Memorable TV

UK TV - DOUBLE CROSS TO THE DYNAMO

DOUBLE CROSS

BBC / 6x30m-e / 1956 5 April  - 10 May Thursday 8.00pm black and white

Creator: Jimmy Jewel / Writers: Sid Green, Dick Hills / Producer: Ernest Maxin 

Comedy thriller serial. A pair of variety agents are exact doubles of two secret agents.

With:- JIMMY JEWEL as Jimmy Seymour / BEN WARRISS as Ben Wait / JIMMY JEWEL as Smithers MI5 / BEN WARRISS as Carstairs MI5 / JILL DAY as Betty Patterson

BBC / 1x75m-e / 1976

Writer: Dennis Potter / Producer: Kenith Trodd / Director: Alan Bridges 

Drama. A writer and an actress are collaborating on a script in an hotel room whilst in the room next door a call girl is entertaining her client (both couples played by the same actors.) 

With:- KIKA MARKHAM / ALAN DOBIE

Granada / 1x / 1960

Writer: Gerald Savory / Novel: James M. Cain / Director: Cliff Owen 

Thriller. An insurance agent falls for one of his married clients and the pair are soon plotting murder.

With:- DONALD PLEASANCE as Keyes / WILLIAM SYLVESTER as Walter Huff / MADELAINE SHERWOOD as Phyllis

C4 / 1x60m-e / 1997

Writer: Nicholas Kent / Producers: Mark Bentley, Nicholas Kent  / Director: Peter Webber

Period drama. A study of some of seedier elements of the composer's life.

With:- SIMON RUSSELL BEALE as Schubert / JASON FLEMYNG as Franz Von Schober / EMILIA FOX as Karoline Von Esterhazy / RICHARD VAN ALLEN as Johann Michael Vogl / KARL JOHNSON as Doctor

ITV/Douglas Fairbanks Prod / 117x30m-e / 1955-59 black and white

Producers: Lance Comfort, Douglas Fairbanks Jr 

An anthology series of dramas of all kinds.

BBC(Scotland) / 1x75m-e / 1993

Writer: Peter McDougall / Music: Ray Russell, Simon Chamberlain / Design: Campbell Gordon / Executive Producers: Richard Broke, Bill Bryden / Producers: Andy Park / Director: Charles Gormley

Comedy drama. Anarchy almost breaks out in a Scottish gang boss's household when his daughter falls in love with and wants to marry a policeman.

With:- BILLY CONNELLY as JoJo Donnelly / FREDDIE BOARDLEY as William / ALEX NORTON as Dan Gibbons / DOUGLAS HENSHALL as Louie Gibbons / SIMON DONALD as Aiden / VICTORIA NAIRN as Jane / MAGGIE BELL as Jean Donnelly / KEN DRURY as Louis Gibbons

DOWN WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM

BBC / 1x / 1987

Writer: Peter McDougall / Music: Michael Gibbs / Producer: Andy Park / Director: Ian Knox

Drama. A US Navy patrolman begins to lose it when he is stationed at a Polaris base in Scotland.

With:- HARVEY KEITEL / ANDREW BYATT / STELLA GONET / DAVID LANSBURY / KATHERINE STARK / CRAIG FERGUSON / JENNY McCRINDLE

BBC / 2x50m-e / 1973

Writer: Colin Morris 

Period drama serial. The Earl of Suffolk becomes a bomb disposal squad officer during the second world war. 

With:- RONALD PICKUP / VIRGINIA McKENNA

BBC / 21x30m-e / 1958-60

Producers: Ernest Maxin (Seasons 1-3), Barry Lupino (Seasons 4) 

Four seasons of individual comedies mostly written by and all starring Charlie Drake.

BBC / 12x30m-e  / 1960-61 3 Seasons

Writers: Charlie Drake, Richard Waring / Producer: Ronald Marsh 

Series of single comedies, each season had a different theme, season one dealt with the pressures of modern life, season two sent up various film genres. Only one episode was made for season three as Drake was knocked unconscious during the live transmission of the show when a stunt went badly wrong. Drake fractured his skull and the rest of the series was abandoned.

Westward / 1x110m-e / 1980  28 December

Writer: John Nelson Burton / Producer/Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark 

Period drama. Francis Drake is sent by Queen Elizabeth to raid a Spanish port in search of gold and treasure.

With:- JOHN THAW as Francis Drake / CHARLOTTE CORNWALL as Queen Elizabeth / PAUL DARROW as Thomas Doughty

ATV / 1961-67 black and white

Anthology of all kinds of dramas, each year the title changed (to reflect the year obviously in much the same way as the Film series does).

DREAM BABY

BBC / 1x80m-e / 1989

Writer: David Kane / Producer: David M. Thompson / Director: Angela Pope 

Drama. A young woman hatches a plan to pretend to be pregnant so that the two lovers she is stringing along will pay her off things don't turn out that way however when both men propose.

With:- JENNY McCRINDLE / KEVIN McNALLY / PETER CAPALDI / MANDY MATTHEWS / CRAIG FERGUSON 

DREAM HOLIDAY HOME

Channel Five / 10x30m-e / 2003

Carol Smillie presented a show which offered viewers the chance to win a holiday home from each of the 10 European destinations featured – if they can answer a question related to each region.
Carol explores the history and culture of exquisite towns in Spain, Italy and France, visiting the local attractions and sampling the finest food and wine, while design team Kevin Allan and Tim Hitchens scour local markets buying furniture and design materials to transform each property.

BBC / 1x90m-e / 1991

Writer: William McIllvanney / Producer: Andy Park / Director: Mike Alexander 

Comedy drama musical. A young unemployed Scots lad spends much of his time dreaming. Guest appearances by Billy Connelly, Marianne Faithful and Deacon Blue.

With:- EWAN BREMNER / MARY McCUSKER / MICHAEL CARTER / SHIRLEY HENDERSON

DREAMS OF LEAVING

BBC / 1x80m-e / 1979

Drama. A journalist moves to London and gets caught up with the bright lights, beginning an affair with a wealthy 'deb' type.

With:- BILL NIGHY / KATE NELLIGAN 

Sky 1/Hewland / x30m-e / 1997-continuing

Creator: Jane Hewland / Idea: David Hill / Theme Music: Phil Bindus, Simon Moore / Script Editor: Paula Currie / Producer: Cameron McCallister

Twice weekly sporting drama series. The ups and downs of a group of young footballers at a Midlands Premier league club.

With:- JOHN SALTHOUSE as Frank Patcham / DARREN MORFITT as Dean(97-98) / KATE FARRAH as Lucy / DAVID HUNT as Michael Jacobs / CLINTON KENYON as Warren Masters / MICHAEL LEGGE as Conor McCarthy / MICHAEL MELIA as Jerry Block / NATALIE ROBB as Lizzie Conlon / PAUL SWINNERTON / JIM ALEXANDER as Jamie Parker / ANGELA SAUNDERS as Tash Parker

A DRINK OUT OF THE BOTTLE

BBC2 (Sporting Tales) / 1x50m-e / 1971

Writer: Brian Glover / Producer: Innes Lloyd / Director: Paul Ciapessoni

Drama.

BBC / 1x / 1965 black and white

Writer: Leo Aylen / Director: Jonathon Miller 

Drama based on Plato's symposium about a senior tutor and his undergraduates. 

With:- LEO McKERN

DRIVEN

C4 / x30m / 2001-2002

Series Director: David Dehaney / Series Producer: Sara Brailsford

Magazine show about motoring. Presenters: Penny Mallory, Jason Plato, Mike Brewer

BBC / 8x50m-e / 1984

Writer: Paula Milne / Producer: Carol Robertson 

Drama series. Middle aged housewife Donna Hewitt sets her sights on becoming a motor racing driver.

With:- ROSEMARY MARTIN as Donna Hewitt / GAVIN RICHARDS as  Ken Lark / MARK HEWITT as Ray Hewitt / ANNE CARROLL as Jen Robinson / DONALD GEE as Mick Robinson

ATV / 16x30m-e / 1968

Creator: Peter Dacre / Producer: Cecil Petty

Drama series. A retired army major starts his own driving school.

With:- ANTHONY NEWLANDS as Major Alan Brock / MARGARET ASHCROFT as Pamela Brock / MOYRA FRASER as Mrs Armstrong / MARJIE LAWRENCE as Shirley Pickering / JOHN ABINERI as Simon Morris / SANDRA BRYANT as Julie Brock / TARN BASSETT as Brenda Paget / PAUL DAWKINS as Bill Walker / RICHARD EVERETT as Oliver Brock / JOAN PEART as Mrs Farrow / JOHN WREFORD as Phil Rogers

BBC1 / 1x90m-e 4x50m-e / 1997

Writer: Michael Chaplin / Producers: Ruth Caleb, Andy Dyer / Director: Tristam Powell 

Period drama serial. A group of 19th century Welsh cattle drivers make an epic journey to save their community.

With:- DAVID CALDER as Vaughan / GERALDINE JAMES as Ruth / FREDDIE JONES as Mac / RAY STEVENSON as Armstrong / EMMA FIELDING as Elizabeth / JOHN STANDING as Sir Huw

BBC / 1x90m-e / 1990

Writer: Leigh Jackson / Music: Hal Lindes / Producer: Susi Hush / Director: Colin Gregg

Drama. A script writer with marriage problems almost has a nervous breakdown.

With:- PAUL McGANN / PHOEBE NICHOLLS / ADRIAN DUNBAR / ARKIE WHITELY / ALFRED MOLINA

London Weekend Television / 10x60m-e / 1985

Creator: Reg Gadney / Executive Producer: Nick Elliot / Producer: Colin Tucker 

Period drama serial. The problems faced by the headmaster of a prep school in the 1950's.

With:- RICHARD PASCOE as George Drummond / ANTHONY CALF as Charles Drummond / ALAN CODY as Pip / EMILY MORGAN as Pauline Sykes / SHAUGHAN SEYMOUR as Christopher Fordham / HETTY BAYNES as Miranda Quinn

DRUMS ALONG THE AVON

BBC (The Wednesday Play) / 1x75m-e / Wednesday 24th May 1967 

Writer: Charles Wood / Director: James MacTaggart / Producer: Tony Garnett 

Excellent documentary- style comedy drama about the race problems affecting Britain at the time. Set in Bristol and featuring characters talking direct to camera. The action focused on Mr. Marcus, a white liberal, trying to promote racial harmony by 'becoming' a Sikh and a Muslim. Stuart Hood in The Spectator said "Leonard Rossiter, in the role of the black-faced coon who becomes a Sikh only to find that integration is not just a matter of sentiment and vague benevolence, gave a brilliantly-sustained performance." 

With:- LEONARD ROSSITER as Mr Marcus

BBC1 /  31x50m-e / 1976-77

Creator/Producer: John Hawkesworth / Music: Alexander Faris 

Period drama series. Edwardian cook Louisa Trotter determines to improve herself and eventually becomes the owner of her own hotel. Outspoken, hardworking Louisa Leyton is certainly a woman with ambition and, in London in the late 19th Century, she is ahead of  her time. Her goal is to be the best cook in England and the post of Assistant Cook under Chef de Cuisine Monsieur Alex in a distinguished household is just the start, a place to home her culinary skills to perfection and to learn the art of cooking for the rich. And learn she does, after some initial opposition from the hostile kitchen staff and the somewhat reticent Monsieur Alex himself. But it is when the chef is away on holiday that her chance really comes, as the master of the house orders a banquet fit for - the Prince of Wales. It is here that she comes to the Prince's personal notice. Her menu an unmitigated success, Louisa is delighted, confident that she is on the brink of culinary fame. Not even household butler Mr Trotter and his unwelcome romantic attentions or her mother's wish to marry her off to him, can spoil things. Then one Major Farjeon, personal confident to the Prince himself, requests to see her, to explain what royal patronage will really mean to a girl like her... 

With:- GEMMA JONES as Louisa Trotter / CHRISTOPHER CAZANOVE as Charles Tyrell /  JOHN WELSH as Merriman / VICTORIA PLUNCKNETT as Mary / JOHN CATER as Starr / RICHARD VERNON as Major Toby Smith-Barton

DUGGIE

ITV (Love Story) / 1x60m-e / 1966 12 July black and white

Writer: Robin Smyth / Producer: Pieter Rogers / Director: Alastair Reid

Romantic drama.

With:- JUDY PARFITT / RAY LONNEN / BERYL REID as Kate Reilly / ANGELA RICHARDS / IDA BARR  

DUMBER AND DUMBER 

Channel Five-Ealing / x30m-e / 2003

Executive Producer: Rob Moore / Producer: Victoria Bobin

Tommy Vance and Jasmine Lowson present a show looking at how stupid people are. There were an awful lot of Americans in this 
clip driven show. 

ATV / 1x75m-e / 1977 9 November

Writer: Hugh Whitemore / Producer/Director: Franc Roddam 

Drama. A young deaf girl finds herself accused of manslaughter.

With:- GERALDINE JAMES as Sandra  

DUNKIRK

BBC2 / 3x60m / 18-20 February 2004

Writers: Neil McKay, Lisa Osborne, Alex Holmes / Director: Alex Holmes / Producer: Rob Warr

Dramatisation of the historic maritime evacuation in 1940. Narrated by Timothy Dalton.

With:- SIMON RUSSELL BEALE as Winston Churchill / CLIVE BRUNT as Private Alf Tombs / PHIL CORNWELL as Harry Noakes / BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH as Lt Langley

BBC / 1x70m-e / 1987

Writer: Colin MacDonald / Music: Dick Gaughan / Director: Moira Armstrong 

Drama. An elderly Scottish activist living in a rest home decides to embark on a hunger strike when the kitchen are made redundant.

With:- RUSSELL HUNTER / ELIZABETH SELLERS / THORLEY WALTERS / HUGH LLOYD / SIOBHAN REDMOND / DAVID RINTOUL

BBC1 / 1x30m-e / 1990 23 Dec - Sun 10.05pm

Writers: Alastair Beaton, John Wells / Producer: Jon Blair / Director: Richard Boden 

Fantasy comedy. In the future ex prime minister Margaret Thatcher contemplates retirement.

With:- ANGELA THORNE as Margaret Thatcher / JOHN WELLS as Denis Thatcher / OWEN BRENMAN as Mark Thatcher / HILARY GISH as Carol Thatcher / KENNETH CRANHAM as Kneecap / LIZ SMITH as Mrs Trodd / JOHN CATER as Vicar

LWT / 1x90m-e / 1985

Writer: William Boyd / Producer: Sue Birtwhistle / Director: Giles Foster 

Comedy drama. A group of rather old looking public schoolboys go on a Hockey tour of Holland.

With:- TIMOTHY SPALL as Lyndon / COLIN FIRTH as Truelove/ BILL PATERSON as Mole / JAMES WILBY as Dundine / DANIEL CHATTO as Fforde / ROBERT ADDIE as Cone / MICHAEL PARKHOUSE as Roote / ADRIAN LUKIS as Murray / JOHN WELLS as Headmaster

DUSTY

BBC1 / x30m-e / 1966-67 (Aug-Sep 66 and Aug - Sep 67)

Producer: Stanley Dorfman

A variety showcase for Britain's premier female singer of the sixties Dusty Springfield with many guests including Tom Jones and Jose Feliciano.

YTV/Tyne Tees/Portman / 3x60m-e / 1995

Writer: Gordon Hann / Novel: Catherine Cookson / Producer: Ray Marshall / Director: Gavin Miller / Design: Ash Wilkinson / Music: Colin Towns / Costume: Shuna Harwood / Cam: John Hooper

Period drama serial. In 1830's Northumberland 16 year old Cissie Brodie is forced to bring up her five younger siblings alone following the death of their parents. 

With:- TRACEY WHITWELL as Cissie Brodie / JAMES FOX as Lord Fischel / EDWARD RAWLE-HICKS as Clive Fischel / RAY STEVENSON as Matthew Turnbull / LUCY COHU as Isabelle Fischel / PHILIP VOSS as Cunningham / JULIE HESMONDHALGH as Rose Watson / SHERI SHEPSTONE as Nancy Turnbull

ITV / 1x120m-e / 1994

Writer: Hossein Amini / Producer/Director: Peter Kosminsky 

Drama. The true story of the brutal murder of 28 year old Unicef volunteer Sean Devereaux in Somalia in 1993.

With:- GEORGE ASPREY as Sean Devereaux / MAGGIE O'NEILL as Caroline Tanner / TODD BOYCE as Mike Emery / FRANK GRIMES as Dermot Devereaux / PHILOMENA McDONAGH as Maureen Devereaux / JAMES GADDAS as Terry Lewis

BBC / 1x120m-e / 1978

Period drama. The last days in the life of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas.

With:- RONALD LACEY / GAYLE HUNNICUTT

BBC2 'Horizon' /  1967 black and white

Writer/Producer: Leo Aylen 

A special period drama made for the Horizon science strand and covering the discovery of electricity.

With:- IAN RICHARDSON as Michael Faraday / RICHARD BEBB as Sir Humphrey Davy

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