Fallen Hero (ITV 1978, Del Henney, Wanda Ventham)

Drama series Fallen Hero came from the pen of the masterful Brian Finch who excelled at intricate family dramas during the 1970’s. The hero (or anti-hero really) is mid thirty something Gareth Hopkins a big star in the world of Rugby League whose career is cut short thanks to a devastating knee injury. He finds it supremely difficult to adjust to life out of the game and having to take on menial low paying jobs to make ends meet.

Worse still his marriage is crumbling, thanks in no small part to Hopkin’s numerous affairs and disastrous relationship with his stepson Martin.

Fallen Hero is searingly honest and with a highly charged central performance from Del Henney Fallen Hero scores highly, Hopkins is cut from a similar cloth to Joe Lampton in Man At The Top but a bit more self pitying and less get up and go. But his attitudes towards women and life are exactly the same.

production details
UK | ITV Network – Granada

RUNNING TIME: 60 minutes | NUMBER OF EPISODES: 12 | AIRDATES: 14 November 1978 – 20 December 1979

WRITER: Brian Finch | THEME MUSIC: Derek Hilton | EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Michael Cox | PRODUCER: June Howson

cast
DEL HENNEY as Gareth Hopkins
BARRY STANTON as Joe Harris
WANDA VENTHAM as Dorothy Hopkins
JOHN WHEATLEY as Martin Hopkins
FRANK CROMPTON as Wilf Calder
MARGED ESLI as Sally Jones (Later Hopkins)
BRIAN MILLER as Alan Field
PRUNELLA GEE as Rebecca Westgate
CAROLINE MOONEY as Baby Dorothy Hopkins
VICKY WILLIAMS as Susie Crossley

THE EPISODES
SEASON ONE 14 November – 19 December 1978
1. EPISODE ONE (14 Nov 1978)
2. EPISODE TWO (21 Nov 1978)
3. EPISODE THREE (28 Nov 1978)
4. EPISODE FOUR (5 Dec 1978)
5. EPISODE FIVE (12 Dec 1978)
6. EPISODE SIX (19 Dec 1978)

SEASON TWO 15 November – 20 December 1979
1. EPISODE ONE (15 Nov 1979)
2. EPISODE TWO (22 Nov 1979)
3. EPISODE THREE (29 Nov 1979)
4. EPISODE FOUR (6 Dec 1979)
5. EPISODE FIVE (13 Dec 1979)
6. EPISODE SIX (20 Dec 1979)