Episode 1 (Coronation Street) Episode 1 (Coronation Street) The first episode of the British television soap opera "Coronation Street" was broadcast live on the 9 December 1960, it was broadcast in black-and-white. Episode 2 was video taped shortly after the airing. The series first introduces Florrie Lindley (Betty Alberge), who has bought up the local Corner Shop from Elsie Lappin (Maudie Edwards), who has now retired after working there for many years. Elsie warns Florrie about the residents and stays around to show her the tricks of the trade. At No. 11, Elsie Tanner (Pat Phoenix) berates her 18-year-old son Dennis (Philip Lowrie), who
Coronation Street available viewers (15 million) tuned into "Corrie", and by 1964 the programme had over 20 million regular viewers, with ratings peaking on 2 December 1964, at 21.36 million viewers. Storylines throughout the decade included a mystery poison-pen letter received by Elsie Tanner, the 1962 marriage of Ken Barlow and Valerie Tatlock (Anne Reid), the death of Martha Longhurst in 1964, the birth of the Barlow twins in 1965, Elsie Tanner's wedding to Steve Tanner (Paul Maxwell) and a train crashing from the viaduct (both in 1967), Steve Tanner's murder in 1968, and a coach crash in 1969. In spite of