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
Elsie Tanner still holding the hand of her husband, Bill Gregory. Elsie apparently died as she had lived - never doing anything by halves and had been lucky to have 20 happy years living the high life in the Algarve. She was 81. In May 2012, Dennis' gave his fiancee, Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) - who had previously been married to Len Fairclough, Elsie's close friend - Elsie's engagement ring. In Dorothy Catherine Anger's book ""Other worlds: society seen through soap opera"" she brands Elsie a "tarty woman" who has the ability to "attract men like bees to honey". In Larry Warren's