Plot[]
It is Christmas Day and Harry helps Len prepare the Glad Tidings Mission Hall in the morning. Florrie asks Emily what the surprise at the party is but she won't tell what she's heard. Emily asks Len if the rumour is true and the surprise is a This Is Your Life on a Coronation Street resident. He kids on that it might be hers. Minnie and Martha have their Christmas dinner with Ena in the vestry, speculating on who the subject might be. Elsie warns Dennis that if it's her life there'd better be no Americans sprung on her. Len buys a rum in the Rovers for someone. Elsie wonders if it might be Bill Gregory. The drink is for Albert who is on watch in the freezing street, waiting for some mysterious arrivals. As the residents gather in the mission hall, Lucille hopes that Walter is the subject. Walter makes a speech thanking the residents for their support for him and then Dennis announces it is Annie's life. As she is brought up on stage, Albert is waiting outside with Joan Davies and Billy Walker also arrives from London to join them. Annie is surprised when the show includes a recorded message from Arthur Forsyth-Jones. Dennis relates how Jack and Annie took over the Rovers and began their "life of service" in 1939 and the stage guests to reminisce over that event are Ena, Minnie and Martha. Amateur opera producer Edgar Nuttall is introduced next and he and a delighted Annie duet on stage with Only a Rose from The Vagabond King. Next up are Billy, Joan and Jack. She is less pleased though when George Stubbins, the man who led the horse on which she portrayed Lady Godiva, is the next guest. Esther Hayes is the last "surprise" who says a formal farewell before her move to Glasgow. Ena leads a chorus of For She's a Jolly Good Fellow in the hope of free drinks.
Cast[]
Regular cast[]
- Annie Walker - Doris Speed
- Jack Walker - Arthur Leslie
- Albert Tatlock - Jack Howarth
- Frank Barlow - Frank Pemberton
- Ena Sharples - Violet Carson
- Minnie Caldwell - Margot Bryant
- Martha Longhurst - Lynne Carol
- Concepta Hewitt - Doreen Keogh
- Harry Hewitt - Ivan Beavis
- Lucille Hewitt - Jennifer Moss
- Valerie Barlow - Anne Reid
- Kenneth Barlow - William Roache
- Elsie Tanner - Patricia Phoenix
- Florrie Lindley - Betty Alberge
- Miss Nugent - Eileen Derbyshire
- Len Fairclough - Peter Adamson
- Dennis Tanner - Philip Lowrie
- Jerry Booth - Graham Haberfield
- Myra Booth - Susan Jameson
- Esther Hayes - Daphne Oxenford
- Billy Walker - Kenneth Farrington
Guest cast[]
- Walter Potts - Christopher Sandford
- David Robbins - Jon Rollason
- Joan Davies - June Barry
- Forsyth-Jones - Ian Colin (Voice only)
- Mr Nuttall - Michael Barrington
- Mr Stubbins - William Wymar
- Barman - John Garrie
Places[]
- Coronation Street
- Rovers Return Inn - Public
- Corner Shop
- Glad Tidings Mission Hall - Main hall and vestry
Notes[]
- First appearance of Billy Walker since 30th May 1962 and last until 7th December 1964.
- First appearance of Joan Davies since 13th March 1961.
- Last appearance of Esther Hayes until 3rd February 1971.
- The child playing Christopher Hewitt is uncredited but based on press publicity photographs from the period is probably Stephen Ward.
- Annie Walker states that she and Jack Walker took over the tenancy of the Rovers Return Inn on 4th February 1939 contradicting events in Episode 1749 (19th October 1977) where 1937 is given as the date.
- TV Times synopsis: Some old inhabitants return to the Street
- Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 4,539,000 homes (chart placing unknown). This was the lowest-rated episode of the year.
- This episode was included on the following commercial releases:
- The Magic of Coronation Street released by Granada Video on 16th November 1982.
- The Network DVD collection Coronation Street: The Best of 1960-1969, released on 31st July 2006.
| December 1963 episodes |
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