Nearly Man, The (ITV 1974-1975, Tony Britton, Ann Firbank)

In The Nearly Man back bench Labour MP Christopher Collinson finds that it is difficult to juggle his professional career and his personal life. After having spent 17 years on the back bench Collinson gets the opportunity to pursue a front bench position.

The series began as a one off ITV Playhouse broadcast on 4 August 1974, the drama picked up Broadcasting Press Guild Award for best single play of the year. Following a repeat of that production the seven part series began. In the play Collinson’s surname was Tomlinson but all other details remained the same. The name change came about because there was a real life MP called Tomlinson in the House of Commons.

The series itself has a nicely discordant jazz theme by Giles Swayne and typically disturbing Gerald Scarfe drawn titles.

cast
Tony Britton as Chris Collinson
Ann Firbank as Alice Collinson
Wilfred Pickles as Bernard King
Michael Elphick as Ron Hibbert
Ian McCulloch as Peter Richards
John Leyton as Brian Griffin
Gwen Taylor as Dorothy Hibbert

crew details
Writer: Arthur Hopcraft
Theme Music: Giles Swayne
Title Cartoons: Gerald Scarfe
Producers: Peter Eckersley (Play), Jonathan Powell (Series)
Director: John Irvin

production details
Country: UK
Network and Production Companies: ITV – Granada
Duration: 8×50 minute episodes
Aired From: 4 August 1974 (play) and 4 November – 16 December 1974

THE EPISODES
ITV PLAYHOUSE
1. THE NEARLY MAN (4 Aug 74)

THE SERIES
1. OPPORTUNITY – MARCH 1975 (4 Nov 75)
2. POWER BASE – APRIL 1975 (11 Nov 75)
3. MILLIE – MAY 1975 (18 Nov 75)
4. RE-SHUFFLE – JUNE 1975 (25 Nov 75)
5. CONFRONTATION – JULY 1975 (2 Dec 75)
6. CASUALTIES – AUGUST 1975 (9 Dec 75)
7. OPTIONS (16 Dec 75)

• Danger Man (ITV Spy Drama, Patrick McGoohan)

• The Pity Of It All (ITV Drama, Billie Whitelaw)

• Sunday Night Theatre: The Web (ITV 1972, Michael Kitchen, Ann Firbank)

• Elizabeth I (Channel 4 2005, Helen Mirren, Jeremy Irons)

• Doomsday For Dyson (ITV 1958, Ian Hunter, Francis Rowe)

• ITV Playhouse: The Nearly Man (ITV 4 August 1974, with Michael Elphick)

• Bergerac: The Other Woman (BBC-1 18 Feb 1989, with Jack Watling)

• The Galactic Garden

• The Sentimental Agent (ATV 1963)

• The Dark Island (BBC 1962 TV Series)

• The Restless Gun (NBC – ABC 1957-1960 TV Series)

• The Deputy (NBC 1959-1960 TV Series)

• Delvecchio (NBC 1976 TV Series)

• Messiah (BBC One 2001-2004 TV Series)