Ray Langton

Ray Langton
Coronation Street character
Neville Buswell as Ray Langton in 2005.
Portrayed by	Neville Buswell
Duration	1966, 1968–78, 2005
First appearance	21 February 1966
Last appearance	10 April 2005
Classification	Former; regular
Introduced by	Peter Eckersley (1966) Michael Cox (1968) Tony Wood (2005)
Spin-off appearances	Viva Las Vegas! (1997)
Ray as depicted in 1978.
In-universe information Occupation Wine Bar Owner Pub landlord Mother Mary Langton Sisters Janice Langton Wife Deirdre Hunt (1975-1978) Mrs Langton (1979-2000) Daughters Tracy Langton Granddaughters Amy Barlow

Raymond Anthony "Ray" Langton was a major character in the British television soap opera Coronation Street. He was played by Neville Buswell. An ex-borstal boy, Ray built up a reputation as a troublemaker. He first appeared in the Street in 1966 but was forced out by Len after he threatened Lucille Hewitt. Nevertheless, Ray turned up again two years later and Len gave him a job at his building firm, and invited him to move into his bachelor pad at No.9. Ray hoped to go into business for himself but eventually settled for a partnership with Len and Jerry Booth.

Ray was something of a womaniser and he was involved with many women while living in the Street, including Sandra Butler, Audrey Fleming, Vicki Bright and Sue Silcock. In 1975 he married the yard's secretary Deirdre Langton and they moved into No.5; their daughter Tracy was born in 1977. His roving eye soon led him into another affair however, with waitress Janice Stubbs. He ended the relationship before Deirdre found out, but the marriage finished anyway as Deirdre backed out of plans for the family's fresh start in the Netherlands, and Ray went by himself.

Ray absented himself for all of Tracy's early life, and eventually divorced Deirdre. In 2005, he found out he had stomach cancer and decided to return to Weatherfield and make amends with Tracy before he died. After getting to know Tracy and her daughter Amy, Ray died at Deirdre and Ken Barlow's wedding reception at the Rovers.

Development

Departure (1978)

Ray Langton's departure in 1978 came due to Neville Buswell qutting acting and later leaving to work in Las Vegas. However, he returned in 2005 for a brief stint, 27 years since he portrayed the character.

Neville Buswell is the third cast member to have the longest break in Coronation Street, which is a 27 Year absence from 1978 to 2005. The actor in the show who currently has the record for the longest break is Philip Lowrie who played Dennis Tanner and was absent for 43 years.

Storylines

Ray Langton was born at Number 2 Gas Street and has a younger sister called Janice (Paula Wilcox), who came to stay in 1969. Throughout his childhood, he was in trouble with the police most of the time. After briefly staying around in the street in 1966, he left but returned two years later and got into the building trade with Len Fairclough. He began a relationship with Deirdre Hunt and they later got married in 1975. Together they had a daughter in 1977 who was named Tracy Langton.

In 1978, Ray began an affair with waitress Janice Strubbs and was found out by Deirdre so ended the affair. He then made plans to move to the Netherlands for a new life and wanted Deirdre and Tracy to come with him and she initially agreed but changed her mind at the last minute so Ray left the street alone for a new life, leaving Deirdre behind to raise Tracy. However, Ray did keep in contact most of the time and even sent Tracy presents, but this died down over the years. He later contacted Deirdre as he wanted a divorce as he had a new partner and she was pregnant with his child. Ray divorced from his second wife sometime around 2000.

When he discovered he had stomach cancer in 2005, he returned to Weatherfield to look for Tracy so he could make amends, arriving on the day of Ken and Deirdre's second wedding and hit baby Amy Barlow's pram. He met Deirdre, Blanche and Ken, at the hospital and realised that Amy was his granddaughter and that Tracy was her mother. Ray told everyone that he had stomach cancer and was dying plus he and his second wife had been divorced for 5 years. He began lodging with Emily Bishop who took him in to help him out. Tracy eventually softened towards her dad, and Ray later attended Ken and Deirdre's wedding and wished the couple well. During the reception in the Rovers Return, Ray had died of his illness, much to the distress of Tracy.

Other appearances

• He appeared in Viva Las Vegas!, a VHS spin-off released in 1998. This was a brief cameo appearance. In this video, he claimed he was married to a man and was hiding from his evil twin. None of these events where ever mentioned in the programme itself.

References

• http://www.corrie.net/profiles/characters/langton_ray.html
• http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/143/143367_roving_ray_langton_is_back_.html