Coronation Street star Alan Rothwell has passed away at the age of 89 on Thursday. The actor was best known for portraying David Barlow, the brother of soap legend Ken, in the original cast of the ITV soap during the 1960s. Remarkably, Alan made his debut in the very first episode of the ITV soap, which aired in December 1960.
Family Announcement and Tributes
His family shared the sad news of his passing, and the official Coronation Street Instagram page also expressed their condolences. They wrote: 'We're very sorry to hear of Alan Rothwell's passing and extend our sincerest condolences to his family at this very sad time. He created an iconic and memorable character in David Barlow and will forever be remembered as one of the original cast members of Coronation Street.'
Fellow Corrie star Samia Longchambon, who plays Maria Connor, paid tribute to Alan. She said: 'So sad to hear this. Alan was also a drama teacher at our drama school and I have such fond memories of being taught by him… he was a wonderful man.'
Career and Legacy
Alan Rothwell, who also played Jimmy Grange in The Archers, landed the role of his career in 1960, taking on the part of David Barlow in Tony Warren's Coronation Street upon its television debut. Alan played David on and off over eight years. He was initially a regular cast member before being written out a year later. David made intermittent returns between 1963 and 1964, before becoming a mainstay once more until his exit in 1968.
The character was famously very different from Ken, who had a love of literature. David pursued a career in football, though he would later be forced to retire after sustaining an injury during a match. David was killed off off-screen two years after his last appearance.
Beyond the cobbles, Alan appeared in several other soaps, including playing a community lawyer in Brookside shortly after its debut in 1985. He landed the role of Nicholas Black in the Channel 4 soap for a year. Nicholas was the husband of original Brookie character Heather Black, formerly Huntington, and he appeared in 56 episodes.
