Harpers West One (ATV 1961-63, Graham Crowden, Jan Holden)

Drama series Harpers West One told stories of the staff and customers of a London Department store (the Harpers of the title of course) which as befitting its glamorous post code was located in the West End. This was all quite new at the time and the series attempted to show the real workings of a department although of course it didn’t stray too far from it’s soap like origins and there was probably a bit too much emphasis on the workings of the board and so on but definitely a clear forerunner of shows such as The Brothers and the like.

Wendy Richard, who would go on to star in that other Department Store classic Are You Being Served played receptionist Susan Sullivan and interestingly the series was one of the first drama series to go for a pop crossover featuring singer John Leyton in one episode as Johnny St Cyr (pronounce sincere!) who sang a song called Johnny Remember Me (produced by the legendary Joe Meek) which very quickly hit the top of the charts in real life.

Harpers West One ran for two seasons, the first 13 episode run went from 26 June – 18 September 1961 and the second 19 episode run went from 17 September 1962 – 28 January 1963.

production details
UK / ITV – ATV / 32×60 minute episode / Broadcast in black and white from 26 June 1961 – 28 January 1963

Creators: John Whiteney, Geoffrey Belman / Producers: Hugh Rennie, Rex Firkin, Royston Morley

cast
TRISTRAM JELLINECK as Mike Gilmore
GRAHAM CROWDEN as Edward Cruickshank
JAN HOLDEN as Harriet Carr
PHILIP LATHAM as Oliver Blackhouse
TENNIEL EVANS as Charlie Pugh
BERNARD HORSFALL as Philip Nash
ARTHUR HEWLETT as Aubrey Harper
VIVIEN PICKLES as Julie Wheeler
JAYNE MUIR as Frances Peters
WENDY RICHARD as Susan Sullivan