Coronation Street of youthful rebellion. Though the rest of the original Barlow family were killed off before the end of the 1970s, Ken, who for 27 years was the only character from the first episode remaining, has remained the constant link throughout the entire series. In 2011, Dennis Tanner (Philip Lowrie), another character from the first episode, returned to "Coronation Street" after a 43-year absence. Since 1984, Ken Barlow has been the show's only remaining original character. Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire) had appeared in the series since late-January 1961, when the show was just weeks old, and was the show's longest-serving female
Frank Barlow (Coronation Street) Street for a new life in Wilmslow. He sold the shop and celebrated his farewell in the Rovers Return Inn, on the same night Martha Longhurst (Lynne Carol) died. He left the street two weeks later without saying goodbye to Ken. Frank made two further visits to the street, once in 1967, when Ken refused to pay a fine and instead went to prison, and then in 1971, when he arrived for the funeral of Ken's wife Valerie (Anne Reid). Frank died at some point between 1971 and April 1975. Frank Barlow (Coronation Street) Frank Barlow is a fictional character