Memorable TV

UK TV - ROCKLIFFE'S FOLLY to RYAN INTERNATIONAL

ROCKLIFFE'S FOLLY

BBC1 / 9x50m-e / 1988

Creator: Richard O'Keefe / Producer: Ron Craddock 

Crime drama series. Spin off from Rockliffe's Babies. Alan Rockliffe, tired of London life, takes up a new post in rural Wessex. 

With:- IAN HOGG as Det Sgt Alan Rockliffe / JAMES AUBREY as Det Insp Derek Hoskins / CAROLE NIMMONS as WPC Sgt Rachel Osborne / AARON HARRIS as DC Paul Whitmore / IAN BRIMBLE as Insp Leslie Yaxley / ELIZABETH MORTON as WPC Hester Goswell

BBC1 / 1x60m-e / 1996 26 August - Monday 9.00pm

Writer: John Sullivan / Producer: Gareth Gwenlan / Director: Tony Dow 

Comedy. A pilot for the series (see below entry). Would be rock star Phil works for down at heel taxi firm Cresta Cabs, but is determined to hit the big time.

With:- NEIL MORRISSEY as Phil / LESLEY VICKERAGE as Chrissie / ROBERT DAWS as Sam / PIPPA GUARD as Reen / JOHN THOMSON as Barry / DAVID ROSS as Baz / SALLY DEXTER as Maddy Price / ANTHONY HEAD as Jimmy Price / TERENCE MAYNARD as Andre

BBC1 / 16x50m-e / 1998-99

Writer: John Sullivan / Producer: Gareth Gwenlan 

Comedy drama series. See also the 1996 pilot directly above. Sam, owner of Cresta Cabs, tries to keep his ailing company afloat despite the antics of his dodgy drivers. After a gap of four years the series returned for three more episodes (included in the above count). 

Sam.................................................... ROBERT DAWS

Reen................................................... PIPPA GUARD

Phil..................................................... PHILIP GLENISTER

Basil................................................... DAVID ROSS

Chrissie.............................................. HELEN GRACE

Tina.................................................... BARBARA DURKIN

Rajiv................................................... PAUL SHARMA

Henry................................................. JUDE AKUWUDIKE

Andre................................................. TERENCE MAYNARD

Cambridge.......................................... CHRIS LARKIN

Barry (Season 1)................................. JOHN THOMSON

Barry (Season 2)................................. JONATHAN MOORE

Marlon................................................ RICCI HARNETT

BBC-TCF / 1x95m-e / 1976 22 September

Writer: Frederic Raphael / Novel: Geoffrey Household / Producer: Mark Shivas / Director: Clive Donner 

Wartime drama. Just before the start of World War II an upper class Englishman hatches a plot to try and kill Hitler.

With:- PETER O'TOOLE as Sir Robert Hunter / JOHN STANDING / ALASTAIR SIM / HAROLD PINTER

Granada / 10x60m-e / 1968-69 Season 1:5 Feb - 26 Feb 68  Season 2: 10 May - 14 Jun 69

Writer: Peter Wildeblood 

An anthology series of plays set in the grimy cells of Newgate Prison.

ROGUE TRADERS

BBC1 / 8x30m-e / started 8 February 2002

Lifestyle show. Hidden cameras inside a house are used to expose the dodgy activities and techniques of cowboy workmen and pushy salesmen. Presented by Matt Allwright. 

BBC 'Objects of Affection' / 1x50m-e / 1982

Writer: Alan Bennett / Producer: Innes Lloyd / Director: Piers Haggard 

Comedy drama.

With:- JOHN BARRATT / PAT HEYWOOD / MAUREEN LIPMAN / DAVID THRELLFALL

Granada / 1x60m-e / 1971 

Writer: Colin Welland / Producer: Kenith Trodd / Director: Roy Battersby

Comedy drama. A young boy has problems adjusting to life at a tough comprehensive school.

With:- COLIN WELLAND / GEORGE A. COOPER / CLIVE SWIFT

Thames / 6x60m-e / 1977

Producer: Peter Duguid

An anthology series of adaptions of novels with a romantic theme, mostly by unknown writers from the Victorian era onwards.

Yorkshire TV / 1x96m-e / 1985

Writer: Jan Worthington / Producer: James Hay / Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark 

Romantic drama. A woman meets an old flame whilst travelling on the Orient Express.

With:- CHERYL LADD / STUART WILSON / JOHN GIELGUD / RENEE ASHERSON / RALPH MICHAEL / RUBY WAX / JULIAN SANDS 

ROME

BBC2 & HBO / 21x50m / started 2 November 2005 - 2007

Producer: Frank Doelger

Political intrigue and bitter rivalries are the backdrop for the story of two young Roman gladiators as they progress through the ranks and then into civilian life destined to rub shoulders with the rich and powerful of Roman society. NOTE: The BBC version was 11 episodes in length whilst the HBO was 12 episodes. This was because the original episode 3 had a shorter running length and so the BBC combined the events of the first 3 episodes and split them into just two parts.

With:- CIARAN HINDS as Julius Caesar / JAMES PUREFOY as Mark Anthony / KEVIN McKIDD as Lucius Vorenus / RAY STEVENSON as Titus Pullo / POLLY WALKER as Atia / KENNETH CRANHAM as Pomey Magnus / LINDSAY DUNCAN as Servilla / INDIRA VARMA as Niobe / KERRY CONDON as Octavia

BBC / 1x / 1954 black and white

Writer: William Shakespeare / Producer: Harold Clayton 

Period drama series. Star crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet have their lives touched by tragedy.

Juliet................................................... VIRGINIA McKENNA

Romeo............................................... TONY BRITTON

BBC2 'BBC Television Shakespeare' / 1x170m-e / 1978

Writer: William Shakespeare / Director: David Giles 

Period drama. The young Romeo and Juliet fall in love but tragedy awaits them.

With:- PATRICK RYECART as Romeo / REBECCA SAIRE as Juliet / CELIA JOHNSON as Nurse / JOHN GIELGUD as Chorus / MICHAEL HORDERN as Capulet / JOSPEH O'CONNOR as Friar Lawrence / LAURENCE NAISMITH as Prince Escalur / ALAN RICKMAN as Tybalt / ANTHONY ANDREWS as Mercutio / CHRISTOPHER STRAULI as Benvolio / JACQUELINE HILL as Lady Capulet / JOHN PAUL as Montague / PAUL HENRY as Peter 

Rediffusion / 6x30m-e / 1968  3 April - 8 May black and white

Writers: Alun Owen, Johnnie Mortimer & Brian Cooke, Hugh Leonard / Executive Producer: David Frost / Producer: Stella Tanner

Six one off comedy plays created specially for Ronnie Barker. See also Seven of One and Six Dates With Barker.

ATV / 1x60m-e / 1967 black and white

Writer: Peter Draper / Producer: Cecil Clarke / Director: Graham Evans  

Drama. Thanks to their infidelities a couple's marriage is on the verge of collapse.

With:- PETER BARKWORTH / JENNIFER HILARY / MOIRA REDMOND

A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN

BBC / 1x90m-e / 1990

Based on the writings of Virginia Woolf / Adapted By Patrick Garland / Producer: Bill Shepherd / Director: Patrick Garland

Simply staged in a lecture hall, Eileen Atkins portrays Virginia Woolf as she speaks to a group of students about the role of women in fiction and particularly the difficulties of being a woman artist. Virginia Woolf's thesis was that in order to write, "a woman must have money and a room of one's own."

ROOMS

Thames / x30m-e / 1974-77

Producer: Robert Banks Stewart

Afternoon drama series. Stories of the tenants of 35 Mafeking Terrace, a large Victorian house converted into bed sitters. Stewart said of the show "we churned out three episodes a week for a year and it was rather successful but Thames got tired of the weight of production". Landlady Dorothy and basement dwelling Clive were the two mainstays.

With:- Viv Burgess as Sally / Sylvia Kay as Dorothy / Bryan Marshall as Clive / Tessa Wyatt as Murial / John Duttine / Jan Francis 

BBC1 'Play of the Month' / 1x120m-e / 1973

Writer: Pauline Macauley / Novel: E.M. Forster / Producer: Cedric Messina / Director: Donald MacWhinnie 

Period drama. Lucy Honeychurch finds romance whilst travelling around Italy during the Edwardian era.

With:- JUDY GEESON as Lucy Honeychurch / CHARLES GRAY / ROBERT COOTE / TOM CHADBON / LALLY BOWERS

BBC / 1970 'Play of the Month'

A farce based on a play by Ben Travers.

With:- ARTHUR LOWE / MORAY WATSON

Yorkshire TV / 13x60m-e / 1968-69

Producer: Peter Willes 

An anthology series of dramas with a monetary theme.

Central-Aspect / 5x60m-e / 1992 17 May - 14 June Sundays 8.45pm

Writers: William Donaldson, Mark Chapman / Producers: Justin Judd, Mark Chapman / Director: Mark Chapman  

Comedy drama series. Highly opinionated Henry Root and his wife travel around Europe by car. Based on a series of funny books in which a character called Henry Root wrote bizarre letters to high profile personalities and politicians, which were then printed along with their replies.

With:- GEORGE COLE as Henry Root / PAT HEYWOOD as  Mrs Root

ROOTS

TV / 1992

Play: Arnold Wesker

Adaption of Arnold Wesker's play about family life in rural Norfolk

Cast Included:- PAM FERRIS as Ma Bryant / JANE HORROCKS as Beatie

Patrick Hamilton's murder thriller about two students killing one of their colleagues has been presented several times.

1. 1939 BBC with Ernest Milton, Oliver Burt,

2. 1947 BBC Producer: Stephen Harrison with Dirk Bogarde, David Markham

3. 1950 BBC Producer: Stephen Harrison with Peter Wyngarde, David Markham

4. 1953 BBC Producer: Stephen Harrison with Alan Wheatley, David Peel,

ABC 'Armchair Theatre' / 1x60m-e / 1961 black and white

Writer: Alun Owen / Design: Voytek / Producer: Sydney Newman / Director: Charles Jarrott 

Drama. A bizarre reworking of Beauty and the Beast.

With:- NATASHA PARRY / ANTHONY QUAYLE / HAROLD LANG / DUDLEY FOSTER / NAUNTON WAYNE / JOSEPH O'CONOR

BBC / 1x35m-e / 1946 27 August black and white 

Writer: J.B. Priestley / Producer: John Glyn Jones 

Drama set in the bar of a London pub.

With:- D.A. CLARKE-SMITH / MURIEL GEORGE / CARL BERNARD / MARK DIGNAM

ROSE AND MALONEY

ITV1 / 2x60m (pilot); 3x2x60m (series); 3x90m / 29-30 September 2002 (pilot); 2004-2005 (series started 5 July 2004)

Writer: Bryan Elsey / Director: Omar Madha (pilot) / Producer: Tom Grieves (Pilot) Catherine Wearing (series)

Rose Linden is an investigator for the Criminal Justice Review Agency whose stubborn single-mindedness in uncovering injustices often gets her into trouble with her superiors. Her mild-mannered partner Maloney prefers to work by-the-book but invariably finds himself led astray by Rose's methods. A pilot story was shown in 2002 with a series of two-part stories following in 2004. Maloney is only ever referred to by his surname but during the series he revealed that this was because his first name is "Marion". The second series which started 12 September 2005 ran to three 90 minute episodes. 

With:- SARAH LANCASHIRE as Rose Linden / PHIL DAVIS as Maloney / SUSAN BROWN as Wendy Sillery / NISHA NAYAR as Joyce

ROSEMARY AND THYME 

ITV1 / 1x120m-e 13x60m-e / 2003-2004 started 31 August 2003 

Writer: Clive Exton / Director: Brian Farnham / Producer: Brian Eastman 

Crime drama series. Horticultural pathologist Rosemary Boxer teams up with ex-policewoman Laura Thyme to help solve crimes that have connections with plants and gardening. 

With:- FELICITY KENDALL as Rosemary Boxer / PAM FERRIS as Laura Thyme

THE ROSEMARY CLOONEY SHOW

UK / ATV / x30m-e / 1961 black and white

Producer: Albert Locke

A variety series starring the popular American singer (and Aunt of George Clooney). Guests included the likes of Dave King and
the Jack Parnell Orchestra.

BBC / 1x / 1973 

Period drama. In 1665 250 Derbyshire villagers take the decision to isolate themselves and die alone of the plague rather than let it spread. 

ROUGH CUT

BBC2 / 8x30m-e / 1999 (24 October - 12 December / Sunday 12 Noon)

Titles: ISO / Music: Daniel Ibbotson / Executive Producer: May Miller / Producer: Pauline Law

Magazine. A film magazine show presented by Jayne Middlemiss and targeted at the under 30's. A different multiplex
was visited each week to get views of the paying film going public.

ROUGH TREATMENT

Meridian-World Production / 2x90m-e / 2000 28-29 May Sunday - Monday 9.00pm

Writers: Richard Maher, Julian Spilsbury / Camera: Dominic Clemence / Costume: Alison Munro / Design: Gillian Miles / Music: Nina Humphreys / Producer: Bill Shapter / Executive producer: Sophie Belhatchet / Director: Audrey Cooke

Drama serial. Soldier Eve Turner is raped by two of her fellow officers, after losing the subsequent court and experiencing a tragedy in her life Eve sets out to get her revenge.

With:- DANIELA NARDINI as Eve Turner / EDWARD ATTERTON as Nick Summerfield / DAVID BARK-JONES as Martin Fellowes / GREGOR TRUNTER as Andy Parkhurst / STEPHEN BOXER as Colonel Peter Moorcroft / BEN MILES as Paul Green / JOHN MURTAGH as James Turner / DELMA WALSH as Cathy Browning / FRANCESCA RYAN as Barbara Douglas QC / JOHN WARNABY as Tim Beecham QC 

ROUGHNECKS

BBC-First Choice / 1x90m-e 11x50m-e / 1994-95 

Creator: Kieran Prendiville / Producers: Charles Elton, Moira Williams 

Drama series. The lives on and off shore of the men and women working on the oil rig Osprey Explorer.

Tessa................................................. TERESA BANHAM

Tom................................................... JAMES COSMO

Ceefax............................................... COLUM CONVEY

Ian..................................................... PAUL COPLEY

Cinders.............................................. RICKY TOMLINSON

Chris.................................................. LIAM CUNNINGHAM

Heather.............................................. ASHLEY JENSON

Archie................................................ CLIVE RUSSELL

Drew.................................................. JOHN McGLYNN

BBC2 / 6x30m-e / 1984 25 June - 30 July Mondays 9.25pm

Writer: John Fortune / Producer: Ray Butt / Director: Peter Hammond 

Comedy drama series. 14 years in the life of Maureen, from 1958, as a young schoolgirl to 1972 as a divorcee falling in love again.

Maureen.......................................... BERNADETTE SHORT

Mum Stevens................................... EILEEN KENNALLY

Dad Stevens..................................... DAVE KING

Francis............................................ JAMES LISTER

ITV / 3x60m-e / 1998

Writer: T.R. Bowen / Novel: Catherine Cookson / Producer: Ray Marshall / Director: Alan Grint 

Period drama serial. During the 1950's Vanessa Ratcliffe ,a teenager from a wealthy family upsets the applecart by falling for the housekeepers son Angus Cotton.

Vanessa Ratcliffe............................. EMILIA FOX

Angus Cotton.................................. BEN MILES

Jane Ratcliffe.................................. JAN HARVEY

Jonathan Ratcliffe............................ KEITH BARRON

Arthur Brett.................................... DENIS LAWSON

Emily Cotton.................................. CATHERINE TERRIS

THE ROYAL

ITV1 / 45x60m / 2003-2007 started 19 January 2003

Producer: Ken Horn

Spin-off drama from HEARTBEAT set in a cottage hospital in Elsinby, a seaside town neighbouring Heartbeats Aidensfield, and set contemporary to that series in the 1960s. 

Claude Greengrass returned to the "Heartbeat" world as a regular character for a short while and occasional cameo crossovers with other current Heartbeat characters are seen. 

Season five brought a few changes with hospital director TJ Middleditch retiring and new man, full of ideas, Adam Carnegie, arrived. See our overview of season six. 

cast 
JULIAN OVENDEN as Dr David Cheriton / IAN CARMICHAEL as TJ Middleditch (to beginning of season five as a regular then occasional appearances ) / ROBERT DAWS as Dr Gordon Ormerod / WENDY CRAIG as Matron / MICHAEL STARKE as Ken Hopkirk / BILL MAYNARD as Claude Greengrass / DENIS LIL as Mr Rose / ROBERT CAVANAGH as Adam Carnegie (from season five) / PAUL FOX as Dr Jeff Goodwin (to season six) / KANANU KIRIMI as Dr Joan Makori 

BBC1 / 1x60m-e / 1996

Writer: Stanley Price / Director: Sheree Folkson 

Period drama. The true story from 200 years ago of the disastrous marriage between George, the Prince of Wales and Caroline of Brunswick.

Narrator........................................ IAN RICHARDSON

George,Prince of Wales................. RICHARD E. GRANT

Caroline, Princess of Wales........... SUSAN LYNCH

Lord Malmesbury.......................... MICHAEL KITCHEN

Lady Jersey.................................. FRANCES BARBER

Henry Brougham........................... DENIS LAWSON

BBC / x30m-e / 1957-58 black and white

Creators: Donald Wilson, Michael Voysey / Producer: Campbell Logan 

Drama series. Stories of the staff and guests at a luxurious London hotel.

With:- MARGARET LOCKWOOD as Mrs Mollie Miller / JOAN HICKSON / FERDY MAYNE / JULIA LOCKWOOD / RICHARD PEARSON / LANA MORRIS

BBC1 / 26x50m-e / 1964-65 black and white

Creator: N.J. Crisp / Theme Music: Ken Thorne / Producers: Andrew Osborn, John Robins  

Scifi drama series. Problems of a group of scientists at Research Centre No 3 at the Ministry of Research.

Sir Michael Gerrard......................... JOHN ROBINSON

Dr George Fratton........................... MOULTRIE KELSALL

Dr Richard Franklin......................... OLIVER REED

Miss Brooks.................................. BRENDA SAUNDERS

Dr May Howard.............................. ELIZABETH SELLARS

Pomeroy....................................... EDWIN RICHFIELD

Tom Collis..................................... DEREK BENFIELD

Dr Jack Morton.............................. SIMON LACK

BBC 'Sunday Night Theatre' / 1x / 1960 black and white

Writer: Alun Owen / Producer: John Jacobs 

Drama.

With:- JAMES BOOTH / PATRICK MAGEE / MARGARET D'ARCY / THOMAS HEATHCOTE

ITV / 1x60m-e / 1995

Writer: Geoff McQueen / Producer: Peter Norris / Director: Charles McDougall 

Crime drama. A newly formed Elite Crime Squad has to prove its worth. A pilot for a possible series that never emerged.

Cmdr Campbell Ferguson.................. CIARAN HINDS

Harriet Saunders............................... FRANCES BARBER

Moorhead......................................... DOUGLAS HODGE

Dawn Boll......................................... HOLLY AIRD

Preston............................................ NIGEL TERRY

Eric................................................. ANDREW SHOFIELD

 Thames / 46x60m-e 2x120m-e / 1978-92 (on & off)

Writer: John Mortimer / Producer: Lloyd Shirley 

Crime drama series. Cases of grumpy Barrister Horace Rumpole. Horace was somewhat under the thumb of his wife Hilda who he called 'She Who Must Be Obeyed' but always came into his once in the courtroom. The show started life as a 1975 Play for Today.

Horace Rumpole............................... LEO McKERN

Phyllida Trant................................... PATRICIA HODGE

Guthrie Featherstone........................ PETER BOWLES

Uncle Tom....................................... RICHARD MURDOCH

Hilda'She who must be Obeyed'..........PEGGY THORPE-BATES

Hilda(2)........................................... MARION MATHIE

Nick Rumpole.................................. DAVID YELLAND

Thames / 1x75m-e / 1974

Writer/Producer/Director: Mike Hodges 

Thriller. A journalist investigates when an MP is subjected to an attempt to discredit him.

With:- MICHAEL COLES / RONALD CLARKE / MARK BAXTER / JOYCE BLAIR

Universal / 1x100m-e / 1969

Writer: Trevor Wallace / Producer: Ian Lewis / Director: Gene Levitt 

Thriller. A man who has lost his memory is drawn into a complex plot involving a group of crooked businessmen.

With:- LOUIS JOURDAN / MARY TYLER MOORE / WILFRED HYDE WHITE / STANLEY HOLLOWAY / ALEXANDER KNOX / LAURENCE NAISMITH

BBC / 1x90m-e / 1988

Writer/Director: Douglas Livingstone 

Drama. Problems of a Welsh coastal village where the lifeboat crew is the main focus.

With:- STACY TENDETER / DAVID BURKE / CONSTANCE CHAPMAN / JOHN PICKARD / JEFF RAWLE / TENNIEL EVANS

CV-Peter Bowles / 1x75m-e / 1992

Writer: Simon Gray / Producer: Verity Lambert / Director: Udayan Prasad 

Drama. While travelling across London, an egotistical TV re-examines his life.

With:- PETER BOWLES / CAROLE NIMMONS / MICHAEL BYRNE / IAN McNIECE / RENEE ASHERSON

BBC1 / 2x75m-e / 1995 

Writer: Barry Devlin / Producer: Robert Cooper / Director: David Drury 

Thriller serial. A couple find themselves involved in a complex smuggling operation.

Mick Galligan.................................... PETER CAPALDI

Frances............................................ AISLING O'SULLIVAN

Ned Farrelly...................................... ANDREW CONNOLLY

Hanson............................................ MARSHALL BELL

Lee.................................................. EDWARD WILLEY

Sherensky........................................ CHRISTOPHER ROZYCKI

BBC / 1x25m-e / 1938 11 February black and white

Writer: Karel Capek / Costume: Mary Allan / Producer: Jan Bussell 

The very first science fiction play to be shown on British Television and detailing the adventures of a Robot. The title stood for Rossum's Universal Robots.

With:- HARVEY BRABAN / CHERRY COTTRELL / ANNIE ESMOND / LARRY SILVERSTONE / DEREK BOND 

RUSH  

C4 / 2x90m / 2001 and 2002

Writer/Director: Ray Harrison Graham / Producer: Hilary Durman

A pair of dramas about a group of deaf students in a mainstream college. Most of the conversations take place in sign-language with on-screen subtitles.

With:- JASON TAYLOR as Adam / SAMANTHA BAKER as Kelly / SARAH BEAUVOISON as Mel / JONNY NELSON as Nicky / DAVID ELLINGTON as Troy / DEEPA SHASTRI as Maya / MARC SMITH as Tony 

THE RUSS CONWAY SHOW

UK / ATV / x30m-e / 1961 black and white

Producer: Colin Clews

A variety series starring the popular pianist Russ Conway.

THE RUSSIAN BRIDE

ITV / ?x?? / 2001  (may have been 1 or 2 episodes long)  

Drama.

With:- LIA WILLIAMS / SHEILA HANCOCK

THE RUSSIAN SOLDIER

BBC2 / 1986

Writer: Brian Phelan / Director: Gavin Millar

Drama.

With:- PATRICK MALAHIDE as John Carter / WARREN CLARKE / JANE WOOD / JEROME FLYNN

See under Inspector Wexford for details of that entry. Also appearing under the Ruth Rendell  banner have been many individual & serial thrillers. See their individual entries for full details.

BBC1/ 10x50m-e / 1970 14 September - 16 November

Creator: Keiron Moore / Producer: Eric Price 

Action adventure series. Cases of a tough Paris based lawyer.

With:- KIERON MOORE as Ryan

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