Man At The Top: Living Like A Lord (ITV 1972, Robert Beatty)

In Living Like A Lord Joe has really cemented his position as Sir George’s right hand man and is now driving the Rolls Royce that has been his goal for some time. He and Susan have been invited to spend the weekend with Lord Belmont who is really the power behind the throne at Hudson Holdings. Belmont makes it clear to Joe that he wants Sir George to step down from the Chairmanship and that he wants his brother Donald to take over the reigns. Thanks to some arch manipulation of the situation by Joe he manages to get what Belmont wants.

Some real manouvering by Joe sees Sir George out and Donald in and Joe’s stock rising ever higher, all without leaving the stately home he is spending the weekend and also managing to fit in an afternoon in bed with Donald’s girlfriend.

Susan is rather smitten by Belmont’s son James who is played by Jonathan Newth another actor who would go on to a prominent role in The Brothers – indeed it is easy to see why the creators of that show could see an audience for their own idea, it is cut very much from the same cloth as Man At The Top, especially in terms of its dynamic between characters. Cult TV fans should watch out too for the appearance of Annette Andre much loved for her role in Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased).

production details
UK | ITV Network – Thames

RUNNING TIME: 60 minutes | AIRDATE: 28 July 1972

WRITERS: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley | DIRECTOR: Derek Bennett

Series Two Episode Ten

cast
KENNETH HAIGH as Joe Lampton
ZENA WALKER as Susan
ROBERT BEATTY as Sir George Hudson
PAUL MAXWELL as Donald Hudson
RICHARD VERNON as Lord Belmont
NORA SWINBURNE as Lady Belmont
JONATHAN NEWTH as Hon. James Belmont
ANNETTE ANDRE as Tricia Kennedy
ROBERT GRANGE as Simon Hogarth
HUGH MORTON as Parsons