direct to your inboxIt was 1965, back when the show was in screened in black and white, perfect for depicting northern backstreets.Ena Sharples nursing a stout, delivering sharp-tongued observations, and flame-haired Elsie Tanner at her strident glamorous best.Coronation Street, which was first shown on December 9th 1960, was already on its way to becoming a national treasure, with its gritty portrayal of ordinary lives, when Jim Whelan made his debut.He threw a few darts in The Rovers Return - and was paid £6 for his performance.It was a modest start for what would be 40 years as an extra in the soap that is still the best.
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