Joyce Bond

Eunice Bond was an exotic dancer and former stripper who had a somewhat distant and brief relationship with Dennis Tanner in February and March 1961. Working under the name of "La Composita", her speciality act was dancing with an Indian Python and when she went to London for a couple of weeks to look for work she asked Dennis to look after the reptile.

He sneaked it into 11 Coronation Street in a large cardboard box in the early hours of the morning but it only took a short while before Elsie Tanner spotted the package and demand that he open it in front of her. To his surprise, she both liked the creature and felt sorry for it, feeling that it looked half-starved but she proved true to form when it came to Eunice, guessing that she was taking her son for a ride and telling him in no uncertain terms. Nevertheless, she secretly found it amusing that her son was seeing someone in such an occupation and couldn't help bursting into laughter when she told Linda and Ivan Cheveski about Dennis's "girlfriend".

Eunice eventually returned up north to collect the snake and met Dennis in No.11 when Elsie was at the Rovers. He offered the cockney girl a sherry and sympathised with her over her inability to find work in the capital. He made it clear that he fancied her and tried for a kiss but the street-smart lass easily managed to avoid his advances. Unknown to the two of them, Elsie had heard voices in the house when she was returning home and, thinking that she had burglars, enlisted Harry Hewitt's help in sneaking in the back way to catch them in the act. The two were surprised to see a vivacious girl alone in the back room as Dennis had nipped upstairs to fetch the snake. Elsie demanded to know who she was but guessed her identity when Dennis came back down with the box. With a handful of coppers from Harry to ring for a taxi from the Rovers, Eunice and her stage partner went on their way, leaving Elsie to wonder how her son of all people had managed to bring such a fancy piece as "La Composita" home.


 * The character, played by well-known film actress Angela Douglas, was credited as "La Composita" in her only appearance. In addition, she was named as "Joyce" by Dennis Tanner in Episode 23 (1st March 1961).