Family Affair, A (BBC-1 1979, Barry Foster, Jan Harvey)

Drama series A Family Affair followed business executive Richard Barnes who worked for a major chain store (Frenshams). Barnes seemingly had it all – beautiful wife, great family and lovely home. He also had a mistress, his PA Susan West.

When his daughter discovers the affair his carefully managed life starts to fall apart, it also costs him his job.

A series quite typical of series creator N.J. Crisp, very similar in style and tone to The Brothers. All of the writers on this series had written for that show too. There are some echoes of Telford’s Change another drama from 1979 that featured a middle aged man at a crossroads in his life.

production details
UK / BBC-1 / 10×50 minute episodes / Broadcast 13 May – 15 July 1979

Creator: N.J. Crisp / Music: Francis Shaw / Producer: Prudence Fitzgerald

cast
BARRY FOSTER as Richard Barnes
WENDY GIFFORD as Marjorie Barnes
JAN HARVEY as Susan West
FRANK MIDDLEMASS as Henry Barnes
DAVID SIBLEY as John Barnes
SARA CLEE as Liz Bailey
PETER DUNCAN as Robert Barnes
SYLVESTRA LE TOUZEL as Jane Barnes
BARRIE COOKSON as Bernard Russell
DAVID DIXON as Clifford
DEV SAGOO as Majid

THE EPISODES
1. THE WEDDING (13 May 1979)
2. THAT SETTLES IT (20 May 1979)
3. HOME TRUTHS (27 May 1979)
4. QUICK AS YOU CAN (3 Jun 1979)
5. A BIT OF A TROUBLEMAKER (10 Jun 1979)
6. DAYTIME WIFE (17 Jun 1979)
7. ADRIFT (24 Jun 1979)
8. ONE LAST MEAL (1 Jul 1979)
9. A GOOD DAY (8 Jul 1979)
10. FINDING THE WORDS… (15 Jul 1979)