Memorable TV

UK TV - THE SHADOW OF A GUNMAN to THE SHILLINGBURY TALES

THE SHADOW OF A GUNMAN

BBC2  'Performance' / 1x100m-e / 1995

Writer: Sean O' Casey / Producers: Robert Cooper, Simon Curtis / Director: Nye Heron 

Period drama. In the early part of the 20th century a young girl mistakes a dreaming poet for an on the run IRA gunman.

Donal Davoren.................................. KENNETH BRANAGH

Seaumas Shields............................. STEPHEN REA

Minnie Powell.................................. BRONAGH GALLAGHER

The Landlord................................... JAMES ELLIS

Adolphus Grigson............................ JOHN KAVANAGH

Mrs Grigson.................................... RUTH McCABE

Anglia / 1x60m-e / 1964 black and white

Writer: Maurice McGloughlin / Design: Reece Pemberton / Producer: George More O'Ferrall  

Drama. The father of a public schoolgirl in South Africa is desperate to avoid a scandal when his daughter is under the threat of expulsion.

With:- ANNA NEAGLE

BBC / 1972

Period drama. In the 15th Century ruthless Henry VII thwarts the challenges of numerous pretenders to his throne.

BBC / 1x75m-e / 1987

Writer: David Kane / Producer: David M. Thompson / Director: Chris Bernard 

Period comedy drama. In 1961 Scotland with the space race at the height of public interest, a young lad becomes convinced that is next door neighbour is an alien.

With:- SHEILA GRIER / BILLY HARTMAN / ANDREW DALLMEYER / SAM HICKMAN / CRAIG SMITH

LWT / 2x120m-e / 1988

Writer: Alan Scott / Director: Tony Richardson 

Period drama serial. The true story of Beryl Markham, the first British woman to fly solo to America.

With:- STEFANIE POWERS as Beryl Markham / CLAIRE BLOOM / PETER BOWLES / TREVOR EVE / NICOLA PAGETT / TIMOTHY WEST

BBC / 1959 black and white

Writer: Robert Ardrey 

Drama. Life for a group of Hungarians under communist rule.

With:- DAME PEGGY ASHCROFT

BBC 'Play For Today' / 1x75m-e / 1980

Writer: Derek Mahon / Novel: Jennifer Johnson / Producer: Kenith Trodd / Director: Jim O'Brien

Drama. An eleven year old boy living in the Catholic part of Londonderry has problems.

With:- MACRAE CLARK

THE SHADOWS SHOW

ATV / x30m-e / 1962

Producer: Dicky Leeman

Variety series headlined by the then very popular shadows, probably best known for their instrumental hits and for being Cliff Richard's backing band.

Associated-Rediffusion-Granada / x30m-e / 1957-59

Producer: Barry Baker 

Crime drama series. Cases of two private detectives.

Vic Steele.......................................... REX GARNER

Don Carter......................................... PETER WILLIAMS

Mrs Moggs........................................ KATHLEEN BOUTALL

Ginger Smart..................................... GEORGE MOON

BBC1 'Ghosts' / 1x50m-e / 1995

Writer: Monique Charlesworth / Director: Carol Wiseman 

Period spooky drama. In the twenties a young student nurse finds herself caring for the ill wife of a charismatic surgeon, but the day nurse has a grim warning for her. 

Dr Evans/ Mr Maradick...................... TIM PIGGOTT-SMITH

Maureen/Young Margaret.................. GEORGINA CATES

Mrs Maradick................................... CHERYL CAMPBELL

Mrs Amberson................................. JULIA McKENZIE

Nurse Angela................................... LIZ CROWTHER

Dottie.............................................. PERDITA WEEKS

BBC 'Play for Today' / 1x70m-e / 1974

Writer: Peter Terson / Producer: David Rose 

Comedy drama. Three miners go on a barge holiday to Stratford- Upon-Avon. The same three characters also appeared in the Fishing Party. 

SHAKESPEARE RE-TOLD

BBC1 / 4x90 minute episodes / 2005 (7-28 November) 

A quartet of modern day re-tellings of Shakespeare dramas, the four productions were Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth, The Taming of the Shrew and A Midsummer Nights Dream. The casts were high profiles and included the likes of Keeley Hawes, Sarah Parish, Billie Piper, Rufus Sewell, Stephen Tompkinson, Twiggy Lawson, Bill Paterson and JOhnny Vegas. You can find a full run down in our episode guide here. 

BBC 'Frankie Howerd In..' / 1x30m-e / 1959 28 January - Wednesday 8.40pm

Writer: Reuben Ship, Phil Sharp / Producer: Eric Miller 

Comedy. A shop assistant has ambitions of becoming a Shakesperian actor.

Frankie.............................................. FRANKIE HOWERD

Channel 4-ETC (Bunch of Fives) / 1x30m-e / 1992 24 Jun - Wed 10.30pm

Writer: Timothy Keen / Producer: Esta Charkham / Director: John Henderson 

Comedy. A young man develops an obsession for funerals.

Herbert Alcock................................... GWILYM COX

Mrs Alcock........................................ ROSEMARY LEACH

Gran................................................. BERYL REID

Hedley.............................................. MICHAEL TROUGHTON

Mr Strathclyde................................... FRANCIS MATTHEWS

SHAMELESS

Channel 4 / 33x60m 1x90m / started 13 January 2004
Writer: Paul Abbott / Director: Mark Mylod / Producer: Emma Burge

The Gallagher family live on a Manchester housing estate with the eldest daughter, Fiona, looking after the family with little or no help from Frank, their layabout father. A 90 minute Christmas special was broadcast 23 December 2004. 

With:- DAVID THRELFALL as Frank Gallagher / ANNE-MARIE DUFF as Fiona Gallagher / JODY LATHAM as Philip Gallagher / GERARD KEARNS as Ian Gallagher / JAMES McAVOY as Steve / MAXINE PEAKE as Veronica / DEAN LENNOX KELLY as Kev / MAGGIE O'NEILL as Sheila Jackson / REBECCA ATKINSON as Karen Jackson

BBC 'Comedy Playhouse' / 1x30m-e / 1963 19 October - Saturday 9.45pm

Writer: Johnny Speight / Producer: Philip Barker 

Comedy. Dermot is a London born Irishman who hates everything about England but has never even been to the 'Old Country'.

Dermot................................................ DERMOT KELLY

Woman............................................... KATHLEEN HARRISON

'Coloured Boy'..................................... THOMAS BAPTISTE

Man in Labour Exchange..................... ARTHUR MULLARD

First Irishman..................................... ALAN SIMPSON

Second Irishman................................ TONY DOYLE

ITV / 4x90m-e / 1996

Writer: Guy Jenkin / Producer: Bill Shapter 

Crime drama series. Cases of tough no nonsense, hard boiled private detective Nick Sharman. The character was first seen in a pilot called The Turnaround.

Nick Sharman.................................. CLIVE OWEN

Judith.............................................. ISABELLA MARSH

Central-Celtic- Picture Partnership / 14x120m-e / 1993-97 and 2006

Creator: Bernard Cornwell / Producer: Malcolm Craddock, Simon Lewis, Chris Burt / Titles: Baxter Hobbins Sides / Technical Advisor: Richard Moore / Music: Dominic Muldowney, John Tams / Executive Producer: Ted Childs, Muir Sutherland

Period action adventure series. Officer Richard Sharpe works his way up through the ranks during the Napoleonic Wars. Filmed mainly in the Crimea and Portugal. After a 9 year gap Sean Bean revived the character for a one off 2 parter called Sharpe's Challenge (ITV1 / 2x90m / 23 and 24 April 2006 )

cast

SEAN BEAN as Richard Sharpe / DARAGH O'MALLEY as Harper / MICHAEL MEARS as Cooper / JOHN TAMS as Hagman / JASON SALKEY as Harris 

BBC1 / 8x50m-e / 1991 12 April - 31 May / Friday 9.30pm

Writer: Roy Clarke / Producer: Fiona Finlay 

Comedy drama series. When her father dies, Celia Forrest takes over the running of his debt collecting agency. 

Celia Forrest...................................... GWEN TAYLOR

Carmichael........................................ JAMES COSMO

Andy Barras...................................... PHILIP MARTIN BROWN

Celia's Mother................................... CLARE KELLY

Wendy Forrest.................................. RACHEL EGAN

Crystal............................................. GAYNOR FAYE

LWT / 6x60m-e / 1977

Producer: Paul Knight / Theme Music: Charles Aznavour 

An anthology series of romantic dramas.

BBC / 1x80m-e / 1978

Writer: Tom Sharpe / Novel: Dornford Yates / Producer: Mark Shivas / Director: Clive Donner

Period action adventure. A Britishman in Europe finds himself ensnared in the machinations of an evil woman.

With:- MALCOLM McDOWELL / EILEEN ATKINS / MICHAEL JAYSTON / SARAH BADEL / FREDA JACKSON

BBC / 1x60m-e / 1972

Writer: John Elliott / Director: Alan Bridges 

Drama. The life of 19th century romantic poet Shelley but set in modern dress (i.e. 1972).

With:- ROBERT POWELL as Shelley / JENNY AGUTTER

BBC / 1x75m-e / 1985

Writer: Bill Morrison / Producer: Ruth Caleb / Director: Nigel Finch 

Thriller. A speculative account of what may have happened to the Aga Khan's racehorse in 1983.

With:- STEPHEN REA / NIALL TOBIN / DERMOT CROWLEY / JOE ERILLY

BBC / 6x40m-e / 1951 20 October - 1 December 

Crime drama series. Cases of the great Victorian detective and his faithful aide Doctor Watson.

Sherlock Holmes............................... ALAN WHEATLEY

Dr Watson........................................ RAYMOND FRANCIS

Insp Lestrade.................................... BILL OWEN

BBC1 / 12x50m-e / 1965 black and white

Producer: David Goddard 

Period crime drama series. Cases of the celebrated detective.

Sherlock Holmes............................... DOUGLAS WILMER

Dr Watson........................................ NIGEL STOCK

Mrs Hudson...................................... MARY HOLDER

Insp Lestrade.................................... PETER MADDEN

Mycroft Holmes................................. DEREK FRANCIS 

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CASE OF THE SILK STOCKING

BBC1 / 1x100m / 26 December 2004

Writer: Allan Cubitt / Director: Simon Cellan Jones / Producer: Elinor Day

Sherlock Holmes is called in to investigate following the murders of young debutante daughters of the aristocracy with each new victim found dressed in the previous victim's clothes. A brand new Holmes mystery not based on any of the Conan Doyle stories. Ian Hart reprises his role as Watson from BBC1's Hound of the Baskervilles adaptation in 2002 but the Holmes role is taken over by Rupert Everett.

With: RUPERT EVERETT as Sherlock Holmes / IAN HART as Dr John Watson / JONATHAN HYDE as George Pentney / ELEANOR DAVID as Mary Pentney / HELEN McCRORY as Mrs Vandeleur / NEIL DUDGEON as Inspector Lestrade / JULIAN WADHAM as Hugo Massingham / PENNY DOWNIE as Judith / PERDITA WEEKS as Roberta

BBC / 1x105m-e / 1989

Writer: Stephen Poliakoff / Director: Peter Hall

Drama. An elderly lady is released into the community after spending most of her life institutionalized.

With:- PEGGY ASHCROFT as Lillian / GERALDINE JAMES as Harriet / EDWARD FOX 

SHE'S GONE

ITV1 / 1x120m / 19 September 2004

Writer: Simon Tyrrell / Director: Adrian Shergold / Producer: Joshua St Johnston

Drama. Harry Sands' daughter goes missing while doing charity work in Turkey - but when Harry arrives to search for her he discovers she had actually been working as an exotic dancer in a night-club and his suspicions fall upon the club owner.

With:- RAY WINSTONE as Harry Sands / LINDSEY COULSON as Joanna Sands / GARY LUCY as Michael Sands / EMILY CORRIE as Manda / HALUK BILIGNIER as Inspector Yilmaz / KAYVAN NOVAK as Arto / REBECCA CLARKE as Olivia Sands

ITV / 6x60m-e / 1995

Writer: Lynda La Plante / Producer: Verity Lambert 

Thriller serial. Third part of the Widows trilogy, see also Widows. Dolly Rawlins is out of prison and determined to get her hands on the diamonds that led to her being 'banged up' in the first place.

Dolly Rawlins................................... ANN MITCHELL

Ester Freeman................................. LINDA MARLOWE

Gloria radford................................... MAUREEN SWEENEY

Julia Lawson.................................... ANNA PATRICK

Angela Dunn.................................... INDRA OVE

Audrey Withey................................. KATE WILLIAMS

ATV / 1x75m-e / 1980 Sunday 6 January

Writer: Francis Essex / Producer: Greg Smith / Director: Val Guest 

Comedy drama. A pop musician moves to a small village and gets involved with the running of the resident brass band. For the series that followed see the Shillingbury Tales (listed below).

Peter Higgins................................... ROBIN NEDWELL

Old Saltie........................................ TREVOR HOWARD

Jake............................................... JACK DOUGLAS

Sally............................................... DIANE KEEN

Harvey............................................ JOE BLACK

ATV / 6x60m-e / 1981 17 May - 21 June Sundays 7.15pm

Writer: Francis Essex / Producer: Criag Smith / Director: Val Guest  

Comedy drama series. Spin off from The Shillingbury Blowers (see above) with the series opening out to concentrate more on village life. There was also a further spin off called Cuffy. 

Peter Higgins.................................... ROBIN NEDWELL

Sally Higgins.................................... DIANE KEEN

Cuffy................................................ BERNARD CRIBBINS

Mandy............................................. LINDA HAYDEN

Major Langton.................................. LIONEL JEFFRIES

Harvey............................................. JOE BLACK

Rev Norris........................................ NIGEL LAMBERT

Jake................................................ JACK DOUGLAS

Marjorie Cavendish........................... MONA WASHBOURNE

Previous | Next