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A4
- ANGELS ARE SO FEW to THE AWEFUL MR GOODALL
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ANGELS ARE SO FEW
BBC1 (Play for Today) / 1x65m-e / 5 November 1970
Writer: Dennis Potter / Costume: Elizabeth Agombar / Design: Stanley Morris / Camera: John Turner / Producer: Graeme McDonald / Director: Gareth Davies
Fantasy drama. A young man begins to believe that he is an angel sent from above and targets a number of people convinced he can do good, but tragedy awaits. In an interview for Radio Times in October 1970, Potter said of it: "It's about the way we manipulate our fantasies to protect ourselves and what happens to us when they are ripped away."
With:- TOM BELL as Michael Biddle / CHRISTINE HARGREAVES as Cynthia Nicholls / BARRY COOKSON as Richard Nicholls / GODFREY JAMES as Postman / SUSAN RICHARDS as Mrs Cawser / ERIK CHITTY as Mr Cawser / BERYL COOK as Storyteller / DENISE BUCKLEY as Danish Girl / KENNETH IVES as Interviewer
ANGEL VOICES
BBC / 1x80m-e / 1988
Producer: Andre Molyneaux
Period drama. In 1963 a group of choirboys go on their annual trip to Blackpool.
With:- MICHAEL WILLIAMS / STEPHEN BIRD / KEVIN SCOTT / ALAN ROTHWELL
ANGLO SAXON ATTITUDES
Thames - Euston / 4x70m-e / 1992
Writer:Andrew Davies / Novel:A.N. Wilson
Period drama serial. An archaeologist in the 1950's, with marital problems, finds his career coming under threat over a disputed find.
With:- RICHARD JOHNSON / DOUGLAS HODGE / TARA FITZGERALD / ELIZABETH SPRIGGS / DOROTHY TUTIN / KATE WINSLET
ANIMAL HOSPITAL
BBC1 / x30m-e / 1994-2003
Executive Producer: Sarah Hargreaves
Rold Harris goes behind the scenes at various RSPCA hospitals as the vets there treat various sick or wounded animals. Rolf, usually tearful was most often assisted by Shauna Lowry and there have been occasional specials including a two part visit to Australia in September 2000.
ANIMALS
Channel 4 / 1x120m / 12 January 2006
Writer:
Mark Hayhurst / Director: Neil Rawles / Producers: Amy Flanagan, Mark Hayhurst
Drama about the ethical dilemmas surrounding the field of animal testing of
drugs - told from both sides with interview inserts from real people involved.
With:- ADRIAN RAWLINS as Bob Thornwell / CATHERINE WALKER as Samantha Laverick /
MICHAEL COLGAN / CLARE DAVIES / IAN REDFORD / MADELEINE POTTER
ANNA CHRISTIE
BBC 'Theatre Parade' / 1x20m-e / 1936
Writer: Eugene O'Neill / Producer: George More O'Ferrall
Drama. Act II of O'Neils play set in Princetown, Massacheusetts, and concerning a sailor and a prostitute.
With:- FLORA ROBSON as Anna Christopherson / EDWARD RIGBY as Christopherson
ANNA KARENINA
BBC / 1x105m-e / 1961 3 Nov bw
Writer: Donald Bull / Novel:Leo Tolstoy / Producer: Rudolph Cartier
Period drama. Adultery and tradegy in nineteenth century Russia.
With:- CLAIRE BLOOM as Anna / SEAN CONNERY as Vronsky
ANNA KARENINA
BBC / 10x50m-e / 1978
Writer/Producer: Donald Wilson / Director: Basil Coleman
Period drama serial. A full version of Tolstoy's novel about adultery and tradegy in nineteenth century Russia. See also the 1961 version and the 2000 version below.
With:- NICOLA PAGETT as Anna / ERIC PORTER as Karenin / STUART WILSON as Vronsky / MARY MORRIS
ANNA KARENINA
Channel 4-Company-WGBH Boston / 1x90m-e 3x60m-e / 2000 9 - 30 May Tuesdays 9.00pm
Writer: Alan Cubitt / Novel: Leo Tolstoy / Script Editor: Maggie Boden / Costume: Rosalind Ebbutt / Camera: Riszard Lenczewski / Music: John Keane / Producer: Matthew Bird / Director: David Blair
Period drama serial. In 19th century Russia, whilst trying to sort out her brothers complicated love life, married Anna falls for dashing army officer Count Vronsky.
With:- HELEN McCRORY as Anna / STEPHEN DILLANE as Karenin / KEVIN McKIDD as Count Vronsky / MARK STRONG as Oblonsky / AMANDA ROOT as Dolly / DOUGLAS HENSHALL as Levin / PALOMA BAEZA as Kitty / ABIGAIL CRUTTENDEN as Betsy / PAUL RHYS as Nikolai
ANNA LEE
ITV / 5x120m-e / 1994
Producer: Brian Eastman / Novels:Liza Cody / Music: Anne Dudley / Songs performed by Luciana
Crime drama series. Ex WPC Anna Lee joins the Brierly Security private detective agency. Anna lived in an apartment block with former wrestler Selwyn who was trying his best to make a comeback. Apparently Liza Cody who created the character in her series of novels became disenchanted with writing further novels after this series was made. There was a two hour pilot broadcast in 1992 called Anna Lee-Headcase and written by Andrew Davies. For more details see the episode guide here.
With:- IMOGEN STUBBS as Anna Lee / BRIAN GLOVER as Selwyn Price / JOHN ROWE as Cmdr Brierley / SONIA GRAHAM as Beryl Doyle / PETER WIGHT as Bernie Schiller
ANN AND HAROLD
BBC / 5x20m-e / 1937 12 July - 9 Sep bw
Writer: Louis Goodrich / Producer:Lanham Titchener
Drama serial.(The first ever). A young couple fall in love and get married.
With:- ANN TODD as Anne Teviot / WILLIAM HUTCHINSON as Harold Warden
ANNA OF THE FIVE TOWNS
BBC (Pebble Mill) / 3x50m-e / 1984
Novel: Arnold Bennett / Music: Nigel Hess / Costume Design: Joyce Hawkins / Design: Michael Edwards / Producer: Colin Rogers / Director: Martyn Friend
Period drama serial. In the Potteries in the late 19th century young Anna Tellwright reaches 21 and discovers she has been left a fortune in trust (which she is now of age to utilise) by her late mother, but she soon realises money isn't everything.
With:- LINSEY BEAUCHAMP as Anna Tellwright / EMRYS JAMES as Ephraim Tellwright / ANTON LESSER as Willie Price / PETER DAVISON as Henry Mynors / HILARY MASON as Sarah Vodrey / KATIE CAREY as Agnes Tellwright / ANNA CROPPER as Mrs Sutton / ANNE MANNION as Beatrice Sutton / EDWARD KELSEY as Titus Price
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES/AVONLEA
BBC / 12x50m-e / 1973-74
Writer: Elaine Morgan / Novels:L.M. Montgomery / Music:Ed Welch / Producer/Director:Joan Craft
2 six part drama serials about teenager Anne Shirley.In Canada in the last century orphaned Anne Shirley goes to stay with her aunt Marilla in the small town of avonlea.
With:- KIM BRADEN as Anne Shirley / BARBARA HAMILTON as Marilla Cuthbert / JAN FRANCIS as Diana Barry / CHRISTOPHER BLAKE as Gilbert Blythe / NICHOLAS LYNDHURST as Davy Keith / DAVID GARFIELD as Mr Harrison / MADGE RYAN as Rachel Lynde / CORAL ATKINS as Mary Keith / ZULEIKA ROBSON as Jane Andrews
ANNIE'S BAR
C4 - Ardent / 10x30m-e / 1996
Writer: Andy Armitage / Producer: Richard Handford
Drama series. A newly elected Tory MP takes up his seat at Westminster and discovers he has a lot to learn. The title came from the well known pub at the House of Commons.
With:- DOMINIC TAYLOR as David Dashwood / LARRY LAMB as Terry Dunning / SARAH NEVILLE as Gilly Jones / GEOFF McGIVERN as Stiggy Bedford-Bounds / EAMONN BOLAND as Graham Keegan
ANNIKA
Central / 3x60m-e / 1984
Writer/Producer:Colin Nutley, Sven-Gosta Holst
Drama serial. A teenager on the Isle of Wight falls in love with a holidaying Swedish language student and follows her home to Stockholm.
With:- JESSE BIRDSALL as Pete / CHRISTINA RIGNER as Annika
ANORAK OF FIRE
BBC2 'Obsessions' / 1x80m-e / 1998
Writer: Stephen Dinsdale / Producer: Tationa Kennedy / Director:Elijah Moshinsky
Romantic comedy drama. Mad keen trainspotter Gus Gascoigne has to choose between love and locomotives when he meets Natalie.
With:- KENNY DOUGHTY as Gus Gascoigne / LAURA CROSSLEY as Natalie / KAYE WRAGG as Jacqui Gascoigne / WILLIAM ASH as Tim Bixton / STUART CALLAGHAN as John Harden / SUSAN BROWN as Mrs Gascoigne / NICKY HENSON as Jim O'Rourke
ANOTHER BOUQUET
ITV Network- LWT / 7x60m-e / 1977 (7 January - 18 February / Fridays 9.00pm)
Writer: Andrea Newman / Designer: Gorden Melhuish / Music: Dennis Farnon / Executive Producer: Tony Wharmby / Producer: John Frankau
Drama serial. Sequel to A Bouquet of Barbed Wire. Six months after his daughter Prue died giving birth Peter Manson is still struggling to come to terms with his loss, Prue's husband Gavin is also find it hard coping with bringing up his baby daughter. Peter's wife Cassie meanwhile is actually involved in an affair with Gavin; Peter is no innocent either his long term affair with his secretary Sarah is still going on, events are destined to come to a head. The series was repeated twice on terrestrial TV (1. ITV / 9 Sep - 4 Nov 1978 and 2. Channel 4 / 4 June - 16 July 1983). For more details see the episode guide here.
With:- Sheila Allen as Cassie Manson / Frank Finlay as Peter Manson / Deborah Grant as Sarah Roberts / Eric Carte as Geoff Roberts / James Aubrey as Gavin Soreson / Elizabeth Romilly as Vicky / Simon Chandler as Freddy Roberts
ANOTHER FLIP FOR DOMINICK
BBC2 / 1x85m-e / 14 December 1982
Writer: Jeremy Paul, Alan Gibson / Producer: Chris Cherry / Director: Alan Gibson
SciFi Drama. A Sequel to the highly regarded The Flipside of Dominick Hyde. The original was repeated the week before the broadcast of this which picks up directly from where Flipside left off, this time out Dominick had to travel back to 1982 to try and track down a fellow time traveller - Pyrus Bonnington; Dominick of course is more interested in visiting his 1980's lover and their child (who is his own great-great grandfather), thanks to misunderstandings and complications Dominick has to use a Groundhog Day style "Clean-Wipe" to put things to rights.
With:- PETER FIRTH as Dominick Hyde / CAROLINE LANGRISHE as Jane / PIPPA GUARD as Ava / PATRICK MAGEE as Caleb Line / SYLVIA COLERIDGE as Great Aunt Mavis
ANOTHER SUNDAY AND SWEET F.A
ITV Network-Granada / 1x60m-e / Sunday 9 Jan 1972 @ 10.15pm
Writer: Jack Rosenthal / Camera: Ray Goode / Film Editor: David Naden / Sound: Paul Le Mare / Producer: Peter Eckersley / Director: Michael Apted
Comedy drama. "What we're now about to witness, is called a football match. Not the beginning of World War Three." A sunday League football match between two rival amateur teams, the Co-op Albion's second eleven and the Parker Street Bus Depot, gets out of hand. A brilliantly entertaining hour that features a top flight cast and some legendary scenes, especially when referee David Swift scores a goal.
With:- David Swift as Referee / Lynne Carol as Rosie / Clare Kelly as Gwen / Joe Gladwin as P.S.D.XI Trainer / Clare Sutcliffe as Denise / Stephen Bent as P.S.D.XI First Player / Freddie Fletcher as Co-op Albion XI Captain / David Bradley as P.S.D.XI Goalkeeper / Duggie Brown as Co-op Albion XI Manager / Fred Feast as P.S.D.XI Manager / Gordon McGrae as Parker Street Depot XI Captain / Alan Erasmus as P.S.D.XI Second Player / Bert King as Co-op Albion XI Trainer / John Proctor as Co-op Albion XI Goalkeeper / Joey Kaye as Co-op Albion XI Player / Anne Kirkbride as Shirley / Susan Littler as Girlfriend / Michael de Freyne as Norman / Bryan Sweeney, Bruce Watt, Dominic Toner as Boys
THE ANTIQUES HUNTER
Channel 5 / x30m-e / 1998-99
Executive Producer: Luise Nandy
Lifestyle show in which antiques expert and Lovejoy-alike David Dickinson assists members of the general public in their quest to buy antiques.
THE ANTIQUES INSPECTORS
BBC / x45m-e / 1998-99
Producer: Anne Clements
Lifestyle. A team of Antiques experts travel the country seeking out hidden treasures in ordinary peoples houses. Season One hosted by Carol Vorderman. Jill Dando took over in 1999 but season two withdrawn after one episode shown 25 April 1999 because of Dando's shocking murder on 26 April 1999. The remaining episodes were then shown from 5 September - 24 October 1999.
ANTONIA AND JANE
BBC / 1x65m-e / 1990
Writer: Marcy Kahan / Director: Beeban Kidron
Drama. Two thirty something female school friends have an annual reunion on the same day every year. The somewhat dowdy Jane has always felt in the shadow of the trendier Antonia.
With:- Imelda Staunton as Jane Hartman / Saskia Reeves as Antonia McGill / Petricia Leventon as Rosa Gluberman / Alfred Hoffman as Harry Rosenthal / Maria Charles as Sylvia Pinker, Social Coordinator / John Bennett as Uncle Irwin Carlinsky / Richard Hope as Norman Beer, Jane's Lover / Brenda Bruce as Therapist / Alfred Marks as Uncle Vladimir Hartman / Lila Kaye as Jane's Mother / Bonnie Parker as Young Jane / Sheila Allen as Tutor / Bill Nighy as Howard Nash / Cato Sandford as Baby Daniel / Iain Cuthbertson as Edgar
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
ATV / 1x80m-e / 1974 28 July
Writer: William Shakespere / Director: Jon Scoffield
Period drama. Mark Antony's love for Cleopatra threatens to bring about his downfall.
With:- RICHARD JOHNSON as Antony / JANET SUZMAN as Cleopatra / TIM PIGGOTTT-SMITH / BEN KINGSLEY / PATRICK STEWART / CORIN REDGRAVE
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
BBC (BBC Television Shakespeare) / 1x120m-e / 1981
Writer: William Shakespeare / Music: Stephen Liver / Producer/Director: Jonathan Miller
Period drama. Antony's love for Cleopatra threatens to tear apart two great empires.
With:- COLIN BLAKELY as Antony / JANE LAPOTAIRE as Cleopatra / JOHN PAUL as Canidius / JONATHAN ADAMS as Ventidus / IAN CHARLESON as Octavius Caesar / EMRYS JAMES as Enobarbus / JANET KEY as Charmian / HOWARD GOORNEY as Soothsayer / LYNN FARLEIGH as Octavia / ESMOND KNIGHT as Lepidus / DARIAN AGNADI / CASSIE McFARLANE / MICHAEL ANTHONY / MOHAMMAD SHAMSI / HARRY WATES
ANYONE FOR DENIS?
Thames / 1x90m-e / 1982 28 Dec - Tues 8.45pm
Writer: John Wells / Executive Producer: Robert Fox, Julian Seymour / Director: Dick Clement
Comedy. Margaret Thatcher's husband Denis decides to have some fun while his wife is away on business.
With:- JOHN WELLS as Denis Thatcher / ANGELA THORNE as Margaret Thatcher / JOHN CATER as Maurice Picardo / NICKY HENSON as Vouvrey / MARK KINGSTON as Hamilton Thrisp / ROY KINNEAR as Boris / ALFRED MOLINA as Eric / TERENCE RIGBY as Major / JOHN NETTLETON as Jenkins / JOAN SANDERSON as Rear Admiral / ROBERT STEPHENS as Schubert
ANY TIME NOW
BBC1 / 6x60m / started 8 August 2002 / 10:35pm
Writer: Ali White /
Director: Lesley McKimm / Producer: John Woods
Comedy drama series. Nora returns from America for her father’s funeral in
Dublin and meets up again with two friends, Stevie and Kate. Unfortunately
Nora’s life in America was not all she made it out to be and her tales of
being an actress in a US TV series were all made up and she is in fact
penniless. Her father’s inheritance promises to save her until a wife she knew
nothing about turns up to claim the estate.
With:- ANGELINE BALL as Nora Moggin / SUSAN LYNCH as Stevie Macutcheon / ZARA
TURNER as Kate O’Dowd / CIARAN MCMENAMIN as Johnny Doherty / PATRICK O’KANE
as Colin Duggan / RUTH MCCABE as Margeret Macutcheon
ANYWHERE BUT ENGLAND
Thames (Armchair Theatre) / 1972 31 Oct - Tuesday 9.00pm
Writer: John Hale / Design: Fred Pusey / Producer: Kim Mills / Director:Mike Vardy
Drama. A young girl, Jennifer, goes to stay on the Mediterranean island her father lives on.
With:- Denise Buckley as Jennifer / Denholm Elliott as Miles / John Le Mesurier as Freddie
APE AND ESSENCE
BBC / 1x75m-e / 1966 18 May bw
Writer: John Finch / Novel:Aldous Huxley / Producer: Peter Luke
SciFi drama. A group of New Zealand scientists conduct a survey on a Britain ravaged by atomic war 80 years previously.
With:- ALEC MacCOWAN as Alfred Poole / HAZEL DOUGLAS as Miss Hawk / SYDNEY BROMLEY as Craigie / DEREK SYDNEY as Chief / PETRA MARKHAM as Loola
BBC / 8x50m-e / 1979
Writer: Michael J. Bird / Original Music by George Kotsonis / Production Design: Jon Pusey / Costume Design: Nicholas Rocker / Producer: Andrew Osborn / Directors: Viktors Ritelis, Terence Williams
Fantasy drama serial. Investigating the mysterious death of his brother finds David Collier getting mixed up in the games of Greek Gods in Cyprus. A co-production with the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation.
With:- Peter McEnery as David Collier / Alexandra Bastedo as Helene / Brian Blessed as Basileos / Stefan Gryff as Charalambos / Tony Doyle as Martin Preece / William Wilde as Eric Morrison / Costas Demetriou as Antonio / Carmen Gómez as Maria / Barry Halliday as Barry Collier / Karl Held as Travis / John Ioannou as Policeman /Godfrey James as Inspector Dimas / Ray Jewers as Olsen / Nicholas Kamenos as Detective Sergeant / Paul Maxwell as Hellman / Theodoulos Moreas as Priest / Andreas Moustras as Doctor / Nikias Nicolaides as Police Sergeant / Nicos Shiafkalis as Nicos / Tom Watson as Wyndham / George Zenios as Prof. Stylianou
THE APPLE CART
BBC1 / 1x / 1975 18 January
Writer/Producer: Cedric Messina
Drama based on the George Bernard Shaw play.
With:- NIGEL DAVENPORT / HELEN MIRREN / BERYL REID as Amanda, Postmistress General / PETER BARKWORTH / BILL FRASER
THE APPLEYARDS
BBC / 160x20m-e / 1952-57 bw
Creator: Philip Burton / Producer: Kevin Sheldon
Drama series. The ups and downs of a middle class family. The series was shown as part of the Children's Television' strand. There was a one off reunion special called Christmas With the Appleyards broadcast 24 Dec 1960 (BBC Writer/Producer:Kevin Sheldon).
With:-FREDERICK PIPER as Mr Appleyard(1) / DOUGLAS MUIR as Mr Appleyard(2) / CONSTANCE FRASER as Mrs Appleyard / DAVID EDWARDS as John Appleyard / TESSA CLARKE as Janet / DEREK ROYLE as Tommy / PAT FRYER as Margaret
THE APPOINTMENT OF DENNIS JENNINGS
Noel Gay-HBO-BBC2 / 1x30m-e / 1989 27 Mar - Mon 9.40pm
Writers: Steven Wright, Mike Armstrong / Producer: Paula Mazur / Director: Dean Parisot
Comedy. Dennis Jennings pays several visits to his put upon psychiatrist.
With:- STEVEN WRIGHT as Dennis Jennings / ROWAN ATKINSON as Dr Schooner / LAURA METCALFE as Emma
APRIL FOOLS DAY
ITV / 1x50m-e / 1997 1 April
Writer: Tony Jordan / Producer: Stephen Garrett / Director: Liddy Oldroyd
Comedy. Neighbours Malcolm and Martin, both mad keen practical jokers, determines to top each other with increasingly outlandish pranks.
With:- GARETH HALE as Malcolm / NORMAN PACE as Martin / SUSIE BLAKE as Louise / MELANIE KILBURN as Carol / ROY HUDD as Sid / JACK ELLIS as Brian
ARABIAN NIGHTS
BBC1-Hallmark-RTRL-Babelberg / 2x90m-e / 2000 30 April - 1 May Sunday 6.30pm Monday 6.20pm
Writer: Peter Barnes / Producer: Dyson Lovell / Director: Steve Barron
Period fantasy drama. Scheherazade, the wife of the Sultan of Baghdad, tell him a series of fantastic stories in order to save her life (including such delights as Aladdin and Ali Baba and the forty thieves). A US-UK Co-production featuring mainly UK talent, especially among the supporting cast.
With:- MILI AVITAL as Scheherazade / ALAN BATES as Storyteller / JAMES FRAIN as Schahzenan / TCHEKY KARYO as Black Coda / JASON SCOTT LEE as Aladdin / JOHN LEGUIZANO as The Genie / VANESSA MAE as Princess Zobeide / DOUGRAY SCOTT as Sultan Schariar / RUFUS SEWELL as Ali Baba / JIM CARTER as Ja'Far / PETER GUINESS as Chief Executioner / HUGH QUARSHIE as Mustappa / ANDY SERKIS as Kasim / ALEXEI SAYLE as Bac Pac / NADIM SAWALHA as Judge Zadic / STANLEY LEBOR as Faigal / JANE LAPOTAIRE as Miriam / INDAY BA as Heart's Delight / BURT KWOUK as Caliph / HENRY GOODMAN as Sultan Billah / TONY OSOBA as Sultan Badr Al-Din / ROGER HAMMOND as Jerome / DAVID YIP as Assad / DON WARRINGTON as Hari
ARCHANGEL
BBC1 / 2x60m / 19-20 March 2005
Book: Robert Harris /
Adaptation: Gregory Evans / Director: Declan O'Dwyer / Producer: Sue Howells
Thriller serial. Historian 'Fluke' Kelso is given a lead on a lost journal
written by Stalin. His efforts to track it down lead him to Russia and the
discovery of an unknown child of Stalin's who is about to make a bid for
political power.
With:- DANIEL CRAIG as Christopher 'Fluke' Kelso / YEKATERINA REDNIKOVA AS
Zinaida / GABRIEL MACHT as O'Brian / HARRY DITSON as Adelman
ARCH OF TRIUMPH
HTV / 1x120m-e / 1984
Writer: Charles Israel / Novel:Erich Maria Remarque / Director: Waris Hussein
Period drama. A refugee surgeon living in Paris bumps into the Gestapo officer responsible for torturing him, he determines to kill him.
With:- ANTHONY HOPKINS / LESLEY ANNE DOWN / FRANK FINLAY / RICHARD PASCO / DONALD PLEASANCE
AN ARABIAN KNIGHT
ITV Network-Associated-Rediffusion / 1x8om-e / Thursday 9 Jun 1960 @ 8.00pm
Story research: Vyvienne Moynihan / Choreography: Philippe Perrottet / Music: Muir Matheson / Lyrics: Jimmy Kennedy / Producer: John McMillan / Director: Mark Lawton
Big budget extravaganza made to mark the opening of Associated Rediffusion's Wembley Studio this was a tale from the thousand and one nights.
With:- Carl
Bernard as Wazir Al-Fazal / Orson Welles as Storyteller / Alan Wheatley as Jafar,
The Grand Wazir / Sydney Tafler as Samit / Stanley Holloway as Ibrahim /
Alan Edwards as Hamid / Frank Sieman as Steward / Martin Benson as Wazir Al-Muin
/ Vic Wise as Slave dealer / Henry Kendall as Mohammed / Carl Conway as Suieman
/ Joseph O'Connor as Caliph Haroun-Al-Raschid / Susan Stranks as Anis / Robert
Loggia as Nura / Avice Landon as Sabiya / Peter Baldwin as Hassam / John Slavid
as Said
ARE THERE ANY MORE AT HOME LIKE YOU?
ATV 'Six of the Best' / 1x30m-e / 1965 15 Sep - Wed 9.10pm
Writer: Tony Hawes / Producer: Alan Tarrant
Comedy. A case of mistaken identity causes confusion.
With:- GRAHAM STARK as Ernest / BARBARA MITCHELL as Dorinda -Gertrude /ROBERT DORNING as Father/Uncle
ARISE AND GO NOW
BBC / 1x80m-e / 1991
Writer: Owen O'Neill / Music: Slim Harpo / Director: Danny Boyle
Drama.A local priest in a small Irish village teams up with a young IRA volunteer to bring about some peace.
With:- JOHN KAVANAGH / MICHAEL LIEBMANN / TONY DOYLE / IAN BANNEN
ARISTOCRATS
BBC1/ 6x50m-e / 1999 20 June - 24 Jul Sun 9.00pm / 'Digital-Widescreen'
Writer: Harriet O'Carroll / Book:Stella Tillyard / Producer: Christopher Hall, David Snodin / Director: David Caffrey
Period drama serial. The lives of the four great granddaughters of Charles II during the 18th century.
With:- ANN-MARIE DUFF as Lady Louisa Lennox / SERENA GORDON as Lady Caroline Lennox / GERALDINE SOMERVILLE as Lady Emily Lennox / JODHI MAY as Lady Sarah Lennox / ALUN ARMSTRONG as Henry Fox / JULIAN FELLOWES as Duke of Richmond / BEN DANIELS as Lord Kildare / DIANE FLETCHER as Duchess of Richmond / CLIVE SWIFT as King George II / SIAN PHILLIPS as Older Lady Emily / RICHARD DEMPSEY as Lord Beaufield / KATHERINE ROGERS as Princess Caroline / LEWIS JONES as Prime Minister / PAULINE McLYNN as Susan Fox -Strangeways / DIANA QUICK as Older Lady Louisa / SHEILA RUSKIN as Older Lady Sarah / JEREMY BULLOCH as Older George Napier / CARMEN DU SAUTOY as Older Mary Third Duchess
ARISTOPHANES - THE GODS ARE LAUGHING
C4/Bandung / 1x55m-e / 1995
Writer: April De Angelis / Music: Nick Bicat / Producer: Tariq Ali / Director: Coky Giedroyc
Drama. Offbeat look at the life and works of ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes.
With:- FRANCES BARBER / ROGER ASHTON-GRIFFITHS / PATRICK BARLOW / EWEN BREMNER / ROSALIE CRUTCHLEY / NICOLA WALKER / DEXTER FLETCHER / EDDIE IZZARD / ROBERT GLENISTER
ARMCHAIR THEATRE
ABC/Thames(70-74) / 100x60/90m-e / 1956-74
Producers: Sydney Newman, Leonard White, LLoyd Shirley
A long running series of individual plays which in the early days of its existence led the way in 'Kitchen Sink' style realism on British TV.Sydney Newman, a Canadian, was very influential in the direction the plays took and he was poached by the BBC in 1963 where he would go on to create Doctor Who.
ARMCHAIR THRILLER
ITV Network-Thames / 1978-80
ARROW IN THE AIR
ITV
Network-Associated Rediffusion) / 1x90 minute episode / Broadcast Wednesday 9
October 1957 @ 8:30pm
Writers: Henry Brinton, Kenneth Robinson | Designer: Frederic Pusey | Director:
Robert Tronson
Drama. The terrorist hotspot of Solaro turns out to be more than a handful for
new Governor Anthony Folland and his daughter Jane.
cast
Harold Kasket as Rocca | John Phillips as Anthony Folland | Richard Caldicot as
Brigadier Peter | Eric Lander as Philip Martin | Anne Blake as Mrs. Larios |
June Thorburn as Jane Holland | Jerome Willis as Dick Owen | Michael David as
Carlos | Bernard Davies as Sergeant | Michelle Maran as Teresa | Nicholas Amer
as Miguel
ARROW TO THE HEART
BBC / 1x98 minutes / Sunday 20 July 1952 @ 9.00pm black and white
Writer, producer: Rudolph Cartier (his very first production for the BBC) / Additional dialogue by Nigel Kneale (Kneale was the BBC's only staff writer at the time) / Novella: Albrecht Goes / Associate Producer: Douglas Moodie
Second world war drama. The Ukraine, January 1943; A German padre spends an evening talking to a deserter who is due to be shot the next day and finds out about the man's family history, this contrasts with the officer with whom the Padre shares a billet, Captain Brentano, who is due to be shipped off to the Stalingrad front line, where he too will face certain death. Like many of the drams that were broadcast live in the early days of TV this production was mounted again 4 days later, Thursday 24 July. Never filmed there are no copies of this production in existence of course, four years later (22 April 1956) Cartier restaged the piece for Sunday Night Theatre (again BBC) Robert Harris and Martin Starkie reprised their roles.
Cast
Robert Harris as The Padre / Howard Lang as The Courier-Pilot / Esmond Knight as
Major Kartuschke, Legal Officer / Leonard White as Lieutenant Ernst / Donald
Pleasence as The Corporal in charge of the Officers Transit Billet / Michael
Brennan as Sergeant-Major Mascher, guard at the military prison / Martin Starkie
as Private Baranowski / William Devlin as The General, Commander in Chief of the
German forces in the Ukraine / Hugh Kelly as Captain Brentano / Cita Crichton as
Sister Melanie (Geoffrey Bayldon had a non speaking role in the production)
ARTANGEL: THE BATTLE OF ORGREAVE
C4 / 1x75m / 20 October 2002
Conceived by: Jeremy
Deller / Director: Mike Figgis
Performance art reconstruction of the violent clash between miners and police
during the 1984-85 miners’ strike.
ARTEMIS 81
BBC / 1x185m-e / 1981 29 Dec
Writer:
David Rudkin / Film Cameraman: David Jackson / Design: Gavin Davies /
Producer: David Rose / Director: Alastair Reid
Scifi drama. A young student gets caught up in a mighty battle between the forces of good and a terrible chain of evil. Writer David Rudkin had a habit of writing incredibly dense material exploring the nature of pagan man, most notably this production and Penda's Fen. This was originally slated to be a co-production with TV Denmark.
With:- HYWEL BENNETT as Gideon Harlax / DINAH STABB as Gwen Meredith / STING as Helith / INGRID PITT as Hitchcock Blonde / DANIEL DAY LEWIS as Exhibitioner / ANTHONY STEEL as Tristam
ARTHUR AND PHIL GO OFF....
C4-Vulgar / 4x45m-e 1x90m-e / 1985-87
Writer: Phil Nice, Arthur Smith / Producer: Sue Hayes
Five self contained comedies in which Phil Nice and Arthur Smith, in the guise of a duo called Fiasco Job Job, travel to various locations to conduct research and investigations. Places the pair went to were Boulogne, The M1, Loch Ness, Marbella and the Channel Four Archives.
ARTHUR'S TREASURED VOLUMES
ITV Network-ATV / 6x30m-e / 1960 2 May - 6 June Mondays @ 8.00pm black and white
Writer: Dave Freeman / Music: Kenny Powell, Bob Sharples / Orchestra conducted by Jack Parnell / Design by Anthony Waller / Producer: Bill Ward
An anthology of comedies specially tailored for Arthur Askey, in which his daughter Anthea each week read a book from Arthur's library - cue a retelling of the plot of the book in Arthur's classic style. Also featured every week were Sam Kydd and Arthur Mullard.
The six episodes were
1. A
Blow in Anger (Monday 2 May 1960 @ 8.00pm)
Cast: Sam Kydd as Fred / June Whitfield as Enid Brown / Freda Bamford as Mrs
Greenways / Anthea Askey as Herself / Arthur Askey as Raymond Brown / Roderick
Lovell as Mr Fortescue / Anthony Wilson as Boy / Olga Lowe as Mrs Fortescue /
Frank Pettitt as Man in shop / Geoffrey Palmer as Detective Inspector / Wilfrid
Brambell as Henry / Sheree Winton as Dolores Greenways / Arthur Mullard as
Briggs / Pamela Manson as Mrs Briggs / Roger Avon as Police Sergeant / David
Browning as Sailor
2. The
History of Mr Lacey (Monday 9 May 1960 @ 8.00pm)
Cast: Tony Sympson as Bagley / Sam Kydd as Capt Murphy / Anthea Askey as
Herself
Arthur Askey as Wilfred Lacey / Peter Stephens as Mr Wagstaff / Margery Fleeson
as Mrs Howard / Arthur Mullard as Miller / Barbara Mitchell as Bella Murphy /
Fred McNaughton as Police Sgt / Jill Hyem as Maid / Sidney Brahms as Peek /
Dorothy Dampier as Mrs Skint / Anne Dimitri as Louis Blossom
3. The
Command Performer (Monday 16 May 1960 @ 8.00pm)
Cast: Tony Sympson as Theatre manager / Sam Kydd as Jem / Charles Lloyd Pack as
Major / Michael Harrison as Private / Anthea Askey as Herself / Arthur Askey as
Tom Merrydew / David Garth as Hamlet / Paddy Edwards as Ophelia / Lucille Gaye
as Lady Penelope / Patrick Newell as Beau Brummell / Arthur Mullard as Horace /
Roger Avon as Sergeant / David Browning as Corporal / Billy Tasker as Ghost /
Ronnie Brody as Amos
4.
Pillbeam of Twickenham (Monday 23 May 1960 @ 8.00pm)
Cast: Anthea Askey as Herself / Arthur Askey as Cavendish Pillbeam / Maureen
Beck as Angela Pillbeam / Rose Hill as Clara / Bernard Spear as Bill Crisper /
Wilfrid Brambell as Mortimer Tadding / Arthur Mullard as Rumble / Barbara
Mitchell as Florrie Pillbeam / Freddie Frinton as Cabbie / Sheila Bernette as
Agnes Barrett / Sam Kydd as Winchester / Audrey Williamson as Mrs Rumble / Julia
Atkinson, Daphne Foreman, Elizabeth Parsons, Pauline Foreman as Rumble
children
5. A
Slight Case of Deception (Monday 30 May 1960 @ 8.00pm)
Cast: Tony Sympson as Manservant / Sam Kydd as Corporal Fisher / Anthea Askey as
Herself / Arthur Askey as Corporal Flutter / Myrtle Reed as Daphne / Paddy
Edwards as Elsie Flutter / Bruno Barnabe as Club manager / Geoffrey Denton as
Captain / Frank Pemberton as Mr Brown / Kerrigan Prescott as American soldier /
Arthur Mullard as Policeman / Roger Avon as RSM / Fred McNaughton as Referee /
Yvonne Buckingham as Cynthia / Billy Tasker as Private Tapley / Tony Harrison as
Mr Jones / Jeanne Grosmont as Striptease artist / Also featuring of the Leyton
Orient Football Team
6. The
Curse of the Bellfoots (Monday 6 June 1960 @ 8.00pm)
Cast: Sam Kydd as Snagsby / Gordon Whiting as Claude / Anthea Askey as Herself /
Arthur Askey as Clarence Twinger / Barbara Miller as Mrs Tapshaw / Erik Chitty
as Duke of Bellfoot / Henry Longhurst as Butler / Patrick Newell as Banshee Din
/ Arthur Mullard as Corporal / Roger Avon as Recruiting Sergeant / Stephen
Hancock as Mr Bolton / Janet Davies as Miss Tiddy / Ann Way as Servant
ARTHUR OF THE BRITONS
ITV Network-HTV / 24x30m-e / 1972-73 6 December 1972 - 28 November 1973
Executive Producer: Patrick Dromgoole / Producer: Peter Miller
Period action adventure series. A muddy realistic version of the King Arthur legend in which the Warlord does battle against marauding Saxons in the sixth century. This was an attempt to put the King Arthur legend into a realistic setting, Arthur , played by Oliver Tobias in a star making performance, is here living in a dark, muddy and murderous 6th Century Britain. If there really was a King Arthur this is probably more true to how he would have lived than any other production. The series also provided Brian Blessed for another of his brilliantly full blooded performances as Mark of Cornwall. For more details see the Episode Guide Here.
With:- OLIVER TOBIAS as Arthur / JACK WATSON as Llud / BRIAN BLESSED as Mark of Cornwall / MICHAEL GOTHARD as Kai / RUPERT DAVIES as Cerdig
ARTISTS IN CRIME
BBC1 / 1x105m-e / 1990 23 Dec
Writer: T.R. Bowen / Novel:Ngaio Marsh / Director: Silvo Narizzano
Period crime drama. In the 1930's Inspector Alleyn investigates when an artist's model is murdered. For the series that followed in 1993 see Inspector Alleyn Mysteries.
With:- SIMON WILLIAMS as Inspector Alleyn / BELINDA LANG as Agatha Troy / WILLIAM SIMONS as Inspector Fox / LESLIE UDWIN / SIRI NEAL
ASHENDEN
BBC1-Kelso / 4x50m-e / 1991 17 Nov - 8 Dec
Writer: David Pirie / Novel:Somerset Maugham / Director: Chris Morahan
Period drama serial. Staid writer Ashenden finds himself recruited into the secret service during world war two. Based on the short stories of Somerset Maugham the serial boasted some fantastic guest actors throughout its short 4 episode run including the likes of Harriet Walter, Alfred Molina, Alan Bennett, Jason Isaacs and Elizabeth McGovern
With:- ALEX JENNINGS as Ashenden / JOSS ACKLAND as Cumming / IAN BANNEN as Controller (R)
ASHES TO ASHES
BBC1-Kudos-Monastic / 8x60 minute episodes / 2008Creators: Matthew Graham, Ashley Pharoah / Writers: Matthew Graham (Eps 1 & 7), Ashley Pharoah (Eps 2 & 8), Julie Rutterford (Ep 3), Mark Greig (Eps 4 & 5) and Mick Ford (Ep 6) / Producer: Beth Willis / Executive Producers: Jane Featherstone (for Kudos), Simon Crawford Collins (for Kudos) and Matthew Graham (for Monastic Productions) / Directors: Jonny Campbell (Eps 1, 2, 7 & 8), Bille Eltringham (Eps 3 & 5) and Catherine Morshead (Eps 4 & 6)
Time travel meets the crime drama series in Ashes to Ashes and sequel to Life on Mars. It's 2008 and Detective Inspector Alex Drake has her head full of Sam Tyler after reading his case notes about being stuck in a very real 1973 whilst languishing in a coma, when she is shot during a seige crisis she too finds herself back in a past of her own making, this time it is 1981 and she is a DI in London working closely with Gene Hunt and his crew, who have transferred from Manchester down to the Met.
Unlike Sam, Alex is fully aware of her predicament and at times revels in it although this also means that the series can often be too knowing about its own history. Not as good as Life on Mars (but lets face it not much could be) but still a very strong and entertaining series in it's own right.
Guest stars appearing in the first series included Steve Strange, Riger De Courcey and Nookie Bear, Zippy and George from Rainbow, Geoffrey Palmer, Christopher Fairbank, Rupert Graves, Matthew Macfadyen and Phil Davis.
cast PHILIP GLENISTER as Detective Chief Inspector Gene Hunt / KEELEY HAWES as Detective Inspector Alex Drake / DEAN ANDREWS as Detective Sergeant Ray Carling / MARSHALL LANCASTER as Detective Constable Chris Skelton / MONTSERRAT LOMBARD as WPC Sharon Shaz" Granger / AMELIA BULLMORE as Caroline Price / STEPHEN CAMPBELL MOORE as Evan White / GEFF FRANCIS as PC Viv James / GRACE VANCE as Molly Drake / SEAN HARRIS as Arthur Layton / JOSEPH LONG as Luigi / ANDREW CLOVER as The Clown
AS IF
Channel 4-E4 / x30m-e / 2001-2003
Producer: Julian Murphy
Drama series that followed the lives of a sextet of teenagers living in London. The show was first seen on Channel Four's digital channel E4 before receiving its terrestrial debut on Wednesday 7 March at 6pm.
With:- PAUL CHEQUER as Jamie / EMILY CORRIE as Sooz / CORLINE CHILKEZIE as Sasha / BEN WATERS as Rob / ORLANDO WELLS as Alex / JEMIMA ROOPER as Nicki / FREDDIE ANNOBIL as Chris / LEO GREGORY as Toby Jarvis
BBC / 3x50m-e / 1982
Writer: Jack Gerson / Music: John Scott / Producer: Bob McIntosh / Director: Ken Hannam
Thriller serial. Former Intelligence Officer Mark Frase is dragged back into the world he left behind when his wife is kidnapped by terrorists.There was a 1983 sequel with the same cast and credits called The Treachery Game.
With:-Malcolm Stoddard as Mark Fraser / Mary Tamm as Jill Fraser / Sandor Elès as Vladimir Ilyich Grigor / Léon Sinden as Bartlett / James Drake as Sir James Mackieson / Ben Aris as Frank Lloyd / Seymour Matthews as Rolf / Jenny Lipman as Elisa / Philip Bowen as Jurgen / Holly De Jong as Gudrun / Max Hafler as Carl / Vic Tablian as Costain / Peter Van Dissel as Peter / John Elliott as Alexei / Ingo Mogendorf as Scherer
AS THE BEAST SLEEPS
BBC2 / 1x80m-e / 3 February 2002 / 9:00pm
Writer: Gary Mitchell (from his play); Director: Harry Bradbeer; Producers:
Robert Cooper, Anthony Rowe
Drama. The impact that a cease-fire has on a group of loyalists and their
families when those groomed for fighting face a drastic change of lifestyle.
With:- STUART GRAHAM as Kyle / PATRICK O'KANE as Freddie / LAINE MEGAW as Sandra
/ DANIEL McGRADY as Joe / CONOR GRIMES as Dougie / ALAN McKEE as Mac / FRANK
McCUSKER as Jack / MAYA O'HARA as Sadie
AS YOU LIKE IT
Southern / x30m-e / 1967
Producer: Mike Mansfield
Pop music show hosted by Don Moss and featuring the latest chart acts including the likes of The Monkees, Sandie Shaw etc.
AS YOU LIKE IT
BBC2 'BBC Television Shakespeare' / 1x150m-e / 1978
Writer: William Shakespere / Title Music: William Walton / Producer: Cedric Messina / Director: Basil Coleman
Period drama. Fun and games in the Forest of Arden with an exiled King.
With:- RICHARD PASCO as Jacques / HELEN MIRREN as Rosalind / JAMES BOLAM as Touchstone / ANGHARAD REES as Celia / VICTORIA PLUNKETT as Phoebe / BRIAN STIRNIER as Orlando / CLIVE FRANCIS as Oliver / MAYNARD WILLIAMS as Silvius / TONY CHURCH as The Banished Duke / RICHARD EASTON as Duke Frederick / JOHN QUENTIN as LeBeau
ASTRONAUTS
ATV-Witzend / 7x30m-e / 1981 26 Oct - 7 Dec Mon 8.00pm
Writer: Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie / Script Editors: Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais / Executive Producer: Allan McKeown / Producer: Tony Charles, Douglas Argent / Director: Douglas Argent
SciFi Sitcom. The story of the first British space mission.
With:- CHRIS GODWIN as Cmdr Malcolm Mattocks / CARMEN DU SAUTOY as Dr Gentian Foster / BARRIE RUTTER as David Ackroyd / BRUCE BOA as Colonel Beadle
AT HOME
ITV / 1x50m-e / 1960 bw
Writer: Paul Jones / Director:Robert Tronson
Drama. A couple nervously make arrangements for their first dinner party.
With:- RENEE ASHERSON / EMRYS JONES / ELIZABETH SELLARS
AT HOME WITH THE BRAITHWAITES
Yorkshire / 27x60m-e 2x90m-e / 2000-2003
Writer: Sally Wainwright / Theme Music: The Egg / Titles: Liquid TV / Script Editor: Anna Davies / Design:Paul Laugher / Camera: Doug Hallows / Costume: Sue Hallay / Producer: Hugh Warren (season one), Jacky Stoller (season two), Kieran Roberts (season three) / Director: Robin Sheppard
Comedy drama series. 40
year old housewife Alison Braithwaite wins 38 million pounds on the first Euro
lottery, she decides not to tell her obnoxious family and sets up a business to
use the money for good causes. Season three saw Alison having to pay back all
her lottery winnings when it is discovered by the lottery authorities that
underage Charlotte originally purchased the ticket. They have to move back
to their old house and she has to go to work in a supermarket. The final episode
of the season was 90m in length. A bit disappointingly in the final 10 minutes
an out-of-the-blue legal loophole was discovered that allowed them to get their
millions back. In the fourth and final season, Alison and David get divorced and
he wants half the money; and Megan dies in a bizarre accident in the bath.
Although the regular series has ended there might be the occasional one-off
special.
With:- AMANDA REDMAN as Alison Braithwaite / PETER DAVISON as David Braithwaite /LYNDA BELLINGHAM as Pauline Farrell / SYLVIA SYMS as Marion Riley / JULIE GRAHAM as Megan Hartnoll / KEVIN DOYLE as Mike Hartnoll / SARAH SMART as Virginia Braithwaite / KEELEY FAWCETT as Charlotte Braithwaite / SARAH CHURM as Sarah Braithwaite / KULVINDER GHIR as Manjit Mathura
ATTACHMENTS
BBC2-World Productions / 10x50m-e 16x30m-e/ 2000-2002
Creator/Executive Producer: Tony Garnett / Script Editor: Julie Dixon / Camera: Gordon Hickie / Design: Anna Higgibnson / Producer: Simon Heath / Titles: Jump / Costume: Jayne Gregory / Technical Advisors: Paul Lakin, David McCandless
Drama series. Former DJ Mike and his wife Luce set up their own music based internet company - seethru - with a small group of employees (Coder Reece, content manager and Lesbian Sophie, technogeek Brandon and designer Jake. They initially gained finance from businessman Joe Walsh but then faced problems after he died suddenly. The season two episodes were only thirty minutes long and were broken up into two parts with some episodes appearing before Christmas 2001 with the rest appearing in April 2002. Justine Pierre appeared in only the first few season two episodes.
With:- JUSTIN PIERRE as Mike / CLAUDIA HARRISON as Luce / AMANDA RYAN as Sophie / DAVID WALLIAMS as Jake / WILLIAM BECK as Reece / IDDO GOLDBERG as Brandon / SALLY ROGERS as Yvonne / POPPY MILLER as Fran / ELIZABTEH MAMUR as Katherine McGuire
THE ATTRACTIONS
BBC / 1x70m-e / 1989
Writer: Tony Marchant / Producer: Richard Langridge
Drama. A young drifter inveigles his way into a seaside museum where events begin to take a dangerous turn.
With:- REECE DINSDALE / BENJAMIN WHITROW
AN AUDIENCE WITH...
ITV Network-Channel 4 and London Weekend Television) / 1980-continuing
A long running (but only shown every so often) series of specials in which a comedian or a pop star performed in front of a specially invited celebrity audience.
Those taking part have included 26 December 1980 Dame Edna Everage (and also 1984 and 1988) / 26 December 1981 Dudley Moore / 23 December 1983 Kenneth Williams / 4 February 1984 Mel Brooks / 17 March 1984 Joan Rivers / 10 December 1988 Victoria Wood / 21 May 1994 Bob Monkhouse / 21 October 1995 Shirley Bassey / 6 November 1996 Lily Savage / 5 April 1997 Alf Garnett (aka Warren Mitchell) / 27 September 1997 Elton John / 25 October 1997 Ronnie Corbett / 29 November 1997 The Spice Girls / 30 May 1998 Rod Stewart / 7 November 1998 The Bee Gees / 15 November 1998 All Saints / 10 February 2001 / Rick Martin / 6 October 2001 Kylie Minogue / 14 December 2001 Bruce Forsyth / 5 January 2002 Des O'Connor / 18 May 2002 Lulu / 25 May 2002 Brian Conley / 23 November 2002 Donny Osmond / 16 October 2004 Harry Hill / Saturday 11 March 2006 Another Audience With Shirley Bassey / Saturday 22 April 2006 Cast of Coronation Street / Saturday 2 December 2006 Take That
Others who have appeared include Billy Connelly (1985), Bruce Forsyth (1997), Cliff Richard (1999) and Ken Dodd (2001)
AUF WIEDERSEHEN PET
Central-Witzend-BBC
(2002) / 26x60m-e 14x60m-e / 1984/86 and 2002-2004
Creators: Dick Clement,Ian La Frenais, Franc Roddam / Producer: Martin McKeand / Theme Music: Joe Fagin
A much loved
comedy drama series that followed a group of seven British Workmen as they lived
and worked in Dusseldorf, Germany. The seven were Geordie Brickies Neville, Oz
and Dennnis, brummie sparkie Barry, scouse plasterer Moxy, cockney chippy Wayne
and Bristolian man mountain Bomber.
The group came together after arriving in Germany and finding the accommodation
they had been promised had fallen through forcing them to live together in a hut
with absolutely no mod cons actually on the building site.
The group had trouble coping with the ways of their fellow German employees but
stayed because back home work was scarce and wages were better. The series
charted their fortunes as the job, building an apartment complex, progressed,
(interestingly although quite a bit of location work was done in Germany there
was quite a bit of filming actually done at the newly built central TV studios
in Nottingham). Barry was a boring git, Wayne was a jack the lad, Moxy was
always ill, Oz was a yobbo, newly married Neville missed his wife whilst Dennis
and Bomber were the sensible ones.
The series ended with the lads finishing the job and returning home to England,
although Wayne who had fallen in love with a German girl elected to stay behind.
Two years later the series returned and again times were hard for the lads, the
gang responding to a call from Barry got together once more to help him finish
off his new house. He was going to be married but Hazel, his intended, ended up
calling the whole thing off. Dennis had actually left the building trade and was
working for Newcastle gangster Ally Fraser, who, learning of Dennis's skills
persuades him to recruit his old mates to convert a large property of his into
an old peoples home. The gang lived in the house whilst doing the place up. After
that Ally got them to spruce up his villa in Spain, things then really started
to get murky when Fraser's business dealings began to go awry and Oz began an
affair with Ally's girlfriend. It liked the boys wouldn't be paid but Dennis
managed to put one over his boss and things turned out right in the end.
After a gap of some 16 years the gang returned (minus of course Gary Holton who
had died) for another series. This time made for the BBC. The plotline concerned
Oz bringing the lads back together to manage an ambitious scheme to dismantle
Middlesborough’s transporter bridge. Production credits were Writers: Dick
Clement, Ian La Frenais / Director: Paul Seed / Producer: Joy Spink and BILL
NIGHY co-starred as Jeffrey Grainger. The following year saw a 6 episode jaunt
to Cuba and then the
revived series bowed out with a two-part special shown (28,29 Dec) Christmas
2004 in which the lads go to work in Laos and get kidnapped by African
revolutionaries. Pat Roach (Bomber) had recently died and did not appear.
With:- TIM HEALY as Dennis Patterson / JIMMY NAIL as Oz / PAT ROACH as Bomber / KEVIN WHATELY as Neville Hope / GARY HOLTEN as Wayne / TIMOTHY SPALL as Barry Taylor / CHRISTOPHER FAIRBANK as Moxey / BILL PATERSON as Ally Fraser (season 2)
AUGUST SATURDAY
BBC / 1x60m-e / 1990
Writer: William Trevor / Director: Diarmuid Lawrence
Drama. Old memories and resentments are revived when an Englishman arrives in a small Irish village.
With:- SORCHA CUSACK / TIM McINNERNY / JOHN KAVANAGH / BARRY McGOVERN
THE AVENGERS
ABC
/ 161x60m-e / 1961-69
Creator: Sydney Newman, Leonard White / Music: Laurie Johnson / Executive Producers: Albert Fennell, Brian Clemens,
Crime, fantasy, action adventure series. Probably the quintessential show that sums up the 1960's, very stylish and very with it, the Avengers featured agent John Steed and a succession of beautiful women crossing swords with all manner of evil doers. The show had its roots in an Ian Hendry production called Police Surgeon, when this show folded after just one season ABC created The Avengers for Hendry and really was the lead in season one as Dr David Keel, it was pretty obvious from the outset however that Steed was by far the strongest character and Keel was quickly phased out - in came leather clad judo expert Cathy Gale and the show really hit its stride. The early shows were all filmed on video tape and unfortunately many of them have been lost for good.
When Diana Rigg as Emma Peel arrived to take over from Cathy Gale the show moved onto glossy film, later at the start of the next season it also went into colour, a brave move aiming the show at the US market as British TV had yet to introduce colour. The Peel-Steed years are really the crowning glory of The Avengers, a sucession of classic episodes in which the villains and the plots became ever more outlandish. The series painted a somewhat strange version of England, there were no policemen in the Avengers world and not many poor people either.
When Diana Rigg left the show it never really recovered; Linda Thorson was brought in as Tara King along with a wheelchair bound male agent called Mother whom Steed and Tara had to answer to. The plots however were even more outrageous this season. The show ended in 1969 but then in the mid seventies The New Avengers was born with Steed being joined by sexy Purdey and action man Gambit, this series had heavy French and Canadian backing leading to some episodes being made in those countries. Although still very watchable The New Avengers was not up to the standard of the original.
A very poorly received big screen version was made in the late 1990's with Ralph Feinnes as Steed and Uma Thurman as Mrs Peel.
With:- PATRICK MACNEE as John Steed / HONOR BLACKMAN as Cathy Gale / DIANA RIGG as Emma Peel / LINDA THORSON as Tara King / PATRICK NEWELL as Mother
LWT / 6x60m-e / 1974 (5 April - 10 May / Fridays @ 9.00pm)
Producer: Richard Bates / Music: Albert Elmes
Spy drama series. Retired civil servant Jack Goodall finds himself being drawn into once more undertaking cases for MI5.
The episodes were 1. A Good English Breakfast (Broadcast Friday 5 April 1974 @ 9.00pm) / 2. Indiscretion (Broadcast Friday 12 April 1974 @ 9.00pm) / 3. Clara (Broadcast Friday 19 April 1974 @ 9.00pm) / 4. Loyalty is My Honour (Broadcast Friday 26 April 1974 @ 9.00pm) / 5. A Day To Remember (Broadcast Friday 3 May 1974 @ 9.00pm) / 6. The Good Samaritan (Broadcast Friday 10 May 1974 @ 9.00pm)
With:- ROBERT URQUHART as Mr Jack Goodall / DONALD CHURCHILL as Milbrook / ISOBEL DEAN as Alexandra Winfield
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