Plot[]
Elsie realises that Dennis has sold more tickets than there is room in the mission hall. Albert tells him that three young girls, an act called "The Blue Streak Rockets", have been waiting in his house for Dennis. Elsie worries that they're strippers and refuses to have them in her house. Dennis promises more tickets for Albert's pensioner friends. Jack and Annie prepare to go out to the annual dinner of the Licensed Victuallers' Association at the Royal Hotel and are staying night while Concepta looks after the Rovers. Jack tells Dennis that he's sold all his allocation of tickets and he realises he's overbooked. Albert can't get his friends to cancel. Ena discovers that "The Blue Streak Rockets" were previously banned and gets the Mission committee to do the same. She's also locked the piano so it can't be played. The hall fills to capacity, delighting Dennis. Minnie opens the piano with a hair pin and Dennis asks her to play something "swinging": she entertains the audience with renditions of Goodbye, Dolly Gray and It's a Long Way to Tipperary as they wait for the show to start. Captain Johnson and his Troupe's van breaks down on the Yorkshire Moors but he sends on his sea lions, Bunny and Sherry. Dennis asks Florrie for fish fingers to feed them on. Dennis has to cancel the concert, causing an uproar, and he is pelted on stage by the angry audience. He makes a run for it. Minnie and Martha go to the snug where Ena finds out about the piano. She's had a pleasant evening with the "Rockets" who gave her six free milk stouts. The "Rockets" demand their fee and accommodation as per their contract and the sea lions need to be kept in water for the night. Dennis gets the Rovers' key off Concepta, saying he's expecting an urgent phone call. He leads the two sea lions into the pub. The Walkers find out that their room booking hasn't been confirmed and they can't stay the night in the hotel. Dennis has to promise all the audience their money back. The shocked Walkers return home to find the sea lions in the bath and the "Rockets" in their bed.
Cast[]
Regular cast[]
- Dennis Tanner - Philip Lowrie
- Elsie Tanner - Patricia Phoenix
- Albert Tatlock - Jack Howarth
- Jack Walker - Arthur Leslie
- Annie Walker - Doris Speed
- Frank Barlow - Frank Pemberton
- Ena Sharples - Violet Carson
- Martha Longhurst - Lynne Carol
- Minnie Caldwell - Margot Bryant
- Concepta Hewitt - Doreen Keogh
- Kenneth Barlow - William Roache
- Harry Hewitt - Ivan Beavis
- Len Fairclough - Peter Adamson
- Florrie Lindley - Betty Alberge
Guest cast[]
None
Places[]
- Coronation Street
- Rovers Return Inn - Public/snug, landing and bathroom
- 7 Coronation Street - Hallway
- 11 Coronation Street - Back room and hallway
- Glad Tidings Mission Hall - Main hall
- Royal Hotel - Reception
Notes[]
- Last appearance of Dennis Tanner until 15th April 1963.
- Part One ends with the sound of the audience singing Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag and Part Two begins with Roses of Picardy rather than the usual Eric Spear theme.
- As related by H.V. Kershaw in his 1981 autobiography The Street Where I Live, the denouement of this episode was based on a famous cartoon in The New Yorker by James Thurber from the 1930s with the caption ""All right, have it your way - you heard a seal bark!"
- TV Times synopsis: Dennis Tanner - Mr. Show Business himself - is waiting for the curtain to ring up on his Spectacular for the Over Sixties' Charity Concert when trouble hits the guest stars on their way to the Big Show.
- Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 8,127,000 homes (1st place).
- This episode was included on the following commercial releases:
- Coronation Street 1962 released by Granada and Windsong Video on 5th November 1990.
- The Network DVD collection Coronation Street: The Best of 1960-1969, released on 31st July 2006.
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