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Lord Peter Wimsey
Ian Carmichael starred in this BBC series
with Glyn Houston/ Derek Newark as the urbane Bunter.
Clouds of Witness (1972)
(1973)
Murder Must Advertise (1973)
The Nine Tailors (1974)
Five Red Herrings (1975)
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Clouds of Witness (1972)
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The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (1973) 1 Mysterious Circumstances: An old colonel dies in his club, but when exactly did he die? On the answer hangs the inheritance, for his rich sister Lady Dormer happened to die the same day. Younger grandson George inherits, or is it his elder brother Robert, or niece Ann could get the bulk of the fortune
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Murder Must Advertise (1973)
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The Nine Tailors (1974)
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Series 2: 2.1 It's All In The Little Blue Book - After too many second rate moustache gags, it's first day for the second year students, under the kindly gaze of Prof Loftus. Upton has to perform a practice examination of a patient, female, with a lump... "stop!"
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1 Keep Your Nose Clean (1975)
. . . . . . . 1.7 (June 19th 1972) - Freddie Davies and David play with hats before George Chisholm sings and plays some dire numbers. He is too over the top sadly, though this whole show looks really dated variety. David does a trick in the audience with keys that does seem absolutely impossible. Finally Freddie in a space suit sketch and David with a flying saucer trick
1.11 (July 17th 1972) with Bob Monkhouse -
David, full of his recent Far East visit, does a trick his assistants have failed to perform. Under the eye of a member of the audience, Jean from Barnhurst, he performs four neat tricks. Anita Harris sings a rather dreary song I Wish You Love. Bob Monkhouse quips with David and they draw sketches of each other. Bob jokes and sings a novel number Happy Families. David's finale with Anita and Bob uses oriental costumes in which Anita- or is it Bob?- disappears
1.12 (?) with Ali Bongo- After a few jokes about FIFA etc,
Anita Harris helps David push a bottle of beer through a book. Ali Bongo, the dancing musician, is followed by swinging bananas that move according to the will. Anita sings a romantic I Could Spend My Life, then with two members of the audience from Twickenham, David performs a trick with Tarot cards. The final illusion is The Thai Torture Trick, Anita in a steel neck collar is locked in a cabinet. Swords and then several saws are pushed through but of course she emerges unscathed, David nicely quipping, "you can hardly see the joins, perhaps if you look very carefully... but we mustn't look very carefully!"
with Ray Allan and Anita Harris - the audience are handed jumbo sized cards, and DN predicts three of them. Puppet Ollie Beak is in a cage, best place for it, and meets Lord Charles, DN joins in with his mind reading. Lord Charles keeps calling DN "Dixon." Then an enthusiastic DN shows us some historic magician's props, finally "my favourite trick," an orange, a glass of rice and checkers. Ollie admires photos of DN in the Far East and watches the Indian rope trick. AH is locked in a large cage which levitates
. . . . . 1.1 Vacancy for a doctor at Little Belling, mix up sees the incompetent Hogg on his "comeback." En route he crashes his car, no surprise, the victim a bank robber. But the badly shaken up Hogg is mistaken for the robber. Pearl, the doctor's secretary is delighted to find her new boss is so young and attractive... but that turns out to be the thief!
. . . . . Michael Pertwee's script is typically whimsical, but it appears as though it were written in half an hour flat. Nevertheless there's a fine cast, starring Hugh Lloyd as the tramp who inherits a fortune. Joan Sims is Miss Pratt the housekeeper, George Moon is too exaggerated as the forgetful butler Tipping. It's only a pity the script serves them so very poorly.
1 His lordship has died intestate (cue joke), his title passes to a very distant relative, a tramp named Hughie. Inevitably he is turned away when he announces himself at the front entrance. He doesn't enjoy eating in solitary state, nor can he cope with his too comfortable four poster. He's more at home in the pantry with Lucy the new maid.
. . . . . . . . . 1.2 Nobody Kills Santa Claus (1965)
To my detailed reviews of Series 4
5.1 A Mug Named Frank (1971) - rather sad, as Frank Marker's romance with Mrs Mortimer is inevitably written out. He helps a dear old Brighton lady (Nora Nicholson) whose son (Barry Foster) is £3,000 in arrears. When the son steals his mother's rare silver casket, Frank persuades him to confess all to the local police in Windsor, thus winning, at last, the respect of the law, at least in Windsor
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The Morning Wasn't So Hot
It's still steam train days, as the Hull train draws in to London, bringing Jenny (Carole Ann Ford) who makes for a snack bar. A smooth operator, Mason, spies her and chats her up.
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Works with Chess Not With Life
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. . . . . Out of the rain, Frank Marker slips into the library, where a photographic competition is on display, organised by John Ingleby. Pride of place seems to belong to The Bromsgrove Venus, a pastiche of the celebrated National Gallery picture with a photographed head and body of a different woman. It's actually the head of Maria, who is the wife of the boss Paul. Who took this compromising photo, that's what Paul wants to know.
To Public Eye
. . . . . . . . . . The series starts in Ford Prison, and shows Frank Marker being released and trying to make a new start in Brighton. With reluctant help from his probation officer, Frank obtains employment, but runs into various difficulties, not always of his own making.
4.1 Welcome to Brighton? (1969)
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Frank Marker is now loading toilet seats, about his level. He is able to collect his first pay packet. In the Lanes area he buys a flash shirt, and then in the window of Fanny's Curios, he spots a porcelain figure that reminds him of his childhood. The kindly shopkeeper, having listened to Frank's singing a hymn to rather doubtful lyrics, sells the figure to him at a bargain price.
To Public Eye Series 4
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With his landlady away, Frank is left in charge at the guest house, and takes in a new lodger, young, pretty, but agitated. She keeps phoning someone called Chris, and seems in even a worse state than Frank, who's looking for a new job.
An interesting story that reveals a lot about Marker's character, but is not entirely convincing or satisfying
To Public Eye Series 4
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Frank Marker's new job is stacking supermarket shelves, where a friendly local policeman meets him to offer him something more up his line, working for a private detective.
To Public Eye Series 4
. . . . . A memorable story set on the now defunct West Pier in Brighton, with Joe Melia and Leslie Dwyer as two tired old show biz pros, without hope rather like Frank Marker, eking a living running an end of pier show. It's a well worn storyline a la JB Priestley's The Good Companions, but so well executed.
Billy Raybold is holding auditions and seventeen year old Judy (Tessa Wyatt) tries her luck with A Bird in a Gilded Cage. "She looks good," so they give her a go. Billy, rather too old for her but ever hopeful, warns her of the hard graft Judy'll need.
To Public Eye Series 4
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4.7 A Fixed Address
To Public Eye Series 4
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The Squirrels
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My reviews of some of the 30 stories made:
9 Who Is In the Bathroom? - Mr Yates must be going deaf. "What's the matter? Someone's in the bathroom." There's quite a discussion, and some peering through the keyhole until Mrs Yates resolves the puzzle, "I remember now"
10 A Surprise for Mrs Yates - The fridge is over full, the boys eat so much, so Mr Yates places a huge order for frozen food. Where's it all going to go? "That's a lot of food." Mrs Yates hurries off to complain, not realising a freezer has been ordered, but hasn't yet arrived. When it does, it is placed in the shed, the boys getting hungrier all the while. But they're in for a disappointment, as the frozen chicken has to be thawed before cooking, and they'll have to wait eight hours... (With James Appleby as Vanman. No Brenda Cavendish).
11 Ted's Girl Friend - Ted has met Sheila at this judo club, "she's wonderful." Or is it his money she finds attractive? Her potentially expensive tastes prove Ted's downfall, in a story the cast clearly have some fun with. (Sheila's unusually large role is taken by Heather Wright. No Patricia Lawrence despite being listed in the credits)
12 We Like You - The girls are discussing someone who is "very good looking," the boys overhearing can't agree to which of them they are referring. When Mr Yates gives the girls theatre tickets the remark is, "he's a marvellous man. He likes to give us a surprise." Again the boys overhear, and smarten themselves up, but over a meal their presents and efforts to impress fall flat. Worse, they learn of their error. (No Patricia Lawrence)
13 The Necklace - Kate's friend (Phoebe Shaw) lends her a necklace to wear at a dance. But it gets left on the kitchen table and the boys accidently drop it in the bin. Kate has to go to the dance without it, but next day Mrs Yates like a detective retrieves the lost article
14 Share With Me - Tom (Eric Carte), Mark's friend at art school, takes his words of wisdom about sharing literally, and comes to stay. But he's awfully noisy, "I couldn't sleep." So Ted and Mark do some 'sharing' of their own, borrowing Tom's clothes
15 One Cold Day - Oh dear, it's cold and the boiler's gone wrong, just when Kate's mother (Clare Austin) is coming from America. "She hates the cold." So a fire is lit and when Kate's mum arrives she finds Kate's face all blackened with soot. Luckily, some amateur repairs to the boiler get it going
16 Mark is Ill - Mark's been at a dance until 2am and though it's his turn to do the cleaning jobs, he pretends he has a pain in his arm, and goes back to bed. But when Ann examines his arm, Mark has some difficulty remembering which is the arm that is suffering. The doctor (Norman Bird) diagnoses "nothing wrong," so Ann adminsters some foul tasting medicine and Kate soaks Mark with water, so he might as well do the cleaning, and gets the last laugh chasing them with the hoover.
22 Albert- Kate is raving over a romantic novel so the boys write her an admiring letter, as in the story. It's from someone named Albert, who after flowers, even telephones, so Kate dates him. Ted dons a beard and sunglasses but Kate pulls them off to expose the tricksters. Still, it ends in smiles, "I like Albert" (No PL)
23 Mrs Yates' Nephew - Mrs Yates' nephew is coming to stay but when a vacuum salesman calls, he's mistaken for the newcomer. Ernie (Richard Jones Barry) unaccountably wants to demonstrate his cleaner and after a dusty failure, Mrs Yates returns with Charlie (an uncredited actor), her actual nephew
24 Come To The Dance - With two extra tickets for the dance, Mark gives one each anonymously to Kate and Ann. They both think that he's inviting them, buying new dresses for the occasion, leading to embarrassment for poor Mark
25 Lessons - This script is an early effort from George Layton and Jonathan Lynn. Ted can't paint, Mark can but he refuses to teach him, he's too lazy. The girls tease |Mark that he's not fit, he can't even lift a cupboard. But Ted can, when it's secretly emptied. That convinces Mark to agree to teach Ted to paint if Ted will take him running. Neither of these pupils are much good, Mark returns exhausted after his run on the common. Ted's picture is awful too, but the girls persuade Mrs Yates to admire it, to Mark's utter amazement
26 The Burglars - Beware! Burglars on the prowl. At night there are noises and plenty of fun as Ted and Mark come in late. Then thinking Mark is pretending to be a thief, Ted accidentally catches the real burglar (Terry Baker)
27 Fancy Dress - The most visual of the stories, Kate has bought a fairy costume for a fancy dress party, but "it doesn't look quite right."A sort through of Mrs Yates' old suitcase provides each housemate with a choice of costumes, though in the end they all choose to go as tramps. So another try, Ted isn't quite right as Julius Caeser, and opts for a painter's outfit. And even Mrs Yates gets the chance to go, wearing the discarded fairy costume!
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Richmond
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Tewkesbury
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Stamford
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Cirencester
Alec is in the "most succulent" Cotswolds, in his element, "stone is everywhere." A mini tour to music ends at the Roman amphitheatre. Floor mosaics were status symbols then. and he points out the varying colours of one mosaic from varying sources.
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3.2 WHITBY - Woolworths gets the Taylor condemnation but a 1980 supermarket surprisingly gets the thumbs up. After a tour of the church he finds some gems in the town: "a truly ghastly example of what is known as ribbon pointing."
His interrogatory style is exemplified in - "did you ever see such a brutal way of treating stone?"
FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW
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Bury St Edmunds
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Devizes
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Sandwich
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3.6 DURHAM
Alec leads us on a reverential tour of the cathedral - "the finest Romanesque building (pause) . . . in the world." His final appearance is at the station where he boards an Inter City 125, first class of course.
FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW
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Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson (1979)
Part 1: Lord Denver (David Langton) kicks out of his stately pile Riddlesdale Lodge "utter swine" Captain Cathcart, for cheating at cards. But when Cathcart is shot dead, Denver is chief suspect and Inspector Charles Parker takes the back seat in Lord Peter's meticulous investigation. The story begins with rather a dull set of upper crust types, but certainly picks up when Georgina Cookson momentarily steals the scene
Part 2: Detailed forensic work and consulting Denver's lawyer Impey (Francis de Wolff). It sends Lord Peter to sleep, and us also for the quiet pace is unknown to today's speedy directors. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the memorable scene in which Lord Peter calls on his neighbour over the moor, the surly Grimethorpe (George Coulouris)
Part 3: Kate O'Mara as Cynthia brightens up the action, as she reveals Lady Mary was a member of the Soviet Club. Mary confesses to the killing, but is she protecting the man she was eloping with, George Goyles? Yes, she's "in a frightful tangle" as she returns his engagement ring
Part 4: At the Rose and Crown, Grimethorpe's alibi is investigated, and a "yawnin' gap" of six hours is uncovered, by Jove. An uncharacteristic lack of intelligence sends Lord Peter to the depths of a bog, Bunter to the rescue, in a quite unconvincing scene. Recuperating at Grimethorpe's, Lord Peter chances on a valuable clue, a letter from Lord Denver
Part 5: In the House of Lords, the commencement of Denver's trial, while Lord Peter sails to New York to question Cathcart's mistress. Lord Peter then makes the dangerous flight home carryin' a letter from Cathcart that reveals all. Mrs Grimethorpe is thus not needed to testify, and is sheltered under his lordship's protective wing
Wimsey Menu
generally, an improvement on the first story, much more absorbing as a mystery
2 Mr Oliver: "The facts are rather difficult to ascertain" but Lord Peter questions a taxi driver to work out the dead man's movements. Just who is the elusiver Oliver, maybe the last to see the colonel alive? Foul play is suspected, so the corpse is exhumed
3 That Damned Dorland Woman: Cause of Death: Digitalis. Main Suspect: Ann Dorland, who had motive and opportunity. George appears to be going mad, he's another possible suspect. There is also a slightly more serious jibe at the power of the press
4 Execution Day: "We haven't got a case- yet," admits Insp Parker. Is one of Miss Dorland's paintings the vital clue? Ois it that bottle of digitalis in George's house? "I'm getting sleepy," complains George, and this slow denouement had that effect on me also. An unsatisfactory finish, "unpleasant business" indeed
1: Lord Peter becomes Bredon, "a cross between Ralph Lynn and Bertie Wooster," a new employee at Pym's advertising agency, where his predecessor had fallen to his death down a winding iron stairway. This Victor Dean had left a dark letter of foreboding, in with the wrong lot
2: At a garish Den of Inquity presided over by Major Charles Milligan (Peter Bowles), Bredon gains one admirer in the shape of junkie Dian, whose former lovers had come to bad ends, lastly Dean. Bredon also returns Ginger's catapult, the murder weapon, tipping with a Queen Elizabeth coin despite the 1930's setting! After a near murderous attack on himself, Bredon lures Dian into the woods, "I'll show you how to get a kick out of life," she offers. She provides a lead to the drug peddlers
3 Dian and Milligan gatecrash the Duchess of Denver's party, "oh how horrible!" Lord Peter sees them off, after tipping them that his cousin Bredon is a bad lot. Thus Bredon gets in with the Major and the two plan to oust the unknown head of the drug racket based at Pym's
4 The death of Mountjoy under a tube train, leads Wimsey to the dope collection point in a pub, selected by a clever coded message sent via a Pym's advertisement, "it sounds pretty complicated." Then Bredon is arrested for murdering Dian! The real killer's confession is too verbose, "a tepid pig to catch the tigers"
Part 1: This recounts how Sergeant Bunter rescues Major Wimsey in the Great War and later becomes his butler.
But the tale opens with the story, related by Wimsey to Bunter, of the theft of Lady Maggie's emeralds, worth a king's ransom, when she attends the wedding of Sir Henry. We see that the model butler Deacon isn't all he seems, and for once the butler did do it, steal the jewellery. It was fortunate that Lord Peter Wimsey was a guest and in his sparkling 1914 Mercedes pursues the accomplice Cranton. He is caught and grasses on Deacon, they are sent to Dartmoor. Deacon escapes from the quarry, kills a soldier, and, his bad luck, is sent to the front. But the emeralds were never recovered
Part 2: Beautiful photography of Fenland is some compensation for a rambling but intriguing storyline, with Donald Eccles as Rev Venables providing a masterclass in enthusiasm. Wimsey is stranded in Fenchurch St Paul on New Year's Eve and helps bell ringing, the peal of The Nine Tailors- still ringing at 3.20am, surely there'd be complaints these days! Spanish flu sweeps the village, but spared is Will, second husband of the maid Mary, Deacon's first wife. Easter marks the death of Sir Henry and where he is to be buried is discovered a corpse, battered, but it's that of Nobby Cranton. (Note- The poor coroner is taking copious notes when his pen snaps)
Part 3: Lord Peter pulls up the corpse's hat from a well in the churchyard. Some subterfuge uncovers a French letter from Suzanne, who had married a deserter. Cranton isn't dead, but is alive and just about well enough to affirm Deacon had hidden the emeralds, but where? "The whole bally thing's somewhat oppressive," though the story becomes lighter when Rev Venabes helps Lord Peter decipher a message in cipher, quotes from the psalms. "What's all that supposed to tell us?" Singing Holy Holy in church, the penny drops
Part 4: "Well I'll be..." there are the emeralds. Only mystery is, who killed Deacon? Will does a bunk, no less than the Archbishop of Canterbury helps find him. The denouement drags on with a surfeit of interrogation. The Fenland village is flooded and the church bells peal their warning, with Lord Peter in the tower! Bunter rescues him again, and incidentally the mystery of Deacon's death is solved, though I'd long since lost all interest
Wimsey Menu
Perhaps Geoffrey Davies as Dick Stuart-Clark was the most likeable of the rogue doctors.
Ernest Clark as brusque Sir Geoffrey Loftus added the necessary contrast by providing a pompous dignity to proceedings.
Ralph Michael as the laid-back Dean was also memorable.
1.1 Why Do You Want to be a Doctor? (1969) - Upton somehow passes his interview for St Swithins and on his first day meets Duncan Waring (Robin Nedwell) and eternal student Dick. They're greeted by an appallingly monotonous, but brilliantly funny, speech from the dean before Professor Loftus gives them a much more forthright, but equally fun, welcome: "I am going to give you hell!" John Cleese and Graham Chapman's script hits just the right anarchic note. After this, Doctor In the House was all downhill
1.3 It's All Go - a viva in the dissection room. Prof Loftus is hardly impressed with Waring and Upton's scant medical knowledge, making them drown their sorrows in the local. Thus they are the worse for wear as they return to their lectures, and a far too long demo by Prof Pearson (Martin Miller)
1.4 Peace and Quiet -
We're away from the hospital environs, and no better for it. Upton's digs are so noisy, he finds an alternative where the daughter of the house is excessively flirty. After various other duff experiences, he finds solitude in the spacious accommodation provided by Mrs Muir (Renee Houston). However she is cannier than Upton, and he finds himself sharing with his old mates. It's all faintly cringeworthy, corny, the script and actors self indulgent.
1.5 The Students Are Revolting -incredible what these university scruffs got away with in scriptwriting. This Garden and Oddie story has Mike Upton on the carpet for having his photo on the front page in a student demo. "I don't think that's awfully funny." Never was uttered a truer line, though what follows, an embarassing student sit-in with some duff new characters is much worse. Somehow Professor Loftus winds up on the carpet this time, before The Dean who struggles with his naff lines
1.6 Rallying Round - somehow a madcap car rally gives Mike the chance to nearly deliver a baby- the scene where he practises with a teddy is the brightest moment
1.7 If In Doubt- Cut It Out - Mike has got appendicitis and goes under the knife of cack handed Dr Crowfoot (a nice cameo by John Warner), "there's nothing to worry about." However a second op may be required since Crowfoot can't find his contact lens
1.9 Getting the Bird - Rigor Mortis is "a sort of girl," a staff nurse, played by Helen Fraser. She's just the one for Mike, symptomatic of 60's morals, echoing Barry Evans' film exploits, only without the sex, or indeed laughs. Duncan's problem is even more serious- he has proposed
1.10 The Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Casino - "There aren't people like that," says Upton, but there certainly are here as The Heavy Mob muscle in on the students' amateur casino. Bernard Bresslaw as the bouncer is too over the top, but John Barcroft as The Boss is spot on. Mike and Duncan go to work for him at his club, unfortunate that The Dean and Prof Loftus happen to check the place out, just when there's a police raid too
1.11 Keep It Cean! - Mike has to produce this year's ward show He enlists the help of his brother Terry, high camp, every cliche in the book, so amateurish, it's meant to be thus. The show must go on, utterly childish
1.12 All For Love... - Mike's fallen head over heels for Valerie, then he finds out she is Prof Loftus' daughter. He's prepared to give up his career for her, you nearly cringe, occasionally smile, "do you think we went too far?" The scraping of the violin is the last straw as well as the first
1.13 Pass Or Fail - After a long drag act, time to swot. The practical exam isn't designed to increase your faith in doctors, the viva with Loftus is a little subtler. Then the Dean announces the results, surely a travesty, no wonder the NHS is.... etc etc
series 2
2.3 Take Off Your Clothes... & Hide- Completely tasteless, and that is only the opening scene in the bar. From there, the boys go to a strip club, where Rita the stripper faints, Rushed to hospital, she receives inordinate medical attention, and is improbably persuaded by Upton to become a nurse. She tries it none too successfully, like this script, and the acting, but all is eventually revealed, well nearly all
2.4 Nice Bodywork, Lovely Finish - Collier buys a car for £30, a hearse actually. Not knowing there's a coffin in the back, he, Upton and Waring drive to Cambridge. When the latter pair are stranded with the corpse, they have to spend the midwinter night in a ruined chapel. It's not very funny, though the finish with the dean is much more like it
2.5 Look Into My Eyes- Mike hypnotises Duncan into barking whenever the word Dog is uttered. Prof Towers lecture on Pavlov's dogs gets frequent interruptions. Unhypnotising him proves harder, and Duncan wanders the hospital, his pals seeking him by shouting Dog. The professor tries to cure him but goes under himself, as do all of them. Not quite as corny as it could have been
2.6 Put Your Hand On That- Mike's first operation, Loftus in charge. Mike faints and has a macabre nightmare. Even more worrying is when he and Duncan are put on emergency call. Mike's jitters are cured when he thinks he has to operate on poor Duncan, though it's a put up job. Not for the squeamish, and a little too serious perhaps
2.7 The Royal Visit- meticulous preparations for the visit of the Prince and Princess, nothing must go wrong, but it does, sabotage of the furry loo seat replacing the prized wall plaque. Mike's "brief" speech is interminably extended so as matters can be righted, but this is the sort of sketch in fashion 50 years earlier
2.8 If You Can Help Somebody... Don't!- Mike is sorry for a malingering patient, old Mrs Brown. Loftus knows how to deal with her type and she is discharged, but Mike calls at her home to make her tea, does the dusting and offers to do the shopping. When her daughter Margery turns up, he sees he has been duped, but is sorry for Margery who is trapped by her mother. She is "a bit straight" but turns up at midnight at Mike's door to move in with him. Luckily his drunken friends put her off- in other hands this could have made it to Armchair Theatre
2.9 Hot Off the Presses - Ingrid is the hot property on the cover of the dry hospital magazine, "it's a bit, er..." 4,000 copies sold, but Prof Loftus is not amused and orders all copies be returned
2.10 A Stitch in Time - Casualty is incredibly quiet until a criminal (Dudley Sutton) requires attention. Things improve a bit when Prof Loftus requires stitching up, Ernest Clark does it all with a deadpan brilliance
2.11 May The Best Man- Mike gets a black eye after an argument over "tottie" Jenny (Susan George)- all very childish. A diner a trois is equally predictable
2.12 Doctor On The Box- A tv crew film a typical day in a student's life, very stilted and obvious "old chap." Oh, "you're not auditioning for Opportunity Knocks." It livens up when those students not included pose as patients, but the finished product Loftus does not find amusing
2.13 Finals- Practicals include pregnant women and deaf patients, plus one deaf examiner. Loftus falls out with his colleague while interviewing Mike, who then deals with an unplanned emergency, hardly a subject for humour, indeed as a result Mike fails. Such pseudo drama is out of place, though of course all ends happily
Doctors Menu
3 You Make Me Feel So Young (b/w)- A new job in a run down district with Dr 'Major' Maxwell (Arthur Lowe), though of more interest is his daughter Sue (Madeline Smith). All the patients believe Mike is too young to be a doctor, the obstreperous Mrs Baxter (Marjorie Rhodes) their ringleader. The cockney characters are faintly embarrassing as played by middle class actors, rather the same as later occurred in The Good Life
4 Doctor Dish (b/w)- Mike has to lecture to a class of nubile girls, the subject is... sex. Usual jokes about mummy's tummy, it could have been a lot funnier, if more risque. He wins lots of admirers who descend on his surgery, and write love letters. Paul naughtily replies to them as a backlash, these days it seems merely tasteless and definitely non PC.However there is a nice punchline from the girls' teacher Bunty (Barbara Mitchell)
5 Modernising Major (b/w)- Guinea pig for Dick's ancient ECG machine is Mrs Baxter (Marjorie Rhodes, stumbling over some lines), it's part of the modernisation of the practice, which ends in a morbid script at odds with the earlier attempt at slapstick
6 Congratulations- it's a Toad!- Paul is incomprehensibly out in pouring rain at 2am, collecting toads. His new pregnancy testing scheme has its failure, "she's only two!" His ads draw the wrath of Dr McKendrick (Fulton Mackay), and the toads must be hid from him- this nearly comes off, as a script, offering Arthur Lowe a chance for some fine facial expressions
7 Change Your Partners - Methought this was a script written by gauche teenagers, but the credits at the end refer to Garden and Oddie. Mike takes out Dr Caroline Cook to oblige Dick, but falls for her, to the consternation of Sue and her dad Dr Maxwell. This is dangerously unfunny, a love story without real love. Only inventive moment is the use of cartoon
8 Trains & Notes & Veins - A lady's varicose veins pass a mundane train trip to Mike's parents. But Dr Upton Sr is not amused, for the patient (Jean Kent) is his patient, and Mike has contradicted his diagnosis. Not to be outdone, Dick offers a third treatment
9 Lock Stock & Beryl - Upton's last day in Casualty, Nurse Beryl ever persistent. He "pinches" Bingham's patients, "it's unethical!" But the script loses its way with arguments over a job opportunity and utter embarrassment with a sozzled Beryl
10 Upton Sells Out?- Garden and Oddie's script starts well at the snobby Harley Street practice of Dr Whiteland (Fabia Drake). Dick persuades Mike to apply for the job, which seems to involve mundane tasks like walking poodles. An unusual sherry party is his first 'clinic,' but then comes the collapse with Collier crashing in as a tramp. Trying to make some serious point, the whole thing utterly flounders
11 Saturday Matinee
- Oh dear dear, was this scriptwriter John Cleese's nadir? Dr Upton is on call and tries to treat George Meacham MP. With his patient naked, he has to deal with Maxine (Maureen Lipman extraordinarily bad) who has been snubbed by Dick. Was this drama or comedy? It would be an insult to say either, this is childish, amateurish corn
12 Where There's A Will - Mike deals with recalcitrant old Mr Medwin, there's nothing wrong with him. Next thing is that he dies- is it foul play? As he inherits, Mike is chief suspect, "they think I did it." Very predictable, and a forced storyline, but a fine surreal nightmare is compensation
13 Students at Heart - Wanting "a stab at surgery," Mike applies for a post with Mr Rivers' firm, Bingham his only rival. High jinks after a rugger match go over the top, like the script, as Rivers is dumped in a pond- by Mike. To shut him up, poor Rivers is tucked up in the nurses' home
14 No Ill Feeling!
- Harrow as a GP, that's Mike's new post under Paul's hypochonriac uncle (Brian Oulton). He boards at the Bella Vista, a proto Fawlty Towers, with an assortment of guests, mostly Jolly Mr Davidson (Roy Kinnear), who is put in his place by Paul and Dick
15 That's Just The Beginning - Mike joins Dick in the psychiatric clinic, patients include Mr Bligh (David Jason) who has a tic, "you're a doctor?!" Head of the department Bob (Freddie Jones) is a manic depressive whom Mike tries to help, "look I'm a doctor." All very obvious, but well done, just who is round the twist?
16 It's All in the Mind - Audrey Watt (Patricia Routledge) practises white magic, luring away some of Mike's patients. He has "a cosy chat" with her, thus falling foul of her, making him think that he and Paul are under her curse. To undo it, they perform their own ceremony in her garden
17 Cynthia Darling - Hattie Jacques provides an object lesson in how to throw yourself into a part, she plays a smothering mother trying to marry off her daughter. Mike gives it to her straight, but this is taken as a proposal of marriage. Mike's only solution is to send in Paul for an insulting job. When daughter Cynthia packs her bags, Mike faces a tidal wave of hysteria
18 A Little Help from My Friends - Smartening up the image of their temporary practice, with a new Rolls, cinema ads etc, gets Dick and Paul the order of the boot. Mike gets a lot more assistance from his new Dr Barrington, even though she is Nicky and a girl. Note: Christopher Timothy has a small uncredited role as the Rolls' chauffeur
19 Devon Is Lovely at This Time of Year - Dr Nicky has made "an impression" on Mike who is up for the vacancy on the dean's firm- but so is she! Will love conquer all? Faintly embarrassing portrayal of young love doesn't help the story
20 Operation Loftus - Dick's Open All Hours Bar has to be swiftly closed when Professor Loftus rejoins the hospital, and his illegal booze in the bedpan store removed. The dean performs a brilliantly erratic ward round, though he is too over the top when he is too inebriated to perform an emergency op on Loftus, which Mike has to do with running commentary from the over enthusiastic Dr Bingham
21 Mother and Father Doing Well - An improved Cleese script with Dr Huw Evans in Casualty as a patient, his wife Pippa in Maternity. She irregularly assists in Huw's minor op, while Dr Upton fails to spot a couple of nutters
22 A Joke's a Joke - Poor Lawrence Bingham is the butt of junior doctor humour, ending up nude in the library. With Dick he joins forces, as Mike and Paul have crossed their names off the Anatomy Demonstrators list. They get the students to ask impossible questions, then change the slides in Upton's lecture, Prof Loftus comes in at an unfortunate moment
23 Pull The Other One! - When Paul tells Mike that Rosemary is "matron's sister," the date is off. Then Paul's sister Susan (Janina Faye) is dated by Mike, her brother keeps a watchful but mistaken eye
24 It's the Rich Wot Gets the Pleasure - Dick inherits £50,000 and celebrates with Upton and Bingham. Striptease follows, and at the police station, Insp Barker (Rupert Davies) arrests them. After Loftus bails them out they are sacked but luckily reinstated. Richard O'Sullivan, his face smeared with lipstick, is a sight to behold
25 Things that Go Mump in the Night - Could Mike Upton have gone down with mumps a second time? Why is Dr Bingham ordering a blanket bath for him, and an enema as well? Could be he's jealous of Upton's attentions towards Nurse Allison (Angela Douglas). Sadly, another patient irritates and loses the impetus of the story
26 Mr Moon- Mike joins Dick at a health farm run by Stanley Moon (John le Mesurier). John Cleese's script has all the usual jokes plus a few quirky moments, "give me my grapefruit." It ends on very orthodox lines after Mike tries fasting and leads everyone astray, even the eccentric Moon caving in
27 The Viva - the oral exam: "Boy wonder" Bingham is highly garrulous, Collier highly nervous, Upton merely late. His car has conked out and he phones Loftus and does his viva via phone from a rowdy pub. Appearing as the Scottish professor is veteran star of pre war musicals, Clifford Mollison
28 Bewigged, Bothered and Bewildered - After a poor scene in Casualty, Mike has to consult a lawyer (William Lucas, over the top), since he is being sued. Not really a subject for mirth, and this isn't
29 A Situation Full of Promise - All American lover boy Rick is getting all the female patients. Dick is jealous but is virtually guaranteed the new registrar's job since Upton and Collier are on the interviewing panel. However Nicky Barrington is a candidate,"she is a woman." She is also engaged to Rick, but a crisis is averted when Rick disgraces himself (that's a euphemism for being found in bed with the dean's daughter)
Doctors Menu
DOCTOR IN CHARGE
9 Face the Music (1972)
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When Waring's poor golf shot knocks out the chapel organist, Lawrence Bingham volunteers to replace him. Waring hardly atones for his mistake by spiking Lawrence's drinks, leading to the least solemn memorial service ever
10 Mum's the Word
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In casualty is Duncan's mum (Mollie Sugden), but to impress the board of governors, Dunc has claimed she's a countess- so Dick kindly and amusingly poses as the effusive Mrs Waring
11 The Fox
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Dunc suggests Lawrence should "live it up," and some trickery in this daft story sees poor Lawrence "desire" to smother the new severe matron with kisses
17 On the Brink
18 Amazing Grace
19 Shut Up and Eat What You're Given
28 The Merger - Loftus is "on edge" as St Swithin's is threatened with being pulled down for redevelopment, so the docs create chaos when Sir John the developer tours "the worst hospital in the world"
31 The Epidemic
35 In Place of Strife (1973)-
Waring mistakes the painters for new students and permits them to "fondle" a dolly patient. Then he brings them out on strike when he does a spot of painting and finally the whole hospital grinds to a halt as he and Collier fail abysmally to stand in for nurses on a ward
Doctors Menu
DOCTOR ON THE GO
After peaking with Doctor at Large, and Doctor in Charge, the series went downhill rather, and though not anything like as excrutiating as some of the first Doctor series, overacting and over indulgence don't usually make for good comedy.
6 M*A*T*C*H - When Dr Gascoygne drags poor Duncan away from the football on telly to examine a patient with a supposedly rare disease, Dunc gets his own back by tricking the naive Gazza into believing one patient really has an obscure disease. Sir Geoffrey's next ward round is not a success....
8 What's Op Doc with George Moon, Johnny Briggs
10 A Heart in the Right Place with Robert Dorning
Doctors Menu
Menu
From the 1950's, David Nixon had been producing his magic on both BBC and Commercial TV.
For a little on his 1965 ABC series.
Below, a few surviving shows from the long running 1970's series.
1.5 (June 5th 1972) with Matt Monro
- Freddie Davies lets David see his performing flea. David shows his double The Rabbit Game. Penny is introduced to him and Matt Monro, and does a striptease... behind a screen. David sings with Matt while suspending Penny in mid air.
Rod Hull hypnotises Emu, or so he thinks, in a fun scene before Emu sings Lucky To Have a Friend Like Me. Matt sings Sarah's Coming Home. Final trick: Mr Tweet (FD) drives a motorcycle into a large crate which is lifted in mid air and then demolished
Menu
Perhaps the most enjoyable collaboration between the fading talent of Michael Pertwee and Southern TV.
Derek Royle added his zany skills in the title role, and gives children enough to raise a good few laughs.
1.2 First patient is an old man "with ears" (Arthur Ridley). Then the general (Robert Dorning) whose youthful elixir is accidentally drunk by Hogg. To Pearl's delight, it seems to rejuvenate him, though in fact it's only the doctor's young son
1.3 Hogg cooking is as dangerous as Hogg shopping in the supermarket. Here he accidentally takes home a baby. It results in two black eyes for the innocent local bobby (John Clegg)
1.4 Some fun with Henry the skeleton, who causes
a flag seller to faint. Then Hogg buys fishing equipment from a drunken salesman (Michael Ripper), At the lake, Mabel's skirt is ripped off, accidentally of course. Then Hogg ruins her picnic before finally landing a catch- Henry
1.5 I liked the story though it begins slowly with Hogg stranded in pouring rain on his rounds. Since Pearl cannot drive and rescue him, he resolves to teach her how. Mind you, his own driving skills are pretty poor, so poor that police stop him, and he only fortuitously avoids arrest by driving into an empty removal van. Fred the driver (Sam Kydd) is a crook, decides Hogg, and he tells the police so. The sergeant (Robert Gillespie) patiently listens, "you've had half the force out..."
1.6 Yet another incompetent diagnosis on a patient (Reg Lye) before Hogg dashes off to the railway to see Pearl off as she's leaving the series. Mann (Geoffrey Chater) of the Medical Council has to keep discreet watch on Hogg. What he sees is a stripper applying to be Pearl's replacement, then a sword swallower, and finally a lady magician who saws Hogg in two. The script builds to a zany climax
1.7 A children's audience (or is it canned children?) now tells you when to laugh. Workwell is the new butler, and helps Hogg with a patient with a sore throat. Mugsy, the robber from the first story, requests Hogg put up his daughter Colette (Wendy Richard). Hogg collects her from the station, but she is much older than expected. "Common" too, causing Workwell to storm out. Colette, whom Hogg always calls Pearl, acts as maid, receptionist and nurse, a different uniform for each
1.8 General Balding is selling his ancient pile, with the aid of a hired butler, whose hiccups Hogg cures with The Kiss Of Death. But Hogg is left to "butle" ie serve evening meal to a potential buyer. Each of his gaffes reduces the offering price for the mansion, until some ancient salmon reveals a hidden treasure
1.9 Michael Ripper is in the drunk charge of The Unlikely Travel Agency. His brother Cecil runs the camping shop. They enable Hogg and Pearl to go on a camping holiday where Hogg climbs a mountain, and is pushed down again. Then they pitch tent, which drifts away during the night
1.10 Jangle has dandruff- Hogg soon administers a permanent cure. Then Hogg runs to the gym via the vicar's garden, and once there, much first aid is required. He is escorted home to cure Jangle of his baldness, and nearly poisons the vicar
1.12 A storyline with plenty of fun. Farmer Brown is ill so Hogg 'helps' round the farm. After imbibing his medicine, Hogg decides Brown is dead, and calls the vicar. Plenty of confusion when the undertaker (Gordon Rollings) shows up, believing Hogg is talking about his own funeral
1.13 General Balding has injured himself decorating, so Hogg bandages him up. "Anyone can stick up a bit of paper," so with the aid of two crippled patients, Hogg makes the attempt. A lot of slapstick which has certainly been done a lot better elsewhere, though here performed with some gusto
2.1 After crashing a pram, Hogg treats General Balding, who is seeing things. His bandaging skills gets everyone in a tangle, nearly on a par with the chaos at the village fete
2.2 The local newspaper prints annoying comments about Hogg, ditto General Balding and the vicar. Editor Grimm urges them to "make way for younger men." To prove him wrong, they decide to build a new health centre. After a series of slapstick disasters, it is opened, only Grimm sabotages the sauna, but missing are most of the comedic possibilities
2.3 Col Travers, Her Majesty's equerry, wants Hogg to provide a cuppa for the queen. Mrs Mac prepares a splendid tea, only for Hogg to ruin it. Numerous visitors attempt to wedge in, here's another... and the royal guest is given a right wet welcome, off camera of course
2.4 My housekeeper's been murdered, cries Hogg to the police. But it's only a play, Hogg unwisely in charge of props. Mostly this is actors pretending to be amateur actors, not overcoming the weak script. However Pat Coombs as "a glamourpuss" is momentarily arresting
2.5 Disguised as Boris Karloff, Mrs Mac certainly scares Hogg. They start redecorating, but squatters awkwardly interrupt what progress there is. A dubious Cagney imitation fails to shift them, Mrs Mac's Frankenstein also fails, as does this script
2.6 Bank manager IM Jolly (Richard Caldicot) develops a nervous twitch when Hogg visits him. The wrong pills don't help. Two incompetent robbers seize Hogg as hostage and after a slapstick chase it finishes with Hogg chasing poor Mrs Mac
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2 The Daily Echo offer £500 for an exclusive. Hughie's train journey is awfully boring, for us. He buys a new wardrobe and holds an At Home. His friends The Duke (Jack Watling) and The Bishop (Leslie Dwyer) and Hughie himself are chased away. Jokes include Trousers falling down, and Miss Pratt's line: "may I forget my station?"- with the obvious response
3 After breakfast in bed, Tipping fills in Lord Hughie over his jobs, He is introduced to Grimes the head groom (Tony Sympson), then Mr Partridge, and together they chase and catch a poacher (Alfie Bass) who is an old pal of Hughie's. The level of humour can be judged by these jokes: Hughie worries about apes in the apiary, and an awful one about his "dear stalker" hat
4 After dropping the breakfast tray, Tipping indulges in some rum with his lordship. Today is Lord Hughie's Exam Day, and Miss Pratt puts him through his aristoratic paces, a window for plenty of corn. The Duke and The Bishop come to stay, Tipping is ordered to frighten them away by playing ghost
5 As the estate is all but bankrupt, the house is opened to the public, with no help from 'Priggy' Pratt's Uncle Fred, who has to help them disguise themselves, goodness knows why. Further confusion with the arrival of two bank robbers. Puns include one on a stud farm, jokes include being frightened by a mouse. Best line: "Hitler wasn't a car park attendant"
6 Tipping is frozen stiff as the heating has failed. Diana of Mayfair with Hadji (Jimmy Thompson) are appointed to give the place a facelift, something this programme badly needed. The story muddles on, corny jokes include The Bishop getting a new tank for the oil heating, a real army tank. It ends in an inventive fantasy of pipes in the library that could have been so much funnier
"Looks like you need a good meal." A unique series really made by the superb acting of Alfred Burke as Frank Marker, and by some generally excellent scripts. It started as a black/white ABC production and was one of the few shows that survived the transition to Thames.
TV Menu
1.12 The Morning Wasn't So Hot
2.2 Don't Forget You're Mine (1966) - First Birmingham client is Mrs Jessop (Pauline Delaney, later to become Mrs Mortimer), whose younger husband is missing. Tis the usual reason, another woman. Seedy and predictable, but a well told story. Writer Roger Marshall's knack is to divide your sympathies before giving a clever unexpected twist before Frank proves himself "a private detective with honour"
2.7 Works with Chess, Not with Life
3.9 The Bromsgrove Venus (1968)
5.2 Well- There Was This Girl You See - New opening titles now Frank's in Windsor, and at last a client, a girl who wants to share with Frank the £300 reward for returning a stolen necklace. She wants to shop Sheldon her ex-boyfriend who has ditched her- "I don't like your type," Marker tells him. Nor does Percy the police inspector, but Frank "plays games" too long and, typically, overplays his hand
5.3 Slip Home in the Dark - The case of the anonymous phone caller who blackmails Barbara whose hubby is trying to make a new start out of jail. A sad case, but at least Frank cracks it. "Mr Marker, I don't like you very much"
5.4 I Always Wanted a Swimming Pool - (now in colour) An opportunity for some shots around Windsor as Frank trails an errant husband. His main case is related to the rather sad Charles Loose (Cyril Luckham) who seems to be selling fake paintings of the Norwich School artist Manton. As he is patron to a young artist (James Bolam) he seems to have the opportunity. Marker poses as a connoiseur who wishes to purchase a genuine Manton. "Success makes for carelessness," Frank as usual getting too involved, but he comes out quids in for once when there's a brilliant twist to the story
5.5 The Beater and the Game - "Life isn't all happiness," older man Stanley warns his young girl friend. Certainly not for Frank either, when Stanley objects to Frank trailing him. Poor Frank is being used to track Stanley down by a "monster" (Terence Rigby)- "a very nasty business"
5.6 Come Into the Garden Rose (b/w)- Rich old Rose (Madge Ryan) announces she is to marry Harry, the porter at her home (George Sewell). Marker exposes him for what he is, but she runs away with him anyway. All a little embarrassing, the story that is, more so perhaps because, though it's not made explicit, Marker can see something of himself in Harry
5.7 And When You've Paid the Bill...- Peter Kulman, aged 23, has jumped off his uncle's office block. Frank delves his motives in a sad but fascinating tale, marred by some poor acting. The truth is even more painful than expected, as the script collapses, like Frank's typed report
5.8 Who Wants to be Told Bad News? - Some fine acting here: Glyn Edwards as usual, as Bain the irascible estate agent; and Mollie Maureen as his aunt, who asks Mr Marker to find a 1917 newspaper. But his main job is to check out Bain's Asian client, who wants to rent an isolated cottage: "something funny there, if you ask me." Too late, Frank goes to the cottage, but the con artists have flown, not that Marker is that bothered
5.9 The Man Who Didn't Eat Sweets - Is my husband Eddie (Peter Sallis) cheating on me? Yet he seems so innocent in this sad but moving story. But three wives on the go is quite a juggling act, and Frank tries to resolve it by facing Eddie with his polygamy. "No excuses," he admits, as it all comes crashing down
5.10 Ward of Court - Martin Bailey has fled from Sheffield to Windsor, with his son. Marker traces him and serves a court order, only to reluctantly get involved in a tug of war between father and "monster" of a mother. Superbly done, you don't know just where your sympathies lie
5.11 Transatlantic Cousins - For once Frank has an assistant, reluctantly, in the shape of Lana, daughter of an American who wants Frank to unearth his aristocratic roots. This makes for a novel variation, except she's such a feeble actress. They dig up "a dreadful old man" in straitened circumstances, and Alfred Burke enjoys a nice scene with him. As Marker remarks "I always end up disappointing somebody"
5.12 Shades of White - Are Jimmy and Simon a bad influence on 18 year old Anne (Lesley Anne Down)? Allan her bullying dad thinks so, and wants Marker to find out about them. Frank flirts with the housekeeper to help catch the two thieves in an excellently written tale (Robert Muller) full of well-drawn characters
5.13 John VII Verse 24 - Not entirely convincing story when Inspector Firbank advises Frank to "stick to the facts," after he suspends one of his juniors who's accused of theft. Frank finds himself as go-between, defending the young copper
6.1 The Bankrupt - Mel Peters (Ray Barrett) is filing for bankruptcy, so how come he's still driving a Rolls? "This fellow's been having you on," as he attempts to bribe Frank Marker who tangles with the usual array of dubious characters including a crooked solicitor. You hope Peters'll come a cropper, though retribution comes from a surprise source, "get stuffed"
6.2 Girl in Blue - Brian Summers (Richard Leech) gets a shock when he sees his estranged daughter Janice appearing in a blue film The Parson Knows. He asks Frank Marker to trace her, though "he hasn't got much chance of finding her." But against the odds, there she is, in Hounslow, "I got lucky." Final scene: Father and daughter reunited?
6.3 Many A Slip - Frank is asked to check the credit ratings of five applicants, one is Mrs Pembroke his doctor's wife, only Frank's inquiries show she is not married, "I don't think it's as simple as that." In King's Lynn, Frank digs up the truth about the doctor, not that it's much use to him, though it profoundly affects others
6.4 Mrs Podmore's Cat - Frank's broke, so any case is welcome, though widow Diana Podmore (Jean Kent) "eats me for breakfast," and asks Frank to look after Bertie, that's her cat. She staying at a health farm, and leaves him to pick up the pieces of her private life, fending off the attentions of the criminal Clive and her toy boy Ronnie. The theft of two of her valuable medallions might prove embarrassing for our detective
6.5 The Man Who Said Sorry - Oh dear, a rare flop. Frank Marker is asked by a Mr Barrett to investigate his wife, "a little younger than I am." he says she's having an affair, but really he's just wanting to waste Marker's time after he allegedly let him down in a case back in October 1967, long forgotten by the private detective. The scenario of the neurotic on the edge of suicide takes far too long to unfold, "what the hell are you going on about?" asks Marker and you sense he might have been ad libbing! This style of writing by Richard Harris was entirely inappropriate for this series, as a play, the main and almost only character is tedious and you almost wish he'd get on with it and kill himself. When he does so, it's meant to be tense, but Marker has washed his hands, and so have most viewers. Not to be watched if you are feeling low, or feeling anything
6.6 Horse and Carriage- Christmas cheer for Harry Longstaff (Tony Melody) who allegedly "enjoys being jealous" of his wife Lilian, "the most desirable woman in Windsor, well the world really." He's an old client of Marker's, wasting his time making him watch her while he's away. But is he using it as a cover for a dalliance with Pauline? Lily engages her own detective to follow Harry but a potentially explosive outcome turns merely into a tasteful comedy
6.7 A Family Affair - Old Charles Knight wrote his own will sharing his estate between his two sons Henry (Ralph Michael) and John (Norman Henry), and his long term housekeeper Harriet.
When Marker investigates her circumstances, she appears very well off, had she been fleecing her employer? "I always knew she was out for herself." A can of worms is opened as the brothers' reactions are studied, but for me the conclusion didn't fit quite right
6.8 The Golden Boy - Where is Sir John's son Vivian? Why did he suddenly leave his Oxford College, a brilliant career ahead of him? Meet two old farts, one unconcerned, his own father even, but the other, his old Latin tutor, enlists Marker's aid. Students friends lead him to the high class tart Carol, "he was too much," she admits. He's found in a pub, where Marker pals up with him and gets very drunk. His odd tale emerges over odder philosophy, not very absorbing, something on the lines of freedom or bacon or..?
6.9 The Windsor Royal - Clem Lawrence (Raymond Francis) is worried that his lovely new variety of rose has been stolen, and suspects his ex-partner Hayward. Marker's investigation is complicated by the secret romance twixt Clem's daughter and his rival's son, "it's all perfectly inncoent," and more akin to a storm in a teacup, but a pleasant teacup
6.10 It's a Woman's Privilege - 10.02am at the railway station, Helen Mortimer has come from Brighton to consult Frank. It's a nice touch and you wish that after two years, Frank might be a little less professional towards her. However he does take on board her concerns for her son Nick who has purchased a house in Datchet he couldn't possibly afford as he has paid £27.500 for it. He's become an account in a business run by the shady Everard, selling cheap photocopiers. Frank applies to become a salesman with the firm and is interviewed by Nick. He somehow manages to inspect the books, and after a shouting match convinces Nick to "get out now," as he's being set up as a fall guy when the business inevitably crashes
6.11 Home and Away - Amateur football manager Don (Bryan Pringle) may be having an affair, his wife asks Frank to find out. Frank gets pally with Don who introduces club 'mascot' Gladys, no hint of romance with her. Frank in fact is only a pawn to try and make Don jealous, to rouse him from his "soul destroying" existence. Good characters, that's all here, "I don't like ball games," admits Frank, "especially when I'm being used as the ball"
6.12 Egg and Cress Sandwiches - Improbable casting of Brian Blessed as a vicar, ah, but he's a trendy vicar, at odds with his churchwarden the general (Robert Flemyng). Blackmail letters about the vicar's "fluttering among the hens," draws Frank into this ecclesiastical brouhaha as the story skirts serious issues and ends in a search for a missing painting. It really hinges on two simple folk, "do you remember Doncaster?"
6.13 The Trouble With Jenny- Frank is being chatted up by a hotel proprietor a la Mrs Mortimer and in a repeat of a plot in series four, he saves a young girl from suicide. Her older husband (Donald Houston) asks Marker to find out why. Frank uncovers a jukebox romance, a baby and blackmail, but you sense it'll never be a happy ending
7.1 Nobody Wants to Know (1975)- this grittier series begins with prisoner Joe Martins needing Frank to find a witness, Janet of Ascot, to prove he wasn't involved with a robbery. "You don't know what you're doing, Frank." It turns out the elusive Janet was in with Joe doping her father's horse, "you're a mug, Frank." His professional persistence finds her, but his duffing up is inevitable." You can't admire the ending, though the duffing story continues next time
7.2 How About A Cup of Tea? - Helen Mortimer, last seen in #6.10, is back, wanting to cheer up a depressed Frank in hospital after his duffing up. But she cannot get through to him, he refuses all approaches and she inevitably departs unfulfilled. Inspector Firbank attempts to help also in a practical way by getting Frank a job, to see tenant Mrs Grant who refuses to be evicted, broke, husband left her, more depressing even than Frank's saga. Get help, advises Frank, but like him, she is unwilling, for in her "you caught a glimpse of Frank Marker." A poignant study of depression, religion, life
7.3 How About It, Frank? - "Right bastard" Chief Insp Tyson wants facts from Frank about his duffing up so he can nail the perpetrator Tarrant. Frank won't play, he's investigating computer expert Brian Hart for his mate Ron Gash, a fine study even if the brief storyline is too familiar. With Joe Martins (see 7.1) Frank unwisely puts the screws on "moral imbecile" Tarrant and receives a monetary pay off. That gives Tyson his chance, and Frank is brought in. Good old Gash rescues Frank, who in his turn does a favour for the likeable Brian
7.4 They All Sound Simple At First - Working as Ron Gash's "assistant," Marker helps a Polish man (Philip Madoc) after sharing vodka with his extended family. The man is owed £692 by his brother in law Croxley (Peter Bowles). He's a philanderer, and despite his refusal to pay up, a little "strong" leaning by Gash works the oracle
7.5 The Fall Guy
7.6 What's To Become Of Us?
7.7 Hard Times - Another new office, this one's in Station Approach Chertsey. An uncommonly friendly bank manager Mr Pearce (Tenniel Evans) who finds Marker "a nice man," presses him to up his modest fees, "they're not high enough." His first job is from some nasty characters, Find Jimmy. As he's laundering money, Frank knows he's on "a hiding to nothing"
7.8 No Orchids for Marker - Mrs Alexander of The Laurels Farm Lane interrupts a night intruder in her conservatory. Here's a slow moving but interesting story as Marker sleeps on the job and unearths, literally, the truth, as the pleasant afternoon tea atmosphere turns into £10,000, well nearly
7.9 The Fatted Calf - Sociology student Giles Robinson has run off after a row with his father over a sit in at his factory. Marker finds him easily enough, but he's under the influence of Commie Vince (Alun Armstrong). He disappears once more, but Marker's quickly on to him. However Vince is using Giles to blackmail his father over a bomb threat Vince is persuaded to make. "There won't be a next one," as dad coughs up. Markers offers to deliver payment and adds a sermon
7.10 Lifer - Arthur Biddle (Norman Bird) asks Marker to find his wife, gone off with Brian. Two days' surveillance produces Brian but no sign of the wife, not surprising as she died over ten years ago! In fact Marker learns Brian had been convicted of killing Biddle's daughter, and Biddle is out for a warped revenge. Frank nobly attempts to stop his pathetic client who understandably has murder in his heart
7.11 Take No For an Answer- A study of widower Mr Jenks (a typical role for Richard Pearson), fastidious chief clerk at an engineeering firm. His daughter asks Marker to find out what's worrying him. It's to do wth the dubious Carter, who has caused him to descend to defrauding his company. Marker's attempt to solve the problem only makes matters worse. There's one well drawn scene as his secretarial pool peep at him as he opens his farewell present
7.12 Fit of Conscience- Collapse of a block of flats. Council employee John Friendly knows he took a bribe from the builder, and asks Marker to locate George Berry (Griffith Jones), his co-conspirator. "I can only tell you the facts," Marker insists, but he does go above and beyond to advise the man with the guilty secret. However the ending is a convenient swindle
7.13 Unlucky for Some - Mrs Waterfield of the Rivermead Hotel asks Frank Marker to check on her new daughter-in-law Paula. What is her relationship with Fellows, "very aimiable isn't he?" Marker's career ends with a case of blackmail concerning Paula's first husband's death, and the chance for a reward, 10% of £80,000 is surely in Frank's grasp
Post 60's TV Menu
A rather slow story about obnoxious dynamic businessman Paul Garston (Keith Baxter) who runs his firm with the aid of his subordinate,
accountant Eric Hart (Peter Barkworth).
His rivals "all come out bent and battered," as does Marker when he's hired to protect this unlikeable tycoon. For, "hardly surprise of the year," he's receiving threatening phone calls.
Several candidates present themselves to Marker, including his ex-wife, or maybe Ray who is being given the runaround by his wife Anne, who is off for another dirty weekend with Garston. Then there's Wheeler, whose firm Garston is trying to buy up on the cheap. But surely above suspicion is Timpson who is to finance this deal.
Marker acts as Garston's chauffeur, winding up doing other menial tasks like opening his champagne bottles.
"You don't like him do you," Anne comments to Frank, but then only she really does, or so it seems.
When Ray finds out about the affair, he forbids her to see Garston again, a forlorn threat. So he contacts the shady Ellis to arrange for Garston to be made "a hospital case." Unfortunately it's poor Frank who is given the treatment in error.
Naturally rather shaken up, Marker wants to know why Ray duffed him up. But evidently he's not the main man, the one who is making these threats. Anne however, realising her affair is coming to an end, informs Garston her husband is the culprit, and will only stop if he's paid £50,000, to avoid nasty publicity. In fact she's only paid £20,000, which she takes away with a man posing as her husband. But even this is an illusion, for "they're easily tricked," falling for the old one of stuffed blank paper covered by a few genuine pound notes. But Marker uses all his wiles to pay £10,000 of Gartson's cash to find out who the blackmailer is.
Result: Eric is sacked, ""you did a good job Marker." Though perhaps Garston is less pleased when he learns what it cost him. Frank wisely turns down the offer of a permanent job working for such a nasty man. Later stories started to focus more on Frank Marker, whereas this early effort spends too much time exploring the unpleasant client
To Public Eye
Sleazy if realistic story of prostitution, Philip Madoc has a typical chilling role as the creepy Dannon.
Frank Marker's client is a Mr Drummond, solicitor, who wants Jenny traced, now missing six weeks, no relatives in London. Marker perceptively starts his search at the snack bar, but is not given any help. She has now been sold by Mason, after a lot of negotiation for £300 to Dannon, "I provide items for collection."
Thus when Frank tracks Jenny down, she's flown. He meets Sue, another of Mason's new call girls, she's from Sheffield, though she only knows Jenny left trying to improve herself. Frank departs after giving Mason a piece of his mind.
Jenny is now entertaining Gordon Reynolds who at an executive restaurant introduces her to salesman Alan. He hatches a scheme with Jenny to blackmail Reynolds. This subplot adds little to the story.
Having purchased Jenny who has gone to ground, Dannon wants her, and offers Marker £100 to find her. Not that Frank would dirty his hands with such a rogue. A taxi driver friend finds her for Frank, who has a fatherly talk with her to absolutely no effect, she is as hard as nails confidently believing she has made it. "These people are not to be fooled about with," Frank warns.
She's too confident however to be shaken. We hear Frank being beaten up by Dannon's thugs, watching her reactions as she listens on.
"She's a goner," Frank later informs Drimmond, though a slight shaft of light is Sue who asks Frank to contact her family to see if she can return home
Public Eye
A young girl is claiming
that she has had a bad stomach upset after eating mushrooms at a hotel. Clearly an anticipation of today's dreadful compensation culture that enriches noone but lawyers. A medical can reveal no evidence for her allegations, but nothing to disprove it either, so Frank is hired to investigate if she is malingering or not. He poses as a stylish salesman, not short of a bob, treating her to a top up meal. That certainly disproves her case for nausea!
That leads Frank to the case of the doctor who examined the girl. Dr Alan Skerrett (Derek Waring) is having an affair with Susan (Ann Lynn) and is ever waiting "the right moment" to tell his wife Nancy that he is going to leave her. Frnak learns this by following them to a tryst in a quiet church where the couple discuss their future, she earnest, he uncertain. She tries an ultimatum, she is leaving next Friday, will he come with her or not?
Even Nancy knows of his dilemma, though he doesn't know that she knows, she's only deduced it. Accordingly she asks Frank to act as a catalyst to make him decide. The vacillating Alan has finally decided to pay Susan off. Now only grateful he has rid himself of the dilemma, he kindly prescribes Susan a sedative, this a trick by her to blackmail him unless he goes away with her.
Facing the medical council if not, Alan requests Frank retrieve the prescription, but Frank is not that sort of investigator. He does agree to talk to Susan and try persuasion. In a memorable scene, he spins her a line and helps himself to the prescription, she convinced to leave the city alone. Another fine scene when husband learns wife knows of it all, when Frank talks to her. This time it's she who doesn't know that he knows
To Public Eye
This could have been titled The Venus Flytrap, in honour of the dead fly that is continuously on the VCR machine!
Marker first questions Ingleby who had actually submitted this photo, but he is unhelpful. But Marker finds the photographer who had developed this print, Ridge. He had made several copies, one had been stolen apparently. Marker is fairly sure Ingleby is the one who had stolen the photo, then submitting it in the competition.
According to Ridge, Box 30 had originally commissioned this photo, Marker calls at the address, but meets another brick wall in the owner. So he decides to follow Maria, who goes to the address of Box 30! Here, Marker overhears her asking for the name of Box 30, and some cash elicits the name, which is written down, so Marker is none the wiser. So he has to continue following her, she goes to an address, the Church Militant Union. She does not go in.
Back at his office, Marker gets a shock, Maria is waiting for him. She asks him to help as she is being blackmailed. Seven years ago she had had an affair with a man named Busby, a keen photographer. He'd taken this photo of her as a joke, but now she is handing £5 per week to Box 30.
Now Marker calls at the place, where Pauline's Dance Parlour is in full swing. Marker enrols for some private tuition in the tango, which he does with some style.
Her surname is Busby, and Frank Marker faces her with her blackmail. Easily he obtains the copies she's made of the photo as well as her side of the story. "I just wanted to make her pay."
Pauline and Maria are brought face to face, and they concoct a story which they tell Paul at the dancing school. Somehow all parties are satisfied for a jolly finale.
As a study of estrangement between a middle aged husband and a younger foreign wife, this is well told
In Series Four the programme achieved a very high standard of writing, with a sensitive account of an ex prisoner's problems in attempting to reintegrate into society.
At the same time he does settle into his digs run by Mrs Mortimer, and the beginnings of a relationship are just visible, even in a loner such as Frank.
4.2 Divide and Conquer
4.3 Paid in Full
4.4 My Life's My Own
4.5 Case for the Defence
4.6 The Comedian's Graveyard
4.7 A Fixed Address
To Public Eye
This is a sometimes moving character study of the problems of a prisoner on parole, and a very lonely parolee at that. A sad portrait of a loner on the very periphery of society.
759413 F Marker, HM Prison Ford, convicted of receiving stolen property, sentence two years six months, is being released on the morrow. Yes, he is going straight, though "once you're in their little black book, you're there for ever."
Mr Hull his probation officer provides an accommodation address, the governor gives a personal goodbye also, asking a few probing questions of his personal life. "Who've you got?" The defensive Marker replies "myself," he has no choice.
Next day the van drives him to the station, the only prisoner on release. A strangely moving scene as he tastes freedom of sorts on the platform. The 42 train stops. An empty carriage for Marker. In Brighton he finds it hard to get used to the traffic. He makes for number 24, in sight of the sea and the pier, where Mrs Mortimer makes him feel welcome. She's a widow.
Savouring his freedom Frank Marker walks along the prom, recalling his experiences inside. On the front is Tony's restaurant where he takes soup and a mixed grill. By the pier a tart picks him up, Grace, they kiss, she helps herself to his wallet, and the mood passes.
Freda is the wife of Jakeman, one of Marker's few acquaintances inside. He'd promised to look her up, but she's not living where her husband has said. Some of his old sleuthing skills help Frank to find her quite easily, and the reason she'd stopped coming to
the prison are soon evident. Marker is no marriage counsellor and it is she who gives him home truths about being married to a habitual criminal.
From this sad place to Mr Hull and a conversation, a reluctant conversation, "I'm not good at talking." At first the theme is how prison succeeds in reforming so few. They discuss making friends, that's not for Frank, and the job Hull has obtained for him on a building site. "I'm off officaldom," Frank finally admits. He doesn't want helping
To Public Eye Series 4
Slow but absorbing account of Marker's first days at work.
A seemingly unrelated subplot follows two leatherclad motorcyclists (perhaps Thames couldn't afford a bigger gang?), who have ridden into town and swindled the owner of a cafe by Palace Pier (Ken Jones).
Frank Marker is brought tea in bed and a cooked brekker, before starting work at Black Rock repairing the sea wall. Then back to his digs and a chat with a defrocked solicitor, but Marker isn't the "sociable" type and it's a rather one sided conversation. But they make for the pub, and there Marker brushes with one of the yobs Harry (Terence Rigby) trying his same swindle on the barman (Norman Mitchell). It ends in a scuffle, Frank Marker winded, but at least they earn a free drink.
Harry as well as his dubious mate Frank, thirsts revenge and attempts to run Marker down. "We'll teach him something."
Next day on the beach the chance comes. Maybe the scene owes a little, though not a lot, to Cary Grant on that desert road, as Harry and Frank confront Marker by the lonely sea wall. Harry taunts Marker by eating his egg sandwiches. Marker responds, at a distance, by offering Harry a few tips in a tense filmed scene. Marker tries to pit the gentler Frank against the belligerent Harry. "I'm going to fill you in," boasts the nasty Harry. Two years inside, Marker retorts, and that gets Frank's namesake worried. Marker can become more confident now, and even snatches the spade in Harry's hand. "You got a big loose mouth," cries the losing Harry, as Marker's graphic account of life inside frightens off Frank.
The tense stand off is over. This is a slight story that shows the vulnerability of the ex prisoner, at the mercy of so many nasty types. The final camera shot pulls back from the beach where Frank Marker works all alone, it's a memorable picture
Public Eye Series 4
Kenrick, Frank's boss, has bad news. The pay packet of Arthur Wilson has gone missing, and as this is the first time such a problem has arisen, Wilson is pointing his finger at "the jailbird." Dt Constable Brown quizzes Mrs Mortimer about her paying guest and then he talks to the unhappy Frank who realises "I'm favourite," as his room is searched. Nothing found, and Mrs Mortimer sympathises with some whiskey in a heart warming exchange, an utter contrast to Frank's interview with the copper. Mrs Mortimer opens up a little, revealing she's no widow really, her husband simply left her.
Next day at work proves difficult. Though Frank contributes to a fund for Wilson, everyone assumes he is guilty and when the empty stolen paypacket is found in Frank's clothing, he has to be taken to the police station for questioning.
En route, Brown has to stop on the A27 to arrest a young thief Barry who is arrested on suspicion of murder.
At the station Brown admits that he believes Frank is innocent. Mr Hull comes to sympathise. But Frank has that sinking feeling, "it's not going to work is it?" he asks rhetorically, "the unclean notice is up."
Barry's case is in the Evening Argus, and Frank talks the story over with his landlady over a cuppa. Jenny, Kenrick's secretary, comes to his digs to offer help, asking if he could provide an alibi. She does recall telling one employee about Frank's record. This quickly clears up the case, and Jenny rushes to break the good news to Frank. Trouble is that although he is in the clear, "people jump to conclusions," and when Frank reports back to work an apologetic Kenrick has to turn him away. Mr Hull tries to calm down the angry Frank, in a very sad finish.
This was clearly a problem just waiting to happen for the ex-prisoner, and the story is told very honestly and sympathetically. You wish Frank Marker could trust those wanting to help him, but at the same time, you know he's not that kind of man
It's 2.20am when Frank, hearing her radio still noisily playing, kindly brings her a cup of coffee to her room. She doesn't answer his knock, so he breaks in, and finds her asleep, clearly drugged. Bravely, he makes her sick and causes her to come round, interestingly doing all this on his own, as surely Frank would, without seeking medical aid.
He makes Shirley take a long walk along the prom, to prevent her from relapsing into a stupor. Then back home, black coffee as she tears up a note she has left for Chris.
Next morning he makes some soup for her, and she explains about the trouble with Chris who is married. So while she sleeps some more, Good Samaritan Frank calls round to see Chris, and finds Chris is a woman, married to a doctor. Shirley had been a nurse for Chris during her illness. Matter of factly the doctor clains she did it to get attention, "she's a strange girl." It is not a happy meeting, one suspects the couple had words later after Frank has departed.
Encouraged by Frank's kindness, Shirley phones Chris, who is pleased, though her husband is a lot more unpleasant. Thus when Frank returns after a walk, Shirley has left. Landlady Mrs Mortimer comes home and is inquisitive about her unseen guest. "I thought I could cope," is Frank's typical line.
"You've taken on too much," is her pertinent reply," but before they can do more, Chris phones, receiving the sharp end of Frank's tongue. However anxiety is dispelled when Shirley phones also, to say all is well.
"They wouldn't want an ex-convict," retorts Frank, but Mr Rylands is prepared to take a chance. However, as usual for Frank, it's not as straightforward as all that.
Day one, he meets Davies, a solicitor. His client, the brash and rich businessman Osborne (William Lucas) needs assistance in reducing the charge his son is facing of murder to that of manslaughter. Barry Osborne has admitted killing Flockton, but can Frank gather anything to show that the killing was not premeditated?
The dead man owned a garage near Plumpton, so Frank hires a Morris Minor and drives to this garage to buy some petrol. He pumps the attendant who proves to be Mrs Flockton, and then her son, a mechanic there. Flockton was a burly man and the puzzling thing is how he could have been overcome by Barry at all, unless it was a surprise attack.
At the local, Frank takes a half of cider and finds out that Flockton had had one spell behind bars in Lewes prison. Osborne is mighty pleased to get this news! Eagerly he gives Frank a lift in his Rolls so they can talk with the victim of Flockton's crime, Jackson, though he is not all there for he has had a stroke. Osborne hopes that stroke might be the aftermath of Flockton's attack. However his methods are not to Frank's taste, and anyway bribery is of little effect.
"There are degrees of guilt," Osborne tells his son, who is at least honest- he refuses, like Frank, to allow the evidence to be manipulated.
At the University of Sussex Frank talks to Barry's girl friend who says it all with "Osborne Senior has a lot to answer for." She reckons Barry might have killed Flockton for kicks. But to Osborne, who wines and dines her royally, she considers his bribe to say she had given Barry LSD. But what she will say in court is never revealed.
Sick of this evil, Frank persuades Barry to plead guilty, for they are both fed up with the rich man's high handed criminal dishonesty. It's not an action that gains Frank much glory, though he does at least retain his dignity
Frank has been working on divorce cases, but now he's asked to find this Judy who ran away from home ten days ago. She sent a postcard from Black Rock, so she's in the area. "She wants to be a singer," Judy's aunt, Mrs Reid, tells Frank. (You sense there's another storyline hidden here, but it is never developed.)
Not too optimistically, Frank scours the theatres, then on to the pier where Raybold says he's not seen her.
But in her period bathing costume she's handing out leaflets promoting the show and Frank is lucky and spots her. "You did know her," he confronts the pessimistic Raybold.
Frank breaks the good news to Mrs Reid who is staying with Frank's landlady, Helen Mortimer. The three go to watch the show. Raybold's patter is typical end of pier, then it's Judy's turn. Shots of her nervously waiting in the wings as Raybold concludes his jokes. She sings Daddy Wouldn't Buy me a Bow Wow. Afterwards in the dressing room, she calmly tells her aunt that she's staying put. The two are left to talk while Frank and his landlady get as close as they ever do in the series. Helen suggests Frank set up as a private detective on his own again, but that needs money. She offers him £1,000 to get started.
Frank sort of solves Judy's case in a kindly way. He gets Doris, Billy's estranged wife, to tell Judy a few home truths, it's a gritty heart to heart, the old pro and the young innocent as Judy sees Billy's darker side. There's a pathetic parting and Frank is in trouble too, for closing the case far too quickly. Such lack of integrity in his employer makes Frank walk out.
Over the washing up, Frank chats easily with Helen Mortimer about a possible office for his new business. He is even waiting on two guests, young Pete and Rose, who are clearly not hitting it off together, although evidently they have run away together. After four days living here, they are more arguing than loving.
Frank looks over one basement office, dingy but inexpensive, and asks Helen to come and give her opinion. But before she can do so there appears a fly in the ointment. It's Helen's estranged husband Denis, "seven years too late," who says he's come to see if Frank is OK, and he is clearly out to be a nuisance, out to needle Frank. Helen seems too slow in dealing with his snide comments and Frank not unreasonably retreats back into his shell. It's not helped by Mr Hull, Frank's probation officer, who has talked on the quiet with Helen and learned she is hoping Frank will stay on. Hull, furthermore, is against Frank restarting his old trade though he does reluctantly agree to allow Frank to take his chance.
Dinner at the guest house, the young couple still bickering, Frank and Denis at separate tables, in a strained silence. "We must talk," Helen urges Frank, but he has clammed up.
Pete and Rose are finally parting and Denis and Helen live out their past failure, that leaves Frank on his own.
Howeever Helen helps Rose drown her tears and cut her losses, something she must do herself, all this while Frank has a bit of a heart to heart with the surly unthinking Pete, two losers together.
So alone Rose departs, as Frank gets his new office ready all alone. Denis and Helen have a final talk, in which he asks her to join him abroad for his new job. She at last sees why he has returned, he needs a wife to clinch this post, and she turns him right down. So he departs in a huff, and she goes at last to inspect Frank's new workplace, "thanks, you're a pal."
TV Menu
After a lost pilot had been made in 1974, ATV were not quick to spot the potential of this series with Bernard Hepton, Ken Jones and Patsy Rowlands. Some of the plots and even storylines and characters were later reused in Fiddlers Three.
1.2 Men Without Women (July 1975) - the weekend conference, Rex has to go without his wife. There's a party in Rex's room!
1.3 Man Most Likely to -"Sponge" Rex meets old school bully Reggie Parsons.
2.1 Ashes to Ashes (July 1976)- Rex isn't Bob Cratchit, but he must have a day off for another funeral, or is it the Test Match? JF thinks it's Rex's coffin in the lounge
2.2 Fluffy-Bun - Rex must cover up for Harry who's had a night at the Paradise Rooms. He goes there to meet a secret admirer, many eyes watching, all in dark glasses
2.3 Burke in Clover - after the office party, Burke is in a position to grab a few blackmail perks and even plans to get married
2.4 The New Broom - Rex is in temporary charge when the new MD inspects the office, though somehow the new cleaner (Lee Montague) is confused for the boss
2.5 On the Carpet - £20,000 is missing, JF's old carpet is in Rex's house, in this Kenneth Cope script that doesn't pass muster
2.6 The Renaissance - "lovely looking" Heather beguiles JF, but then he finds out who she is
2.7 The X Factor - JF's payslip is in Carol's envelope, it's "a war of nerves" finding out who knows what about who's pay (no PR)
2.8 The Weaker Sex - "Interfering busybody" Miss Smedley is doing a study of the office efficiency, but she also brings women's lib to Rex and Harry's wives
3.1 The Snatch (Nov 1976) - the adventures of Rex Mason, with a bag containing £5,000 strapped to his wrist
3.2 Leapfrog - "35 years up the spout, stabbed in the back by an amateur Brutus," thus JF who must not let management know of his bad back
3.3 The Cruise - David Craig is here to "brainwash" staff into the merits of Europe, with the offer of a cruise, or is it a "last journey"?
3.4 The Bonus Scheme - "Your big chance, Rex," he must devise a cost cutting scheme- so who's for the chop? It points to ....
3.5 The Long Hot Summer - the heat sets off Harry's practical joking. Permissiveness rears its ugly head in the staff garden, and revenge on Harry
3.6 The Argument -"It's him or me," Harry/Rex. They have fallen out, too much for JF, who retires home
3.7 What a Way to Go - To get the vacant job in Jamaica, JF needs to prove to the interviewers he has a reliable wife- Rex's will do
3.8 Shoulder to Shoulder - Rex needs a pay rise to pay Sweeney (Alun Armstrong), "the one with the tattoos." JF refuses, so a strike, who will crack first?
3.9 The Game's the Thing - Rex wants to join the golf club, but JF is a notorious blackballer
3.10 The Cover Up (no PR)- none too funny. Northwood Black is on the prowl, Harry thinks he uncovers his swindle
3.11 The Break In - The Chairman's landed! His inventory may show up all those little things that Rex and the others have borrowed
3.12 Men of Straw (final story) - the new office coffee machine, Rex is chosen to head the opposition
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Dramatised stories, each 15 minutes long, designed to teach the English language. Well scripted, with simple well constructed story lines offering some humour, as long as you re-mem-ber that each ac-tor has to en-un-ci-ate the words clear-ly. (One of several BBC English language series (see also English by Television.)
Perhaps the series is most of interest, if a little sadly, for the part taken by star Ronald Howard, near the end of his career, who played Mr Yates. He appears in most of the first fifteen stories.
The cast also included:
Patricia Lawrence as Mrs Yates,
Christopher Strauli as Mark,
Mark Griffith as Ted,
Madeline Cannon as Ann, and
Brenda Cavendish as Kate.
Scripts except where noted were by John Tully. Director: Gilchrist Calder, then for later stories Kevin Sheldon.
Picture: from #11.
Broadcast on BBC2, three hugely enjoyable series on the architecture of selected English towns by Alec Clifton Taylor (1907-1985) . He explained why these particular towns were selected: each had to be visually attractive in the English tradition. necessarily small towns, so as to be covered well in half an hour.
These films are idiosyncratic, self-opinionated yet very intimate and appealing.
SIX ENGLISH TOWNS (1977)
1 Chichester
2 Richmond
3 Tewkesbury
4 Stamford
5 Totnes
6 Ludlow
SIX MORE ENGLISH TOWNS (1981)
1 Warwick
2 Berwick
3 Saffron Walden
4 Lewes
5 Bradford-on-Avon
6 Beverley
ANOTHER SIX ENGLISH TOWNS (1984)
1 Cirencester
2 Whitby
3 Bury St Edmunds
4 Devizes
5 Sandwich
6 Durham
Sadly, Clifton Taylor's death in 1985 robbed us of any more such programmes
Menu
After opening shots, Alec introduces the town from The Trundle, where there is found flint "for the asking." A lecture on flints leads us to the ramparts on the line of the old Roman wall. A simple diagram shows the Roman street plan.
The first building he visits is the cathedral where "money was evidently short." He shows the three types of limestone used, before revealing the "calamity" that occurred in Victorian times. He climbs a rickety ladder to scaffolding (health n safety would surely object these days), explaining how the spire collapsed into the body of the church. An old photo illustrates. Then he shows us the modern altar tapestry, "gorgeous... but not for me." The two sculptures of the raising of Lazarus are "the most precious Romanesque sculptures in England." Finally to a 1260 wall painting, "gentle and tender." He shows the complex wood beams in a nearby building before taking us to the heart of the town, Market Cross, a present "and what a present" from the bishop, but with "a not very happy top knot!"
The Georgian houses in North Street have knapped flints, their Achilles heel, as he demonstrates, is the mortar. Then to Chichester's bricks, "a continual delight." His own enthusiasm comes over charmingly, so that even if you'd never thought about bricks, you do now. He points out the colour variations in an East Row house. However he seems less keen on some rendered properties. He admires a number of doors and their furniture, but one house is obscured by two large magnolias, which should be chopped down tomorrow! He approves of an ornate Georgian house, "just a merchant's house," built regardless of expense with an oak staircase. The 1733 Council House is "genial," and the restored main room is admired.
From old photos we see that the town has not changed that much, "small and compact, the almost perfect place." He draws some lessons for planners with a slightly stern mini sermon
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This opens with views and an old commentary on the town, Alec stands by the river, a large cobble caressing his hand. At the "magnificent site" of the Norman castle, he shows us herringbone masonry. He admires the "very lovely" ruined abbey.
Briefly, he visits Cornforth Bar, the only surviving portion of the old town wall, then the Greyfriars Tower, built at the zenith of the town's prosperity, then "a weird looking" obelisk in the centre. The town declined from 1500 with knitting the main trade. He stands in local quarries, source of building materials, showing us examples, including a twentieth century bank, "how satisfying the stone is!"
He illustrates a bastard stone, "limestone father, sandstone mother" before coming on to what was to be a familiar bugbear, virginia creeper. The brickwork at The King's Head is "not very attractive" either.
Inside the 1788 theatre, now restored, we find an authentic Georgian theatre where he stands proudly on stage, then sits in a box to explain the internal decorations.
The story of Richmond Bridge is related, then to a Gothik house and Culloden Tower where "alas time and hooligans have done their worst." Soft music accompanies his tour of the latter edifice, which seems not so badly vandalised.
He comments on several fine doors, including that at the railway station, now converted into a garden centre "with enterprise and imagination." He rales against dilapidated stations which could be put to new uses. The council comes in for stick with commonplace 1930's houses in a prominent position, as well as some ugly modern properties, "how can planning permission have been given?" Better examples of sympathetic post war building in a conservation area are more "encouraging."
He concludes with a little semron, "preserve what is worth preserving"
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Baron de Spencer, died 1348, starts the programme off, alongside his wife buried in the parish church. The town was closely linked with the monastery with its munificent endowments. Alec admires the stonework, fine vaulting and fourteenth century stained glass, " a grand brooding presence." From the top of the 205 step tower, he shows us the landscape and the "odd plan" of the town, hemmed in by the river and abbey grounds. He shows us a few stone buildings, but this material was too expensive for locals, who in medieval times used wood and plaster. He enjoys the "intoxicated looking" jetties on one Tudor house, and explains the value of the jetty. He expresses his marked preference for unpainted timbers as found at the museum and in the restored Abbey Cottages.
He tells of William Morris who prevented the over restoration of the church. Then makes his own protest against the "misguided" restoration of a property above a florists, even though the interior offers fines carving. The old mill he stands in front of. He tells of the town's trades including mustard and stocking making, mentioned by Defoe in his visit of 1723.
He shows us some brick buildings and expresses his preference for 4x3 Georgian window panes, as found in the vicarage, in front of which he expansively explains the technique of making crown glass.
He looks at key blocks with various decorative motifs over windows, and gives the thumbs up to one Georgian staircase.
Telford's 1826 structure over the Severn was his "handsomest bridge." The railways passed by the town and so helped preserve its character from Victorian modernists. But one 1906 "intruder" was the public library, which appallingly used machine pressed bricks. Even worse is an admittedly awful 1960's shopping centre, "deplorable" Alec calls it.
But all in all, he believes the town's character has been well preserved
The shallow limestone Collyweston quarry starts us off. Looking like some prison chain gang, men are seen shaping the tiles. Three miles away lies Stamford, where Alec stands on a (flat) rooftop, pointing out the slates with all kinds of curious names. He admires the town's many mansard roofs.
In 1697 Celia Fiennes visited and was impressed, in 1829 Turner painted it. Stone Ford was the original name, since stone was the main building material here.
The town, originally walled, grew up north of the river, and today's traffic problem is shown with its dog leg main road.
Alec visits the ruined abbey in Barnack ragstone. Churches number five, originally the town boasted more than twice that. He shows us inside St Martin's with its grand marble monumebnt to Lord Burghley. That leads us to Burghley House which Defoe said "looks more like a town." Alec shows us its "veritable forest of chimneys," which he describes as "extravagant." The grounds designed in around 1760 by Capability Brown are extensive.
Timber framed houses here are rare, he dislkies one in "boudoir pink." Georgian houses predominate, many in aslar, some badly in need of a clean, "all you need are brushes and water!" He shows how the "exuberant" architraves and keystones come straight out of a pattern book.
He introduces us briefly to the silver civic plate, which rpoves how the town prospered in these times. The George is the most famous coaching inn, but the arrival of the railway was only via a Midland branch, Alec stands on the platform: it's unclear whether the main line avoided the town because of local opposition, or whether it would have been bypassed anyway.
He admires a superior terrace of houses built in 1830 which make "a dignified impact." He expresses his own preference for such terraced housing.
Stamford was the first town to be designated a conservation area
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He enjoys giving variants of the town's name, such as Cicestre. The Augustine abbey has only a gate that survives, at the dissolution the stones were there "for the taking" to build local houses. The church tower he declares is "not a success" but the 1490 church is "truly sumptuous" even if "not exactly lovable." He shows us a stone pulpit and admires a fan crested vault, "beautifully crisp." He climbs the 205 steps to the tower with some protest at the cost (50p), and from the top shows us the market place. He approves of the painted stucco that "blends harmoniously," his only complaint is one out of place timber framed hotel, "a rather meaningless doodle!"
The Victorian Corn Hall he likes, one of many ashlar buildings on the other side of the market place. In Thomas Street he finds the Weavers Hall, "venerable rather than appealing." The thriving wool trade brought new prosperity, he shows us one house that tries to be Georgian, that is in fact "a bit rustic." But the interior he likes. Cecily Hill is the town's most elegant street. But he scorns one house, formerly a school which has Gothic bay windows. He loves the "glorious elevation" of one 1725 home. The most individual property is in Castle Street, built in about 1720 with Venetian windows. The most imposing house is the 1714-8 Cirencester House, screened by a 42 foot high hedge. The original owner used a local mason, which makes the whole "decidedly plain." But its glory is the 10,000 acre grounds
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"A deliberately planned town" with the Georgian elegance of Angel Hill, though he complains of the one way traffic system through the town which misses the view of the gate tower. The 1180 house, now a museum, with an added "ridiculous" turret. But he admires the vaulted interior, then the "enjoyable" old Guildhall. Timber framed properties include Cupola House, and many of the houses visited by Celia Fiennes at the end of the seventeenth century which were "old and rambling." His comment on Suffolk Pink is priceless, "the further it gets away from strawberry ice cream the better."
A mini lecture is reserved for a house with three styles of fine windows, before he visits one with "a very dreadful fascia board" with an extraordinary late Victorian embellishment. Inside a well preserved timber framed shop, he declares it "one of the most beautiful in England." He praises many of Bury's original shop fronts.
The Presbyterian Church of 1709 is an early example of brickwork. Local clays were darker, coming into fashion towards the end of this century. Then he remonstrates, not for the first time, against Virginia Creeper. He shows a plaque to Louis Philippe, "yes, but what did he do here? Have a cup of coffee!"
Inside the altered Atheneum, he admires its "most elegant" ballroom with a double staircase. To one "enjoyable" hall by Robert Adam, then the old prison with its formidable architecture in Rutland Stone, whose composition he talks about. The 1819 Theatre Royal is "pleasantly unmemorable" on the outside, but its restored interior is "all most agreeable." The 1861/2 Corn Exchange offers an imposing portico. He contrasts the local employers, with a large Vicroian brewery and a 1920's beet factory.
He returns to Angel Hill where the council offices are "uninspired but at least well behaved." Not so the modern health centre. He loves the recently extended cathedral, "lively and dignified." He has had so much to see, it has been all too rushed. But he concludes that Bury is thankfully "conservation conscious"
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"a quaint name," where the castle is a "film set."
From the air, the ancient street plan is obvious. He starts at "a pantomime creation," which brings on a few poetic couplets.
He admires a 1480 house "of some importance," with a bargeboard. Also another "looking very sorry for itself." By the church he finds some timber framed cottages infilled with brick, not Taylor-approved. Elm Tree Inn's pebbledash, which he declares is "tarted up," leads to a long joke about porridge and pebbledash.
Defoe's comments on the town are followed by a reminder that the wool trade brought about Devizes' prosperity. Symbol of this is the market cross "architecturally wonderfully varied." Finest Georgian building is Brownstone House, however "what has our own century contributed to this house? A
new roof. Just look at it! These harsh machine-made tiles on a building of this quality are shocking. How any responsible person came to authorise them is a mystery." He scorns an "inept" statue on a provincial stone building, while Clock House is "not very skilful." The 1868 town hall is more accomplished, indeed it is "elegant, the gem among the buildings of Devizes."
He shows us the canal with 29 locks, then being restored. It enabled Bath stone to be transported to the town, for such as the 1835 Assize Court, the Market Hall "plain but dignified," and a more florid hall of 1857. He stands outside a semi detatched property, Rowans, then enters to challenge us with which of the two colours of stucco paint we prefer.
Obviously in jocular mood, he asks "what would Devizes be without the Bear Hotel? ... And the answer is- wait for it - unbearable."
The "overpowering" brewery of 1885 at least has "character," but one moan is rightly reserved for the modern Co-op shop, "a visual offence." He also dislikes the concrete lampstands, which should be steel, "specially offensive in Devizes." Though in general, he concedes, the place is "delightful"
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We see this cinque port's ramparts, dating to 1380. Alec admires the church roof and Norman tower. Of the five gates, only Fishergate survives, "a disorderly patchwork" of flint. Flint is also found at The Barbican in a checker pattern with "rather crude" flintwork, but this is not true of other flint buildings, of which Pelican House is the most impressive.
A unique row of 41 timber framed houses, only let down by some pf their windows. A few carvings survive, including a centaur, "what a shame the poor creature has lost his nose!"
The town went into decline when the river silted up, but Netherlands refugees restored the town's fortunes, among their contributions are a school and the restoration of a church. Brick tumbling on the surrounds of the garden gate at King's Lodgings is another example
A sequence illustrates the variety of pantile roofs. He stands outside The Old Dutch House, "not completely successful," and unfortunately smothered with whitewash. He scorns the colours used, "strawberry ice cream ... vanilla ... weak cafe au lait ... French mustard ... battleship grey, the aesthetic propriety of whitewashing brickwork is controversial. In general," he concludes, "the better the bricks the less the justification for it."
We are shown numerous attractive Georgian doors, though he disapproves of "anomalous" bullseye windows. Of the Victorian buildings, a hotel is admired, though some of it is "a bit of a joke." He points out the numerous mistakes made in the restoration of St Thomas' Hospital. St John's cottages are much better, now restored, with beautiful gardens.
This leads him to The Salutation of 1912 designed by Lutyens, "the greatest English architect of the last hundred years." Alec loves the proportions of the house and enjoys the well kept gardens, an "extravagant" recent property that enhances the town's landscape
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A quarter of a century after he had first produced a tv series about Conan Doyle's celebrated detective, Sheldon Reynolds produced another series of twenty four 25 minute stories in Poland, this time
starring Geoffrey Whitehead with Donald Pickering as Doctor Watson, and
Patrick Newell as Inspector Lestrade who was really only a comic foil to the duo.
Some of the stories were lightly rewritten from the earlier series.
1.