Jack and Vera Duckworth brought a touch of glamour to the Street with their stone cladding in 1989. Well, Vera thought so.Lilian writes:
I've read so many tributes to Jack Duckworth and William Tarmey lately - all richly deserved because he truly was a Street legend. But some of the tributes say things like: "He's been a massive part of the Street for 31 years..." - and so on. Of course, those of us who do our research (often accused of being "pedantic" by those who don't and then get caught out) know that Jack first appeared in two episodes in late 1979, then disappeared until 1981, when he became a semi-regular. So, what happened to him in 1980?
He was mentioned occasionally, Lilian, but the production team simply hadn't decided to make Jack a full-blown character. Vera was the Duckworth in Coronation Street, had been for years - and she didn't even live there! The idea of bringing Jack in for occasional story-lines in 1981 was inspired, and the idea of making him a regular in 1983, by moving the Duckworths into the Street, was even more so.
2 comments:
It was executive Corrie Producer Kieran Roberts who said earlier this year:
'Bill Tarmey and Jack Duckworth have been a huge part of Coronation Street for 30 years..."
But if you travelled back to 1980, you wouldn't find Jack Duckworth in The Street.
Nor was Jack a "huge part" of Corrie in 1981 and 1982, either - he wasn't full-time at all. 1983 was the year that saw Jack go "huge" and Bill Tarmey get a permanant contract.
Ah, yes, Kieran Roberts. People do talk a load of nonsense nowadays, don't they? I read all sorts and end up thinking "EH?!!!!!"
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