50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days – 1968

(This post was originally posted by Sunny Jim on the Coronation Street Blog in 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Day 8 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

There had been many changes to Salford since the area had been scoured by Tony Warren and set designer Denis Parkin looking for streets on which to base the Coronation Street set. Many of the old back to back terraces had been demolished and the local council had plans to demolish them all by 1971. In 1968 Richard Everitt accepted the job of producer with the proviso that he could change the physical environment as he felt that the indoor set was ridiculous and it was time to bring the whole thing up to date.

His plan was to demolish the half of the Street that made up the raincoat factory and the mission hall and replace them with flats. This would bring the area more up to date and also allow the producers to bring in more characters. ‘Dramatically, it is a device to bring the old into conflict with the new, to change the street, but at the same time to retain some of its time-worn flavour’ is what he wrote to the Granada executives. The plans were agreed and an old railway yard near the studios was acquired.

Denis Parkin was asked back to oversee the construction. At first the sets were simply transferred from the studio, with a brick frontage added and a half roof built on. It was 18 months before more money was found so that the backs of the houses could be built. Seven maisonettes were built to complete the set but in spite of the original intentions, only three were occupied and only one of those by a new character.

In 1968, the corner shop changed hands again. A local couple, Les and Maggie Clegg bought it and moved in with their 17-year-old son Gordon. Up to that point there’d not really been any youngsters in the cast to appeal girls and young women. While filming at Granada, 23-year-old Bill Kenwright was invited to lunch with the producer and offered the role without even an audition. Having a desire to play Shakespeare and not wanting to be typecast at so young an age he initially turned the part down. Not long afterwards his mother asked him if he had any jobs coming up and he told her about the offer. She nearly dropped the washing up. She dragged him to the telephone and rang his aunties, uncles and grandma and said: ‘Just tell him. Tell him what it would mean to us to have my son in Coronation Street.’ The next morning he went back to Granada and said yes.

Also in 1968: Steve Tanner is murdered; Dennis Tanner marries Jenny Sutton; Dickie Flemming marries Audrey Bright; No. 11 becomes a hippy commune; Emily falls for Miklos Zadie; David and Irma Barlow move to Australia; the handpumps are removed from the Rovers; Annie is kidnapped by students for rag week and has to pay the ransom herself; Stan buys a window round.

Sneak Preview of next week's Canadian Corrie, August 8 - 12

Here's a sneak preview of what's happening on Coronation Street in Canada next week.

Graeme fights for his life. Claire's mum has a proposition. Rosie calls on Jason for help. The police call on David. David appears in court and there's a surprising twist. Carla gets a new PA. Maria goes on a date. Becky excuses Kylie's behaviour but Steve is not so tolerant.

For more details and photos, check out the Moosejaw Mercury on Corrie.net.

Dev Alahan, Wherefore Art Thou? (with spoiler near the end)

Merseytart

What's happening to Dev?

I admit, he's always been a bit... well, hard to take.  Jimmi Harkishin's always made, let's say, interesting acting choices.  Dev is a riot of harumphs, eye rolling, and squeals, meaning you're never quite sure how he's going to react in any given situation.  He could explode with rage or do a whinnying horse impression; we just don't know.  Dev's provided some great comedy over the years, with his combative relationship with Steve, his womanising (this is the man who bedded both Dierdre and Tracy, never forget!) and, of course, a certain thirty foot high nude photo.

Some people hate him.  I've always found him strangely hilarious, perched on his stool in the corner shop, giggling at the people who come in.  He's also a genuine Alpha male, one of the few left on the Street after the death of Mike Baldwin and the Connor brothers.  Since Sunita's return, however, the character's lost a lot of his appeal.  He's ceased to be who he once was.

Part of this is down to the loss of Amber, who was always willing to prick his pomposity and superiority complex with her razor sharp tongue.  His exasperation as she casually ran rings around him was always a joy, and she's seriously missed on the Street.

We've also been asked to accept too many unlikely circumstances in too short a time.  Firstly, Dev's new found paternal instincts toward the twins, who haven't even been seen or even mentioned over the past five years.  Then he and Sunita reconciled, with her swiftly dumping a fiance and apparently choosing to ignore his many other unmentioned children, even though this was what drove them apart in the first place.  Finally, the two of them move out of Sunita's massive home in the suburbs to the tiny two-up, two-down that is number seven.

All of this was hard to swallow, and clearly there just to enable the return of Shobna Gulati.  I like Sunita, but I think these developments have damaged Dev, possibly beyond repair.  He's been weakened by being dragged into these plots, and he's lost a lot of his appeal along the way.  Dev no longer rules the roost: Sunita controls him completely, and it's strange to watch.  The women in Corrie have always been the dominant force, but some men need to retain their hairy chest and double whiskey attitudes: would Mike Baldwin have given up his penthouse flat in Weatherfield Quays as quickly as Dev sacrificed Victoria Court?

(SPOILER AHEAD)

The situation's compounded with the Aadi storyline, which again has nothing to do with the Alahans, and everything to do with writing out the Peacocks. (END SPOILER)

It's required Dev to be brutal and unpleasant to people he's lived alongside and trusted for years, and it's not working.  He's lost most of his humour.  Dev needs to be back to his strange, unusual, unique self before he's damaged goods.


What do you think?  Do you think Dev can be redeemed, or should he be under a tram come December?

50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days – 1967

(This post was originally posted by Sunny Jim on the Coronation Street Blog in 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Day 7 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

Tragedy hit the Street in 1967 when a goods train plunged off the viaduct. At this time, the programme was still filming exterior scenes in the studio so it was quite some feat to set this up. A huge mass of bricks with iron girders sticking out was constructed and five goods wagons wrecked on top of the pile. Underneath was placed a squashed Mini from which PC Conway was dragged out alive. Nearby a corridor of timber and bricks was constructed in which Violet Carson, as Ena, had to lie completely still.

Ena, Jack, Elsie and Lucille were all missing, though only Ena had been caught up in the crash and as the programme went on each of the missing residents turned up. During the second episode of the disaster, David Barlow crawled out of the rubble to report that he had found Ena alive. The only death was of Sonia Peters, the girlfriend of PC Conway who had been in the crushed Mini. The disaster scenes were directed by Michael Apted who went on to be a renowned film director.

There were happier scenes when Elsie Tanner married her wartime sweetheart Steve Tanner. As soon as the wedding date was announced on screen, action off screen began to hot up. Viewers wrote in asking for the date to be changed as they would be away on holiday, the TV Times produced a 32 page souvenir that sold over 1 million copies and over 500 wedding presents were received by people unable to distinguish drama from reality.

The viewers weren’t the only ones to be confused. Pat Phoenix insisted on choosing her own wedding dress, she arranged for jewellers H. Samuel to visit producer Jack Rosenthal with a selection of rings and when it came for her to appear on set, she refused to leave her dressing room. She only came out when Jack Rosenthal had visited her and reassured her as he might have done with a daughter with pre-wedding nerves.

Also in 1967:  Ken Barlow goes to prison; Harry Hewitt dies; Irma Barlow miscarries; Emily Nugent joins a marriage bureau; Hilda Ogden has a breakdown; Jack Walker leaves Annie and Annie Walker is arrested for throwing a football rattle through a shop window.

Phil Collinson: What do you think about Corrie's producter so far?

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog August, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

When Kim Crowther took over as Coronation Street producer in 2008 we had a dicussion on the blog as to how we felt she was doing. And now with Phil Collinson at the helm, the question raises its head again.

For what it's worth, here's what I think and I'd be delighted to hear what other Corrie fans think too. Please leave comments in the box below.

I reckon Phil's onto a winner as he's upped the pace over the last couple of weeks. The drama's moving along nicely and we're onto a belter with Peter thumping Nick, that was always going to be a ratings hit from our sofa. I'd like to punch Nick myself. The comedy quota's been updated - Deirdre getting a Manchester tart in the face - was priceless and a joy. There's been some nice words between Audrey and Rita and I just think it's moving along at a nice pace with some really good stuff and loads more to come.

In recent weeks we've had Ken's long lost son turning up, Natasha leaving, Sophie and Sian getting serious, and by far the best thing for this fan - and about bloody time too - Roy and Hayley getting married. Legally, properly, Corriely. I know Corriely's not a word, but Roy and Hayley are ace. How do you think Phil Collinson is doing?

50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days – 1966

(This post was originally posted by Sunny Jim on the Coronation Street Blog in 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Day 6 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

By 1966, Coronation Street wasn’t just being shown in the UK. Australia had been showing the programme since 1963 and by 1966 it was more popular there than back home. Channel 9 sent an invitation for a party from Coronation Street to visit fans in Australia. Granada accepted the invitation and a group was put together consisting of Doris Speed (Annie Walker), Arthur Leslie (Jack Walker) and Pat Phoenix (Elsie Tanner) from the cast along with producer/writer H.V. Kershaw and Norman Frisby from the press office.

The group visited Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide and they were mobbed everywhere they went. They visited several local Coronation Streets, presented awards, appeared on numerous chat shows and even performed a sketch specially written by Kershaw. Driving back to the airport in Adelaide, Doris and Pat wept as 50,000 people turned out to wave them farewell.

For a while Ken Barlow had played the role of devoted husband and father but in 1966 he had his head turned by glamorous reporter Jackie Marsh who he’d met when she interviewed his brother David. He started to meet her behind Valerie’s back but Elsie Tanner saw them kissing and warned him not to throw away his family. He told her to keep her nose out and arranged to go away with Jackie, telling Valerie that he was attending a conference. However, when Valerie packed him a lunch for the journey, he realised he couldn’t betray her and ended the affair.

Ken thought he’d got away with it but two months later Valerie revealed that she’d known all about it and she left him, taking the twins with her to her parents in Scotland. She returned a month later having forgiven him and Ken promised to be more attentive.

Also in 1966: Bet Lynch and Ray Langton join the cast; Sunny Jim returns; Len Fairclough and Annie Walker stand for the council and Len wins on toss of a coin; Ena is fined £2 for shoplifting; Paul Cheveski falls in canal; David and Irma Barlow buy the corner shop.

Fat Brenda's Cream Horn (Aug. 2)

Hiya loves, it's me, Brenda.
Deirdre swears she's under surveillance from Gail after she saw her collecting up ciggie ends from outside the medical centre. She was examining the them for lipstick marks before popping them into her handbag. Deirdre is paranoid to go out for a smoke now, poor love, it'd be a brave woman that would get between me and a Dunhill!

Steve arranged a secret cab for Jack and Tyrone so they could enjoy a chicken in a basket meal at the local lap-dancing bar. I hear it's a pretty rough place, me friend Bernice did a turn there dressed as a dinner lady, she hurled her dumplings into the audience and doused the punters in HP sauce, she was asked to leave though, she didn't actually work there! I don't know what's got into Jack Duckworth going to a club like that at his age but, he doesn't look at all well, bless him.

I'll tell you who's weird, Owen the builder. He came over to the cab office to look for Chesney and he must have said me name about twenty times. He was only here two minutes! 'Have you seen Chesney, Brenda? Will you tell me Brenda, when you see him Brenda? Thanks Brenda, That's great Brenda. See you later Brenda. Bye then Brenda. Take care Brenda.' What the flamin' hell is all that about? I've got a bad feeling about that bloke, he makes Jim McDonald look like a metrosexual! She can pick 'em that Liz.

The other newsworthy taxi pick-up this week was for Ryan, he's gone off to university. I hope he doesn't do an Amber and disappear off the face of the earth. Do they not have summer or christmas holidays at these places? Once people from round here go on to further education they never come back again! They're sinister if you ask me. Maybe I'll get (Gail) McIntyre Investigates to look into it for me after she's finished stalking poor Deirdre.

Right loves, I'm off for a quick trim at Audrey's so I'll say goodbye. If you want to tweeter me then go ahead, I need a distraction at that cab office to save me from Lloyd moaning about Cheryl all night.

Bye loves.

x

Will Eddie Windass quit smoking?

(This post was originally posted by Seapenguin on the Coronation Street Blog in October, 2010.)

Sorry to go on about the Windasses AGAIN (I will stop now, honest), but it occurred to me that having successfully passed the rigors of the adoption panel, Eddie Windass is still rolling up fags (he had his "baccy tin" out in the most recent episode) and presumably they're for himself.

Becky and Steve struggled to give up smoking, because as prospective adoptive parents they were forced to. Why is Eddie still blasting away willy nilly?

It's not like I blame him, what with the stress of Gary going away and all, but still.

50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days – 1965

(This post was originally posted by Sunny Jim on the Coronation Street Blog in 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Day 5 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

Formerly the barmaid at the Farrier's Arms on Collier Street, Florrie Lindley appeared in the first scene of the first episode of Coronation Street, taking over the corner shop from Elsie Lappin. Though she had an estranged husband who had run away to work as an engineer in India, she let it be known that she was a widow and even set her cap at Harry Hewitt, losing out to Concepta Riley. She found business hard and she had problems paying some of her suppliers, so in an attempt to generate more income, she had two of the upstairs bedrooms converted into bedsits and rented them out. The first lodgers were two young clerks from the Town Hall, who only stayed a month. They were followed by Sheila Birtles and Doreen Lostock who lived there for over a year, despite Florrie's strict rules about gentlemen callers.

After the girls left, Florrie became lonely and spent many evenings playing bingo, once winning £100, only to have her handbag snatched on the way home. In 1964, she had the shop converted, moving the doorway from the windy corner, to the side next to No.13 and adding a sub-post office, complete with telephone kiosk. While Florrie sold stamps and cashed pensions, Irma Ogden ran the grocery shop, eagerly encouraging the pensioners to spend the money that they had just got from Florrie.

Jealous of her youth and popularity with men, Florrie turned on Irma and had a minor breakdown, throwing a tin of meat through the shop window, before collapsing in a sobbing heap on the floor. Despite her doctor's orders she soldiered on with the shop, but in 1965 her past was to catch up with her as her estranged husband Norman returned seeking a divorce. Norman had a brief affair with Elsie Tanner, before he reconciled with his wife and the two of them left to start a new life in Canada where Norman had taken a job.

Following the break-up of his marriage Jerry Booth returned to Coronation Street in 1965 and became a partner in Len Fairclough’s builders’ yard. One of their first jobs together was to demolish no.7 which had collapsed due to a snapped window beam. It left a gap in the terrace which would remain empty, save for a bench, until 1982. The real reason for the demolition was that the casting budget wouldn’t reach to filling it. It had another fortunate consequence in that as it was in the middle of the Street, only half of the set needed to be erected in the studio at a time.

Also in 1965: Susan & Peter Barlow born; Robert Maxwell dies; Violet Carson is awarded the OBE; Irma Ogden marries David Barlow; Leonard Swindley leaves the Street to star in spin-off programme ‘Pardon The Expression’; Ena Sharples becomes Elsie Tanner’s landlady.

50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days - 1964

(This post was originally posted by Sunny Jim on the Coronation Street Blog in 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Day 4 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

1964 saw the arrival of a new producer in the shape of 28 year old Tim Aspinall, its fifth since Coronation Street’s inception. As many producers have done over the years he embarked on a cull to shake up the programme and get rid of the dead wood in an attempt to reassert itself at the top of the ratings where it had been replaced by Steptoe and Son.  Frank Barlow, Harry and Concepta Hewitt and Myra and Jerry Booth were all subject to the cull but by far the most shocking victim was the popular character of Martha Longhurst.

Along with Ena Sharples and Minnie Caldwell, Martha formed the trio of old ladies in the Snug at the Rovers that formed a sort of Greek chorus. There is a suggestion that Tim Aspinall got rid of her for a bet but whether he did or not it was certainly an audacious move. As everyone from the Street gathered in the main bar of the Rovers to say farewell to Frank Barlow, who was moving away after a £5000 premium bond win, Martha slipped quietly into the Snug, removed her spectacles and with her passport for her forthcoming holiday in Spain on the table, she suffered a heart attack.

The rejuvenation of the show also meant the arrival of some new characters. Probably the most significant of these was the Ogden family. They were conceived by Tim Aspinall as ‘real sluts – Dad is a long distance lorry driver and Mum is the kind of woman who spends the kids’ dinner money in the pub’. Irma was the first to arrive followed by her father Stan who had come looking for her. As often happens the character started off very dark, with a history of drink-fuelled violence that had caused some of his children to be taken in to care, before mellowing out to become the hen-pecked, feckless waster we all came to know and love.

Stan bought No. 13 and he moved in with Irma to be joined by Hilda and their 14-year-old son, Trevor. In the original script, when the Ogdens arrived they actually had four children but the episode was never broadcast and when broadcasting resumed, it was explained that the other two children were in care. In later years they were airbrushed out completely and whenever Stan and Hilda were talking about their kids, there were only ever two, not four.

Also in 1964: Emily Nugent proposes to Leonard Swindley but then jilts him at the altar; Harry and Concepta Hewitt move to Ireland; Lucille Hewitt moves into the Rovers as the Walkers’ ward; Florrie Lindley opens a sub post office in the corner shop; Charlie Moffitt and his dog Little Titch lodge with Minnie; Jerry and Myra Booth leave.

Corrie Canada weekly awards: July 25 - 29

White Knight award: Boozy star: Peter can't help rescue a drunken damsel in distress.

Love's Young Dream award: Gold Star: Aww Katy and Chesney are so cute together!

Stupid insensitive Twit award: Gold Star. Eddie Windass.
Silver Star: Nick wanting to call the bar the same as Leanne and Peter were going to.


Who peed in your cornflakes award: Nasty Star: Molly has turned into that grunting snarling troll under the bridge when it comes to Kevin and that baby.

Village Idiot award: Gold star: Kirk and his missing socks. He always makes me smile.

Fashion Don't award what on earth was Ryan wearing? Is he channelling PeeWee Herman???

Lines of the Week:
Sean "Carla can certainly pick'em. From Evil Genius to Village Idiot"
Sally about Doc Matt "He can take my pulse any time!" (pick yer knickers up, Sal!)
Kirk "Is it true you can laugh a woman into bed?" Ty "Depends on if you got your kecks on at the time"
Dev "I take it you're seeking advice on the fairer sex" Kirk "No, i was thinking about women, really" (Doh)
Roy to Chesney "I never had much of a social life when i was your age" (no kidding)

50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days – 1963

(This post was originally posted by Sunny Jim on the Coronation Street Blog in 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Day 3 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

In September 1963 scandal hit Coronation Street. The contract of Eileen Mayers, who played dippy Sheila Birtles, was coming to an end and the producers decided to kill her off. Sacked from her job at the raincoat factory and crushed by her rejection by married petty crook Neil Crossley, who had taken her virginity, she found herself pregnant by him and unable to face the shame of having a child out of wedlock, she was set to commit suicide. The intention was for her to take an overdose of sleeping pills and then after vomiting them up, resort to gassing herself.

The story leaked to the press and Granada had to contend not only with shock-horror headlines in the tabloids and calls of protest from the public but the deputy coroner of Manchester objected. ‘A suicide would be a disgraceful thing to show. I fear that the screening of a suicide would remove the stigma from it, which would be very bad’, he is reported to have said. The producer, Margaret Morris, responded that Coronation Street was produced as a true-to-life drama but the ITA and Granada lost their nerve and the offending five minutes was removed from the broadcast.

The story was hastily rewritten to have Dennis Tanner smell the gas and save her life by forcing his way into her room above the corner shop. And instead of a bottleful of sleeping pills, she was seen to take a couple of aspirin and turn the gas on. Mayers herself was very disappointed that having worked herself up to such a harrowing and powerful story, the scene was wasted. She had been hounded at home by the tabloids: ‘The garden was full of press. They shouted through my letterbox, they climbed, they hammered on the windows … my little girl was upstairs crying.’

Dennis Tanner returned to the Street to manage the northern branch of the Lenny Phillips theatrical agency. He discovered window cleaner Walter Potts and launched his pop career as Brett Falcon. Timed to coincide with its release in the real world, his single, ‘Not Too Little, Not Too Much’ was played over the end credits which helped it reach no. 17 in the charts.

Also in 1963: Myra Dickenson marries Jerry Booth; Albert Tatlock is fined £10 after hitting a copper on a darts team outing to New Brighton; Len Fairclough proposes to Elsie Tanner but she says no; Frank Barlow opens DIY shop on Victoria Street.

Sunday Corrie Comments, July 31

I suppose now we're going to be in for months of Molly stropping and glaring and snarling at Kevin every time he glances at the baby. Poor Tyrone! And Poor Tyrone in spades! We're going to lose Jack!!!!! Tyrone is about to lose the only man he regards as a father and the rest of us are going to be in puddles in the corner when it happens. Turns out Jack is behind the anonymous gifts people have been getting and he's betting on the horses and giving Tyrone money for the baby. What else is he going to do with his dosh?

Meanwhile, Molly gets cornered into spending more girl time with Sally, which can't be very comfortable for her but I am enjoying seeing her squirm. Odd, though, she *said* she couldn't leave Jack 5 minutes ago but then it wasn't a problem leaving him to go see the show with Sally. I know it being with Tyrone is a little different but i would think leaving a baby with an experienced mum would have been less nerve wracking than leaving him with a new dad. Except of course it was Sally and Kevin and that's the problem.

Nick has jumped from the factory...to about 30 feet to one side and has decided to open up a bar where Peter and Leanne had failed to. I suppose a lot of the fixtures and fittings are still in there. Shouldn't he have to pay Peter and Leanne for those? He sunk all his money into the factory and he wants it back. Contract or he'll sell it somewhere else. She should take that offer. It would be better for her financially in the long run. Instead, it gives her another reason to get legless so Peter can rescue her. But she's insisting on keeping it secret, even from Leanne. Now you can see where this is going, can't you? Trouble with a capital T.

And more Trouble with a capital T, Nick is pushing Leanne to manage the bar for him. He's such a manipulator isn't he? He uses every bit of emotional blackmail he can dig up to talk her into it, knowing she would do it in a shot if he weren't the owner. But with Peter's approval, she's going to do it, working closely with Nick. How long before he starts niggling at her and telling her Peter doesn't deserve her and doesn't treat her properly? Even Ken is suspicious and I don't blame him. But...i do wonder...The Joinery was nearly ready to open when Peter and Leanne had it, then the factory was in there but how come it now looks like a construction site? I suppose Nick has remodeled the whole thing again.

Anna and Eddie had to face Gary going off to war and find out the same week if they're eligible for adopting. They are. Just an aside, though, how come we haven't seen Eddie trying to stop smoking if Steve and Becky had to? You can tell that even though Eddie doesn't show his feelings, he does have them. Sometimes. But when it comes to the sensitive feelings of the neighbours who didn't get approved for adoption, he's got as much sensitivity as a soap dish.

The factory bees decided they couldnt' go to work because Carla wasn't there and Hayley was off sick. But they still could have got the key from Hayley.

So we've seen the back of Trev. He never did really suit Carla though was good for her in the aftermath of the Tony story when she needed someone safe. It might have worked if she hadn't brought him into the factory. Janice is gutted though, she never did get over that crush. I say she's gutted but we haven't seen her face for ages! Where's Janice? We've also seen the back of Ryan who's going to uni in Glasgow. I won't miss him. He's pretty much always been a spare part. I wonder how he liked the Tardis, though, because he left for Glasgow in the dark and got there safely in record time. It's a 3 or 4 hour train journey, he said he'd be there near midnight. Michelle got a text saying he arrived. Getting in to Glasgow by midnight, and that's going to be in time to get himself a room in the university "halls" aka dorms? Are they a 24/7 administration?

Kirk is getting advice on women from Tyrone to give to Chesney. Then all the other most gormless men on the Street get in on the act. What a laugh but Poor kid! This could be a disaster. don't know why Kirk went through all the bother trying to get condoms. Surely he's bought them for himself many a time from when he was living with Fiz and Julie, what's the big deal going to a pharmacy for Chesney? It's not like Kirk is Chesney's age and innocence. Ah but in the end, though i think it probably only took about 10 minutes total including undressing and dressing again, he just followed his own sense and they are now Love's Young Dream. Until Owen finds out.

50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days - 1962

(This post was originally posted by Sunny Jim on the Coronation Street Blog in 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Day 2 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

Until 1962, Minnie Caldwell had lived on Jubilee Terrace with her mother but when she died, Minnie decided to take the tenancy of no. 5 Coronation Street with her cat, Bobby. She always had trouble finding enough money for the rent so she supplemented her pension by taking in lodgers. The first of these was a friend of Dennis Tanner’s, Jed Stone, who she came across sitting on his suitcase in the Street. He’d left his native Liverpool when the police had grown too interested in him and hoped to put his past behind him by moving to Weatherfield.

A wheeler-dealer he was full of get-rich-quick schemes and used Minnie’s front parlour as a warehouse to store the merchandise he acquired, which he would sell on the market. A lovable rogue nicknamed ‘Sunny Jim', he was never without his trademark flat cap, not even in bed. Minnie regarded him as the son she never had and in return he looked out for her and called her ‘Ma’.

His dodgy dealings finally caught up with him in 1966 when he was sentenced to nine months in prison for handling stolen blankets. When he was released he vowed to go straight and opened a double glazing business, moving in to a house on Nightingale Terrace. He kept in touch with Minnie and would send telegrams to the weddings of his friends on the Street but he wasn’t seen again until 2008.

Tony Gordon was planning a multi-million pound development and the only fly in the ointment was an old man and a cat who refused to move out of their house. He may have grown old and be less healthy than he was but Jed Stone wasn’t the sort of man to be bullied by anyone. Tony tried menaces and money but Sunny Jim wasn’t about to budge. Unfortunately he suffered a heart attack during a visit from Tony and while he was in hospital his belongings and cat were thrown out onto the street.

Emily Bishop recognised him in Weatherfield General and when he was discharged she offered him a place to stay. He visited Tony in the factory to demand money for the loss of his home and accused him of the murder of Liam Connor. Tony strangled him with a negligee he had bought for his wife and dumped his limp lifeless body in a clothes hamper. When he returned the following day to dispose of the body Tony found that Jed was still alive but rather than finishing off the job he packed him off to a flat in Wigan and gave him £3000 to keep quiet.

August 4th 1962 saw the first wedding for Ken Barlow. His bride was Valerie Tatlock, niece of his next door neighbour Albert who would Ken would refer to forever more as Uncle Albert. They moved into no. 9 which Ken had bought for £550 and installed the first inside toilet on Coronation Street. Valerie closed her hairdressing salon on Rosamund Street and transferred the business to the front parlour and the cobbles were dug up to install the first telephone on the Street. Ken considered giving up teaching to become a full time writer but when his novel was rejected by a publisher he decided to keep his writing as a hobby.

Also in 1962: Christopher Hewitt is born; Christine Hardman marries Colin Appleby; Colin Appleby dies; Baby Christopher Hewitt kidnapped; Jerry Booth makes his first appearance; Len Fairclough is sacked for carrying on with Elsie Tanner so he sets up his own building business on Victoria Street.

Did Jack Duckworth's news have you in tears, too?

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog October, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

How many of us went "I'm not crying, right? I've just got something in me eye" tonight when Jack revealed his sad news on Coronation Street?

Saying goodbye to Jack Duckworth is going to be harder than I thought.  I was choked.  Well done to Bill Tarmey, who plays Jack, for such a moving performance.

The next few weeks is going to be a tough slog for those of us who have grown up with Jack Duckworth's presence on the telly, always there, always Jack, always down the pub supping or looking after his pigeons.

He's one of a dying breed of Corrie stalwarts.  Earlier this year we lost Blanche Hunt when actress Maggie Jones passed away. Now we're losing Jack Duckworth and we can only wish Bill Tarmey the very best of everything for his well deserved retirement. 

See alos: Bill Tarmey releases his autobiography.