Ida Barlow
Encyclopedia
Ida Barlow is a fictional character
from the UK television ITV
soap opera
Coronation Street
, she was played by actress Noel Dyson
between 1960 and 1961.
originally had Betty Alberge
in mind for the part of Ida when writing the first scripts, but when Alberge auditioned everyone agreed she was more suited to the role of shopkeeper Florrie Lindley, leaving auditions for Ida wide open until Noel Dyson was found.
Dyson decided to quit her role less than a year later when she got tired of playing Ida, and the character was killed off on 11 September 1961. It has been reported that following the character's death, the public outburst of grief saw viewers phone Granada Television
in protest, and scores of wreaths and cards of sympathy arrived at the production company's offices.
in 1938. They went on to have two sons - Ken
(1939) and David (1942), and thus Ida found her new place in life as housewife and relished in it. She spent most of her time looking after her family and keeping the house running, rarely socialising in the Rovers at all.
, and visited him on a regular basis, far more than his own daughter Beattie, which sometimes caused friction between the two women, or at least some sly bitchy comments from Beattie, despite Ida's calm nature.
Ida's mother Nancy moved into No.3 in 1961 due to her failing health, and no-one expected her to outlive her daughter. One day when Ida was visiting Beattie, concern grew when Ida never arrived. Later that day, Frank learned that Ida had been hit by the bus she was intending to catch and had died.
Ida's funeral episode saw a new peak in viewing figures for Coronation Street, with 15.6 million viewers tuning in.
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...
from the UK television ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
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...
, she was played by actress Noel Dyson
Noel Dyson
Noel Dyson was an English actress. Dyson appeared in a number of films but is best remembered as a versatile television actress who became a very familiar face to British viewers in a career spanning almost 50 years...
between 1960 and 1961.
Casting
Creator Tony WarrenTony 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...
originally had Betty Alberge
Betty Alberge
Betty Alberge was an English actress best known for her soap opera roles as cornershop owner Florrie Lindley in Coronation Street and as Edna Cross in Brookside...
in mind for the part of Ida when writing the first scripts, but when Alberge auditioned everyone agreed she was more suited to the role of shopkeeper Florrie Lindley, leaving auditions for Ida wide open until Noel Dyson was found.
Dyson decided to quit her role less than a year later when she got tired of playing Ida, and the character was killed off on 11 September 1961. It has been reported that following the character's death, the public outburst of grief saw viewers phone Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
in protest, and scores of wreaths and cards of sympathy arrived at the production company's offices.
Background
Ida Leathers was born in 1916 to Nancy Leathers. Ida grew up to be a soft, caring, almost saintly woman and married the love of her life Frank BarlowFrank Barlow (Coronation Street)
Francis "Frank" Barlow is a fictional character from the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Frank Pemberton. As the head of the show's core Barlow family, Frank was one of the original twenty-one characters upon the show's inception in 1960, along with wife Ida and sons Ken and David .In...
in 1938. They went on to have two sons - Ken
Ken Barlow
Kenneth "Ken" Barlow is a long-standing fictional character from the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by William Roache, and created by Tony Warren. He is currently the world's longest-serving soap opera character, having appeared continuously from the programme's inception in December...
(1939) and David (1942), and thus Ida found her new place in life as housewife and relished in it. She spent most of her time looking after her family and keeping the house running, rarely socialising in the Rovers at all.
Storylines
Ida was the perfect housewife, and doted on Frank and her boys. Ida had a special friendship with the Barlow's next-door neighbour Albert TatlockAlbert Tatlock
Albert Tatlock is a fictional character on the British television soap opera Coronation Street. Albert was played by actor Jack Howarth from 1960 to 1984...
, and visited him on a regular basis, far more than his own daughter Beattie, which sometimes caused friction between the two women, or at least some sly bitchy comments from Beattie, despite Ida's calm nature.
Ida's mother Nancy moved into No.3 in 1961 due to her failing health, and no-one expected her to outlive her daughter. One day when Ida was visiting Beattie, concern grew when Ida never arrived. Later that day, Frank learned that Ida had been hit by the bus she was intending to catch and had died.
Ida's funeral episode saw a new peak in viewing figures for Coronation Street, with 15.6 million viewers tuning in.