List of Coronation Street characters (1968)

Coronation Street characters
1960	1961	1962	1963	1964
1965	1966	1967	1968	1969
1970	1971	1972	1973	1974
1975	1976	1977	1978	1979
1980	1981	1982	1983	1984
1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
2010	2011

Maggie Cooke

Maggie Cooke
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by	Irene Sutcliffe
Introduced by	Michael Cox (1968) Susi Hush (1974)
Duration	1968-75
First appearance	1 April 1968 Episode 761
Last appearance	13 January 1975 Episode 1459
Classification	Former; regular
Profile
Date of birth	12 June 1924
Home	Zaire
Occupation	Shop owner (1968-1974) Morphine worker (1974–)
Family Husband Les Clegg (1947-1970) Ron Cooke (1974-) Father Harold Preston Mother Margaret Preston Sisters Betty Williams Nephews Gordon Clegg

Margaret "Maggie" Cooke (née Preston, previously Clegg) is played by Irene Sutcliffe. She ran the Corner Shop from 1968 to 1974. Maggie's storylines included her life with alcoholic husband Les Clegg, who she divorced in 1969, a son Gordon who wasn't really hers (he was her sister, Betty Turpin's love child) and a further marriage to reformed alcoholic, Ron Cooke on 10 July 1974. She emigrated to Zaire after the wedding but made a brief return to the street in December of the same year when Gordon found out that Betty was his mother. She rejoined her husband the following month and has not returned to the street since.

Les Clegg

Les Clegg
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by	John Sharp
Introduced by	Michael Cox
Duration	1968
First appearance	1 April 1968 Episode 761
Last appearance	12 June 1968 Episode 782
Classification	Former; guest
Family Wife Maggie Preston (1947–1970)

Les Clegg is played by John Sharp. He and his wife Maggie bought the Corner Shop from David Barlow in 1968. Les was an alcoholic, and this leads to the breakup of their marriage; Maggie divorces Les in 1970.

Gordon Clegg

Gordon Clegg
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by	Bill Kenwright (1968–1995) Geoffrey Leesley (2002–2004)
Introduced by	Michael Cox (1968) Susi Hush (1974, 1975) Bill Podmore (1976, 1981, 1982) Mervyn Watson (1983) Carolyn Reynolds (1993) Sue Pritchard (1995) Jane MacNaught (2002) Kieran Roberts (2004)
Duration	1968-69, 1974–75, 1976, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1993, 1995, 2002, 2004
First appearance	15 April 1968 Episode 765
Last appearance	4 February 2004 Episode 5685
Classification	Former; regular
Profile
Date of birth	20 May 1950
Home	Wimbledon
Family Wife Caroline Wilson (1982-) Father Ted Farrell Mother Betty Williams Sons Peter Clegg Grandfathers Harold Preston Grandmothers Margaret Preston Aunts Maggie Cooke

Gordon Clegg (né Preston) is the son of Betty Williams. For most of Gordon's life he believed Betty's sister Maggie Cooke was his mother. It was revealed in 1974 that Gordon was in fact the product of a love affair between Betty and Ted Farrell, a married sailor and was subsequently raised by his aunt Maggie and her husband, Les. Betty and Gordon still frequently keep in touch and visit each other on occasion. Gordon last visited on Betty's 84th birthday in 2004, when he brought flowers for his mother. Betty visited Gordon for Christmas 2008.

Dickie Fleming

Dickie Fleming
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by	Nigel Humphries
Introduced by	Richard Doubleday
Duration	1968–70
First appearance	5 June 1968 Episode 780
Last appearance	6 May 1970 Episode 977
Classification	Former; regular
Profile
Date of birth	17 July 1949
Family Wife Audrey Bright (1968–1971)

Dickie Fleming is played by Nigel Humphries. Eighteen year-old Dickie, and his fiancé Audrey Bright move into number three shortly before they wed in 1968. The following year, the Flemings took Ray Langton as a lodger and Dickie became jealous as Ray and Audrey flirted with one another. Audrey later fell for Ray and when Dickie confronted her, she admitted she no longer loved him. Rejected, Dickie informed Ray's fiancé Sandra Butler of what had been going on, before leaving Weatherfield for good.

Audrey Fleming

Audrey Fleming
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by	Gillian McCann
Introduced by	Richard Doubleday
Duration	1968–70
First appearance	5 June 1968 Episode 780
Last appearance	13 May 1970 Episode 979
Classification	Former; regular
Profile
Date of birth	15 May 1951
Family Husband Dickie Fleming (1968–1971) Cousins Vicki Bright

Audrey Fleming (née Bright) is played by Gillian McCann. Shortly after arriving, 16 year-old Audrey married Dickie Fleming and they set up home at number three. In 1969, the Flemings took Ray Langton as lodger and Audrey enjoyed a flirtation with Ray, leading Dickie to become jealous and throw him out, before having a change of heart. Ray and Audrey became closer and he was about to make his move before a coach accident lost him to use of his legs.

Ray instead took a liking to new girl in the area Sandra Butler, who liked to care for him, and they became engaged. As Ray recovered, his and Audrey's attraction grew and Audrey fell in love with him. Eventually, Dickie confronted Audrey and she admitted she no longer loved him, she had fallen for Ray. Feeling rejected, Dickie took revenge in telling Sandra what had been going on before he left the area. Ray was committed to Sandra however, and after stringing her along and effectively ending her marriage, he let her down and Audrey fled Weatherfield.

Effie Spicer

Effie Spicer
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by	Ann Dyson
Introduced by	Richard Doubleday (1968) John Finch (1968)
Duration	1968–69
First appearance	26 June 1968 Episode 786
Last appearance	26 March 1969 Episode 862
Classification	Former; regular

Effie Spicer is played by Ann Dyson. She moved into the new maisonettes that were built after the Glad Tidings Mission Hall was demolished in 1968. During her time on Coronation Street she clashed on many occasions with her neighbour Ena Sharples. Effie left the street in 1969.

Joe Donnelli

Joe Donnelli
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by	Shane Rimmer
Duration	1967, 1968, 1970
First appearance	21 August 1967 Episode 697
Last appearance	21 December 1970 Episode 1036
Profile
Date of death	12 December 1970

Joe Donnelli, played by Shane Rimmer, is a former American GI. Joe is dealing with Gambling debts and blames Steve Tanner for it, and in his idea of revenge, he pushes Steve down a flight of stairs, killing him. For nearly two years Joe gets away with the murder when the chief suspect is Len Fairclough. On 12 December 1970, Joe returns to the Street and kidnaps Minnie Caldwell but his plan backfires when he is cornered by Irma Barlow, so he holds her hostage in the corner shop and confesses to murdering Steve. Irma manages to escape and Joe goes to No. 5 Coronation Street and holds Minnie and Bobby hostage. Later Stan Ogden takes Minnie's place, but Stan is unaware that Joe is armed with a gun and is forced to sing Christmas carols to Joe. When the police arrive and surround the house, Joe commits suicide by shooting himself after realising there is no escape.

Alice Pickens

Alice Pickens
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by	Doris Hare
Introduced by	John Finch (1968) H.V. Kershaw (1969)
Duration	1968, 1969
First appearance	18 November 1968 Episode 825
Last appearance	1 September 1969 Episode 906
Classification	Former; recurring
Family Husband Douglas Pickens

Alice Pickens is played by Doris Hare. She appears in the series between 1968 and 1969. She became engaged to Albert Tatlock but the marriage was called off.