Eldorado (BBC-1 1992, Patricia Brake, Jesse Birdsall)

Twice weekly drama series Eldorado told of life for a group of ex-pats living on the Costa Del Sol in the Spanish fishing village of Los Barcos.

This heavily hyped soap opera was one that the BBC hoped would be a long runner, sadly it lasted exactly one year, the series was no worse than any other soap on the air at the time although it did have quite a few actors new to the medium who came in for a lot of criticism (TV pundits were quick to point out that the title was an anagram of Real Dodo).

Sandra Sandri as Pilar and Jesse Birdsall as Marcus

It wasn’t a cheap show for the BBC, the corporation even built a purpose built resort on the Costa Del Sol but it was the over hyped factor that totally killed it because expectations were so high it wasn’t allowed to find it’s audience. It went under the working title of Little England.

production details
UK / BBC-1 – Cinema Verity – J DY T / 156×30 minute episodes / Broadcast 6 July 1992 – 9 July 1993

Creators: Julia Smith, Tony Holland / Original Idea: Verity Lambert, John Dark / Theme Music: Simon May / Producers: Julia Smith, Corinne Hollingsworth

cast
Patricia Brake as Gwen Lockhead
Campbell Morrison as Drew Lockhead
Josh Nathan as Blair Lockhead
Julie Fernandez as Nessa Lockhead
Polly Perkins as Trish Valentine
Kal Maurer as Dieter Schultz
Leslee Udwin as Joy Slater
Patch Connolly as Snowy White
Franco Rey as Roberto Fernandez
Stella Maris as Rosario Fernandez
Maria Sanchez as Maria Fernandez
Maria Vega as Abuela
Iker Ibanez as Javier Fernandez
Bo Corre as Ingrid
Jesse Birdsall as Marcus Tandy
Sandra Sandri as Pilar Moreno
Faith Kent as Olive King
Roger Clarkson as Bunny Charlson
Roland Curram as Freddie
Kathy Pitkin as Fizz
William Lucas as Stanley Webb
Hilary Crane as Rosemary Webb
Hayley Bromley as Tracy
Clare Wilkie as Trine Svendsen
Charlie Condou as Clive
Derek Martin as Alex Morris

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