This Is Your Life: Thelma Barlow

Thelma BARLOW (1929-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Thelma Barlow, actress, was surprised by Michael Aspel while filming a scene for the ITV soap opera Coronation Street at Granada Studios in Manchester.

Thelma's first experience of acting was with her local amateur dramatics group in her home town of Huddersfield, where she worked as a secretary. Having decided to take up acting professionally she trained with the Joan Littlewood Theatre Group before working in repertory theatre in Liverpool, Nottingham and Birmingham. In 1960 she joined the West of England Theatre Company, followed by the Bristol Old Vic Theatre Company.

In 1971, while performing in Liverpool she was asked to audition for the ITV soap opera Coronation Street for the role of Mavis Riley. She was successful and her first episode was transmitted on 14 August 1971, and Thelma was celebrating twenty years on the soap when Michael caught up with her.

"Oh goodness me! I don't believe this! How lovely to see you!"

programme details...

Edition No: 815
Subject No: 805
Broadcast date: Wed 13 Nov 1991
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Thu 7 Nov 1991
Venue: Granada Studios, Manchester
Series: 32
Edition: 5
Code name: Till

on the guest list...

Clive - son
James - son
Barbara Knox
Amanda Barrie
Jill Summers
Christopher Coll
Elizabeth Dawn
Betty Driver
Julie Goodyear
Simon Gregson
Nicholas Cochrane
Kevin Kennedy
Anne Kirkbride
Michael Le Vell
Deborah McAndrew
Philip Middlemiss
Ken Morley
Bryan Mosley
Sue Nicholls
William Tarmey
Bill Waddington
Sean Wilson
Helen Worth
William Roache
Gladys - aunt
Veda - sister
Peter Baldwin
David Trevena
Keith Barron
Morag Hood
Alan Gear
Jackie Gear
Madge Hindle
Michael Hindle
Anne Reid
Cathleen Thornber
Kenneth Waller
Richard Briers

production team...

Researcher: Tom Wettengel
Writer: Roy Bottomley
Directors: Brian Klein, Paul Kirrage
Associate Producer: John Graham
Producer: Malcolm Morris

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

Street Life

from Elsie Tanner to Eddie Yates

ITV This is Your Life

A special edition celebrating ITV's 21st anniversary

Behind the Scenes

the programme's best kept secrets

The Story of This Is Your Life

a BBC Did You See...? special

Screenshots of Thelma Barlow This Is Your Life

Scriptwriter Roy Bottomley recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, This Is Your Life: The Story of Television's Famous Big Red Book...

Mavis Wilton (Thelma Barlow) was busy at the till in the Kabin in Coronation Street and had her back to the door when a customer walked in, to buy an evening newspaper.

The story was to make the front page next day, because the customer was Michael Aspel.

When she turned around, at a nudge from Rita Fairclough (Barbara Knox) so taken aback was she that Michael Aspel said later, 'I thought you were going to say "Ooh, I really don't know"' – as Mavis would have done.

When the whole cast greeted this popular colleague in another studio at Granada, viewers might have been puzzled by a missing face – her Street husband, Derek Wilton, alias actor Peter Baldwin.

There was a reason: Peter had been Thelma's 'husband' in another time, at another place, namely the Bristol Old Vic in the Fifties in Congreve's The Way of the World. And on he came later.

Thelma had worked for a firm of auctioneers in Huddersfield and studied drama in the evenings at Huddersfield Technical College. She had gone to work with Richard Briers in rep in Liverpool, and with Keith Barron at Bristol. Keith recalled her performance as a cub-mistress in Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall's play All Things Bright and Beautiful. He reckoned the dithering character was the genesis of Mavis of the Street.

Two long-lost friends from the Street were resurrected, Valerie Barlow (Anne Reid) and Rene Bradshaw (Madge Hindle).

Mavis had arrived in Coronation Street in 1971. When the characters there put down roots they seem to be immovable.

And so are the viewing millions in front of their TV screens.

Series 32 subjects