To most soap fans, the name June Brown evokes memories of chain-smoking, god-fearing Dot Cotton in EastEnders… but did you know she appeared in Coronation Street first?
Fans of the ITV soap have been left surprised when a clip from her stint on the show over 50 years ago was unearthed on social media.
In August 1970, the late actress made her first appearance as Mrs Parsons, the mother of a young lad named Tony (David Hill) who took harmonium lessons with battle-axe Ena Sharples (Violet Carson).
Tony had broken into the Victoria Street Mission, a religious building behind the present-day Underworld site, and Ena soon discovered his hidden talent.
An experienced organ player herself, she decided to nurture his skills and help to secure a scholarship at a music college – but there was a catch, as Mrs Parsons needed convincing first.
She forbid her son from playing as her estranged and unfaithful husband once played saxophone for a dance band.
Ena convinced her to allow her son to follow his dreams, and the following year they both attended Tony’s first public concert at the college.
To tie-in with the storyline, an early example of TV memorabilia was released in the form of a vinyl record, Ena Sharples presents the Lad from Coronation Street, featuring a number of tunes played by David Hill, who was in real life a student at the Chetham’s School of Music.
It would be over fourteen years later that June would step onto Albert Square as Dot for the first time.
Coronation Street – written by H.V. Kershaw (19th August 1970). Ena meets Tony's mother, Mrs Parsons (June Brown). pic.twitter.com/joSuTyBB8m
— archivetvmusings (@archivetvmus71) August 19, 2024
OMG…never seen this before 🙏🏻
— Duke of Rigatoni (@ScottiSal) August 19, 2024
Sharing the clip on X, archivetvmusings wrote: ‘Coronation Street – written by H.V. Kershaw (19th August 1970). Ena meets Tony’s mother, Mrs Parsons (June Brown).’
‘2 soap heavyweights there’ said one fan, whilst another replied: ‘Makes you want to see the whole episode.’
As one user mentioned June’s vast repertoire of roles, including one in Doctor Who, someone else added: ‘OMG…never seen this before.’
Happy 90th birthday to soap legend June Brown. Before the @bbceastenders Square she graced the Street. Here's a look back to 1971. #Corrie pic.twitter.com/dhgqrv20nm
— Coronation Street (@itvcorrie) February 16, 2017
Back in 2017, Coronation Street acknowledged the guest role themselves in a special tweet to celebrate the EastEnders icon’s 90th birthday.
‘Happy 90th birthday to soap legend June Brown. Before the @bbceastenders Square she graced the Street. Here’s a look back to 1971. #Corrie’ they wrote.
Her connections with the Northern soap don’t end there – in 1995 she reminisced on an edition of This Is Your Life about an early interaction with its creator, the late Tony Warren, who was being handed his ‘big red book’ of memories.
Whilst appearing on Manchester’s theatre scene, a young Tony was waiting with friends at the stage door waiting to meet the stars.
After asking for her autograph, she replied: ‘Oh, you don’t want my autograph, I’m nobody famous,’ with him asserting: ‘No, but you might be one day.’
How right he was!
