Coronation Street is a British television soap opera/serial, initially produced by Granada Television. Created by screenwriter Tony Warren, Coronation Street first broadcast on ITV on 9 December 1960. The following is a list of characters introduced by Warren upon the series' inception, by order of first appearance.

These include flame-haired siren and series' first sex symbol) Elsie Tanner (played by Patricia Phoenix), staunch up-tight battleaxe Ena Sharples (played by Violet Carson), typically middle class town mayor and publican landlady Annie Walker (played by Doris Speed), grumpy war veteran Albert Tatlock (played by Jack Howarth), and university graduate Ken Barlow (played by William Roache) – all of whom would go on to star in the series for twenty years or more. Another long term character was Minnie Caldwell (played by Margot Bryant), who would remain with the series for 16 years and also in the original line-up was loveable rogue Dennis Tanner (played by Philip Lowrie), who is significant for his 43-year gap between appearances. As of 2025^[update], Roache is the only original character from 1960 remaining in the cast.

Other significant characters to appear this year include Elsie Lappin (played by Maudie Edwards) the original owner of the corner shop and most famous for speaking the first words on the show; Susan Cunningham (played by Patricia Shakesby), Ken's first girlfriend and the subject of a 2010 storyline in which it was discovered she had later given birth to his son; and May Hardman (played by Joan Heath), who became the first character to die in the series on 30 December.

One of the most memorable characters in the series, Elsie (Pat Phoenix) was immediately identified as the siren of the street. She is described as being feisty and bolshy, but with a good heart, and was liable to get hurt by her various men. She would flirt on-and-off for years with Len Fairclough (Peter Adamson). At the start of the series, Elsie worked in the department store "Miami Modes", and had two adult children, Linda (Anne Cunningham) and Dennis (Philip Lowrie), from her marriage to Arnold Tanner (Frank Crawshaw).

Dennis (Philip Lowrie) was the teenage tearaway son of Elsie Tanner (Pat Phoenix), and newly released from prison when the series opens. He works at a seedy club, where he has showbusiness ambitions of which his mother is sceptical. After failing as a singer, he moves to London as a talent scout. At this point, he was written out of the story because of a strike by the actors' union Equity, but made many re-appearances in the series.

Linda Cheveski (also Tanner) is played by actress Anne Cunningham between 1960 and 1984. The character was created by series creator Tony Warren as part of the original cast, and she appears in the first episode along with family members including her mother, aging 'good-time girl' Elsie Tanner and her 'lovable rogue' brother Dennis. She is later joined by her Polish husband Ivan, and the young couple are central to early storylines as they cope with Linda's pregnancy affecting their marriage. Cunningham was written out after a year due to a strike at the actor's union Equity preventing new contracts being signed, and the actress chose not to return when the strike ended. This has thus far proved to be Cunningham's last appearance as a member of the regular cast, but she has returned for several short stints since, most recently in 1984.

Linda was the daughter of Arnold and Elsie Tanner. She was born in Annie Walker's living room at The Rovers Return Inn on 8 January 1940, being delivered by Ena Sharples. Linda grew up in the Street, presumably attending Bessie Street School.

Like her mother Elsie, Linda was interested in men and eager to marry. At thirteen, she fought off her mother's boyfriend Chuck Nelson when he tried to rape her. She took a job at Elliston's Raincoat Factory and briefly dated David Barlow before falling for Roy Newman, an American GI stationed at Burtonwood. The pair became engaged but the whirlwind romance didn't last.