Philip Lowrie obit

Philip Lowrie, one of Coronation Street’s original stars, dies aged 88

 

He was not on the list.

Coronation Street star Philip Lowrie, one of Corrie's original cast members, has died aged 88, his publicist has confirmed.

The Lancashire-born actor passed away on Friday, according to his publicist Mario Renzullo.

"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," Mr Renzullo wrote in a statement.

"His death marks the end of an era for the world’s longest-running soap, where he became a cornerstone of its storytelling."

At 24, Mr Lowrie made television history when he appeared in the very first episode of Coronation Street in 1960, playing Dennis Tanner, the son of Elsie Tanner, portrayed by Pat Phoenix.

Dennis’s rebellious charm and stormy relationships quickly made him a fan favourite.

Mr Lowrie stayed with the show until 1968, before making a dramatic return to the cobbles in 2011.

In September 2011, Mr Lowrie was awarded a Guinness World Record for the longest gap between television appearances as the same character in the same show.

Born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London after his mother saved enough to cover his fees.

After graduating, he made his West End debut in Farewell, Farewell Eugene alongside Margaret Rutherford and Peggy Mount.

Mr Lowrie was also a regular on Victoria Wood’s television shows, appearing in All Day Breakfast, As Seen on TV, Wood and Walters, and others.

A versatile performer, he held many leading stage roles, including Major Metcalf in The Mousetrap (2004), Klever in The Case of the Frightened Lady (2018), and Eric in The Lady Vanishes (2019).

 

Actor

Home Fires (2015)

Home Fires

8.2

TV Series

Mr. Lakin

2016

3 episodes

 

Peter Adamson, Jean Alexander, Johnny Briggs, Margot Bryant, and Doris Speed in Coronation Street (1960)

Coronation Street

5.6

TV Series

Dennis Tanner

1960–2014

673 episodes

 

Coronation Street: A Christmas Corrie

TV Short

Dennis Tanner

Norris' Grandfather

2012

 

Casualty (1986)

Casualty

6.1

TV Series

Ancient Mariner

Simon Spencer

1989–2010

2 episodes

 

Doctors (2000)

Doctors

4.6

TV Series

Ron Cornwall

2005

1 episode

 

Screen One (1985)

Screen One

6.7

TV Series

Martin - Warm Up Man

1994

1 episode

 

Harry (1993)

Harry

6.2

TV Series

Houseman

1993

1 episode

 

Frederick Forsyth Presents (1989)

Frederick Forsyth Presents

6.2

TV Series

Supt. Jamieson

1990

1 episode

 

Rita Rudner (1990)

Rita Rudner

6.6

TV Series

1990

1 episode

 

Patricia Hodge, Celia Imrie, Joan Sims, and Victoria Wood in Victoria Wood (1989)

Victoria Wood

7.7

TV Series

John Appleby

Keith

1989

2 episodes

 

Rules of Engagement (1989)

Rules of Engagement

6.8

TV Mini Series

Nigel Quinn

1989

4 episodes

 

Blind Justice (1988)

Blind Justice

7.5

TV Mini Series

Milligan

1988

1 episode

 

Andy Capp (1988)

Andy Capp

5.5

TV Series

Mr. Watson

1988

6 episodes

 

The English Programme (1976)

The English Programme

5.6

TV Series

David

1987

2 episodes

 

Galloping Galaxies! (1985)

Galloping Galaxies!

6.6

TV Series

Wimp

1986

1 episode

 

Voices in the Dark

TV Movie

David

1985

 

Julie Dawn Cole in Angels (1975)

Angels

6.6

TV Series

Mike Roberts

1983

3 episodes

 

Maria Aitken, Philip Lowrie, and Simon Williams in Company and Co (1976)

Company and Co

5.4

TV Series

Billy Hawkes

1980

7 episodes

 

Nerys Hughes and Polly James in The Liver Birds (1969)

The Liver Birds

6.5

TV Series

Mr. Green

1978

1 episode

 

Diane Cilento in Tycoon (1978)

Tycoon

6.1

TV Series

Gerry Speares

1978

3 episodes

 

A Soft Touch

6.9

TV Series

Paul

1978

1 episode

 

Dinsdale Landen in Devenish (1977)

Devenish

5.2

TV Series

1977

1 episode

 

The Cuckoo Waltz (1975)

The Cuckoo Waltz

6.9

TV Series

Tom Napier

1977

1 episode

 

East Lynne

TV Movie

Archibald Carlyle

1976

 

The Siege of Golden Hill (1975)

The Siege of Golden Hill

8.2

TV Series

Terry Ashby

1976

5 episodes

 

Cilla Black in Cilla's World of Comedy (1976)

Cilla's World of Comedy

7.3

TV Series

Philip Travers

1976

1 episode

 

Don Henderson, Diane Keen, Peter Sallis, and Don Warrington in Crown Court (1972)

Crown Court

7.3

TV Series

Dr. Pritchard

1975

1 episode

 

Jackanory Playhouse

8.3

TV Series

Architect

1975

1 episode

 

Notorious Woman (1974)

Notorious Woman

8.8

TV Mini Series

Alexandre Manceau

1974

1 episode

 

Putting on the Agony

TV Movie

Barry

1973

 

Anthony Hopkins in War & Peace (1972)

War & Peace

8.2

TV Series

French Lieutenant

French Captain

Pierre's second

1972–1973

3 episodes

 

Phyllis Calvert and Jack Hedley in Kate (1970)

Kate

8.0

TV Series

Leonard Snow

1970–1972

3 episodes

 

John Cairney in This Man Craig (1966)

This Man Craig

7.6

TV Series

Pupil

1966

1 episode

 

ITV Play of the Week (1955)

ITV Play of the Week

6.7

TV Series

Tim

1963

1 episode

 

Serious Charge (1959)

Serious Charge

6.4

Youth in Larry's Gang (uncredited)

1959

 

Sapphire (1959)

Sapphire

7.2

Student (uncredited)

1959

 

BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950)

BBC Sunday-Night Theatre

7.1

TV Series

Able Seaman Morris

1959

1 episode

 

Starr and Company

TV Series

1st Boy

1958

1 episode

 

Saturday Playhouse (1958)

Saturday Playhouse

TV Series

1958

1 episode

 

Soundtrack

Christmas in the Street (1968)

Christmas in the Street

TV Special

performer: "Bread and Butter" (uncredited)

1968

 

Peter Adamson, Jean Alexander, Johnny Briggs, Margot Bryant, and Doris Speed in Coronation Street (1960)

Coronation Street

5.6

TV Series

performer: "Bread and Butter"

performer: "How Do You Do It?", "Here We Go Looby Loo" (uncredited)

1963–1964

2 episodes

 

Self

Coronation Street: A Moving Story

8.4

TV Movie

Self

2014

 

Goodbye Granadaland

6.0

TV Movie

Self

2013

 

Lorraine Kelly in Lorraine (2001)

Lorraine

3.0

TV Series

Self

2012

1 episode

 

Kaye Adams, Nadia Sawalha, Ruth Langsford, and Charlene White in Loose Women (1999)

Loose Women

2.2

TV Series

Self

2011

1 episode

 

This Morning (1988)

This Morning

4.3

TV Series

Self

2011

1 episode

 

Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments (2010)

Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments

8.3

TV Movie

Self

Dennis Tanner

2010

 

Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll: The 60s Revealed (2008)

Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll: The 60s Revealed

8.8

TV Series

Self

2008

1 episode

 

Fifteen to One (1988)

Fifteen to One

7.0

TV Series

Self - Announcer

Self - Voice-over

1998–2003

5 episodes

 

Omnibus (1967)

Omnibus

7.1

TV Series

Self

1997

1 episode

 

Comic Relief (1995)

Comic Relief

7.8

TV Special

Audience Member

1995

 

Duncan Preston and Victoria Wood in Victoria Wood's All Day Breakfast (1992)

Victoria Wood's All Day Breakfast

8.0

TV Special

Various Characters

1992

 

Rita Rudner (1990)

Rita Rudner

6.6

TV Series

Self

1990

1 episode

 

A Royal Gala

TV Special

Dennis Tanner

1966

 

Tommy Quickly in Thank Your Lucky Stars (1961)

Thank Your Lucky Stars

7.7

TV Series

Self

1963

1 episode

 

Archive Footage

Helen Flanagan and Sally Dynevor in Coronation Street Icons (2019)

Coronation Street Icons

6.2

TV Series

Dennis Tanner (archive footage, uncredited)

2020

1 episode

 

Coronation Street: Compilations (2020)

Coronation Street: Compilations

6.9

TV Series

Dennis Tanner (archive footage)

2020

 

Great Lives: Victoria Wood

Video

Gerard (archive footage, uncredited)

2020

 

Coronation Street at Christmas (2019)

Coronation Street at Christmas

6.0

TV Special

Dennis Tanner (archive footage, uncredited)

2019

 

Daniel Brocklebank, Nicky Campbell, Tristan Gemmill, Peter Gunn, Melanie Hill, and Nicola Thorp in Coronation Street's DNA Secrets (2018)

Coronation Street's DNA Secrets

TV Movie

Dennis Tanner (archive footage)

2018

 

Coronation Street Catch Up 2015

TV Movie

Dennis Tanner (archive footage)

2015

 

The Corrie Years (2011)

The Corrie Years

6.8

TV Series

Dennis Tanner (archive footage, uncredited)

2011

1 episode

 

The Stars of the Street: 50 Years, 50 Classic Characters (2010)

The Stars of the Street: 50 Years, 50 Classic Characters

6.3

Video

Dennis Tanner (archive footage)

2010

 

Coronation Street: Through the Keyhole (1999)

Coronation Street: Through the Keyhole

Video

Dennis Tanner (archive footage)

1999

 

Women of Coronation Street (1998)

Women of Coronation Street

7.3

Video

Dennis Tanner (archive footage)

1998

 

The Coronation Street Character Collection (1995)

The Coronation Street Character Collection

TV Series

Dennis Tanner (archive footage)

1995

4 episodes

 

Christmas in the Street (1968)

Christmas in the Street

TV Special

Dennis Tanner (archive footage)

1968

 

Archive Sound

Peter Adamson, Jean Alexander, Johnny Briggs, Margot Bryant, and Doris Speed in Coronation Street (1960)

Coronation Street

5.6

TV Series

Dennis Tanner (archive footage)

2020

1 episode