Period drama series. During World War II a group of US Eighth Air Force 525th Bomb Group air crew and pilots are stationed in the small Suffolk town of Market Wetherby much to the initial distrust of its older inhabitants and the delight of its younger female ones.

REGULAR CAST

SUSANNAH YORK as Helen Dereham / RONALD HINES as Ronald Dereham / MICHAEL J. SHANNON as Major James Kiley / RAY SMITH as Albert Mundy / PATRICK O'CONNELL as Jack Blair / JUNE BARRY as Vera Mundy / JORIS STUYCK as M/Sgt Chuck Ericson / LISE ANN McLAUGHLIN as Patricia Dereham / PATRICK PEARSON as Peter Mundy / NATALIE OGLE as Letty Mundy / LYNNE PEARSON as Rosie Blair / KATHRYN POGSON as Vi Blair / ED DEVEREAUX as Colonel Rufus Krasnowici / GAVAN O'HERLIHY as Captain Red Burwash / DAVID BAXT as Sgt Mario Bottone / JAMES SAXON as Sgt Elmer Jones / TIMOTHY STETSON as Sgt Danny Coogan / JOHN ARTHUR as Lt Herman Krotnik / LOU HIRSCH as Sgt Hymie Stutz / CHRISTOPHER MALCOLM as M/Sgt Mac MacGraw / CAROLYN PICKLES as Sally Bilton

PRODUCTION DETAILS

Creator: David Butler / Music: Denis King / Script Editor: David Crane / Costume: Sue Thomson, Frances Haggett / Producer: Tony Wharmby

UK / London Weekend Television / 1x90m-e 12x60m-e / 1982 19 February - 14 May

ONE SEASON

13  Episodes /1x90m-e 12x60m-e / 1982 19 February - 14 May

1. ALL DAY AND EVERY DAY

WRITER: David Crane

The residents of the small Suffolk town of Market Wetherby await the arrival of a group of Yanks, the Eighth Air Force 525th Bomb Group. The older residents are wary but the young girls of the town can't wait to get to know the airmen better.

With:- SUSAN ENGEL as Phyllis Lambourn / RICHARD LE PARMINTER as Captain Lester Carson / STUART MILLIGAN as Pilot / MAX HARVEY as Ist Lt / ALAN WESTLAKE as Sgt Santorini / ROBERT GARY as 1st Sgt / NIGEL McLAUCHLAN / MICHAEL WATKINS as 3rd Sgt

DIRECTOR: Tony Wharmby

2. HANDS ACROSS THE SEA

WRITER: David Butler

Danny is in hospital in critical condition. Major Kiley and local bigwig Helen Dereham cross swords when Letty accuses one of the G.I.'s of assault.

With:- GILLIAN PHELPS as Sister Dickson / ALISON ELLIOTT as Nurse Ann Weston / MELANIE HUGHES as Mary / JOHN BLEASDALE as Charlie /  GRAHAM CULL as Corporal / MICHAEL TURNER as Police Sergeant Wilson / NIGEL McLAUGHLAN as M.P. Sergeant / STURAT MILLIGAN as Hardwick R/T Voice / HOLLY WATSON as Betty Bilton / SAM DORAN as William Bilton

DIRECTOR: Christopher Hodson

3. THE MILK RUN

WRITER: David Butler

Letty tells her brother she is pregnant but tragedy awaits her when her G.I. boyfriend Harvey is killed whilst on a mission.

With:- JULIA McCARTHY as Ruby Bilton / HOLLY WATSON as Betty Bilton / SAM DORAN as William Bilton / STUART WILSON as Sid Davis / PAM ST CLEMENT as Elsie / RICHARD LE PARMINTER as Captain Lester Carson

4. ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK

WRITER: David Butler

Major Kiley is ordered to get into the good books of Helen Dereham and soon finds himself  charming the locals at a dinner party. Mario is getting in deep with Sid the Spiv and M/Sgt Mac MacGraw is getting friendly with the married Sally Bilton. Meanwhile relations between the 'yanks' and the English soldiers are getting increasingly fractious.

With:- STUART WILSON as Sid Davis / SUSAN ENGEL as Phyllis Lambourn / JULIA McCARTHY as Ruby Bilton / HOLLY WATSON as Betty Bilton / JOHN BLEASDALE as Charlie / GRAHAM CULL  as Corporal / PETER HOWELL as Colonel Riggs-Danby / HILARY WONTNER as Sir Arthur Maylie / ROGER OSTIME as Mr Powell / PHILLADA SEWELL as Mrs Troughton

DIRECTOR: Tony Wharmby

5. THE BIG ONE

WRITER: David Butler

Even with her husband home and a wheelchair bound cripple following a direct hit on his tank, Helen Dereham is finding it difficult to disguise her feelings for Major Kiley. Sally's husband has been apparently killed and Mac offers her his shoulder to cry on. Meanwhile at an Independance Day dance the American and English soldiers kiss and make up.

With:- STUART WILSON as Sid Davis / JULIA McCARTHY as Ruby Bilton / HOLY WATSON as Betty Bilton / SAM DORAN as William Bilton / RICHARD LE PARMINTER as Captain Lester Carson / JOHN BLEASDALE as Charlie / GRAHAM CULL as Corporal / GILLIAN PHELPS as Sister Dickson / KAREN DE BEAUFORT as Mario's Partner

DIRECTOR: John Reardon

6. UP THE SMOKE

WRITER: David Crane

The Americans have been suffering heavy losses but some of the boys take a trip to London to recuperate. Kiley and Helen take the final step towards an affair and Sid is in deep trouble.

With:- STUART WILSON as Sid Davis / JILL BAKER as Mavis / CHRISTINA JONES as Dolly / MARTIN FRIEND as Hotel Barman / GREG POWELL as 1st Seaman / GRAEME CROWTHER as 2nd Seaman / TIP as 3rd Seaman 

DIRECTOR: Peter Cregeen

7. FIGHTING MEN

WRITER: David Crane

Hymie and Elmer have a major falling out over Rosie the pub landlords daughter and preparations are getting underway for Chuck and Vi's wedding. Letty is working hard to keep her pregnancy secret from her father and Sally gets a shock when her apparently dead husband turns up.

With:- STUART WILSON as Sid Davis / DAVID SADGROVE as Stan Bilton / SAM DORAN as William Bilton / MADELEINE CHRISTIE as Nanny / LEON EAGLES as Detective Sergeant Roberts

DIRECTOR: Christopher Hodson

8. A WING AND A PRAYER

WRITER: John Gorrie

Vi and Chuck get married but their happiness is short lived when on Chuck's next mission his plane is hit, Chuck is forced to bail out over Germany and Mario is killed.

With:- DAVID SADGROVE as Stan Bilton / LEON EAGLES as Detective Sergeant Roberts / DENNIS EDWARDS as Vicar / ROBERT SWALES as M.P. / DIKRAN TULAINE as Sergeant / MAC MACDONALD as Flight Controller

DIRECTOR: Tony Wharmby

9. YOU'LL NEVER KNOW

WRITER: John Gorrie

Pat Dereham tells her father that her mother is having an affair with Major Kiley. Stan Bilton has walked out on Sally but Mac is unsure whether to restart their affair.

With:- HOLLY WATSON as Betty Bilton / MADELEINE CHRISTIE as Nanny / GILLIAN PHELPS as Sister / ROBERT GRAY as American Sergeant / IAN TYLER as Sergeant Billy Colvero

DIRECTOR: Christopher Hodson

10. OLD ENOUGH TO FIGHT

WRITER: John Gorrie

Peter Mundy will soon be old enough to join up but his father would sooner be the one to go. Elmer bets new boy Billy that he won't 'make it' with Rosie. Major Kiley has agreed with Ronald Dereham that he won't see Helen again.

With:-  MADELEINE CHRISTIE as Nanny / GILLIAN PHELPS as Sister Dickson / DEBORAH MacLAREN as Nurse Tully / DANIEL WEBB as Young Recruit / NEVILLE BARBER as Recruiting Official / ROBERT GRAY as American Sergeant / IAN TYLER as Sgt Billy Colvero

DIRECTOR: Tony Wharmby

11. ONE DAY AT A TIME

WRITER: John Gorrie

Vi thinks she may be pregnant, Sgt Billy Colvero may have to be sent home to America after the authorities discover he is only sixteen but Elmer arranges to sneak Rosie into the base for one last meeting. Meanwhile Peter Mundy joins up.

With:- JULIA McCARTHY as Ruby Bilton / HOLLY WATSON as Betty Bilton / SAM DORAN as William Bilton / IAN TYLER as Sgt Billy Colvero / RICHARD LE PARMINTER as Captain Lester Carson / MICHAEL JOHN PALLIOTTI as Lt Walter Leroy / GILLIAN PHELPS as Sister Dickson / CHRISTOPHER HOLMES as Waist Gunner 

DIRECTOR: Christopher Hodson

12. EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES

WRITER: David Butler

After taking part in a mission Jim Kiley has been shot and his life hangs in the balance. Stan Bilton has been killed on active service and his mother blames Mac and Sally. Meanwhile Elmer and Hymie get Peter drunk on a night out.

With:- JULIA McCARTHY as Ruby Bilton / HOLLY WATSON as Betty Bilton / MADELEINE CHRISTIE as Nanny / GILLIAN PHELPS as Sister Dickson / DEBORAH MacLAREN as Nurse Tully / RICHARD LE PARMINTER as Captain Lester Carson / MICHAEL JOHN PALIOTTI as Lt Walter Leroy / KEVIN McNALLY as Pfc John Wyatt

DIRECTOR: Tony Wharmby

13. THE END OF THE BEGINNING

WRITER: David Butler

Kiley tells Helen that after the war is over he wants to marry her; Peter officially joins the army after turning eighteen; Stan Bilton's mother 'kidnaps' Sally's children Betty and William but Mac comes to the rescue. Letty goes into premature labour following an argument with her mother while after a gap of two months Chuck Ericson turns up alive and well.

With:- JULIA McCARTHY as Ruby Bilton / HOLLY WATSON as Betty Bilton / SAM DORAN as William Bilton / JOHN BLEASDALE as Charlie / MADELEINE CHRISTIE as Nanny / GILLIAN PHELPS as Sister Dickson / WALTER SPARROW as Bus Driver / KEVIN McNALLY as Pfc John Wyatt

DIRECTOR: Tony Wharmby