A list of all Coronation Street characters who were seen in the show on a regular basis when it began in 1960. Sorted by departure date, with most recent first. William Roache was the only cast member to remain until the show's 50th Anniversary in 2010 as Ken Barlow. In May 2011, Philip Lowrie returned in the role of Dennis Tanner, making Ken not the only surviving original character in the series. This was averted when Dennis had left Coronation Street in July 2014, and Ken resumed as the only remaining original character 5 days later.
Although Arthur Lowe left the series in 1965, he continued in the role of Leonard Swindley in spin-off Pardon the Expression.
Of the original cast, only William Roache, Alan Rothwell, Philip Lowrie, Ernst Walder, Anne Cunningham and Doreen Keogh are still alive, and of those, only Alan Rothwell's character (David Barlow) has been killed off in the show.
List
Character | Actor | When they left |
---|---|---|
Dennis Tanner | Philip Lowrie | 2014 |
Ken Barlow | William Roache | Ongoing |
Albert Tatlock | Jack Howarth | 1984 |
Elsie Tanner | Patricia Phoenix | 1984 |
Annie Walker | Doris Speed | 1983 |
Ena Sharples | Violet Carson | 1980 |
Minnie Caldwell | Margot Bryant | 1976 |
Lucille Hewitt | Jennifer Moss | 1974 |
Jack Walker | Arthur Leslie | 1970 |
David Barlow | Alan Rothwell | 1968 |
Leonard Swindley | Arthur Lowe | 1965 |
Florrie Lindley | Betty Alberge | 1965 |
Concepta Riley | Doreen Keogh | 1964 (recurring until 1975) |
Harry Hewitt | Ivan Beavis | 1964 (recurring until 1967) |
Frank Barlow | Frank Pemberton | 1964 (recurring until 1971) |
Martha Longhurst | Lynne Carol | 1964 |
Christine Hardman | Christine Hargreaves | 1963 |
Esther Hayes | Daphne Oxenford | 1962 (recurring until 1972) |
Linda Cheveski | Anne Cunningham | 1961 (recurring until 1984) |
Ivan Cheveski | Ernst Walder | 1961 (recurring until 1967) |
Ida Barlow | Noel Dyson | 1961 |