Kizzy (BBC-1 1976, Vanessa Furst, Angela Browne)

In Kizzy, a young Gypsy girl (the Kizzy of the title) finds her life changes when her grandmother makes a decision to stay on in the orchard of Admiral Twiss instead of moving on with the rest of the gypsy camp. When local busybody Mrs Cuthbert discovers what is going on she insists that Kizzy must attend school.

Sadly Kizzy’s grandmother dies and it looks like the young gypsy girl may have to be taken into care but first Admiral Twiss and then Olivia Brooke come to the rescue. The series ends on a happy note with the Admiral and Olivia getting married and adopting Kizzy.

Kizzy is very much a classic BBC Children’s TV drama serial, with an air of melancholy at it’s heart. Essentially, despite the bullying and hard time Kizzy is given, the message is that it’s okay to be different.

cast
Vanessa Furst as Kizzy
Anne Ridler as Olivia Brooke
Melissa Docker as Prue Cuthbert
John Welsh as Admiral Twiss
Patrick McAlinney as Peters
Toby Bridge as Clem Oliver
Lisa Welsford as Elizabeth Oliver
Isobel Gordon as Mary Jo
Angela Browne as Mrs. Cuthbert
Meg Ritchie as Mildred Blount
Paddy Ward as Nat
Ben Howard as Lumas Doe
Michael Wardle as Mr. Blount

crew details
Writer: John Tully
Novel: Diddekoi by Rumer Godden
Music: Peter Gosling
Costume Design: Ann Brown
Production Design: Myles Lang
Producer and Director: Dorothea Brooking

production details
Country: UK
Network: BBC One
Duration: 6×25 minute episodes
Aired From: 21 January – 25 February 1976

THE EPISODES
1. THE WAGON (21 Jan 76)
2. WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH KIZZY? (28 Jan 76)
3. SHE CAN’T STAY THERE! (4 Feb 76)
4. INTO CARE (11 Feb 76)
5. NO ESCAPE (18 Feb 76)
6. THE BONFIRE (25 Feb 76)