Christine Hargreaves (22 March 1939 – 9 August 1984) was an English actress. She was known for her role of Christine Hardman in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street (1960–1963).

Early life Christine Hargreaves was born in Salford, Greater Manchester, England on 22 March 1939,England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: APR 1939 8d 678 SALFORD — Christine Hargreaves as the third child to John 'Jack' Hargreaves, a wholesale grocer and provision merchants traveller, and his second wife,England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005: OCT 1932 8d 614 SALFORD — John Hargreaves = Jessie Walter Jessie (née Walter), a domestic worker. She had three siblings; Ann Knowles (née Hargreaves), Robert Christopher Hargreaves, and Ian W Hargreaves. She also had two half-siblings, Dorothy Hubbard (née Hargreaves) and Sergeant John Alfred Hargreaves, from her father's first marriageEngland & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005: JAN 1921 8d 667 PRESTWICH — John Hargreaves = Phyllis Barlow to Phyllis (née Barlow),England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915: JUL 1900 8d 391 PRESTWICH — Phyllis BarlowEngland & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007: OCT 1923 8d 431 PRESTWICH — Phyllis Hargreaves who died during the birth of her half-brother, John, in 1923, at the age of 23; John was killed in action in Heiteren, Haut-Rhin, France, in 1944, aged 20, during the Second World War.

Career Hargreaves trained in acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She graduated with her Honours Diploma in 1958. She went on to tour as an understudy with The Old Vic.

Hargreaves made her television debut with the role of Christine Hardman in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She was one of the first actors to read for Tony Warren's new script 'Florizel Street' (later renamed Coronation Street). She played the character in the dry runs, before the show was even commissioned for broadcast, alongside Pat Phoenix (Elsie Tanner) and Doris Speed (Annie Walker), among others. She appeared in the first ever episode, which was broadcast on 9 December 1960. As a result of the Equity actors strike, she was unable to have her contract renewed and ended up leaving the show in December 1961, as did many other cast members of the time. She briefly returned and left the serial in episode 267, which was broadcast on 3 July 1963.

Hargreaves made her film debut with the role of Linda Rich in the second feature comedy film Strictly for the Birds. The film was directed by Vernon Sewell and released on 29 March 1964. She portrayed Kath in the drama film The Reckoning (1970). She portrayed Doreen in the drama film The Hireling (1973). She portrayed Mrs. Butterworth in It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet, the 1976 sequel to the 1975 film All Creatures Great and Small. She portrayed Ticket Lady in the comedy horror film An American Werewolf in London (1981). She portrayed Pink's Mother in the live-action/animated musical surrealist drama film Pink Floyd – The Wall (1982).

Hargreaves portrayed Dawn on the seventh episode in the second series of the ITV sitcom Pardon the Expression, made by Granada Television. The episode, "Big Hotel", was broadcast on 21 February 1966. The series was one of four spin-offs from Coronation Street.

Personal life Hargreaves "secretly" married Klaus Otto Wilhelm Voormann, a German artist and musician, at Hampstead Register Office in London on 29 November 1965.England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005: OCT 1965 5b 1577 HAMPSTEAD — Christine Hargreaves = Klaus O W Voormann They split their time between their home, 65 Pepys Road, Wimbledon, London, and their cottage, 115 Heath Street, Hampstead. As they travelled to West Berlin often to visit her in-laws, she decided to learn how to speak the German language. She took lessons for several weeks, but failed to pick up her husband's mother tongue. Speaking on this, she said: "The trouble is my husband is absolutely no help at all. He doesn't like speaking German, and he won't use anything but English at home." She became close friends with the rock band The Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein. She was partially close friends with some of the band members partners, including Cynthia Powell, Maureen Cox, Pattie Boyd, Yoko Ono, Linda Eastman, May Pang, and Olivia Arias. The couple separated in 1971, after five years of marriage. While not legally separated, her estranged husband moved out of their home to live at George Harrison's Friar Park in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. During their marriage, she was known as Christine Voorman.

In January 1975, Hargreaves gave birth to her only child, a daughter, Rosie Weeks Hargreaves.England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: JAN 1975 12 2321 HAMPSTEAD — Rosie Weeks Hargreaves Speculation arose as to whether her daughter had been fathered by her husband, whom, at the time, she had been separated from for over three years, as birth records show her daughter was first registered under the name of Christine Voormann.England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: JAN 1975 12 2321 HAMPSTEAD — Christine Voormann A single mother, she raised her daughter on Social Security for a year.

Death Hargreaves died "peacefully" at University College Hospital in Fitzrovia, London, on 9 August 1984, following a brain operation. She was 45. Her death was registered in Camden.England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007: SEP 1984 14 1855 CAMDEN — Christine Hargreaves Her death was announced to the public three days later, on 12 August 1984.

Hargreaves' funeral service and committal took place at Peel Green Crematorium in Eccles on 16 August 1984. Only a handful of her family and friends were in attendance. The cast of Coronation Street sent a wreath.

On 26 September 1984, an inquest was told that she died from a spontaneous brain haemorrhage. They also heard how her nine-year-old daughter had found her mother unconscious. A verdict of natural causes were recorded by the St Pancras Coroner, Dr. Douglas Chambers, having been told she had undergone surgery for a brain haemorrhage three years prior to her death. Her sister, Ann Knowles, told the coroner that her sister had periodically suffered from fits.

Hargreaves' probate was opened in Oxford on 16 November 1984, totalling £56,296.England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995: 1984 — Christine Hargreaves

Filmography YearTitleRoleNotes1960Coronation Street: First Dry RunChristine Hardman (later Appleby)Pilot episode1960–1963Coronation Street122 episodes1962, 1964, 1967, 1969, 1971–1972, 1978Z-CarsFran Edgar, Doris Harvey, Jackie, Zelda, Marjorie Kovacs, Miss Armstrong, Maggie, Dotty Kardar9 episodes1962, 1964Play of the WeekAlice Hobson, Barmaid2 episodes1963SuspenseRitaEpisode: "Two Bits of Iron"1963Friday NightBarbara, Jo Page2 episodes1964Strictly for the BirdsLinda Rich1964Story ParadeMarigoldEpisode: "Brake Pedal Down"1964Drama 61-67 AnitaEpisode: "Drama '64: The Big Toe"1965The VillainsDelia GrahamEpisode: "Sonny"1965Out of the UnknownMonica WilkesEpisode: "Come Buttercup, Come Daisy, Come......?"1966Pardon the ExpressionDawnEpisode: "Big Hotel"1967–1968, 1970The Wednesday PlayMary Winter, Doreen, Jane Evans, Jenny Bates4 episodes1967Softly, SoftlyTerryEpisode: "The Investors"1967The FellowsJeanEpisode: "No Cage for This Bird"1967Send FosterMrs. SimpsonEpisode: "The Peg"1967InheritanceWinnie Shaw, Winnie Morcar2 episodes1968The War of Dickie PilbeamMarie Pilbeam3 episodes1969Sunday Night TheatreSheilaEpisode: "Bangelstein's Boys"1969The First LadySylviaEpisode: "Blow Hot, Blow Cold"1969, 1972Dear Mother...Love AlbertGillian Jones, Moira6 episodes1969OmnibusChrissey EvansEpisode: "The Confessions of Marian Evans/George Eliot"1970, 1972, 1978, 1981Play for TodayCynthia Nicholls, Joan Huntley, Pauline, Mrs. James, Estelle Parsons5 episodes1970The ReckoningKath1970The DoctorsMrs. Pike3 episodes1972HoraceIvy BlackettTelevision film1972, 1976Softly, Softly: Task ForceMrs. Taylor, Jean Marshall2 episodes1973And All Who Sail in HerGloriaTelevision film1973Putting on the AgonyPhyllisTelevision film1973The HirelingDoreen1973Shabby TigerOlga Kepple4 episodes1973Love StoryBerylEpisode: "The String-Tying Machine"1975The VenturersJane CarterEpisode: "Sentimental Journey"1976It Shouldn't Happen to a VetMrs. Butterworth1976, 1978, 1982Crown CourtDoreen Grimwade, Eva Scott, Nora Docherty7 episodes1976Play of the MonthEpisode: "Chester Mystery Cycle"1977For the Love of AlbertVarious4 episodes1978Send in the GirlsRosemaryEpisode: "A Hardy Breed of Girl"1978A Horseman Riding ByGloria Pitts2 episodes1979In Loving MemoryEdna FletcherEpisode: "Come Back Little Malcolm"1980, 1982–1983Juliet BravoVera Galway, Selina Tully, Norah Morton3 episodes1981An American Werewolf in LondonTicket Lady1982BBC2 PlayhouseFranEpisode: "Jake's End"1982Pink Floyd – The WallPink's Mother1982PlayhouseMumEpisode: "Grandad"1982Break PointMrs. Grieves4 episodes1983WalterRitaTelevision film1983WomenEpisode: "The Clarion Van"1983The Gathering SeedLizzie Scanlon5 episodes1983SpyshipJean Williams3 episodes1984Miracles Take LongerSharon Driver2 episodes1984CharlieMo AllenEpisode: "In the Days of His Youth"

Posthumous releases YearTitleRoleNotes1984MitchMrs. GooseyEpisode: "Something Private"1984Nineteen Eighty-FourSoup Lady1985Victoria Wood: As Seen on TVPat's MotherEpisode: "Episode #1.1"19851919

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