Up The Workers (ITV Sitcom, Henry McGee, Lance Percival)

Sitcom Up The Workers detailed the ups and downs of a group of factory workers at Cocker’s Components Ltd in the Midlands, most of whom seem hell bent of strike action.

Richard Bligh (Henry McGee) was the managing director and Sid Stubbins (Norman Bird) was shop steward, caught in the middle between the two was Bernard Peck (Lance Percival – who also came up with the original idea for the series) the labour relations officer.

Season one was traditional studio bound fare but the second season was shot entirely on location.

Guest stars included John Nettles, Joanna Lumley, John Cater, Patrick Newell and Derek Newark.

There was a pilot broadcast 4 Sep 1973 with a mainly different cast (Gordon Rollings, Lynn Smith and Peter Hill were amongst them.)

Cast: Henry McGee as Richard (Dicky) Bligh; Lance Percival as Bernard Peck; Norman Bird as Sid Stubbins; Ivor Dean as Sir Henry Carmichael (pilot & series 1); Charles Lloyd Pack as Sir Charles (Season 2); Gordon Rollings as Bert Hamflitt (pilot); Dudley Sutton as Bert Hamflitt (Season 1); Victor Maddern as Fred Hamflitt (Season 2); Charles Bolton as Mick Briggs (Season 1); Lynn Smith as Deidre Hargreaves (pilot); Trudi Van Doorn as Deidre Hargreaves (Season 1); Peter Hill as Arthur Henthorne (pilot); Lesley Duff as Andrea (Season 2); Vivienne Martin as Mavis (Season 2); Léon Vitali as Fergy (Season 2)

Creator: Lance Percival / Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley / Music: Jack Parnell / Producers: John Scholz-Conway, Alan Tarrant

UK / ITV – ATV / 13×30 minute episode / 1 May 1974 – 14 April 1976

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