Episode 941 (31st December 1969)

Episode 941
Production code	P228/941
ITV transmission date	31st December 1969 (Wednesday)
Stories by	Harry Driver Esther Rose Anthea Ingham
Writer	Susan Pleat
Designer	Tim Farmer
Director	Brian Mills
Executive Producer	H.V. Kershaw
Navigation
Previous episode	29th December 1969
Next episode	5th January 1970

Plot

Minnie does more good deeds, feeding the stray cats of the area, and taking some of Ena's breakfast to do so. Irma tells Stan about the car park attendant job she's got him. Stan refuses to take another outside job and rows with her. Alan makes arrangements to meet Elsie at 10.00pm at the Rovers. Alan is annoyed to hear that Stan has been helping Minnie and not working at the job he found for him. He tells Irma that Stan hasn't been at the Labour Exchange as he told her he planned to be. She's furious. Annie tries to pry into Alan's friendship with Elsie while the lady herself tells Ena that she really wants things to work out with Alan. Irma breaks down and tells Elsie she doesn't want to go back to Adelaide. Ena hints to Alan that Elsie is after more than friendship. He's taken aback. Elsie persuades Irma to go back to David. Irma is livid that Stan is going out without Hilda and calls him a liar and a cheat. Hilda slaps her face. The Rovers prepares for its New Year's Eve party but most of the men go to The Flying Horse to get away from Annie's dress code. Ena complains about the badly-tuned piano in the select. Hilda weeps about Irma and convinces her that she loves her. They make their peace and she returns to Australia. Elsie goes to the Rovers to wait for Alan but he stands her up to go to a nightclub where he sits alone at a bar. Stan fetches Hilda who is down at Irma's departure. It is midnight and a saddened Elsie is sat alone in the public while the residents sing Auld Lang Syne. Ena makes her join the party.

Cast

Regular cast

• Ena Sharples - Violet Carson
• Minnie Caldwell - Margot Bryant
• Hilda Ogden - Jean Alexander
• Stan Ogden - Bernard Youens
• Irma Barlow - Sandra Gough (Credited as "Irma Ogden")
• Elsie Tanner - Patricia Phoenix
• Alan Howard - Alan Browning
• Sandra Butler - Patricia Fuller
• Jack Walker - Arthur Leslie
• Annie Walker - Doris Speed

Guest cast

• Barman - Ken Wayne

Places

• Rovers Return Inn - Public/snug and select
• 11 Coronation Street - Back room/kitchen and hallway
• 13 Coronation Street - Back room, hallway and kitchen
• Camera Shop flat - Living room/kitchen
• Bar of nightclub

Notes

• Last appearance of Irma Barlow until 27th April 1970.
• Bernard Youens makes a mistake with his lines and says that Irma Barlow is not to take orders from him when he means the opposite.
• Minnie Caldwell mentions the occasion when Stan Ogden found Bobby the cat for her, only it wasn't the original but one like him, referencing events in Episode 827 (25th November 1968).
• The unseen host at the nightclub is uncredited, although he has a line of dialogue.
• The cast part of the credits were left-justified and ran on the right-hand side of the screen against a camera shot of Alan Howard alone at the deserted bar in the club. After a fade to black, the production credits were transmitted in the usual centred style.
• TV Times synopsis: New Year's Eve - and some bad resolutions.
• Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 7,450,000 homes (joint 2nd place with Episode 940).