to see these two older characters expressing just how much they care about each other. This really did highlight to me how much we value the older generation on Coronation Street.

I think it's about time some of Corrie's mature characters featured in a storyline of their own, rather than just appearing in the background in those of younger characters. I really do think we have to use them before we lose them.

We haven't seen much of Ken and Deirdre recently and although Ken had the story with the wonderful Wendy flamin' Crozier, we haven't seen a proper storyline for Deirdre in ages, unless you count Tracy's never-ending dramas. 

Emily has a much-reduced role these days but Eileen Derbyshire is still always effective when given an opportunity. Probably the most prolific of the old guard are Rita, Gail and Audrey. Gail and Audrey are pretty much guaranteed storylines as part of the turbulent Platt household, but Rita tends to pop up in Tina's stories these days rather than her own.

I'm all for bringing in Dennis Tanner more often. He has a long history with Ken and a spikey relationship with Norris (but then who doesn't!) I'd love to see the writers explore Dennis and Rita's marriage a little more and also have Dennis interact with Gail - she did lodge with his mother for a good few years back in the 1970s.

I adore Sylvia Goodwin and would like to see her brought more into the group, perhaps also involving Roy more once Hayley departs. Sylvia is a great fit with the likes of Rita and Emily I think, but so far she has mainly been seen with the Croppers in the cafe. Perhaps even Gloria can become more involved with the pensioners as she surely must be one herself. Incidentally, I softened to Gloria during her scene at Stella's bedside the other evening. If she is to stay and develop, we need to see more of her softer side. Sue Johnston was terrific.

I loved the stories involving the infamous book group when we were blessed with the wonderful Mel Hutchwright and his Hard Grindings! It was Corrie at its best - comedy, sharp writing and a bit of poignancy. I would love to see another story like this. I know we have sadly lost Jack, Vera, Blanche and Betty but we are really lucky to still have many links to the Coronation Street of the past.

Do you agree we should have more stories focussing on the older Coronation Street residents? If so, what would you like to see them get up to?


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Potential Corrie plot line avoided

(This post was originally posted by Clinkers (David) on the Coronation Street Blog in December 2012.)

With the main focus of Street activity being centred on Leanne stomping around the cobbles, Carla wallowing in a vat of her own misery and Peter Barlow's new stoned/tanned/serial killer persona, a few well-chosen words from Rita last week ended any possibility of a certain storyline surfacing. Like some Sword of Damocles hanging over t'Street, I lived in fear of a long-forgotten Miss Littlewood offspring turning up.

The re-emergence of Dennis Tanner and the knowledge of his fling with Rita back in 1923 brought about the possibility that the erstwhile cabaret floozy had been left in the family way. How easy it would have been for our favourite redhead to sit Dennis down and tell him that, all those years ago, she had popped out a baby Tanner. Of course, it would have been 'ret-con' of the highest order but given that Betty Williams was the Rovers' longest serving landlady, the elasticity of Peter Barlow's accent and Carla's brother acquiring a new name several years down the line, anything is possible.

It was with a sigh of relief that I witnessed Reet admitting that she had never been blessed with children. Stately as a galleon, she drifted back to the Kabin leaving us safe in the knowledge that there is no chance of a surprise visit from a wise-cracking, middle-aged Tannerette. Although this being Weatherfield - never say never!


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Corrie originals - Philip Lowrie as Dennis Tanner

First appeared: 9th December 1960

Philip Lowrie has played the role of rogue Dennis Tanner between 1960 and 1968 and from 2011.

Born in Ashton-under-Lyne in Lancashire in 1936, Lowrie was trained in RADA where he trained for three years alongside Christine Hargreaves (Christine Appleby). In 1959, he made his acting debut in film Sapphire.

The following year he was cast as 18 year old bad boy Dennis Tanner in new drama serial Coronation Street and debuted in the first episode. He’d originally auditioned for the role of Ken Barlow but he was instead cast as Dennis in favour of Ken Farrington, who’d go on to play Billy Walker. The errand son of femme fatale Elsie, Dennis’ first storyline was trying to rebuild his life after spending time in Borstal. He managed to do so by entering the entertainment world by becoming an agent for various acts. Gradually, Dennis became a comedy character. During his first stint on the show, Dennis’ storylines included moving to London; having various liaisons; and having various jobs – ranging from a hairdresser to a shop assistant. By 1968, Lowrie had grown tired of the role as he felt the character wasn’t going anywhere. Dennis’ exit storyline involved him marrying Jenny Sutton and moving to Bristol. When Pat Phoenix, who played his mum Elsie, heard that Lowrie had resigned she vowed never to speak to him again and only did so when they were in character. In 1971, Lowrie told magazine TV Times that he wished producers had killed Dennis off so that it would be impossible for him to return. The last we heard about Dennis was in 1973 when Elsie was told he was jailed for conning pensioners.

Having left Dennis behind, Lowrie secured roles in various TV shows like Kate (1970-1972), War and Peace (1972-1973), The Liver Birds (1978), Victoria Wood (1989), Casualty (1989-2010) and Doctors (2005). In 2011, Lowrie reprised his role as Dennis in Corrie, 43 years after his last appearance. This made him the actor who had had the longest break between appearances in any programme in the world, beating the 42 year gap that Kenneth Cope had when he reprised his role in Corrie in 2008, having made his last appearance back in 1966. When it was announced he was returning, many questioned the motives. Few characters remembered him and any links he had were severed – mum Elsie had left the street back in 1984. He was re-introduced as a homeless person, having lost his fortunes. He reunited with old flame Rita Sullivan and moved in with her. The ghost of Elsie was finally put to rest when Dennis told Rita that his mum had died in a car crash in Portugal in 2004. The motives for his return gradually became clear as a romance blossomed between him and Rita. But his jumpy behaviour caused concern for his friends and it was revealed that he had jilted a woman called Norma Fountain. Norma met up with Dennis and he apologised and over time he grew closer to Rita and in 2012 they married. Lowrie has now appeared in over 500 episodes. He admitted recently that Barbara Knox (Rita Tanner) had asked for Dennis to return as he’d had a rendezvous with Rita back in 1964 and wanted to revisit the history between them. Let’s hope that they have a sweet and happy marriage!

I have no information on Lowrie’s private life. I don’t know if anyone can enlighten me.

Have you ever seen or met Philip Lowrie? Do you have any pieces of trivia about him?

Research from Wikipedia, Corriepedia, Corrie Net and IMDB.

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Coronation Street's lollipop men and women

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog December 2012, reposted to this blog with permission.)

It was great to see Howard from Last of the Summer Wine turn up tonight in Coronation Street as the trainer to Dennis in his new role as Traffic Management Officer. That's lollipop man, to you and me.  So let's take a look back at some of the other Coronation Street lollipop men and women who've worked in that role.

Jack Duckworth

 

Jack's girlfriend, Connie Rathbone

Uncle Albert

 Percy Sugden

Have we missed any? Let us know by leaving a comment below.


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Getting it right and getting it wrong on the cobbles

(This post was originally posted by Clinkers (David) on the Coronation Street Blog in June 2012, reposted with permission.)

It's been a mixed old week down in Weatherfield. The action began with the culmination of the Duckworth drug dealer saga. Three cheers for the powers that be who managed to bring this one to fruition in (for Corrie) a remarkably short space of time. Again we were teased with the prospect of trout-face Tina going to meet her maker. Yet again our hopes were dashed and the belligerent barmaid lives to see another day.

Tommy, battered and bruised, mooched around in several of his low-cut tops, edging further away from the so-called 'cheeky' character we had been promised a year ago. This perpetually sobbing wuss of a bloke needs to man-up and soon. At least whilst he is with Tina, they don't ruin another couple.

The title of Weatherfield Fag-Hag of the Year would normally be festooned (or should that be harpooned) on the doleful Eileen Grimshaw. But await! We have a pretender to the crown and it comes in the form of muddled Maria, who seems to be falling hook, line and sinker for a man who fits somewhere between Charles Hawtrey and Liberace on the league of masculinity. Give it a couple of weeks and Maria will be swooning over pictures of Christopher Biggins.

Is it worth mentioning Sunita again? Oh go on then, let's. From shop-assisant to slut, the ruination of Ms Alahan continues. She's now taken to serving up the twins pasta dressed like a brothel keeper. By the end of next week expect to see her dishing out beans on toast decked out in fish-nets and a whip. Oh I'm forgetting, we already saw Sunita's pins in all their glory last Monday (credit where credit's due - Shobna Gulati has a body to be proud of). However, this unseemly storyline soldiers on. Sunita's character change continues to jar and feels unrealistic. In addition, Karl has morphed from jovial bloke to filthy old man in a matter of weeks. If the rumours are true, Sunita is due to descend into the ranks of the soap-opera bunny boiler in the near future. All very sad and unecessary but maybe she will emerge on the other side as the till operator we once knew and loved.

Missing person award of the week is awarded to Deirdre. Presumably Mrs Barlow found the prospect of attending either Rita's wedding or the Jubilee party a complete bore. Let's imagine her holed up in number one, chain-smoking in her dressing gown and weeping over her futile attempts at making a commemorative plate.

Congratulations then to fesity Rita, a riot in peach, as she tussled with a nasty drug dealer, a rancid Norris and a dreary bridesmaid. Barbara Knox delivered in spades and in a week of so-so stories, hers was the one that stood out. Here's to you, Mrs Tanner!

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Welcome home, Mr. and Mrs. Tanner

There's a new red-headed (more or less) Mrs. Tanner on the street and I'm chuffed to little mint balls that there is! The wedding started off with an adventure but it ended up ok. Was there ever any doubt whether they would be married in the end? Julie came over all emotional and I know exactly how she felt!

For anyone that didn't see it, here's a blog post with pictorial highlights

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Fab Photo - The wedding couples' previous weddings

(This post was originally posted on the Coronation Street Blog by Sunny Jim in June 2012, reposted to this blog with permission.)

It's time for another fab Coronation Street photo. With Rita and Dennis planning to tie the knot this week, here are some fab photos of their earlier wedding days.

 

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In pictures: When Rita met Dennis on Coronation Street

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog March 2012, reposted to this blog with permission.)

With thanks to the wonderful Corrie4Ever facebook group, we bring you these two lovely pictures of Rita and Dennis back in the - well, when was it? - anyone know what year(s) these pictures are from?  There's no prize for guessing - I'd really like to know. 

You can now view pictures of all of Rita's fellas at the official ITV Corrie site here and read about them all here.

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Rita Littlewood Fairclough Sullivan...Tanner

This week Rita and Dennis are going to realise their feelings have deepened from friendship to love and we'll be celebrating the coming of a new flame haired Mrs. Tanner on Coronation Street.

Elsie was the first in a long line of red haired women and Rita Littlewood has long been one of the mainstays in that category, which has included Irma Ogden Barlow, Claire Peacock, Fiz Stape, and Jenny Bradley, just to name a few.

Rita, also affectionately known in some online communities as the Big Red Wig, has been on Coronation Street since 1964, though not a regular until the early 70s. With that in mind, I've done a character study on our Reet over here.

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The many men of Red-head Rita, Queen of the Street

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog March 2012, reposted to this blog with permission.)

With Dennis and Rita getting engaged on Coronation Street, the official Corrie website at ITV have taken a look back at all of the men in Rita's life. 

She's been married twice and proposed to more times than you might think. But which fellas did she turn down, and why? You can find out at the ITV website.

Have a look at Rita's loves here and see how many you can remember.


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Why should Dennis Tanner get a job?

(This post was originally posted by me on the Coronation Street Blog in March 2012.)

Norris has made plenty of snide comments about Dennis freeloading off Rita. This week he's making an effort to look for a job to pay his way. What I don't understand is why?

He's 70 years old this year, now has a mailing address, and he must be drawing his Old Age Pension. Now I realize it's not a huge amount but it is something and as he's likely living rent-free, there's no reason he can't contribute a bit to food or the leccy bill. Why one earth should he have a job?

Yes, Rita is still working but it's pin money, I'm sure. She has a healthy bank account and is only working for something to do. Norris is over 70 but he owns the Kabin. Naturally he'll continue to run it as long as his health holds up. Betty, up to now, worked shifts in the pub and again, that was always for something to get her out of the house. She's been drawing a pension longer than living memory! Emily Bishop is the only OAP not holding down a paying job though she continues to do volunteer work.

It constantly irritates me that everyone should disapprove of Dennis' unemployed status. To be fair, Dennis does have a habit of avoiding his round in the pub and doesn't seem to have a lot of ready cash but you know, that's a habit of a lifetime! I'm sure he can put his hand in his pocket a bit more often to access that government issued money!


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