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Mavis Wilton (née Riley) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Thelma Barlow. A long-running series regular, Mavis appeared in the show for 26 years from 1971 to 1997. Introduced for a one-off cameo appearance, she proved popular with producers and viewers and subsequently became a regular. Mavis was portrayed as moralising, repressed, and dithering, and often appeared in comic scenes with her boss Rita Sullivan or her husband Derek Wilton. She was generally well received by critics, described as a national institution and one of ''Coronation Street's'' best loved characters, an old-fashioned spinster. Barlow has been praised for her portrayal of Mavis, a character notably spoofed by impressionist Les Dennis during the 1980s. Barlow decided to leave ''Coronation Street'' in 1997; her character left to run a guest house in Cartmel following the death of her husband. Barlow has said that the producers of ''Coronation Street'' repeatedly asked her to return as Mavis, but she declined. ==Storylines== Born in Weatherfield, Mavis was brought up in Grange-over-Sands where her parents, despite being teetotal, ran an off-licence. Mavis first appears in ''Coronation Street'' in 1971 at Emily Nugent (Eileen Derbyshire) and Ernest Bishop's (Stephen Hancock) engagement party, as a friend/colleague of Emily's from the mail order warehouse and is invited to be a bridesmaid at the wedding. She is initially employed as a receptionist at the local vet and then as an assistant in the corner shop, but takes a job offered by Rita Littlewood (Barbara Knox) at The Kabin newsagents, 14 Rosamund Street. Mavis and Rita are complete opposites – Rita sexy and self-assured, Mavis mouse-like and dowdy – but they get on well and become friends. Rita often despairs at Mavis's choices in life, particularly when it comes to men. Rita's dominance over Mavis seems like bullying to outsiders, but she is only thinking of Mavis's best interests. In 1973, Mavis starts dating the equally shy Jerry Booth (Graham Haberfield), but it remains platonic. Jerry dies of a heart attack in 1975 before being able to express his romantic intentions. She meets salesman Derek Wilton (Peter Baldwin) the following year. They date, but the relationship is strained by Derek's interfering mother, who believes that Mavis is not good enough for her son. The relationship remains non-committal until 1983, when another man competes for Mavis's hand, the artistic Victor Pendlebury (Christopher Coll). Mavis is torn as she likes both but chooses Derek in the end. On their wedding day in 1984 Mavis has second thoughts about marrying Derek and jilts him at the altar. Her guilt turns to indignation when she learns that Derek – feeling the same way she does – did not attend the ceremony either. Derek goes on to an unhappy marriage with Angela Hawthorne (Diane Fletcher), but in 1986 he begins wooing Mavis again, realizing he made a mistake when he let her go. Mavis eventually decides Derek is the man for her and the couple marry in September 1988. The other residents of Coronation Street consider Mavis and Derek something of a joke, but neither care as they are genuinely in love. They spend evenings reading aloud to each other and discussing the events of the day. They remain happy despite the occasional problem, but their happiness is cut short in 1997 when Derek dies suddenly of a heart attack after a road rage incident. Devastated, at his funeral Mavis chastises those who mocked her marriage over the years. Living in Weatherfield without Derek proves too difficult for Mavis. She surprises Rita when she suggests that they should move away and go into business together. They discuss the possibility of running a guest house in Cartmel, a village in the Lake District. Rita considers it but both realize that a partnership would not work. Mavis goes without her, buying a guest house and leaving Weatherfield in October 1997. She and Rita bid each other an emotional farewell, ending a partnership of 25 years. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mavis Wilton」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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