Oil Strike North (BBC-1 1975, Nigel Davenport, Angela Douglas)

Oil Strike North was a drama series with action adventure overtones detailing life for the men who work for international oil company Triumph Oil. Like Gerard Glaister’s other shows such as The Troubleshooters the action was concerned both with the boardroom and the worker.

At the start of the series the company has just three months worth of Government concessions left but it looks like Oil may be about to strike.

Lead character was Drilling Superintendent Frank Ward and it was his troubled relationship with his wife Julie that provided much of the dramatic thrust.

production details
UK / BBC-1 / 13×60 minute episodes / Broadcast 26 August – 18 November 1975

Creators: Gerard Glaister, N.J. Crisp, Tom Veitch, Joan Veitch / Producer: Gerard Glaister

cast
Nigel Davenport as Operations Area Manager Jim Fraser
Michael Whitney as Frank Ward
Angela Douglas as Julie Ward
Andrew Robertson as Donald Cameron
Angela Cheyne as Shona Cameron
Glyn Owen as Jack Mullery
Callum Mill as Angus Gallacher
Barbara Shelley as Elaine Smythe
Richard Hurndall as Charles Wayman
Maurice Roeves as McGraw

THE EPISODES
1. Deadline (26 Aug 75)
2. Quiet Day (2 Sep 75)
3. Storm Clouds (9 Sep 75)
4. First Lion (16 Sep 75)
5. The Decision (23 Sep 75)
6. The Floating Bomb (30 Sep 75)
7. It Depends Where You Stand (7 Oct 75)
8. Shore Leave (14 Oct 75)
9. Workhorse (21 Oct 75)
10. Time of Hazard (28 Oct 75)
11. Headhunters (4 Nov 75)
12. The Fatal Hours Part 1 (11 Nov 75)
13. The Fatal Hours Part 2 (18 Nov 75)