Dennis Tanner
Encyclopedia
Dennis Tanner is a fictional character
in British soap opera
Coronation Street
. He is played by Philip Lowrie
. The character was created by writer Tony Warren
and was introduced in the very first episode on 9 December 1960. Lowrie remained in the role for just over a year before being written out unexpectedly in 1962 when a strike by the actor's union Equity prevented new contracts being signed. Although the strike ended a few months later, Lowrie chose not to return until a year later. After a further five years, Lowrie became frustrated with the material his character was getting and chose not to renew his contract. Dennis departed Coronation Street on 12 June 1968, shortly after marrying girlfriend Jenny Sutton.
Introduced as a teenage tearaway, Dennis quickly became a reformed character and for most of his time on the show, Dennis was primarily used as the show's comic relief with his storylines revolving around his interest in show business, much to the annoyance of his mother Elsie
(Patricia Phoenix). Dennis was later described as "immensely popular".
It was announced in January 2011 that the character would be returning to the soap once again after a 43 year absence, and his return made it the longest any actor in Coronation Street has taken a break. His return aired on 12 May 2011.
(Kenneth Cope
), ending with both being sent to prison for six months in 1960.
), who Dennis hoped would sign him, informs him that he isn't very good at singing. Lenny offers him a job as talent scout instead, and later, in March 1962, he offers Dennis the opportunity to head a new talent office in London. Dennis accepts and leaves Weatherfield.
Dennis returns in April 1963, and soon finds his new star back in his hometown. Window cleaner Walter Potts (Christopher Sandford) looks to be the key to Dennis' future when he reveals a talent for singing. Walter hires Dennis as his manager, but he loses Walter to another agency when Dennis doesn't sign him officially. Dennis is later moved to another club when Lenny's partner Laurie Fraser (Stanley Meadows) shows up, but by this point he has lost interest and decides to begin a new career in hairdressing. Whilst on his hairdressing course, he meets Sandra Petty (Heather Moore), a teenage girl who falls for him when he cuts her hair. Dennis isn't interested in Sandra, who proceeds to send a love letter to him professing her feelings, and manages to convince her he is engaged already. To his horror, Sandra later persuades her father Lionel (Edward Evans) to buy the Corner Shop and the Pettys moved in. Sandra continues in her efforts to win over Dennis, which she eventually does. He dates her for a while, but isn't too upset to see her leave when Lionel sells the shop and moves away a few months later.
Over the next year Dennis flits from job to job until Len Fairclough (Peter Adamson
) gives him a job at the builder's yard, which ends when in true Dennis Tanner fashion, he sets Len's house on fire whilst decorating. He then moves on to Gamma Garments, working with Emily Nugent (Eileen Derbyshire
) and begins an affair with Swedish colleague Inga Olsen (Gabrielle Drake
), which costs him his job when they are caught in the store late at night. Dennis and Inga leave for Sweden soon after to meets her family, but he ends up returning with Inga's sister Karen (Jennie Woodford). It doesn't last long and Karen goes home. Dennis is left to his own devices in 1967 when Elsie marries Steve Tanner (Paul Maxwell
). He takes in various lodgers and acts as he goes back into show business once again. Wild parties lead to Dennis' eviction, which he doesn't fight when he meets Jenny Sutton (Mitzi Rogers), a hippie girl who he has become besotted with. Jenny abruptly leaves for London a short while afterwards, and Dennis follows.
Dennis and Jenny return a few weeks later with the news that they're due to marry. He gets a job as a salesman and his dedication to his new work quickly gets Dennis a promotion. The couple marry in June, and swiftly move to Bristol for Dennis' new job. In 1974, Elsie is informed that Dennis has been arrested after conning old pensioners by claiming to being a door-to-door salesman. His wife Jenny leaves him, and Elsie goes to visit him. Dennis gets two years in prison for his crime.
(Brooke Vincent
) and Sian Powers
(Sacha Parkinson
) volunteer at a soup kitchen for homeless people where they meet Dennis, unaware of his past on the street. He is too late for soup, so the girls take him back to the café, where Roy Cropper
's mother Sylvia takes an instant like to him. Later on, while Dennis is walking on the street, he spots "Dennis Tanner 1951" that he had carved into the window sill of No.11 many years before. A woman approaches him and looking up he sees old flame Rita Sullivan
(Barbara Knox
), and she recognises him, but an embarrassed Dennis runs off.
The day after, Rita goes along to the soup kitchen and she and Dennis are reunited. Dennis informs Rita that Elsie and her husband Bill Gregory had died in a car crash seven to eight years previously. Rita, teary-eyed, tells Dennis how sorry she is. After a clean-up back at Rita's flat he accompanies her to the Rovers Return for a drink, and a chance to meet up with old friends Ken Barlow (William Roache
) and Emily Bishop
(Eileen Derbyshire
). He also meets Norris Cole
(Malcolm Hebden
), who takes a dislike to Dennis.
Resident Julie Carp
believes to be a relation to Dennis after he reveals that Elsie's maiden name was Grimshaw, the same surname for Julie's half-sister Eileen Grimshaw
and her family (who also lives in the same house that Elsie once lived in). She later invites Dennis and Rita round at Eileen's, and Dennis thinks back to all the times he had in the house when there. Then Julie begins to question him about his family, and he gives some details while she records them. After some research Julie discovers that Colin Grimshaw and Elsie Tanner shared a cousin, making Dennis, Julie and Eileen's distant Uncle.
Lowrie remained in the series until he was written out in 1962, due a strike at the time which prevented him from signing a new contract. Since his contract was just slightly longer than most of his peers, it meant Dennis' exit was timed a little later than the other cast members who had to leave because of the strike. Lowrie had wanted to leave with his screen sister Anne Cunningham, who played Linda, at the end of 1961 but producers vetoed the idea as they didn't want all of Elsie's family deserting her at the same time. Lowrie returned to Coronation Street in 1963, and remained for a further five years, before tiring of the role and handing in his notice in 1968. In 2011, forty-three years after his last appearance, it was announced Dennis is to return to the Street, after Philip Lowrie agreed to reprise the role. He has signed an initial six-month contract.
again notes the actor's "knack for comedy". Lowrie said upon his return in 2011: "It feels good to be back. Dennis is a really wonderful character to play because he's a lovable rogue, but there's a depth to him too."Dennis forms an unexpected relationship with Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) leading up to the Christmas period. The couple spend the festive season in Blackpool of which Dennis is believed to commit himself to an eternal relationship with Rita.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in British soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
. He is played by Philip Lowrie
Philip Lowrie
Colin Philip Lowrie is an English television actor. He played Dennis Tanner, the son of Elsie Tanner in Coronation Street, from 1960 until 1968. On 25 January 2011, it was announced that he would return to the role, reappearing on screen later in the year...
. The character was created by writer Tony Warren
Tony Warren
Anthony McVay Simpson MBE , better known by his stage name Tony Warren, is an award-winning English television scriptwriter, best known for creating the soap opera Coronation Street...
and was introduced in the very first episode on 9 December 1960. Lowrie remained in the role for just over a year before being written out unexpectedly in 1962 when a strike by the actor's union Equity prevented new contracts being signed. Although the strike ended a few months later, Lowrie chose not to return until a year later. After a further five years, Lowrie became frustrated with the material his character was getting and chose not to renew his contract. Dennis departed Coronation Street on 12 June 1968, shortly after marrying girlfriend Jenny Sutton.
Introduced as a teenage tearaway, Dennis quickly became a reformed character and for most of his time on the show, Dennis was primarily used as the show's comic relief with his storylines revolving around his interest in show business, much to the annoyance of his mother Elsie
Elsie Tanner
Elsie Tanner is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Patricia Phoenix from 1960 to 1973 and from 1976 until 1984. Elsie Tanner was one of the original core characters on Coronation Street and appeared in the very first episode...
(Patricia Phoenix). Dennis was later described as "immensely popular".
It was announced in January 2011 that the character would be returning to the soap once again after a 43 year absence, and his return made it the longest any actor in Coronation Street has taken a break. His return aired on 12 May 2011.
Backstory
Dennis is born on 1 April 1942 to Elsie and Arnold Tanner (Frank Crawshaw). When his parents' marriage collapses in 1945, Arnold leaves the family home and Elsie is forced to bring up Dennis and his older sister Linda (Anne Cunningham) on her own. Linda is often responsible for looking after Dennis while Elsie entertains various male friends. As a result, Dennis goes off the rails and frequently plays truant from school. He is eventually led into petty crime by new friend Jed StoneJed Stone
John Edward "Jed" Stone, played by Kenneth Cope, is a fictional character from the soap opera Coronation Street. He was a lodger of Minnie Caldwell's in the 1960s, and her nickname for him was "Sunny Jim"...
(Kenneth Cope
Kenneth Cope
Kenneth Cope is an English actor. He is most famous for his roles as Marty Hopkirk in Randall and Hopkirk , Jed Stone in Coronation Street and Ray Hilton in Brookside.- Career :...
), ending with both being sent to prison for six months in 1960.
1960–1973
Dennis first appears in episode one of Coronation Street, having just been released from prison for petty theft from a newsagents. He moves back in with his mother Elsie who becomes frustrated with Dennis' poor efforts to find a job. Shortly before Christmas 1960 he finds one at the Orinoco club, a somewhat seedy bar in Weatherfield, and begins his career in show business, despite having no real talent of his own. An old friend named Jed Stone returns to the street asking if Dennis is interested in some money to do a crime, Dennis turns him down. They later make up and become good friends. Dennis regularly brings home his work, a variety of circus acts he has booked for the club, which annoys Elsie and leads to several arguments. Dennis is later offered a spot as a singer and, performing under the pseudonym 'Ricky Dennis', he proves popular with the regulars. It is short-lived, however, when talent agent Lenny Phillips (John BarrieJohn Barrie
John Barrie was a British actor who appeared in a number of television shows and films, but became best known for his roles on the police series Sergeant Cork and Z Cars in the 1960s. He was born in New Brighton in 1917 and made his screen debut in the 1954 film Yankee Pasha...
), who Dennis hoped would sign him, informs him that he isn't very good at singing. Lenny offers him a job as talent scout instead, and later, in March 1962, he offers Dennis the opportunity to head a new talent office in London. Dennis accepts and leaves Weatherfield.
Dennis returns in April 1963, and soon finds his new star back in his hometown. Window cleaner Walter Potts (Christopher Sandford) looks to be the key to Dennis' future when he reveals a talent for singing. Walter hires Dennis as his manager, but he loses Walter to another agency when Dennis doesn't sign him officially. Dennis is later moved to another club when Lenny's partner Laurie Fraser (Stanley Meadows) shows up, but by this point he has lost interest and decides to begin a new career in hairdressing. Whilst on his hairdressing course, he meets Sandra Petty (Heather Moore), a teenage girl who falls for him when he cuts her hair. Dennis isn't interested in Sandra, who proceeds to send a love letter to him professing her feelings, and manages to convince her he is engaged already. To his horror, Sandra later persuades her father Lionel (Edward Evans) to buy the Corner Shop and the Pettys moved in. Sandra continues in her efforts to win over Dennis, which she eventually does. He dates her for a while, but isn't too upset to see her leave when Lionel sells the shop and moves away a few months later.
Over the next year Dennis flits from job to job until Len Fairclough (Peter Adamson
Peter Adamson
Peter Adamson was a British stage and television actor. He is best known for playing the character of Len Fairclough in the long-running television series Coronation Street from 1961 to 1983.-Life and career:...
) gives him a job at the builder's yard, which ends when in true Dennis Tanner fashion, he sets Len's house on fire whilst decorating. He then moves on to Gamma Garments, working with Emily Nugent (Eileen Derbyshire
Eileen Derbyshire
Eileen Derbyshire, MBE is an English actress, best known for her role as Emily Bishop on the soap opera Coronation Street. She has played the character since 1961, making her the longest-serving female cast member in a British soap opera...
) and begins an affair with Swedish colleague Inga Olsen (Gabrielle Drake
Gabrielle Drake
Gabrielle Drake is a British actress who was born in Lahore, British India and lived in several Far Eastern countries .-Career:...
), which costs him his job when they are caught in the store late at night. Dennis and Inga leave for Sweden soon after to meets her family, but he ends up returning with Inga's sister Karen (Jennie Woodford). It doesn't last long and Karen goes home. Dennis is left to his own devices in 1967 when Elsie marries Steve Tanner (Paul Maxwell
Paul Maxwell
Paul Maxwell was a Canadian actor who worked mostly in British television and films, in which he was usually cast as an American...
). He takes in various lodgers and acts as he goes back into show business once again. Wild parties lead to Dennis' eviction, which he doesn't fight when he meets Jenny Sutton (Mitzi Rogers), a hippie girl who he has become besotted with. Jenny abruptly leaves for London a short while afterwards, and Dennis follows.
Dennis and Jenny return a few weeks later with the news that they're due to marry. He gets a job as a salesman and his dedication to his new work quickly gets Dennis a promotion. The couple marry in June, and swiftly move to Bristol for Dennis' new job. In 1974, Elsie is informed that Dennis has been arrested after conning old pensioners by claiming to being a door-to-door salesman. His wife Jenny leaves him, and Elsie goes to visit him. Dennis gets two years in prison for his crime.
2011—
In May 2011, teenagers Sophie WebsterSophie Webster
Sophie Lauren Webster is a fictional character in the British television ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She is currently portrayed by actress Brooke Vincent, after previously being portrayed by both Ashleigh Middleton and Emma Woodward. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode...
(Brooke Vincent
Brooke Vincent
Brooke Levi Vincent is an actress in the British soap opera Coronation Street. She joined the soap in 2004, taking over from Emma Woodward in the role of Sophie Webster.- Career :...
) and Sian Powers
Sian Powers
Sian Powers is a fictional character on the UK soap opera Coronation Street, portrayed by actress Sacha Parkinson. Sian was introduced as a love interest for Sophie Webster . Sian joined the cast of Coronation Street alongside Ben Richardson in early 2009 as Sophie's schoolmates...
(Sacha Parkinson
Sacha Parkinson
Sacha Louise Parkinson is a British actress best known for playing Sian Powers in the ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street from January 2009 onwards. Her character will leave the show in January 2012.-Career:...
) volunteer at a soup kitchen for homeless people where they meet Dennis, unaware of his past on the street. He is too late for soup, so the girls take him back to the café, where Roy Cropper
Roy Cropper
Royston "Roy" Cropper, is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor David Neilson, the character was introduced during the episode airing on 19 July 1995. Originally a secondary character, he was given a more prominent role in 1997, by the...
's mother Sylvia takes an instant like to him. Later on, while Dennis is walking on the street, he spots "Dennis Tanner 1951" that he had carved into the window sill of No.11 many years before. A woman approaches him and looking up he sees old flame Rita Sullivan
Rita Sullivan
Rita Sullivan is a long-standing character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street...
(Barbara Knox
Barbara Knox
Barbara Knox, MBE , is an English actress, best known for playing Rita Sullivan in the television soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:Knox was born in Oldham, Lancashire...
), and she recognises him, but an embarrassed Dennis runs off.
The day after, Rita goes along to the soup kitchen and she and Dennis are reunited. Dennis informs Rita that Elsie and her husband Bill Gregory had died in a car crash seven to eight years previously. Rita, teary-eyed, tells Dennis how sorry she is. After a clean-up back at Rita's flat he accompanies her to the Rovers Return for a drink, and a chance to meet up with old friends Ken Barlow (William Roache
William Roache
William Patrick Harry Roache MBE is a British actor, best known for his role as Ken Barlow in the soap opera Coronation Street...
) and Emily Bishop
Emily Bishop
Emily Bishop is a long-standing fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street...
(Eileen Derbyshire
Eileen Derbyshire
Eileen Derbyshire, MBE is an English actress, best known for her role as Emily Bishop on the soap opera Coronation Street. She has played the character since 1961, making her the longest-serving female cast member in a British soap opera...
). He also meets Norris Cole
Norris Cole
Norris Benjamin Cole is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Malcolm Hebden, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 11 March 1994 and remained until his departure on 14 April 1997, only to return on 1 December...
(Malcolm Hebden
Malcolm Hebden
Malcolm Hebden is an English television and stage actor best known for his role as Norris Cole in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:...
), who takes a dislike to Dennis.
Resident Julie Carp
Julie Carp
Julie Carp is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, Coronation Street, played by actress Katy Cavanagh...
believes to be a relation to Dennis after he reveals that Elsie's maiden name was Grimshaw, the same surname for Julie's half-sister Eileen Grimshaw
Eileen Grimshaw
Eileen Grimshaw, is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by Sue Cleaver, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 3 May 2000....
and her family (who also lives in the same house that Elsie once lived in). She later invites Dennis and Rita round at Eileen's, and Dennis thinks back to all the times he had in the house when there. Then Julie begins to question him about his family, and he gives some details while she records them. After some research Julie discovers that Colin Grimshaw and Elsie Tanner shared a cousin, making Dennis, Julie and Eileen's distant Uncle.
Casting
Dennis was one of the original characters created by Tony Warren when devising his new serial, then named Florizel Street. Warren had envisaged Dennis as the show's bad boy, and was initially attracted to the idea of casting himself in the role. Warren explained "It was a much better part than Ken, as originally written. There were infinite possibilities in Dennis that were never explored. The criminal side. In those streets there is always a bad 'un, a wrong 'un. And he was the wrong 'un." Producers auditioned several actors for the part, of which two were picked to play Dennis in the pilots. Both proved to be unsuitable and Dennis was one of the last characters to be cast. Eventually it was down to two actors, Kenneth Farrington and Philip Lowrie, who were called in for camera tests opposite Pat Phoenix, who was previously cast as Dennis' mother. Lowrie was chosen to play Dennis just days before rehearsals began, while Farrington was assured that despite not getting the part of Dennis, they wanted him to play another character due to be introduced later in the series, which turned out to be Billy Walker.Lowrie remained in the series until he was written out in 1962, due a strike at the time which prevented him from signing a new contract. Since his contract was just slightly longer than most of his peers, it meant Dennis' exit was timed a little later than the other cast members who had to leave because of the strike. Lowrie had wanted to leave with his screen sister Anne Cunningham, who played Linda, at the end of 1961 but producers vetoed the idea as they didn't want all of Elsie's family deserting her at the same time. Lowrie returned to Coronation Street in 1963, and remained for a further five years, before tiring of the role and handing in his notice in 1968. In 2011, forty-three years after his last appearance, it was announced Dennis is to return to the Street, after Philip Lowrie agreed to reprise the role. He has signed an initial six-month contract.
Characterisation
Dennis was originally written as the local villain, but once cast, Lowrie's portrayal put a twist to Tony Warren's original scripts. It was commented in The Coronation Street Story, a 35th anniversary celebratory book, that Lowrie has such immense charm that bubbled over into the character. Lowrie recalls a conversation with producer Harry Latham who commended him on his performance, saying he "gave it some comedy", and that he was glad as they had once been considering writing the character out. John Dingwall of the Daily RecordDaily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
again notes the actor's "knack for comedy". Lowrie said upon his return in 2011: "It feels good to be back. Dennis is a really wonderful character to play because he's a lovable rogue, but there's a depth to him too."Dennis forms an unexpected relationship with Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) leading up to the Christmas period. The couple spend the festive season in Blackpool of which Dennis is believed to commit himself to an eternal relationship with Rita.