Red Letter Day (ITV 1976, Peter Barkworth, Alan Dobie)

Red Letter Day was a generally high grade anthology of comedy dramas that looked at a special day in someone’s life.

The scripts were all to a high standard, Jack Rosenthal contributed two (Ready When You Are, Mr. McGill and Well Thank You, Thursday) Donald Churchill, Howard Schuman, Willis Hall, C.P. Taylor and Neville Smith all contributed a single script. All of the stories were pretty straight forward apart from Amazing Stories which veered off somewhat down a bright fantasy alley.

The casts were all first rate too, the likes of Jack Shepherd, Peter Barkworth, Sarah Badel, Judy Parfitt, Joe Melia, Rula Lens, Roddy McMillan, Steven Pacey, Alan Dobie, James Hazledine and Alison Steadman all appearing.

Also worthy of note is the excellent theme tune by Jim Parker.

Ready When You Are, Mr. McGill was remade in 2003 for ITV (although shelved by them and eventually screen on Sky in 2004) with Bill Nighy in the lead role.

production details
UK / ITV – Granada / 7×50 minute episodes / Broadcast 11 January – 22 February 1976

Music: Jim Parker / Producer: Michael Dunlop

THE EPISODES
1. READY WHEN YOU ARE, MR. MCGILL (11 Jan 1976)
2. THE FIVE POUND ORANGE (18 Jan 1976)
3. WELL THANK YOU, THURSDAY (25 Jan 1976)
4. AMAZING STORIES (1 Feb 1976)
5. MATCHFIT (8 Feb 1976)
6. FOR SERVICES TO MYSELF (15 Feb 1976)
7. BAG OF YEAST (22 Feb 1976)