From Coronation Street Wiki

Plot

Hilda is the first in the queue at the sales. Fred sports a black eye. Annie tells him that if it happens again he'll have to leave the Rovers. Ernie feels in a bit of a rut as a wages clerk. Alf arranges a date with Renee. Hilda is too busy being interviewed by a local radio reporter, Ted Thomas, to notice the store doors opening. She misses the TV. Two thugs, Tommo and Dave, follow Mike and Ernie when they go to the bank. Alf has to call off his date with Renee because of work. He's got to go on a course in London for a couple of weeks. He assures her they'll go out when he returns. Fred and Rita each pay Ray £5 towards a new table. Rita blames Elsie for stirring trouble between Fred and Len and they row in the Rovers. Fred takes Rita's side causing Len to stand by Elsie. Annie has to stop them all from fighting. Tommo and Dave have a sawn-off shot gun with them.

Cast

Regular cast

• Annie Walker - Doris Speed
• Rita Fairclough - Barbara Knox
• Len Fairclough - Peter Adamson
• Alf Roberts - Bryan Mosley
• Hilda Ogden - Jean Alexander
• Bet Lynch - Julie Goodyear
• Eddie Yeats - Geoffrey Hughes
• Renee Bradshaw - Madge Hindle
• Stan Ogden - Bernard Youens
• Elsie Howard - Patricia Phoenix
• Fred Gee - Fred Feast
• Ray Langton - Neville Buswell
• Mike Baldwin - Johnny Briggs
• Ernie Bishop - Stephen Hancock
• Emily Bishop - Eileen Derbyshire

Guest cast

• Ted Thomas - David Calder
• Tommo - Dave Parke
• Dave - Tony McHale
• Mrs Harrison - Sandra Voe
• Ozzie - Denis Carey

Notes

• The part of Ozzie was written for Laurence Olivier who was a fan of Jean Alexander's portrayal of Hilda Ogden and agreed to take part in the programme. At the last minute re-shoots on a film prevented him appearing in Coronation Street. Bill Podmore states that the film in question was Marathon Man but as that was released in October 1976 it was undoubtedly another production, possibly The Boys from Brazil.
• Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 18,850,000 viewers (1st place).