Record-breaking Coronation Street star who appeared in first-ever episode before returning decades later dies aged 88
CORONATION Street star Philip Lowrie has died aged 88.
The actor, who appeared in the first ever episode of the ITV soap, passed away on Friday, according to his publicist.
“My client and very dear friend, Philip Lowrie, the beloved actor renowned for his role as Dennis Tanner on Coronation Street, passed away yesterday at 88,” Mario Renzullo shared in a statement to ITV News.
“His death marks the end of an era for the world’s longest-running soap, where he became a cornerstone of its storytelling.”
Lowrie was just 24 when he appeared in Corrie’s first ever episode in 1960, playing charming rebel Dennis Tanner, son of Elsie and Arnold Tanner.
The teenage tearaway has just been released from prison for petty theft from a newsagents and moves in with his mum in Weatherfield.
He would later get into a relationship with show stalwart Rita, played by Barbara Knox.
Creator Tony Warren said of the character: “In those streets there is always a bad ‘un, a wrong ‘un. And he was the wrong ‘un.”
Lowrie initially left in 1962 due to complications with a writers strike before returning the following year.
He then remained with the show until 1968 before making a return in 2011, and staying until 2014.
The actor won a Guinness World Record for the longest gap between appearances playing the same character on a TV show.
Dennis was killed off-screen in 2020 to mark the soap’s 10,000th episode.
During his time on the cobbles, Lowrie also recorded pop single I Might Have Known at Abbey Road Studios, released in May 1963.
However, it was not a hit.
Rise to fame
Lowrie was born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
He went on to make his West End debut in Farewell, Farewell Eugene, starring alongside Margaret Rutherford and Peggy Mount.
Aside from Corrie, he appeared on several of comedian Victoria Wood’s shows, including All Day Breakfast, As Seen on TV, and Wood and Walters.
He played Mr Larkin in the ITV series Home Fires in 2015 and had many West End roles.
