Front Page Story (ITV 1965, Roddy McMillan, John Bennett)

Drama series Front Page Story told stories of the reporters on popular national newspaper The Daily Globe (circulation 2,250,000).

Main characters included Denny Tarrant, a cocky Londoner who was always determined to get a story; Irishman Paddy Lucas prided himself on his ability to writer a story out of as few facts as possible; The tough editor of the paper was Ray Boscombe and the old school editor was Vic Stafford. Chief rival to Tarrant was Joe Harwood who also worked for a rival paper. Meanwhile a young Patrick Mower played public school educated reporter John Brownhill who often got a hard time from his colleagues.

Expectations for the series were high as it replaced the hugely popular The Plane Makers on the ITV schedule. This series had also been produced by Rex Firkin. Accordingly the series was given a two page feature in the TV Times for the week of it’s debut.

The majority of the writers on the series had real life Fleet Street experience, The Globe offices were located in Shoe Lane, in real life The Evening Standard and The Morning Advertiser were also in that location, around the corner from The Daily Express and The Daily Mirror. Most of the action though took place away from the Globe, the focus being on the people getting their stories in the paper.

Writers included such excellent names as Edmund Ward, Alan Plater, John Bowen and Raymond Bowers.

production details
UK / ITV – ATV / 26×50 minute episode / Broadcast 19 January – 20 July 1965

Script Editor: Wilfred Greatorex / Producer: Rex Firkin

cast
John Bennett as Ray Boscombe
Ivor Dean as Vic Stafford
Harry Towb as Paddy Lucas
Derek Godfrey as Denny Tarrant
Patrick Mower as John Brownhill
Derek Newark as Joe Harwood
Roddy McMillan as Alec Ritchie

THE EPISODES
1. SECOND SELLER (19 Jan 1965)
2. THE QUIET LOAD (26 Jan 1965)
3. RUNAWAYS (2 Feb 1965)
4. THE PUBLIC INTEREST (9 Feb 1965)
5. OFFICIAL OPENING (16 Feb 1965)
6. MAKE IT LAST TILL FRIDAY (23 Feb 1965)
7. ANONYMOUS DONER (2 Mar 1965)
8. THE PERSONAL TOUCH (9 Mar 1965)
9. THE X MEN (16 Mar 1965)
10. COMMAND PERFORMANCE (23 Mar 1965)
11. THE TEMPTATION OF SIR ANTHONY (30 Mar 1965)
12. THE VITAL CONTACT (13 Apr 1965)
13. THEY DON’T GROW ON TREE (20 Apr 1965)
14. BACKGROUND ONLY – NOT FOR PUBLICATION (27 Apr 1965)
15. THE £150,000 WIN (4 May 1965)
16. STATELESS (11 May 1965)
17. SACK THE EDITOR (18 May 1965)
18. THE HATCHET JOB (25 May 1965)
19. RUPERT (1 Jun 1965)
20. NINE-TENTHS OF THE ICEBERG (8 Jun 1965)
21. DROP A SPOT OF ACID ON IT (15 Jun 1965)
22. DON’T SHOOT I’M PRESS (22 Jun 1965)
23. WHITEHALL 14 (29 Jun 1965)
24. DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN (6 Jul 1965)
25. ONE GOOD TURN (13 Jul 1965)
26. THE SHAKE-UP (20 Jul 1965)