List of EastEnders characters (1985)
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera "EastEnders" in 1985, by order of first appearance. They were all introduced by executive producer Julia Smith. The first episode of "EastEnders" was broadcast on 19 February 1985, and twenty-three main characters were already created for their first appearance. The first character to be seen was Den Watts, followed by Ali Osman and then Arthur Fowler, all of whom find Reg Cox dying in his flat. Ethel Skinner, Harold Legg and Pauline Fowler appear, after Den alerts them of Reg's death. With Ethel is her pug Willy along with Lou Beale. Saeed and Naima Jeffery are seen working in the local shop whilst Angie Watts is seen in The Queen Victoria, Walford's local pub. Nick Cotton and Sue Osman are next seen, whilst Pete and Kathy Beale work at the fruit and veg stall and Hassan Osman is seen with his parents in the café. Sharon Watts, Ian Beale and Michelle Fowler are next seen and Mark Fowler is seen going into the bookies. Lastly, Roly the dog is seen in the pub when a fight breaks out.
John Altman (actor)
In 1985, he first appeared as Nick Cotton in the new BBC television soap opera "EastEnders", appearing in the very first episode in February that year. He went onto make recurring appearances in the show and has been part of many famous storylines in the show including the murders of Reg Cox (whose body was found in the very first episode) and Eddie Royle, his attempt to kill his own mother Dot by poisoning her and his various feuds with characters like Pete Beale, Den Watts and Mark Fowler. 
His character was also given his own television spin-off episode titled "Return of Nick Cotton" which aired in October 2000. His character was killed off in the episode that aired on 13 February 2015 and made his final appearance as a corpse in the episode that marked the 30th anniversary of the show on 19 February 2015. His body was found in the same way as his victim Reg Cox was found in the very first episode. A year earlier, his character's death had been announced in the show, only for it to emerge within a few months that Nick had faked his own death.