This clipping from the TV Times, 27 Sept to Oct 3 1986, makes me smile.
One man went to mow... Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby) deals with whatever crops up in 'Emmerdale Farm'.
Whatever CROPS up, geddit?!!
And what was happening in Beckindale that week?
Well, on Tuesday 30 September we discover:
Joe Sugden makes a big decision about his future, but there could be even bigger decisions ahead for Phil Pearce and Sandie Merrick.
And on 2 October:
Amos believes he is the victim of a gypsy's curse - and Seth Armstrong is more than willing to lend a hand to the supernatural.
Brilliant!
The cast for the week was:
Annie Sugden - Sheila Mercier
Matt Skilbeck - Frederick Pyne
Amos Brearly - Ronald Magill
Henry Wilks - Arthur Pentelow
Jack Sugden - Clive Hornby
Joe Sugden - Frazer Hines
Dolly Skilbeck - Jean Rogers
Sam Skilbeck - Benjamin Whitehead
Jackie Merrick - Ian Sharrock
Sandie Merrick - Jane Hutcheson
Alan Turner - Richard Thorp
Seth Armstrong - Stan Richards
Mrs Bates - Diana Davies
Kathy Bates - Malandra Burrows
Nick Bates - Cy Chadwick
Phil Pearce - Peter Alexander
Eric Pollard - Christopher Chittell
Jock MacDonald - Drew Dawson
Bill Middleton - Johhny Caesar
Gypsy woman - Clare Kelly
Gypsy man - Craig Fairbrass
Showing posts with label TV Times. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TV Times. Show all posts
Thursday 2 September 2010
Tuesday 22 January 2008
1987: Kathy And Jackie - An Engagement Is Announced
TV Times, 14-20 November, 1987 - Kathy Bates and Jackie Merrick - young love!
Background storylines for the Jackie and Kathy engagement episodes included a break-in at the deserted Crossgill farmhouse, leading to Matt discovering the deceased owner's last will and testament - leaving the farm to him, and rumblings of concern as closure loomed at Hotten Market - NY Estates had decided to sell it. Auctioneer Sandie Merrick tried to placate angry farmers, but Eric Pollard grabbed the opportunity to do a little gentle stirring.
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Meanwhile, Annie Sugden organised a celebratory get-together for the Sugden and Bates families. Young Nick Bates did not take the engagement seriously, but his mother told him that she was taking it seriously and his sister needed his support.
Two page spread about love on the farm. Interesting reference to Joe's relationships with "upper class" women - from first wife Christine Sharp, to vicar's daughter Barbara Peters, to local vet Ruth Pennington, there seems to be some truth in it!
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To end on, do you know how actress Malandra Burrows (Kathy Bates/Merrick in Emmerdale Farm) came by her unusual and rather impressive christian name? Malandra revealed in an interview back in the early '90s that it was derived from her parents' names - Malcolm and Sandra!
Sunday 13 January 2008
1985: Viewing Figures Hit A New High, Jenny Runs Amok And Amos Takes Up Bee Keeping...
From the TV Times, 6-12 July, 1985. Some interesting soap predictions can be found under 2000 - a watch-this-space odyssey.
The serial is heading for greater days yet. In September, after its summer break during which some regions will see selected repeats of programmes, all ITV regions will finally be showing the same episode on the same day...
Alan Turner on horseback and the programme synopsis for 11 July 1985.
Labels:
1985,
Alan Turner,
Amos Brearly,
Richard Thorp,
Ronald Magill,
Seth Armstrong,
Stan Richards,
TV Times,
Woolpack
Thursday 10 January 2008
25 Years Ago - The Way Things Were - Gossip From Beckindale 1983 - Part 2...
TV Times, 19-25 February 1983. The synopsis for the episode of Emmerdale Farm broadcast on 22/2/ reads:
Jackie Merrick seems keen to settle in at Emmerdale. But he soon realises he has much to learn.
What were the details of this storyline?
Jackie Merrick seems keen to settle in at Emmerdale. But he soon realises he has much to learn.
What were the details of this storyline?
When Jackie found an old butter churn in one of the outbuildings at Emmerdale Farm, he thought it might make a nice ornament. But Dolly, who was already making her own wool, was fired with the ambition to use it...
Annie exclaimed at the find "It's Granny Sugden's old churn! Where'd you find that?"
She pointed out that if the churn was to be used, it would need a stand.
Jackie set to work without consulting Matt, who happened upon the lad working on the stand some time later. He expressed concern at the lack of proper carpentry joints, and the use of nails instead of screws. But Jackie shrugged Matt's doubts off.
Monday 7 January 2008
Cy Chadwick, 1987
Sunday 6 January 2008
The Pub And The Church - Traditional Focal Points Of The English Village...
Amos Brearly is at the pumps whilst the Vicar, the Reverend Donald Hinton, enjoys Woolpack hospitality in the 1980s.
An interesting piece about the unlikely bond between the pub and the church in English villages on the TV Times soaps page, 21-27 September, 1985. Below that, we find an article about Paul Beringer, of Brookside and Albion Market. His part as busker Paul O'Donnell in the Market soap required a violin. Said Paul: "In fact I had to borrow a violin from my girlfriend, Malandra Burrows, who will soon be seen in Emmerdale Farm..."
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Saturday 5 January 2008
Good News For Mr Wilks
From the TV Times soaps page by Alan Kennaugh, 2-8 May, 1987.
Mr Wilks hears good news from daughter Marian. Arthur Pentelow's portrayal of the good hearted, down-to-earth businessman was one of my favourite Emmerdale Farm ingredients. Friend and business partner of Amos, friend of Annie and mover and shaker at Emmerdale Farm - his contribution to Beckindale life was immense.
Mr Wilks hears good news from daughter Marian. Arthur Pentelow's portrayal of the good hearted, down-to-earth businessman was one of my favourite Emmerdale Farm ingredients. Friend and business partner of Amos, friend of Annie and mover and shaker at Emmerdale Farm - his contribution to Beckindale life was immense.
Labels:
1987,
Arthur Pentelow,
Mr Wilks,
TV Times,
Woolpack
Wednesday 2 January 2008
Tragedy For Matt And Dolly...
Soaps, by Marsha Hanlon, TV Times, 23-29 November 1985.
This was the second child lost during pregnancy for Dolly. The first loss had occurred in early 1980 - and had also marked a change of actress in the Dolly role. When she was last seen before the tragedy, she was played by Katharine Barker. When she returned from hospital, Jean Rogers had taken over.
The reason for the 1985 miscarriage lay behind the scenes: actress Helen Weir, who played Jack Sugden's wife, Pat, and was the real-life wife of the actor behind Jack, Clive Hornby, announced she was pregnant after the start of the Dolly pregnancy storyline. It may have been possible to ignore this fact on screen - the 1980s American sit com Kate & Allie got round the pregnancy of actress Susan Saint James with some very creative storylines and camera angles. But the Emmerdale Farm production team opted to write Helen's real life condition into the plot and it was felt only one baby could be coped with on set.
So, tragedy knocked at Matt and Dolly's door.
They say that a miscarriage is a terrible trauma for a woman, but on this occasion I had to wonder how Matt, in particular, coped. This poor man had been positively battered by fate.
He'd already lost his first wife, Peggy - she had died suddenly in 1973. In 1976, the most awful tragedy befell the man when his infant twins, Sam and Sally, and Aunt Beattie, were killed in an accident at a level crossing.
Then, in 1980, came the loss of Matt and Dolly's much anticipated first baby, at an advanced stage of Dolly's pregnancy, and in 1985 their second sad loss.
Despite all this (and being accused of murder in 1986) Matt managed to plod on, sturdy and dependable. Some TV critics declared the character "boring", but, personally, I liked Matt. Life wasn't so frantic in soaps back in those days and Matt fitted the country setting perfectly.
Matt (Frederick Pyne) as he appeared on the front cover of the 1981 "Emmerdale Farm" novel "False Witness".
This was the second child lost during pregnancy for Dolly. The first loss had occurred in early 1980 - and had also marked a change of actress in the Dolly role. When she was last seen before the tragedy, she was played by Katharine Barker. When she returned from hospital, Jean Rogers had taken over.
The reason for the 1985 miscarriage lay behind the scenes: actress Helen Weir, who played Jack Sugden's wife, Pat, and was the real-life wife of the actor behind Jack, Clive Hornby, announced she was pregnant after the start of the Dolly pregnancy storyline. It may have been possible to ignore this fact on screen - the 1980s American sit com Kate & Allie got round the pregnancy of actress Susan Saint James with some very creative storylines and camera angles. But the Emmerdale Farm production team opted to write Helen's real life condition into the plot and it was felt only one baby could be coped with on set.
So, tragedy knocked at Matt and Dolly's door.
They say that a miscarriage is a terrible trauma for a woman, but on this occasion I had to wonder how Matt, in particular, coped. This poor man had been positively battered by fate.
He'd already lost his first wife, Peggy - she had died suddenly in 1973. In 1976, the most awful tragedy befell the man when his infant twins, Sam and Sally, and Aunt Beattie, were killed in an accident at a level crossing.
Then, in 1980, came the loss of Matt and Dolly's much anticipated first baby, at an advanced stage of Dolly's pregnancy, and in 1985 their second sad loss.
Despite all this (and being accused of murder in 1986) Matt managed to plod on, sturdy and dependable. Some TV critics declared the character "boring", but, personally, I liked Matt. Life wasn't so frantic in soaps back in those days and Matt fitted the country setting perfectly.
Matt (Frederick Pyne) as he appeared on the front cover of the 1981 "Emmerdale Farm" novel "False Witness".
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.
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.
Labels:
1988,
Christmas,
Frazer Hines,
Joe Sugden,
Kate Hughes/Sugden,
Sally Knyvette,
Sugdens,
TV Times
Thursday 20 December 2007
Jackie and Sita
From the TV Times, 10-16 August 1985.
Emmerdale Farm was "still enjoying a popularity boom in the ratings". In the storyline, Jackie Merrick (Ian Sharrock) was having a relationship with young Indian nurse Sita Sharma (Mamta Kash). He met her during his lengthy period of hospitalisation, after he was knocked down by Alan Turner's car.
Emmerdale Farm was "still enjoying a popularity boom in the ratings". In the storyline, Jackie Merrick (Ian Sharrock) was having a relationship with young Indian nurse Sita Sharma (Mamta Kash). He met her during his lengthy period of hospitalisation, after he was knocked down by Alan Turner's car.
Labels:
1985,
Ian Sharrock,
Jackie Merrick,
Mamta Kash,
Merricks,
Sita Sharma,
Sugdens,
TV Times
Monday 17 December 2007
More About Toke Townley...
From the TV Times, 3-9 November 1984:
Toke Townley always regretted not becoming an actor earlier in his life. His parents apparently didn't approve of the stage, and he therefore spent many of his early years as an office clerk.
But when Townley died in September, aged 72, he had been acting for 40 years and had found a happy niche late in life as Sam Pearson of "Emmerdale Farm".
It was a role he had played right from the start of the serial, 12 years ago, and though he looked just right as Sam in his countryman's gear, Townley considered himself a "townie" with no special affection for Sam's rural life. He lived in London with no television or hi-fi, preferring the radio or playing one of his collection of flutes and oboes.
The "Emmerdale Farm" cast held Townley in great affection. He makes his last recorded appearance in two weeks' time. Both Townley and the character he created will be sadly missed.
Toke Townley always regretted not becoming an actor earlier in his life. His parents apparently didn't approve of the stage, and he therefore spent many of his early years as an office clerk.
But when Townley died in September, aged 72, he had been acting for 40 years and had found a happy niche late in life as Sam Pearson of "Emmerdale Farm".
It was a role he had played right from the start of the serial, 12 years ago, and though he looked just right as Sam in his countryman's gear, Townley considered himself a "townie" with no special affection for Sam's rural life. He lived in London with no television or hi-fi, preferring the radio or playing one of his collection of flutes and oboes.
The "Emmerdale Farm" cast held Townley in great affection. He makes his last recorded appearance in two weeks' time. Both Townley and the character he created will be sadly missed.
Labels:
1984,
Sam Pearson,
Sugdens,
Toke Townley,
TV Times
1987 - A Vintage Year...
From the TV Times, 18-24 April 1987. A great year for Emmerdale Farm with the famous storyline about a proposed nuclear waste dump near the village. Excellent. Modern day soap opera doesn't go near issues like this, but in the 1980s the genre broke new ground and the nuclear storyline was a proud moment in the history of Emmerdale Farm.
Protester Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby) was arrested and the scene where the villagers gathered as the church bell tolled chilled my blood. First class drama.
Plans for the dump were abandoned.
And to add to the rich storyline brew, there was Eric Pollard, who had arrived on the scene in 1986 and was causing quite a lot of disruption in 1987...
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Actor Christopher Chittell knew he was doing a good job as hard, vengeful Eric Pollard in "Emmerdale Farm" when his mother-in-law started calling him less than complimentary names. Pollard has lost his job as auctioneer at Hotton Market for allegedly having his hand in the till. He blames Sandie Merrick (Jane Hutcheson) for telling Joe Sugden (Frazer Hines) that he was a crook.
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Says Chittell: "Pollard becomes very poisonous indeed. He's a Jekyll-and-Hyde character, and can become lunatic in his Hyde mood. I went home to Newark the other day and my mother-in-law called me a swine. My wife, Caroline, and two children, Benjamin and Rebecca, have just moved near her from Dartmouth. Now, because of Pollard, she's suggesting we move back again."
Saturday 15 December 2007
Caring Dolly, Seth And Mr Turner - The Saga Continues, And Jackie Home From Hospital...
Jean Rogers, modelling knitwear as Dolly Skilbeck in 1983.
Wednesday 12 December 2007
Tuesday 11 December 2007
1985: Up Go The Ratings...
Good news for Walter and Seth as Emmerdale Farm's viewers rapidly increase...
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Enough to make old Walter speak?! Not quite, but Emmerdale Farm's increasing success, attracting nearly fifteen million viewers in 1985, was a cause for joy for fans of the show and for everybody in "Beckindale"!
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One surprise, now the London area has joined the series at peak viewing time, is that more Southerners are warming to the rustic drama of the farm than are drawn to a cockney-based rival soap shown at the same time.
I can't imagine what the "cockney-based rival soap" was, can you?
Labels:
1985,
Al Dixon,
Seth Armstrong,
Stan Richards,
TV Times,
Walter
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