Sunday, November 1, 2015

Varg Veum




Varg Veum is a series of feature-length films from Norway about a private investigator named Varg Veum, who was the subject of 16 or so popular novels. I think it's the third film that is missing the closing credits. 

Friday, October 30, 2015

Mount Pleasant - Disc 5

Popular Sky comedy-drama Mount Pleasant has returned for a 5th series.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Storyboard

Storyboard was an anthology series Thames TV used to air drama pilots in the 80's. The missing episodes were later developed into series and are found with those series with the exception of Lytton's Diary, which is found here and not on the Lytton's Diary discs. (I didn't have it at the time.)
Those are:
4 - Woodentop.......now serves as the premier episode of The Bill
5 - The Traitor.......became an episode of Mr Palfrey of Westminster
8 - King & Castle..became the first episode of King & Castle
9 - Ladies In Charge...found on the Ladies In Charge disc.
13 - A Question of Commitment....found on the Mr Palfrey of Westminster discs.

Inspector Ghote Moves In starring Alfred Burke and Tony Doyle
Judgement Day starring Carol Royle and Tony Steedman
Secrets starring John Castle and Barbara Kellerman
Lytton's Diary starring Peter Bowles and Frances Tomelty
Thank You Miss Jones starring Susie Blake and Patrick Barlow
Making News starring Bill Nighy and Celia Imrie
Snakes and Ladders starring Peter Blake and Duncan Preston
Hunted Down starring Alec McCowen and Stephen Moore

Special Feature: Singles' Night starring Robin Nedwell. Originally produced as a Storyboard edition, this play was ultimately transmitted outside the series banner.

Ladies In Charge

Ladies In Charge starring Juliet Hills (2point4 Children, Dad), Carol Royle (Life Without George) and Julia Swift (daughter of David Swift). 
This touching drama series charts the fortunes of three young women who, having returned from their voluntary service as ambulance drivers during the First World War, decide to set up a 'universal aunts' agency to help those less fortunate than themselves. This set comprises the complete series alongside the pilot episode, scripted by Upstairs, Downstairs' Alfred Shaughnessy and screened in 1985 as a drama in ITV's Storyboard anthology.

Penned by a largely female team that includes novelist Fay Weldon, Ladies in Charge stars Carol Royle, Julia Hills and Julia Swift as the ladies of benevolent intent; guests include Imelda Staunton, Julian Glover, Michael Gough, Richard Vernon and, in one of his earliest television roles, Hugh Grant.

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Man In Room 17 + The Fellows (Late of Room 17)




The Man In Room 17 is a late 60's crime drama with a different twist, which you can read about by clicking the link below because I'm tired and going to make this short. Starring Richard Vernon and Michael Aldridge in the first series,....Aldridge was replaced by Denholm Elliott in the second (Aldridge was a very busy stage actor at that time). The third series, in 1967, was rebranded The Fellows (late of Room 17) with Aldridge rejoining Vernon. This show had that kind of breezy 60's hip vibe to it, similar to several other intrigue dramas back then, and there are many familiar faces that turn up in these episodes but I'm not listing them. The 1968 criminal drama Spindoe (posted here Christmas 2011) was a spinoff of The Fellows with that character appearing in three of the 13 episodes.
The Man in Room 17

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Father Charlie + We'll Think Of Something

A couple of rare 1980's British comedies. 

Father Charlie....back before there was Father Ted there was Father Charlie. Don't think of those Derek Nimmo shows. Lionel Jeffries was very good in the title role. With some familiar faces like Deddie Davies and Jamilla Massey (Mind Your Language). Anna Quayle was in Grange Hill in the 90's. (Her first film or TV appearance was in 1964's A Hard Day's Night.) Appearances by several popular character actors such as John Savident, Deirdre Costello, Diana King, Terry Duggan, Tony Selby........
Father Charlie

We'll Think Of Something starred Sam Kelly and Marcia Warren (who had appeared together in Now And Then just before this show). Everyone knows who they are, right? Oh, alright. Marcia Warren: Vicious, Agatha Raisin, Edge of Heaven, The Cafe, Life of Riley, No Place Like Home and appearances in everything from The Dustbinmen to Father Brown. The late Sam Kelly: Barbara, Holding On, On The Up, Haggard, 'Allo 'Allo!, Porridge and appearances in everything from The Liver Birds to A Touch of Frost. Some of his last appearances include the film Mr. Turner, Outnumbered, My Family, Poirot, New Tricks......
We'll Think Of Something