Showing posts with label 1988. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1988. Show all posts

Wednesday 7 April 2010

Amos Brearly - The Marrying Kind?

Amos Brearly (Ronald Magill) - marriage plans in 1988.

Sheila writes:

Much is made of Amos's proposal of marriage to Annie Sugden - purely for business reasons - in 1972. But was Amos ever romantically involved with a woman during the 1980s?

Yes, Sheila, he was. In October 1988, Amos came close to marrying old acquaintance Gloria Pinfold (Hope Johnstone). A personable woman, she dominated the blustering landlord and caused Henry Wilks great distress when she moved into The Woolpack and threw out the sausages and bacon because of their high cholesterol content. She also criticised Henry's book keeping.

Amos told Henry he was going to marry Gloria.

Henry would have to leave The Woolpack.

It looked like the days of one of Beckindale's best-loved duos were numbered, until Gloria called off the engagement and went off with someone else.

Tuesday 20 October 2009

The Emmerdale Cast Of 1988

Here's a nice shot of the cast of Emmerdale Farm outside The Woolpack in 1988.

They were (left to right, beginning with the back rows):

Seth Armstrong (Stan Richards), Phil Pearce (Peter Alexander), Reverend Donald Hinton (Hugh Manning), Amos Brearly (Ronald Magill), Sandie Merrick (Jane Hutcheson), Henry Wilks (Arthur Pentelow), Nick Bates (Cy Chadwick), Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby), Joe Sugden (Frazer Hines), Alan Turner (Richard Thorp), Archie Brooks (Tony Pitts), Mrs Bates (Diana Davies), Jackie Merrick (Ian Sharrock).

Seated:

Matt Skilbeck (Frederick Pyne), Dolly Skilbeck (Jean Rogers), Sam Skilbeck (Benjamin Whitehead), Robert Sugden (Christopher Smith), Annie Sugden (Sheila Mercier), Kathy Merrick (Malandra Burrows).

Sunday 5 July 2009

Emmerdale In The Popular Press - The Racy '80s!

The popular press tended to label Emmerdale Farm as "sleepy" until the 1980s. But then things changed.

From the Sunday People, April 14, 1985:

Muck-raking is no longer confined to the cowshed in Emmerdale Farm. Infidelity and intrigue have transformed the once-sleepy story of Yorkshire folk into the Dynasty of The Dales - and helped catapult it into the top twenty.

Click on the picture to read the whole article.

Late in the decade, the series was given parity with the other English soap operas. The whole country saw Emmerdale Farm on the same date and at the same time - networked - for the very first time in January 1988 - an historic moment - and that year the series was broadcast throughout the Christmas season for the very first time!

Do I think Emmerdale Farm was the Dynasty of The Dales in the 1980s? No. Studying the episodes, I think it was far more influenced by Brookside, which debuted in November 1982!

Friday 13 February 2009

Tim Fee To Retire

Timothy J Fee began work on Emmerdale Farm as unit manager in 1988, then became Production Supervisor. In the 1990s, his job title was upgraded to Production Controller. He was given the new title of "Line Producer" in February 2002. Here's a brief Emmerdale Tim Timeline:

1988: Begins work on Emmerdale (Farm) as Unit Manager - Sheila Mercier mentions this as his original job title in her autobiography, Annie's Song (1994)

1989: Tim is listed as "Production Supervisor" in the closing credits of a November episode I have on disc.

1994: Sheila Mercier refers to Tim's role as "Production Supervisor" in her autobiography.

1996: Listed as "Production Controller" in the closing credits of several episodes I have on disc from that year.

February 2002: Job title changed to Line Producer - discovered on-line:

Yorkshire TV executives have also announced that Tim Fee, Emmerdale's production controller is being given the new title of line producer to recognise even more fully 'his importance to the smooth running of Emmerdale'. 'As anyone who works on Emmerdale knows, Tim is at the heart of all that goes on there and played a key part in the smooth transition to five episodes a week,' says John Whiston.
...
Says Tim, who has worked on Emmerdale for 12 years: 'I'm thrilled to be supporting Steve in his new role and look forward to even more Emmerdale success, after taking the show to five-times-a-week with Kieran.' 'With the combination of Tim and Steve both Keith and myself are not just confident but excited about the future for Emmerdale and know that we've got a great team to take the show on from the excellent state that Kieran left it in,' says John Whiston.


http://www.zoominfo.com/people/Fee_Tim_32935649.aspx

(scroll down!)

Sheila Mercier wrote fondly of Tim in her autobiography, Annie's Song (1994):

"He has such a sunny disposition that it rubs off on everyone."

From all of us here at The Beckindale Bugle, we wish you a long and happy retirement, Tim!

Monday 14 July 2008

The Great Emmerdale Farm Merchandise Explosion...

From "The Hotten Courier", Yorkshire Television publicity material for "Emmerdale Farm", summer 1988. No such offers were featured in the September 1984 edition of the publication. The times were certainly changing...

In the early-to-mid 1980s, Emmerdale Farm fans could look forward to buying the continuing series of novels, some cheese and knitting wool, and an occasional magazine. But by the late 1980s, after the advent of EastEnders and Neighbours, it was evident that soap sold and that realisation was not lost on Yorkshire Television.

So, would it be a Seth Armstrong badge or fridge magnet? How about a shopping bag? A bookmark? A mug? A tea towel - or even a walking stick badge?

The choice was yours...

The Woolpack T-shirt was actually featured in the series - a gimmick adopted by Amos Brearly to pep up trade in the continuing war with The Malt Shovel.

Wednesday 9 July 2008

Eric Pollard 1988

From The Hotten Courier, Yorkshire Television Emmerdale Farm programme publicity, summer 1988:

Actor Chris Chittell has got used to being the man they love to hate in "Emmerdale Farm", but he has no sympathy for the rogue he plays.

As the disgraced antiques dealer, Eric Pollard, he has terrorised Sandie Merrick, hatched a series of shady deals, and has even been suspected of having shot Henry Wilks' son-in-law, Paolo.

Chris has good reason to disapprove of the dealer's underhand way of doing business.

He says: "Pollard has shown himself to be the worst kind of conman - preying on old folk to try to trick them out of valuable items of furniture.

"My grandmother has had several experiences of men like Pollard calling round and trying to buy antiques from her. One man had his eye on her Louis XIV cabinet in gilt and marble. So many old people have things they think they must get rid of because they've had them for years. They can be so trusting."

Chris says a common ploy is to agree on a price for the item, then the furniture is taken away. The conman then returns the following day offering less money than earlier agreed.

Fortunately, Chris' grandma wasn't fooled by the trick. But Chris hopes that Pollard's bad habits will alert Emmerdale's audience to the dangers of selling on spec to a respectable-looking character.

If Chris looks at home among all those antiques, it's not surprising. For the 39-year-old is a keen collector in real life.

He spends much of his spare time hunting down bargains in junk shops around his home in Newark, Nottinghamshire.

Saturday 2 February 2008

Zak Dingle - 1988!

By 'eck - here's Zak Dingle, in trouble in 1988!

1988, you cry - but Zak wasn't in Emmerdale in 1988. True, actually. But Steve Halliwell was cropping up as Stephen, a bit-part character in Brookside, who seemed amazingly like Zak. He's seen above, being roughed up by Bobby Grant - played by Ricky Tomlinson (later Jim Royle in the Royle Family).

It wasn't a long story. Our Sheila, played by Sue Johnston (later Babara Royle in the Royle Family), had been out on the town with her pal Kathy Roach, played by Noreen Kershaw (formerly Lynne Harrison in Albion Market).

They were chatted up by suave '80s geezers (love those pushed up jacket sleeves!) Stephen and Greg. Incidentally, Greg was played by Ian Liston - who was formerly Ron Brownlow in Crossroads.

The jolly lads got the same bus home as the ladies, after silly Kathy told them that their husbands were away working on oil rigs (which, incidentally, Ron Brownlow, Ian's Crossroads character had spent a spell doing).

On arrival in Brookside Close, Steve and Greg woke the neighbourhood, trying to get the ladies to let them into the house for a drink. Which led to the arrival of Sheila's angry husband, Bobby. No harm was done, Billy Corkhill broke up the brawl.

But the evening did a great deal to end the marriage of Sheila and Bobby Grant.

Zak Dingle still lay several years ahead for actor Steve Halliwell. But for that one episode of Brookside, a prototype Zak was strutting his stuff and coming unstuck.

Recommended viewing for all Zak fans!

Thursday 31 January 2008

The Emmerdale Farm Book Of Country Lore

Browsing through the local newspaper archive on a work-related project yesterday afternoon, I came across this rather faded announcement from November 1988. Spot the flaws! Amos Brierley? A few incorrect spellings of our favourite landlord's surname have appeared in Emmerdale Farm-related publications over the years. And this Cambridge bookshop also goofs. The correct spelling, of course, is Brearly.

And Ronald Macgill? Of course it was Magill.

And what on earth was the Emmerdale Farm OF COUNTRY LORE? Had the ad's writer been on the sherry?!! Insert the word "Book" between "Farm" and "OF" and you get a much clearer idea!

Despite the errors, it's an interesting ad to have - I hadn't realised that Ronald Magill had helped to publicise James Ferguson's book. I'm sure Cambridge wasn't his only port of call. Did any readers of this blog buy a copy of the book signed by Mr Magill?

The Emmerdale Farm Book Of Country Lore was based on the premise that Sam Pearson, who had died in late November 1984, had left behind a book, an incomplete work, detailing the various doings and sayings of country folk. He left the book to his eldest grandson, Jack, who set about tying up the loose ends and getting it published.

A photograph of actor Toke Townley as Sam Pearson appeared on the back cover and the book served as a tribute to his memory and that of the character he played.

The book was split into sections covering various topics, and featured Jack, Joe and company reading through Grandad Pearson's work and seeking out and exchanging pearls of wisdom from many years ago. There was something of an emphasis on Yorkshire, naturally, but the book was written to sell countrywide, so items of interest to people living in other English counties - and elsewhere in the UK, were included.

A taste of the book - Matt and Jack on counting sheep!

Copies of this book sometimes appear on eBay and if you are interested in folklore and Emmerdale Farm in the late 1980s I highly recommend it. It's just the thing to take to bed with a nice mug of Horlicks on dark winter evenings!

Wednesday 23 January 2008

Remember '88?

Archie Brooks has a surprise for some friends and it's Mrs Bates last day as Alan Turner's secretary - TV Times, 21 January, 1988.

Amos and Mr Wilks square up...

... for the battle of beers - 3 March, 1988. Does anybody have details of these episodes? I'd love to know more!


Saturday 22 December 2007

1988 - Emmerdale Farm's Christmas Milestone...

According to the book Emmerdale - The First Twenty Years, 5 January 1988 was a milestone in the series' history, with the show finally being shown nation-wide at the same time and on the same day! Another 1988 milestone was the broadcasting of episodes without break for the very first time.

The pages above from the Christmas/New Year 1988 TV Times, show the Emmerdale Farm crowd immersed in charades, and a glimpse of some of our final year's festive viewing before the advent of Sky Television in 1989. It was also, of course, the final year of Emmerdale Farm. From November 1989, the show would become Emmerdale.

Sally Knyvette, cult actress from that late '70s and early '80s space-bound series Blake's Seven, was Kate Hughes, the romantic interest for Joe Sugden. The couple would marry in 1989.