Plot[]
Minnie and Hilda wonder where Annie has got to. Jack rings Billy thinking Annie is with him but she isn't. Worried, he rings the police and reports Annie missing. Charlie continues the decorating of No.9's front bedroom. He suggests wall lights rather than an overhead bulb and tells Val it would be easy to rewire the flex through the loft. Minnie distracts him from his work with coffee and meat pies. Stan is taken with a young woman in the Rovers and buys her a drink, only for Dennis to step in when he recognises her - Rita Littlewood, a belly dancer who's appearing at the Viaduct Sporting Club. She can't find digs for the week and persuades a reluctant Dennis to let her sleep in Elsie's bed while she's away. Dennis worries what people will say about Rita staying with him. Sgt Bowden calls on Jack and tells him there's nothing the police can do to help him as Annie's only been missing twenty-four hours. He suggests he waits a couple of days. Jack gives him a photo of Annie to take with him for when he needs to start enquiries. Emily calls on Dennis about panto rehearsals and is shocked to see Rita in her nightie. The next morning, Lucille wonders why Dennis is making up a breakfast tray. Ken worries as Charlie bangs about in the darkened loft. Jack starts to stress as Annie is missing another day. Hilda gives him advice on looking after himself. Dennis tells Rita of his disillusionment with show business. Charlie slips on the joists and puts his foot through the ceiling of Elsie's room. He apologises to the figure in the bed and realises it isn't Elsie.
Cast[]
Regular cast[]
- Jack Walker - Arthur Leslie
- Minnie Caldwell - Margot Bryant
- Lucille Hewitt - Jennifer Moss
- Valerie Barlow - Anne Reid
- Kenneth Barlow - William Roache
- Miss Nugent - Eileen Derbyshire
- Dennis Tanner - Philip Lowrie
- Charlie Moffitt - Gordon Rollings
- Stan Ogden - Bernard Youens
- Hilda Ogden - Jean Alexander
- Rita Littlewood - Barbara Mullaney
Guest cast[]
- Sgt Bowden - James Beck
Places[]
- Coronation Street
- Rovers Return Inn - Public, back room and hallway
- 9 Coronation Street - Ken and Val's bedroom and landing
- 11 Coronation Street - Back room, hallway and Elsie's bedroom
Notes[]
- First appearance of Rita Littlewood and last until 31st January 1972.
- This episode carried neither cast nor production credits.
- TV Times synopsis: Dennis takes in a glamorous lodger, and Charlie enjoys a birds-eye view
- Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 9,480,000 homes (joint 1st place with 30th November 1964).
- According to the BFI (1) this was the most-watched episode of the programme in the 1960s with 21.36 million viewers and was ninth-placed as the most watched television programme of any kind in that decade. It is possible that there is confusion with Episode 400 (12th October 1964) which achieved ratings of 9,710,000 homes (according to TAM) and which using the BFI's own calculation of 2.2 viewers to a home does equate to 21.362 million viewers.
Notable dialogue[]
Dennis Tanner: "Living in this house is like living at 10 Downing Street. There's folks outside reporting every coming and going."
| December 1964 episodes |
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