CROWN COURT
UK / ITV Network - Granada / 879x30 minute episodes / 1972-84
Crime drama series. A court case presented at Fulchester Crown Court over three half hours episodes shown over the course of a week.
Crown Court was part of ITV's first afternoon schedule and was immediately popular with its often quite hard hitting stories which ranged across everything from Murder to theft to drug dealing as well as more esoteric fare such as breaching the official secrets act and malpractice. There was one three parter Heart to Heart that has never been broadcast but all episodes are still in existance.
Hundreds of famous actors appeared either as members of the court or among those accused. At the time of course many of these names were not well known at all, everyone from Pauline Quirke, Nigel Havers, Derek Griffiths, John Le Mesurier, Arthur English, Michael Elphick, Connie Booth, Bob Hoskins, Ben Kingsley, Jack Shepherd and Fulton Mackay. William Mervyn often appeared as a judge and Terrence Hardiman also made regular appearances as prosecuting council.
The jury was made up of members of the public (albeit the foreman who had a speaking role was an actor) and it was their decision whether the accused was found guilty or not guilty which meant different endings had to be filmed for each case.
Incidentally the memorable closing theme tune, Distant Hills, appeared as the B-Side to the single version of Van Der Valk by The Simon Park Orchestra. The opening theme
was actually a different tune and was equally memorable and was an excerpt from the 4th Movement of the Sinfonietta by Janáček.
THE EPISODES (All 3 Part story unless indicated otherwise)
DOCTOR'S NEGLECT (11-13 October 1972)
LIEBERMAN V SAVAGE (18-20 October 1972)
REGINA V LORD (25-27 October 1972)
REGINA V BRYANT (1-3 November 1972)
REGINA V WEBB (8-10 November 1972)
REGINA V VENNINGS AND VENNINGS (15-17 November 1972)
THE ELEVENTH COMMANDMENT (22-24 November 1972)
REGINA V BOLTON (29 November - 1 December 1972)
ESPIONAGE (6-8 December 1972)
REGINA V LUCKHURST AND SAWYER (13-15 December 1972)
WHO IS BENEDETTO TROVATO? - REGINA V STARKIE (20-22 December 1972)
CRIMINAL LIBEL - REGINA V MAITLAND (27-29 December 1972)
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GEORGE ROBINS? REGINA V BARNES (3-5 January 1973)
BLACKMAIL REGINA V BREWER AND BREWER (10-12 January 1973)
SUNSET OF ARMS FITTON V PUSEY(17-19 January 1973)
PERSIMMONS AND DISHWASHERS REGINA v CURL (Broadcast 24-26 January 1973)
A PUBLIC MISCHIEF REGINA V BAKER AND CRAWLEY (Broadcast 31 January - 2 February 1973)
PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST KINSLEY V MESSITER (Broadcast 7-9 February 1973)
CRIME IN PRISON REGINA V AGER AND LANIGAN (Broadcast 14-16 February 1973)
INFANTICIDE OR MURDER (Broadcast 21-23 February 1973)
ACT OF VENGEANCE REGINA V COLLINGS (Broadcast 28 February - 2 March 1973)
REGINA V MARLOW (7-9 March 1973)
THE MUGGING OF ARTHUR SIMMONS (14-16 March 1973)
LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR (21-23 March 1973)
THE DEATH OF DRACULA (28-30 March 1973)
WISE CHILD (4-6 April 1973)
BEWARE OF THE DOG (11-13 April 1973)
THEFT BY NECESSITY (18 April 1973 - Single episode story)
THE GILDED CAGE (19-20 April 1973 - A 2 part story)
CREDIBILITY GAP (25-27 April 1973)
THE LONG HAIRED LEFTIE (2-4 May 1073)
INTENT TO KILL (9-11 May 1973)
THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL (16-18 May 1973)
A VIEW TO MATRIMONY (23-25 May 1973)
SETTLING A SCORE (30 May - 1 June 1973)
TO CATCH A THIEF (6-8 June 1973)
PATCH'S PATCH (13-15 June 1973)
WHO WAS KATE GREER? (20-22 June 1973)
A RIGHT TO LIFE (27-29 June 1973)
THE INNER CIRCLE (4-6 July 1973)
THE BLACK POPLAR (11-13 July 1973)
THE OPEN INVITATION (18-20 July 1973)
BEGGAR ON HORSEBACK (25-27 July 1973)
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