Ray Langton

Full name: Raymond Anthony Langton
Parents: Mary
Born: 18 February 1947, Gas Street, Died April 10, 2005
Siblings: Janice
Married: Deirdre Hunt (7 July 1975)
Children: Tracy Lynette Langton; b: 24 January 1977; m: Deirdre Langton

Played by: Neville Buswell
Appeared: 21 February 1966 - 15 November 1978, March 2, 2005 - April 10, 2005

Ray's mother died at an early age, and as a child he was taken into local authority care. Alternating between Bessie Street School and Borstal, he soon became known to the local police. he learned the basics of plumbing and joinery and served a two-year apprenticeship with Harold Roberts.

In 1965 he started working for Len Fairclough and Jerry Booth, but made an inauspicious start by stealing from residents and attempting to rape Lucille Hewitt. For this he was sacked and beaten up by Len. Shortly afterwards he spent two years in jail for breaking and entering.

In 1968 Ray returned to The Street a reformed character and was taken on again by Len, lodging with Elsie Tanner at No11 until he made advances to her, when he had to move into Nº9 with Len. The next year Ray was chasing newly-wed Audrey Fleming and started an affair with her - which was cut short when he was paralysed in a coach crash. It took him six months to regain the use of his legs. He soon became engaged to Sandra Butler - who dropped him when she found out that Ray had broken up the Flemming's marriage. His only good peice of news around this time was Len making him a full partner.

Apart from a brief fling with textile bosses' daughter Sue Silcock there wasn't any steady girlfriend in Ray's life until he embarked on a stormy romance with Len's secretary, Deirdre Hunt. They married in 1975, and two years later daughter Tracy was born, and they moved into Nº5 Coronation Street. However, within months Ray was having an affair with waitress Janice Stubbs from Dawson's Cafe. Deirdre found out, and Ray begged her to leave The Street with him and start a new life in Holland. Deirdre refused, and in 1978 Ray left for Holland alone, and has never been seen again.

When Dick van der Stek, who worked in the same Dutch company as Ray, called in to deliver Tracy's birthday present in 1981 we learned that Ray had got a Dutch girl, Annie, prengant - but she lost the baby and they split up. Ray was considering working in Germany, and that was the last we heard of him ...

Well, that's not quite true. He did spring up working in Las Vegas in the 1997 spin-off video Viva Las Vegas ! - but some things in Corrie history are just best forgotten !

Ahhh but in March, 2005, Ray showed up unexpectedly. He nearly ran over Tracy and Amy and at the hospital, was confronted by his past. Deirdre and Ken whose long overdue wedding, having been interrupted, showed up along with Blanche and were astonished to see Ray. Tracy was introduced to her father. Seems Ray has regrets about leaving Tracy and has come back to make amends. He's dying of stomach cancer and doesn't have much time left. Tracy is reluctant to show any interest.

Slowly but surely, Tracy warmed to Ray who's sharp demeanor certainly hasn't softened over the years. I guess that's where Tracy gets it from? After Ken and Deirdre married again, Ray passed away at the wedding reception in the Rovers, only the second person to die in the pub (Martha Longhurst, 1964). True to his nature, Ray had already had his funeral arranged and Tracy and Blanche had to build his coffin from a cheap flat pack!


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