Beckindale 1983 - Behind The Scenes...

I know several actors, and, for the majority, it's a funny old life. There they are, one month serving in a wine bar or doing a Christmas temp job at Boots, the next doing a bit-part in Emmerdale, the next "resting", the next auditioning for a stage play and probably not getting the part...

Of course, for many actors a regular role in a long-running soap is a dream (and for some, given current standards of a lot of the plots, it's also a nightmare), but back in the 1980s it was a funny old life working on Emmerdale Farm or Coronation Street or whatever. Today, much soap drama depends on the out of the ordinary, the bizarre, the downright absurd, but back in the 1980s the majority of soap action centred on people nattering about, and doing, everyday things.

And that must have been exceedingly difficult to convey with a load of technical paraphernalia all around, plus being watched and directed by a load of people the actors had to pretend didn't exist.

Here's Jean Rogers (Dolly Skilbeck since 1980), Sheila Mercier (Annie Sugden since episode one), Toke Townley (Grandad Sam Pearson since episode one) and Frederick Pyne and Frazer Hines (Matt Skilbeck and Joe Sugden - both original cast members) standing around in the rain at a Beckindale event in 1983, with little Sam Skilbeck (born 1982) out of vision, apparently asleep in his pram.

Annie's plastic headscarf (14p from Woolies - a snip!) is such an important style detail in setting the tone.

Just how "everyday" and of their time the cast looks, and the fact that they are conversing in character, apparently oblivious of the onlookers and the sound boom hovering above, is something I find fascinating.

Skill, or what?

1980: Penny For The Seth...

Annie Sugden (Sheila Mercier) and Dolly Skilbeck (Jean Rogers) were enjoying a quick cuppa one morning in November 1980, when there was a sharp rapping at the window.

"It's Seth Armstrong, I think," grinned Dolly.

Sam Pearson (Toke Townley) entered with the Guy he had made for the Beckindale Allotment Association's firework display. The mask he had bought in Hotten for the Guy had given him ideas, and with a couple of things added it was the spitting image of Seth Armstrong!

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"Well now, what do you think of this?!" beamed Sam.

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"It's not we think of it, it's what Seth Armstrong will think of it!" said Annie.

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"Oh, he won't mind, Annie, Seth can take a joke!" her father replied.

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As it happened, the joke was lost on Seth (Stan Richards).

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Asked by Mr Wilks if he thought the Guy resembled somebody, Seth said yes he did.

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But he couldn't for the life of him think who.

A wonderful signed photograph of Sam Pearson (Toke Townley) and the Seth Guy Fawkes from 1980 - it's signed by Stan Richards (NOWT LIKE ME - IT'S PRETTIER!) and was on display in the Ashwood Tea Room, Esholt, for some years. The photograph was taken at Lindley Farm, the original Emmerdale Farm exterior location.

Of course, 1980 was a big year for Stan Richards and Seth Armstrong as the character became a full-time permanent regular in the summer.

Happy days!

1982: Emmerdale Farm Celebrates A Decade On Screen

The Press Pack logo for the tenth anniversary.

October 1982 saw a very special anniversary for Emmerdale Farm. The show completed its first decade on-screen, having first been shown as a lunchtime soap on 16 October 1972.

To celebrate, Yorkshire Television screened a special programme - A Decade Down On The Farm, featuring the show's creator, Kevin Laffan, and the remaining original cast members, Sheila Mercier (Annie Sugden), Toke Townley (Sam Pearson), Frazer Hines (Joe Sugden), Frederick Pyne (Matt Skilbeck), Ronald Magill (Amos Brearly) and Arthur Pentelow (Henry Wilks) reflecting on ten years of the programme.

The show was presented by Yorkshire Television presenter Richard Whiteley (who, from November 1982, would become nationally famous as presenter of Channel Four's Countdown).

Kevin Laffan was interviewed by Richard Whiteley at Lindley Farm, then the exterior location for Emmerdale Farm:

Richard: "Kevin, I suppose at the time when it was suggested, everyone just said: 'What's this going to be - just a TV version of The Archers'?"

Kevin: "Yes, they did - but, of course, it isn't - nothing like it."

Richard: "In what way is it different?"

Kevin: "Well, we're not aimed at giving information to farmers to start with. We are simply concerned with showing a family living its life on a farm."

Richard: "And is the idea we should envy this family living on the farm?"

Kevin: "Yes, the idea... when we first talked about the serial, the idea was that we would create a situation where we would have a programme that people living in cities, engaged in the routine business of earning a living, would be able to see the kind of life that they would perhaps want to escape to."

Location filming for episode 759 in 1982.

Filming in Esholt (Beckindale) in 1982 - Pat Merrick (Helen Weir) and her son, Jackie (Ian Sharrock) chat at the bus stop.

Richard interviewed Sheila Mercier, standing at the gate of Lindley farmhouse:

"Now the viewer totally identifies you with living in this house here and leaning on this gate here, looking over the farmyard. It's not your house, but I wonder after ten years do you sometimes think you do live here, and it is your house?"

Sheila: "Yes, very often, I look around - I think 'It's all mine'. Yes, I would like to live here."

Richard: "Would you like to be a farmer's wife?"

Sheila: "In many ways I would, yes. I love the country life and I love animals, and I talk to all the calves when they're little."

Richard: "In the series, you spend all your time in the kitchen, you're always cooking or making cups of tea or washing up. What sort of a life is that?"

Sheila: "Well, I must've made thousands of cups of tea, and goodness knows how many breakfasts, and lunches and suppers. It just seems to go on forever!"

Richard: "And all the family [actors] that sit round the table for these gorgeous meals you make, you regard them all as your family, do you?"

Sheila: "Oh, yes, of course I do. They have become my second family. It's a long time we've been here."

Richard discussed Sam Pearson with Toke Townley:

Richard: "You [Sam] stick up for all the old values in life."

Toke: "That right - that's true, he does."

Richard: "You [Sam] don't particularly like the pace of modern day life?"

Toke: "No. I think particularly he doesn't like the way people go on from his point of view, he was brought up so differently. And he does incline also to dislike the modern machinery up to a point, you know, saying horses always did it better."

Richard interviewed Frederick Pyne (Matt Skilbeck):

Richard: "Now, in the last ten years you've had one or two dramas in your life, you've lost one wife, you've lost your twins, and in fact, in a way, you've lost your second wife, haven't you?" [The role of Dolly Skilbeck was recast in 1980].

Frederick: "Mmm, well I've been very lucky really, I've been married twice but I've had three women!"

Richard: "You're smiling now, but it's quite well known that you don't smile a great deal - you're not a great smiler in the series."

Frederick: "No, well they won't let me, you see, they always make me miserable. I'm supposed to be a dour Dales farmer. I don't think they all go around like that really all the time, but then you don't smile a lot if you lose half your family every other year, do you?"

An extract from Richard Whiteley's interview with Ronald Magill (Amos Brearly):

Richard: "After ten years of playing the landlord of The Woolpack, I suppose you feel like the landlord of The Woolpack, don't you?"

Ronald: "I suppose I do. Funnily enough, I feel a landlord more off-duty than on, because I spend so much of my time with my friends in the Licensed Victuallers' Association and they do accept me as one of them."

Richard: "Would you make a good landlord, do you think, in real life?"

Ronald (smiling): "Oh, I don't think so - it's too much like hard work!"

And so on to the Press Pack...

The cover of the 10th Anniversary Celebration Press Pack showing: Frazer Hines (Joe Sugden since the first episode), Arthur Pentelow (Henry Wilks since the first episode), the Reverend Donald Hinton (Hugh Manning, who debuted in 1977), Frederick Pyne (Matt Skilbeck since episode one), Clive Hornby (Jack Sugden since 1980), Sheila Mercier (Annie Sugden since the first episode), Stan Richards (who debuted as a temporary character called Seth Armstrong in 1978, and became a central character over a period of time, finally becoming a Woolpack regular in 1980), Jane Hutcheson (Sandie Merrick since 1980), Ronald Magill (Amos Brearly since episode one), Toke Townley (Sam Pearson since episode one), Helen Weir (Pat Merrick since 1980), Richard Thorp (Alan Turner since 1982), Jean Rogers (Dolly Skilbeck since 1980) and Ian Sharrock (Jackie Merrick since 1980).

Cheers! Key members of the 1982 Emmerdale Farm cast toast the show's first decade.

Included in the 10th Anniversary Press Pack was a notepad, each page featuring a charming drawing of some of the central Emmerdale Farm characters - Matt, Annie, Henry, Amos, Sam, Joe, Jack, Donald, Dolly and Nell the faithful sheepdog!

From the Press Pack:

Yorkshire Television, together with author Kevin Laffan, created "Emmerdale Farm", the story of the Sugden family and their friends and neighbours in the Yorkshire Dales village of Beckindale.

Says Kevin Laffan: "I was approached by YTV with a simple brief for a three-month serial - 'write 26 episodes about a Yorkshire farm' ".

It was an original and conscious decision to make the series quiet and gentle-paced, reflecting the lifestyle and the seasons of the countryside. There would be emotional stresses and conflicts among the characters but very few watch-next-week, cliff-hanging dramas. The accent was to be firmly on people and their relationships set against the splendid back-drop of some of the most beautiful countryside in England - the Yorkshire Dales...

And an early decision was also taken to record FIFTY per cent of the story on location - unheard of in the history of producing such long-running television series...

Beckindale's "Woolpack", as in any village, is the hub of community life. This is where gossip abounds, listened to with careful interest by landlord and local Hotten Courier correspondent Amos Brearly.

People love a traditional pint and a chinwag - who's doing what, when and why? - but there is little maliciousness in Emmerdale's talk. The folk of Beckindale belong to a now rare community where, though there may be occasional differences, they care about each other.

And they have cared for TEN years.

Making it into the papers - the Sunday Mirror, 10 October, 1982, notes the impending Emmerdale anniversary.

The TV Times honoured the show with a special 10th Anniversary souvenir magazine.

1980: Jack Sugden - "A Completely Different Person!" - Sheila Mercier

Jack Sugden returns to Emmerdale Farm with a new face in February 1980 - Clive Hornby has taken over the role from Andrew Burt. Annie (Sheila Mercier) and Sam (Toke Townley) greet him.

When Jack Sugden left Beckindale around 1964, after conflict with Jacob, his father, he went to London - then very swinging! When he returned to the farm in 1972, after his father's death, Jack (then played by Andrew Burt) was not a typical Sugden: he spoke "posh" and appeared educated and sophisticated. Some of his attitudes shocked Beckindale, which had not actually caught up to 1960s London standards even by the early 1970s. Jack appeared as rather an outsider.

When Clive Hornby first appeared as Jack in February 1980, the character was very different. This Jack was not as sophisticated, although occasional reference was made to the book he had written, Field Of Tares, and in 1983 Jack was writing a little poetry.

Sheila Mercier wrote in her autobiography, Annie's Song:

Clive Hornby, who had taken over the role of Jack Sugden, settled in quickly. He was even honoured with a special dinner at the Queens Hotel in Leeds on his arrival. It was, after all, a very important part that he was coming to play, although his character returned as a completely different person, more dedicated to farming than ever before!

Like the first Jack, this version favoured free range farming, but he was far more involved practically, far more interested in working on the farm and making the farm work. The original Jack had simply sat back and allocated shares in the farm to the rest of the family.

Clive Hornby's Jack did not sound as "posh", and his ideas were not as "enlightened". The character was not as restless. He seemed more typically a Sugden.

In 1982, after he married Pat Merrick (Helen Weir), Jack told her that he didn't like her working. She was then a clerk for Alan Turner (Richard Thorp) at NY Estates. The original Jack would, no doubt, have grimaced at such an attitude. But the new Jack was in tune with his grandfather, Sam Pearson (Toke Townley) on this issue.

The new Jack fitted more neatly into the Emmerdale Farm/Beckindale scenario. And although Clive Hornby bore a certain facial resemblance to his predecessor, the 1980s Jack was, as Sheila Mercier said, a "completely different person" from the sophisticated but troubled Jack of the early years.

1980: Clive Hornby - First Scenes As Jack Sugden

With the funeral of Jack Sugden to be featured in Emmerdale next week, and Sheila Mercier making a brief return as Annie Sugden, I've had several enquiries about Clive Hornby's debut as Jack back in 1980. So, I've opened my 1980 folder and discovered these pics and details.

Clive's first scene as Jack was outside the farm.

He took a long look at the exterior of his family home, and then made his way to the kitchen door...

Jack's grandfather, Sam Pearson (Toke Townley), answered the door and, with a wink at Jack, said:

"Oh, Annie, it's the man from the travelling library!"

"Eh? They're not coming round door-to-door now, are they?" Annie was highly puzzled.

"Just trying to encourage more people to read, Mrs Sugden!" said Jack, stepping over the threshold.

Annie was delighted: "Jack! You're early! You were gonna phone! I was gonna come to meet you!"

Jack: "I 'ad to walk it, Ma."

Annie: "Oh! Nothing's ready, you know!"

Sam: " 'Course it is! Been ready for ages!"

Annie: "I didn't expect you to walk in like that! Oh, it's good to see you! You look well, I'll say that for you. Welcome home, lad!"

Sam: "Aye, welcome back, lad!"

More to follow on Jack's funeral at the weekend. In the meantime, for all those interested in Clive Hornby's opening decade as Jack Sugden, please look at our 'Jack Sugden' label here.

1980: A Tale Of Three Marrows...

It all began in the spring of 1980, when Seth Armstrong phoned The Woolpack with a message for Amos. As it happened, Amos was down in the cellar at the time, so Mr Wilks took the message, which was that Seth had news for Amos and would be calling in later that day.

Amos was not happy. He hated phone calls of this nature, and he was ill at ease wondering what Seth wanted.

Amos was suspicious of Seth at the best of times: "Any man who spends as much time as he does in't Malt Shovel when he could drink good beer in't Woolpack... He needs watching."

The Malt Shovel was Seth's "local" at the time - although as 1980 wore on, he switched to The Woolpack, which didn't please Amos either.

Seth had invited Sam Pearson along to hear the news he had for Amos.

"What were you phoning me about this morning, Seth Armstrong?" asked Amos. "Mr Wilks said it were important. You can have folks worrying leaving that sort of message."

"It's about your allotment," said Seth. "It's come through sooner than expected." Amos had applied for an allotment some months before. "There's been one disused for awhile up near't Ramseys'..."

"Well, what's that got to do with me?"

"It's yours now. I know how disappointed you were when you didn't get one a few months back. So, me as Chairman and't allotments committee have moved heaven and earth to get you this one."

Amos was most unhappy. He confided in Mr Wilks: truth to tell, he'd gone off the idea of an allotment. But he didn't want to turn it down when so much trouble had been taken to secure him one.

"Anyway, Seth and Sam were waiting for me to back down - I could see it in their eyes."

And the Brearlys had their pride.

Amos made his way to the allotments and consulted a rough map Seth had drawn... where was his plot?

Then he saw it: "Oh, 'eck!!"

Amos had been allocated a shambles of an allotment. And he knew Seth Armstrong had done it on purpose.

"You'll sort that out in less than five minutes, Amos," said Seth later that day in The Woolpack. "Anyway, digging runs in't family, don't it?"

"Eh?" Amos was puzzled.

"Undertaking!"

"I hardly thinks that's the sort of comparison to go making in polite company," bristled Amos. "Anyway, techniques are quite different."

"How?" asked Seth.

"I've no intention of discussing that sort of thing over my bar!"

"Well, Amos, if you can't cope..." said Sam, impishly.

"Of course I can cope! Us Brearlys have always been noted for keeping a good garden - we've always had brown fingers!"

- So, fleet of foot and light of head, Amos made his way down to the allotments again to start work on transforming his patch the very next day.

Off with his duffle coat, out with his fork, dig in, and...

... immediate humiliation as the fork handle snapped in two. Of course, there were a couple of village worthies nearby to spread the news of Amos' glorious debut at the allotments all around Beckindale.

However, the Brearlys were not to be put off by minor setbacks, and when Sam and Seth arrived to check on Amos' progress (this should be a laugh, they thought!) they were taken aback to find that Amos...

... was bringing order to what had previously been chaos. Neighbouring allotment holders were agog.

Of course, the physical toil took its toll on Amos and one afternoon Seth and Sam called on him and found him in a very undignified state...

... sleeping like a true allotment holder.

Amos set to to study horticulture and came across a "deep bed planting method" he reckoned was well worth a try.

It involved not walking on the soil - hence the plank.

Several villagers got told off for treading on his precious patch of ground: "I'll not have my horticultural facilities sabotaged!" Seth and Sam were, despite themselves, interested in Amos' efforts and Sam even suggested that they might have to look to their laurels.

Amos even bought a propagator. He really was very devoted to his hobby.

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Until a new fad came along.

As 1980 progressed, Amos held a charity auction and investigated bogles (what?!) in the locality. The allotment fell by the wayside and soon Seth was complaining about the weeds which were beginning to sprout there.

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Mr Wilks made fun of Amos' neglect of the allotment and, stung, Amos set out to make amends. Once on his patch of God's good earth, he lifted a piece of sacking and found...

... a magnificent marrow - which he had planted but which had since grown with no help from him!

So, horticulture was well and truly back on the agenda. Seth and Sam were in heavy competition with marrows for Beckindale's annual horticultural show, but Amos reckoned he had the winner.

Seth was well pleased with his little beauty, and went to feed it some of his top secret preparation a few days later...

... unaware that he was being spied on.

But then...

... he did become aware: "What do you want, Amos Brearly?!"

Of course, Amos was all innocence.

Sam was later bothered by Seth in his shed. The competition was intense, and Seth was out to discover the strength of the opposition. Having seen Seth off with a flea in his ear, Sam settled down to play his recorder. Then a terrible thought struck him!

Outside, it was plain that Seth had no intention of leaving Emmerdale Farm just yet. Stealthily, he set off in the opposite direction...

Until Sam appeared and pointed out that the direction Seth was taking led to his garden...

... and that he should be walking in the opposite direction - off the farm.

Well, of course, Seth was all injured innocence.

The day of the show dawned, and Amos applied the final beauty treatment to his pride and joy:

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"Are you sure it's according to the rules for you to do that?" asked Mr Wilks.

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"There's nowt in this but a drop of oil and vinegar, Mr Wilks, and nowt illegal in giving it a sheen."

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All was hustle and bustle in Beckindale as preparations for the show began...

Seth arrived with his marrow in a little cart behind his bike...

Amos arrived, as did Sam. Their greetings were friendly on the surface, but highly guarded:

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"Morning, Sam."

"Morning, Amos."

"Nice day for't show."

"Aye."

"Aye. Very nice."

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Amos could see that Sam was looking at him with thinly veiled hostility.

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"I'll see you inside."

"Aye. I daresay."

"Aye," said Amos and scuttled off towards the marquee.

On the way he met Seth:

"Morning, Seth."

"Morning, Amos."

"Nice day for't show."

"Aye - nice day."

"Aye, very nice."

-

You could have cut the atmosphere between the two men with a knife.

Marrows all laid out in the marquee, it was time for Amos to open The Woolpack. Seth and Sam joined him there for a drink. Tension was running high. The Judgement Hour loomed.

Richard Anstey, NY Estates boss, who had been at the show earlier, came in.

"Judging's not done yet?!" cried Amos.

"Oh, aye - they're letting the crowds in. They decided to start early because of the bowls match." For Beckindale was taking on Robblesfield that afternoon.

"Who won?" Seth was highly agitated. He had to know who had won the best marrow section.

"I didn't see that. I can tell you who won..."

But Seth, Sam and Amos were off: "MR WILKS - TAKE CHARGE!!" squawked Amos, as he shot out of the door.

Mr Wilks was highly amused: "I don't know about the three minute mile," he told Richard, "but I reckon there's gonna be summat close to it there!"

The three men flew from the pub...

... and across the village...

... to find a very large marrow had joined theirs in the marquee - and what's more, had been awarded First Prize!

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The three men stumbled to a halt:

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"Whose is that?" cried Seth.

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"Mine!" cried a jaunty female voice. "I thought I had a chance! And they're so easy to grow, en't they?"

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And there was Nellie Ratcliffe, winner of the Best Marrow Prize in the Beckindale Horticultural Show, 1980.

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Amos, Seth and Sam were numb with horror. Sam was even more distraught when the realisation hit him that his marrow had been awarded joint second prize along with Seth's and Amos'. Imagine being lumped in with those two!!

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Amos carried his disgruntlement back to The Woolpack where the locals were reeling: Robblesfield had won the Butterworth Ball. It was a grim day for Beckindale.

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Mr Wilks reminded Amos that he had other fish to fry with The Hotten Courier, which cheered him up a bit. He even bought a round of drinks for his customers.

Meanwhile, through the back lanes of Beckindale, wended a weary figure on a bike. A broken man. A man who had been subjected to complete and utter humiliation.

"Nellie Ratcliffe! Anybody but Nellie Ratcliffe!!" he was muttering.