ATV Productions 1955 – 1981

THE SIXTIES

ATV Suspense. 1960

Thirteen dramas aired in 1960. Episodes included ‘Collison’, ‘The Tip Off’, ‘Decision at Nine’, ‘The Devil Makes Three’ and ‘Point of Honour’. Performers included Honor Blackman, Maurice Kaufman, Barry Keegan, Jack Hedley, Richard Leech, Ian Fleming, Gene Kelly and Victor Brooks.

Deadline Midnight. 1960

Drama series featuring the characters and events involved in the working of a national newspaper. The Daily Globe’s intrepid reporters work from a base in London’s Fleet Street. Tensions mount daily as the news desk team strain to round up the world’s best stories and meet the all-important editorial deadline. Starring Armine Sandford, Glyn Houston and Jeremy Young.

A King called Cole. 1960

Variety show in a Parisien setting. Nat King Cole sings ‘Magnifique’ followed by a dance number to ‘Bonjour Paris’. Nat King Cole sings a song, then enters a ‘club’ to play a number on the piano. Dave King features in a sketch at a café in ‘conversation’ with two Frenchmen. Followed by Nat King Cole singing a song about the River Seine.

The Devil Makes Sunday. 1960

In an 1840s Australian convict colony, a revolt is touched off when a prisoner is flogged. The leader, Clay (Alfred Burke), takes the worst of his anger out on Major Childs (Andre Morell), a steely man who runs the prison without mercy. Clay is torn between getting vengeance and making his escape. Also featuring Toke Townley as Stukeley and Clifford Earl as Corporal.

Boy on the Telephone. 1960

A story of Australians trying to settle down in London. It is Christmas, which helps the newly arrived Australian couple and their children feel at home but almost results in a family break-up. Produced by Christopher Morahan.

The Arthur Haynes Show. 1960-66

Reigning supreme for almost a decade, Arthur Haynes was one of the most influential and popular comics that UK television has ever seen. His shows remained firmly in the top ten until his untimely death in 1966 robbed the world of a comedy genius.

A Date with Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy. 1960

Six part series starring Shirley and Jack, the husband and wife stateside stars.

Chance Witness. 1961

While out posting a letter one rainy night Valerie Marsden is witness to an accident, the details of which she reports to the police. The facts are simple, and it seems just another routine case until later on – when the situation becomes rather more complicated. With Margaret Tyzack, Harry H Corbett, John Merivale.

Two of a Kind. 1961-64

Comedy sketch series starring Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise. The first of the Morecambe and Wise shows to really define their style. Guests included The Beatles, The Beverley Sisters, Humphrey Lyttleton, Acker Bilk, Roy Castle, Alex Walsh, Terry Lightfoot, Kenny Ball and Mike Cotton.

The Cruel Day. 1961

Play about the moral conflict during the Franco-Algerian war. The Captain’s transfer to a lonely outpost in Algeria may have seemed merely a routine posting to him. But dealing with the rebels forces him to face a problem he has shirked all his life.

Marius Goring stars, with Herbert Wise as producer and written by Reginald Rose.

Call for Mr Ariman. 1961

In this drama, a self-made millionaire slowly comes to the realisation that his newfound wealth might have come at the cost of selling his soul to the devil. Starring Harry H. Corbett and John Boyd-Brent.

Sammy Davis Junior Meets the Girls. 1961

Sammy Davis Jr stars in this entertainment special featuring song, dance and comedy. Guests include Anna Quayle, Apple Brook, Cleo Laine, Jacqueline Jones and Joyce Blair, plus Wendy Richard making her first television appearance in the chorus.

Before the start of the show Lionel Blair is seen preventing Bob Melbourne from entering the theatre to talk to Sammy Davis Jr. The show opens with Sammy singing a medley of There is Nothing Like a Dame, and Girls Were Made to Love and Kiss. Sammy then introduces the show. Cleo Laine sings Jeepers Creepers then talks to Sammy. A group of female dancers perform a ballet school themed routine; Sammy then joins the group with humour and tap dance; he also sings Choreography.

Next, Joyce Blair sings Fascinating Rhythm then talks to Sammy. Sammy then sings Could You Use Me? to Joyce. After some comedy in which Sammy speaks in an English accent he and Joyce dance; the sequence finished with Sammy singing an extract from Lumbered. Sammy returns, performing as a bored office worker singing Let’s Get Away from it All, and I Left My Hat in Haiti – this moves into a dance sequence with a chorus of women.

Anna Quayle performs original comedic songs/recitations – one on going out in her bra, one on Banbury, and one on flowers. She then talks to Sammy about the play she is appearing in (Stop the World – I Want to Get Off, with Anthony Newley); Sammy and Anna sing Someone Nice Like You. Sammy then sings a medley of Something’s Coming, Maria, and That Face – the final song moves into a dance/catwalk sequence with the female chorus that Sammy then joins to continue singing. Throughout the show a mystery woman appears who Sammy doesn’t recognise (played by Jacqueline Jones).

Private Potter. 1961

A military operation is halted when a soldier reports a transcendent vision of God. This narrative formed the foundation for an MGM feature film released in 1962. Tom Courtenay stars in the title role as Potter. Also features Frank Finlay, Fulton Mackay, Ronald Frazer and James Maxwell.

The Diamond Run. 1961

Part of the Drama 61 strand. Crime drama starring Terence Longdon, Paul Curran, Warren Mitchell, Nyree Dawn Porter, Hugh Cross and Leo Carera.

The Executioners. 1961

Mark and Sylvia arrive at an isolated hotel on the Spanish coast. There are only two other guests and conditions are ideal for a quiet holiday. But another traveller arrives, bringing with him echoes of the past and a memory which puts every character involved through a test of fire. Starring William and Jacqueline Hill.

Ghost Squad. 1961-64

Drama series based on the activities of the world’s most hush-hush crime busters – men and women out of uniform, attached to Scotland Yard’s International Investigation Division. Starring Michael Quinn and Neil Hallett.

The Ghost Squad – an elite team of international undercover operators whose job it is to infiltrate themselves into situations that are either too sensitive or too hazardous for normal government operatives to undertake. Inspired by the real-life exploits of Scotland Yard’s legendary undercover unit, dubbed the Ghost Squad in ex-Detective John Gosling’s book, this group infiltrates the inner sanctums of major underworld gangs and international espionage agencies to snuff out their activities by any means possible. If operating abroad, they can expect no help from their superiors, the police, or anyone else. They are alone and share a common bond – hazardous missions, in which the mortality rate is high.

Answered Prayers. 1961

The telephone calls are from a woman. They come at frequent intervals. And the man on the other end of the line gets the same warning every time – she intends to kill him. This is the story of an aspiring songwriter with limited talents. He has more success when he attaches himself to weak lonely women, using them, having them provide for him, then leaving them with nothing but scorn and hurt as rewards for all they have given him. The social parasite is Jimmy Ransome (Nigel Stock). His latest victim is Gwenda Grant (Margot Van Der Burgh).

The Dinner Party. 1961

Part of the Drama 61 strand written by Patricia Joudry.

Call Oxbridge 2000. 1961

Personal dramas at a private medical centre. In this spin-off from the popular medical soap Emergency Ward 10, Dr. Rennie (Richard Thorp) has left the hospital to work in private practice with an uncle on the outskirts of Oxbridge.

Torment. 1961

A law student confesses to a murder, but did it actually happen? With Peter Dyneley, Betty McDowall, Douglas Wilmer, David Saire.

The Royal Variety Performance. 1961-81

1961 was the first year ATV produced the show, and would alternative with the BBC in production up until 1981. The first televised RVP was by the BBC a year earlier in 1960.

The Day of the Fox. 1961

Set in an unidentified new African nation, the story by Jan Carew has only one white actor. Starring Sammy Davis Jr as Beppo, with Charles Hyatt and Yolande Bavan.

Harpers West One. 1961

Drama series Harpers West One tells stories of the staff and customers on the sixth floor of a smart department store (the Harpers of the title) which as befitting its glamorous post code is located in the West End of London.

The staff included widowed personnel officer Harriet Carr (Jan Holden), with her secretary Julie Wheeler (Vivian Pickles), also public relations officer Mike Gilmore (Tristram Jellinek), and male staff controller Edward Cruickshank (Graham Crowden). The chairman of the store was Aubrey Harper (Arthur Hewlett). The second series in Autumn 1962 saw new regulars alongside Jan Holden – Philip Latham as the male staff controller Oliver Blackhouse, Bernard Horsfall as PRO Philip Nash, with old timer Wally Patch as the security man. After a few weeks, a new receptionist was introduced named Susan Sullivan (Wendy Richard).

The series was devised by John Whitney and Geoffrey Bellman, though the on-screen titles note that Diana Noel and Derrick de Marney provided the initial idea

The Face of the Enemy. 1961

An unexploded bomb is found close by a hospital. It must be made harmless at once. But only one man has experience of this kind of bomb – and he seems strangely reluctant to co-operate. Starring Michael Aldridge, Dinsdale Landen and Avice Landone.

All That Jazz. 1962

January 5th, 1962, saw the launch of a new music show from ATV London. A series of music shows that featured a variety of acts such as Karl Denver, The Springfields, Marty Wilde, Tito Puente, The Mike Cotton Jazzmen, Johnny Dankworth and his Orchestra and Frank Ifield to name just a few.

The Last Night of the Crazy Gang. 1962

It is the end of an era, the last night of the Crazy Gang as they move forward to retirement and this programme features other performers in the world of show business as they pay tribute to the British entertainers. The show is recorded at the Victoria Palace Theatre after first appearing on stage in November 1931 at the London Palladium. The popular Crazy Gang and guests bring music, dancing and comedy routines to amuse the audience, including a couple of dance performances from The Tiller Girls.

Bud Flanagan and Chesney Allen sing ‘Underneath The Arches’, ‘Home Town’, ‘The Umbrella Man’ and ‘Run Rabbit Run’ together and then Bud Flanagan provides some laughs and sings on his own. The Tiller Girls end the show with a final dance and are then joined on stage by all the cast as they take their bows and final tributes are made to the Crazy Gang.

No Decision. 1962

Part of Drama 62. Driscoll is an old boxer who finds himself a celebrity hero when he describes an old bout of his on a Sydney television station. His former opponent (who is now a Melbourne Governor), decides to settle the matter once and for all.

The Lonesome Road. 1962

A London accountant travelling home by train to Woking, reluctantly engages in conversation with an insensitive and over-talkative fellow passenger. The stranger on the train was a bore, but there was something vaguely disturbing about him. Part of Drama 62.

The Key. 1962

Bank robber Karel Stefanchek and his girlfriend Blanche have $200,000 in their possession and plans all set for the future. Then they find themselves trapped in a Montreal boarding house, forced to watch their dreams dissolve into brutal reality. Part of Drama 62.

Man of the World. 1962

Michael Strait (Craig Stevens) is a high-flying photo-journalist and a real Man of the World. His business takes him to every corner of the world and every corner of society.

Court Martial. 1962

One-off drama part of Drama 62. The British Army is called in by the ruler of an allied state to put down terrorism. When Lt. Col. Arlington receives an order to hand over a prisoner to the civil authorities, should he obey, even if it means torture and death for the man?

Out of the Burning: The Rebirth of Coventry Cathedral. 1962

Documentary telling the story of the restoration of Coventry Cathedral after being destroyed by German bombs during the second world war. On the night of the 14th of November 1940, the cathedral, dedicated to Saint Michael, was set on fire by the German Luftwaffe who were trying to destroy Coventry’s factories. Presented by Kenneth Clark. Directed by Stephen Wade.

The Power of Zero. 1962

John Frant (Laurence Hardy), a brilliant mathematician, lives a quiet life which is suddenly and mysteriously shattered by the arrival of two strangers. Also featuring Margaret Tyzack, Wolf Morris, Shay Gorman.

The Teeth of Treason. 1962

The shattered pieces of a plane crash lead to a trek across Europe and back again by suspicious investigators. With Reed De Rouen, Gerald Heinz, Fulton Mackay. Part of Drama 62.

Miracle of Mano. 1962

Duncan Bishop (Patrick Magee) is a lighthouse keeper on the island of Mano, off the Liberian coast. A party of strange people arrive by motorboat one morning and his quiet, religious way of life is violently disturbed.

Broadway Goes Latin. 1962.

Hollywood musical numbers are given the Latin music treatment, with host Edmundo Ros, plus the Arnaldo Dancers, Chi Chi Navarro and Margie Ravel.

Luck of the Draw. 1962

Part of Drama 62. Arthur, a shy Cockney waiter is unlucky and clumsy in the pursuit of love on the dance floor, so he visits a marriage bureau who matches him with Jenny, a girl from the north who has just moved to London. Starring Michael Caine.

A Matter of Principal. 1962

Should a doctor tell his patients the truth, whatever the cost? Harry Branksome (Charles Gray), brilliant surgeon, is dedicated to the truth, no matter whom it hurts. Adapted for television by John Clark from the book ‘A Lady’s Hand’ by Edward Candy.

Peace with Terror. 1962

Parsons is a text-quoting religious fanatic who heads a sect called The Union for Peace. With the help of hired accomplice Warblow, he evolves a sort of latter-day ‘Gunpowder Plot’, but his objective is to blow up, not Parliament, but the War Office. Part of Drama 62.

The Frightened Sky. 1962

Two planes set off from London for the United Nations in New York, one carrying Lord Stapleton who plans to talk to the Russians to try to avoid a catastrophe. Meanwhile, a newspaper office in London gets a phone call from a man who is about to die. Part of Drama 62.

A Chance in Life. 1962

Part of Drama 62, a family wins the pools and finds it changes their lives. With Erik Chitty, Maurice Denham, Hilda Fenemore.

Television Playhouse Presents: Nuncle. 1962

Tom Rogers is a famous writer who has not written a word for 15 years. When he marries a woman who has a rich father, he gets more than he bargained for. With Norman Bird, Jennifer Wilson, Raymond Huntley.

Television Playhouse Presents: The Morning After. 1962

Economists Sam and Alan go to a party at a Paddington tenement, they’ve heard that there will be six girls to every man. They meet some women, but trouble seems to be looming.

Passing Through. 1963

Part of Drama 63 starring Bill Owen, Coral Atkins, Carol Lorimer and Raymond Smith.

The Plane Makers. 1963

This prequel series to the boardroom drama ‘The Power Game’ follows the fortunes of the Scott Furlong airplane development company and its managing director, the ruthless John Wilder (Patrick Wymark). After months of work, a new passenger airliner, The Sovereign, is almost ready for its first flight. When Wilder discovers that the Sovereign’s French competitor is due for its maiden flight he gives orders to get the plane off the ground in two days, a decision he may come to regret.

My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen. 1963

Mr Trouncer’s special relationship with the Heads of State is untroubled until he purchases two dozen red roses. With Dennis Price, Avis Bunnage, Terence Alexander, Emrys Jones. Part of Drama 63.

54 Minute Affair. 1963

Harry meets Sue at a nightclub and after leaving separately he has one last chance to meet her again at the train station. A Drama 63 presentation.

Television Playhouse Presents: Too Old For Donkeys. 1963

Euston Station, London, in the early hours of a Sunday morning. Four men, waiting for their train home to the North, are faced with three hours of total boredom. A girl passes by and the youngest is urged by the others into making a pass at her.

Somebody’s Dying. 1963

Crossroads. 1964-88

The first daily saga to fill a half-hour slot on ITV. Based on the stateside hour-long daily soaps Crossroads, set in a motel, was the first to bring this style of storytelling to UK screens. Created by Peter Ling and Hazel Adair the format was devised by Reg Watson who went on to use its success with Grundy in Australia on shows such as Prisoner: Cell Block H, The Young Doctors, Sons and Daughters and Neighbours.

Crossroads centred on the titular motel as well as the village of Kings Oak where the lives of the staff and guests entwined. The series won several awards and was praised for its ground-breaking social plots, however, was never a favourite with TV critics who compared its output – twenty episodes a month – to that of Coronation Street which made eight episodes a month.

The Crunch. 1964

Harry Andrews stars as a British Prime Minister struggling to avert an imminent nuclear explosion in London. A stunning and taut play by Nigel Kneale.

Better Luck Next Time. 1964

William Foster (Michael Bryant) wants to be free of his wife. Jenny Zubitsky (Zohra Lampert) is an attractive girl in her twenties. The meeting between the two comes when William hires Jenny to be his divorce co-respondent.

We, The Hunted. 1964

An old man living in Spain seems likely to be be an escaped Nazi war criminal. Israeli agents arrive to investigate. Starring Madlyn Rhue and Joseph Campanella.

Love Story: The Con Game. 1964

Julie is a beautiful sophisticated 30-year-old. She is separated from her husband Jimmy but still in love with him. He is the weaker of the two, and a conman with no scruples. Her attempts to make the marriage work lead only to disaster.

Love Story: The Last of the English Visitors. 1964

Barry is about to be married to Louise, but he is reminiscing about a former love, Anne. He is horrified to discover Anne booking in to the hotel, and what’s more, she is now divorced. The situation forces Barry to re-evaluate his life.

Dig Here. 1964

A couple awake in the middle of the night to find themselves locked in their bedroom while an undertaker is also in their back garden.

Love Story: Romance of Words. 1964

Sandra Freedman is 22, rather plain, and shy with young men. One evening Sandra rings a random phone number and finds herself talking to a young man named Michael Langley. What does the future hold?

Love Story: The Smile on the Face of the Tiger. 1964

Zoe and Charles have been together a good many years, but Charles has a strange reluctance to marriage. Zoe, approaching 40, feels her insecurity very keenly, and is forced to take action.

The Man in the Panama Hat. 1964

If you are on holiday on your own, how can you help speculating on your fellow guests? If, like Miss Purslow, you play the dangerous game of putting two-and-two together, you might discover more than you bargained for. Starring Diana Wynyard.

Love Story: In Loving Memory. 1964

Recently widowed Robert Langley returns from his wife’s memorial service. Waiting for him at home is Jane Bridges, a former lover. Jane tells him she has just returned from America, where she was recently bereaved. But is that the truth?

I Love, You Love, We Love. 1964

After a few casual affairs, Crawford starts to receive uninvited visits from the mysterious Umberman, who proceeds to drop in at the most inconvenient time and offer his advice on the present affair. Starring Patrick Macnee and Peter Barkworth.

Goodnight to Heroes. 1964

Edward and Kathy have failed in their marriage. Their desperation is comic. One night Kathy meets men she can admire, or who challenge her. But she fails here, in that she allows one of them to be killed. With Tim Seely, Eileen Atkins.

Love Story: Spare the Tears for Happiness. 1964

Harry Debrett is a Hollywood star, a great screen lover, revisiting his home town in England. One reporter anxious to interview him is former lover Sheila Edmunds, who threatens to blackmail him.

Trouble With England. 1964.

A Drama 64 presentation. With Ian Bannen, Sheila Allen, David Andrews, Jennie Linden.

Love Story: The Truth Game. 1964

Alberto is a widower with a young daughter, Maria. He owns a restaurant, helped by Hugh, who is lazy and despises Alberto. A young woman named Sally comes to give Maria dancing lessons. A romantic triangle threatens to develop.

Drill Pig. 1964

Part of the ITV Play of the Week strand. Donald Houston, Lee Montague and John Bluthal star.

Love Story: The Commuters. 1964

Susan is in her thirties, quiet and rather timid. David in the same office, is in love with her, despite the fact that he already has a wife. They keep their affair to themselves, until an unpleasant experience forces them to face their situation.

A Tall Stalwart Lancer. 1965

Bizarre drama starring James Mason as the mysterious Torquil Callander, who hangs around a mews area of houses. Also featuring Moira Redmond and Robin Phillips.

The Tigers are Burning. 1965

Michael Hordern narrates this dramatised documentary about the turning point of the Second World War in the summer of 1943 on the Eastern Front. The battle is shown on film, plus a reconstruction of Hitler’s conferences with his generals.

The Glad Rag Ball. 1965

Jimmy Tarbuck introduces a cabaret show from the London Students Carnival held at the Empire Pool, Wembley. Featuring music performances from Donovan, The Who, Three Bells, Frankie Vaughan, Ted Heath and His Music, plus Lionel Blair and His Dancers. The programme includes interviews with Suzy Kendall and Dudley Moore.

Front Page Story. 1965

Fleet Street’s finest make their way onto the streets to gather fast moving news at source. Everyone’s looking for the scoop that will make the front page and competition is fierce… Producer Rex Firkin and scriptwriter Wilfred Greaterox, following their success with The Plane Makers, created the Fleet Street newspaper series as a successor to their previous hit.

Front Page Story brought authentically depicted reporters from the confines of the office to the vibrancy of the streets. Firkin’s production team utilized a unique mobile, self-contained tape and sound recording unit, enabling them to film scenes spontaneously anywhere and at any time, facilitating fast-moving, on-location tape shooting. The cast featured Derek Godfrey, Derek Newark and Patrick Mower as reporters, with Derek Godfrey, Roddy Macmillan, John Bennett and Ivor Dean playing the editors.

Come into My Parlour. 1965

‘Come Into My Parlour’ said the spider to the fly. Sandra Minton invited Charles Drew into her flat and started to spin her web, but she forgot to tell him there was another fly. Starring Renny Lister, Keith Barron and Ray Barrett.

Nightmare on Instalments. 1965

Ronald Fraser stars as Harry Best, the tally-man who sells dreams of easy credit that turn into nightmares. Also starring Hamilton Dyce and Judy Geeson.

As The Crow Flies. 1965

A drugged drink makes a difference of two hours in the lives of an elderly couple when a young man they have befriended plans to use them as an alibi in a robbery he has planned – on their property.

Love Story: Toccata for Toy Trumpet. 1965

The whereabouts of his daughter’s favourite toy is causing problems for Stevie (T.P. McKenna) as it could reveal his involvement in an extramarital affair.

Guest of Honour. 1965

Dave Gadlow’s New Year party doesn’t work out quite the way he plans. With John Bennett, Anna Quayle, and Veronica Turleigh.

Love Story: Squat Betty. 1965

Squat Betty is a mountain above the hostel where warden Stanley Mintey lives with his wife Elizabeth. Stanley casually informs Jonathan, a visitor, that he plans to hang himself, because Elizabeth has another man. But Jonathan is the other man.

The Cliff Richard Show. 1965

Variety and music show hosted by Cliff Richard with The Shadows and the Jack Parnell Orchestra.

Love Story: Give my love to the Pilchards. 1965

Albie Barker (Edward Judd) is a philandering film star. April Sears (Joanna Dunham) is just one of the girls to fall for his charms. He treats her with careless disdain. Patrick (T.P. McKenna) is on hand to offer sympathy.

Seaway. 1965-66

Seaway chronicles the adventures of Nick King, portrayed by Stephen Young, a ship owner’s agent who investigates shipping-related crimes. He is supported by retired Admiral Leslie Fox, played by Austin Willis, a Department of Transport agent, along with a specialized police force that patrols the Saint Lawrence Seaway. An ATV series in association with CBC Television, Canada.

Love Story: Chase the Shadows. 1965

Schoolteacher George has slapped Eddie, a pupil, and in turn gets slapped by Eddie’s mother. The resulting apologies lead to the possibility of romance, but prejudices have to be overcome.

Dream of the Summer Night. 1965

Drama starring Jane Asher, Michael Brill, David Collings and David Cook. Written by Ted Willis. Two men call on a family home. The family at first unaware that this call was going to change their lives.

Love Story: A Bachelor of Grey. 1965

The man’s problem in life is that he wants to get married and needs the security of love, but he is incapable of real love and terrified of settling down. Starring Donald Sinden, Brenda Bruce and Ronald Hines.

Love Story: Phyllis Hammond Died Here. 1965

After one of many quarrels with her husband, a woman finds herself in the studio she occupied as an art student, and is intrigued by the present occupant. Featuring Ann Todd, Paul Hardwick, Marianne Stone and John Ronane.

Mr. Foulds. 1965

When Leslie’s wife was killed in a motoring accident, he went prison visiting with the intention of trying to forgive the man responsible, But sometimes an innocent action can lead a man into strange waters. With Leonard Rossiter as Leslie Harmon.

Love Story: Girl on the Cliff. 1965

Lisa has a recurring dream about a girl on a cliff with a man pointing a gun The girl is revealed one night as her estranged sister Meg. Lisa traces Meg to a house by a cliff. She finds her very ill and living with Teddy a weird fashion designer.

The Machine Minder. 1965

David Collings stars as Ted Besant. Why does he find it so hard to settle down as a machine minder?

Love Story: A Guide to the Ruins. 1965

Staid Scotsman Alec Ramsey (David McKail) falls for flamboyant American Geraldine Hopper (Heather Sears).

The Power Game. 1965

Patrick Wymark stars as the ruthless and power-hungry executive John Wilder is this gripping series of boardroom plots and counterplots in the follow on from The Plane Makers.

Wilder uses his influence with a merchant bank to become joint managing director of an established building firm, Bligh Construction. Award winning drama The Power Game chronicles his attempts to keep control in the face of opposition from the company’s elderly founder Caswell Bligh (Clifford Evans), a stern, old-school patriarch who resents what he sees as Wilder’s imposition on a family firm, and Bligh’s ambitious but inexperienced son Kenneth (Peter Barkworth), who would prefer to be sole managing director, and free of his father’s influence.

Wilder’s private life comes to the fore when he has a long-running affair with a civil servant, Susan Weldon (Rosemary Leach), but is aghast when his wife Pamela also plays the field with engineering expert Frank Hagadan (George Sewell)

Love Story: A Cure for Tin Ear. 1965

Theo Sandman is a show business impresario. Tilly Nicholls is a singer in a seaside show which he drops in to see. It is not only her looks that impress him – it is her astoundingly off-key voice. Nevertheless, he falls in love with her.

The Dance of Death. 1966

Waxholm island is a fortified prison and garrison. The play revolves around the bitter marriage of the fort’s Captain and his wife Alice, and the effect the Captain’s meanness and arrogance has on his wife, family, and ultimately on himself.

Nelson: A Study in Miniature. 1966

Nelson’s nephew, young George Matcham, sees Lady Nelson just before going to Merton to stay with his uncle and learns something which could quite well disturb Nelson’s joy at being home again at ‘Paradise Merton’.

Mrs. Thursday. 1966-67

Classic sitcom starring Kathleen Harrison as a Cockney cleaning lady who inherits a fortune, a property empire and a Rolls Royce. Three series were made.

The Browning Version. 1966

Drama by Terence Rattigan. Tormented schoolmaster Andrew Crocker-Harris (Michael Hordern) reaches the end of his career and feels that his life has been a failure.

Pig Iron Johnny. 1966

A son has to come to terms with the fact that the hero image he had cultivated of his father was not quite true to reality. With Malcolm McDowell and Eric Porter.

Love Story: Duggie. 1966

When pub entertainer Duggie Reilly meets Julie Palmer he realises the trouble in store. Starring Ray Lonnen, Angela Richards and Beryl Reid.

The Balad of Queenie Swan. 1966

A tale told in verse about a merry widow publican and her three suitors. Starring Billie Whitelaw as Queenie.

The Toy Soldier. 1966

When John Trewardine, a leading television producer, goes back to Greece, his wife is very anxious to prevent the journey taking place. With Charles Gray, Daphne Slater, Michael Graham Cox, Felicity Kendal.

Don Quixote Go Home. 1966

An ex-army officer is charmed by a young woman – herself the daughter of a soldier – into joining the ‘ban the bomb’ movement, much to the surprise of his family. Starring Charles Kay, Richard Pearson and Anne Stallybrass.

Royal Gala. 1966

An evening of variety and entertainment from the London Palladium. Featuring stars of Coronation Street, The Dave Clark Five, David Nixon, The Walker Brothers and Dave Allen to name just a few.

Love Story: Casanova and the old Crow. 1966

Another drama for the Love Story strand.

Convalescence. 1966

A play set in a convalescent home in the country, where the patients are disturbed by the arrival of Mrs Newell (Dilys Hamlett).

Love Story: Dead Set Dream Boy. 1966

Drama featuring Caron Gardner, Walter Horsbrugh, Agnes Lauchlan, Beatrix Mackey.

A Hero of Modern Industry. 1966.

Monty Mays would have given his right arm for the Ice Cream Industry – and finished up giving his left. Along with a holiday in Majorca, and his wife. Was he a hero? With Barry Foster, Sheila Fearn, John Bennett, Graham Crowden.

The East Wind. 1966

Part of the ITV Play of the Week strand. Starring Gladys Bacon, Guy Deghy, Lionel Guyett.

The Tormentors. 1966

A prisoner, John Ellis, claims that he has been wrongly arrested for an assassination attempt on the prime minister and tortured to try and make him confess to a crime he didn’t commit. What the truth of the situation is becomes blurred.

A Tot at the Local. 1966

Reggie Potter (Ronald Hines) has got on in business, and soon realises how phoney his business acquaintances are, when faced with a reminder of his background.

Mr Irtin. 1967

Orphaned as a child and living in digs all his life, shy Mr Irtin in his forties falls in adolescent love with a girl at work, who is young enough to be his daughter. It ends in tears for Mr Irtin. With Peter Jeffrey, Maureen Toal and Anthony Bate.

Myopia. 1967

Part of the Drama 67 strand. Starring Margo Andrew, Nigel Green, Gordon Jackson and Judy Parfitt.

Spotlight. 1967

Variety series full of music and comedy. Filmed in Britain at the ATV Elstree Studios for the American market where each episode has a different guest host. Stars included Benny Hill, Paul Anka, Phil Silvers, Roy Castle and Tom Jones.

A Drug on the Market. 1967

A pharmaceutical company discovers a wonder drug that can be made cheaply but argue about how much they can charge for it.

Present Laughter. 1967

The plot follows an eventful few days in the life of the successful and self-obsessed light comedy actor Garry Essendine as he prepares to travel for a touring commitment in Africa.

Peter O’Toole and Honor Blackman star in the Noel Coward comedy. The plot follows a few days in the life of the successful and self-obsessed light comedy actor Garry Essendine as he prepares to travel for a touring commitment in Africa. Amid a series of events bordering on farce, Garry has to deal with women who want to seduce him, placate both his long-suffering secretary and his estranged wife, cope with a crazed young playwright, and overcome his impending mid-life crisis (since he has recently turned forty).

Market In Honey Lane. 1967-68

Later shortened to just ‘Honey Lane’ this serial followed the lives of the those who worked on the east end London street of Honey Lane. Focusing on the market traders; other locations included a bar, café, shop and laundrette. Starred John Bennett, Ray Lonnen and Ivor Salter.

Cliff! 1967

Cliff Richard is back at ATV for more comedy, music and entertainment in his latest variety series.

The Big Killing. 1967

The story of a charming young man, Peter Ashbury, whose complete lack of moral values lead him to his greatest gamble of all, with death as the stake. Starring Barry Foster and Robert Urquhart.

Love Story: The Conversion of ‘Pretty Boy’ Carter

Another drama for the Love Story strand on ITV.

A Brand New Scrubbing Brush. 1967

Chris is a lively intelligent 15-year-old boy, getting on well at grammar school, planning to go to University.

here has been no nanny, no loving family for 15-year-old Chris Wilson (Christopher Witty). His father Jack (Ewan Hooper) has long shirked the responsibility of looking after his son. Instead, Chris has lived happily enough with his Uncle George (Norman Bird). Until, without warning, his life is disrupted, his security shattered.

Love Story: A Dream in the Afternoon. 1967

Starring Myles Hoyle, Diane Keen, Pamela Lane, Gavin Richards.

Children Playing. 1967

At a Midlands youth hostel, two young men loiter around a party of schoolchildren, trying to join in their games, turning them toward suggestive and dangerous acts. Breaking in on a midnight feast, they abuse one of the boys. With Brian Cox, James Lynn, Denise Coffey.

Love Story: The Swordfighter. 1967

Another romance-based drama from Love Story.

You’re a Brave Man, Jack. 1967

James Beck stars alongside Christopher Coll, Joe Gladwin.

The Curtis Affair. 1968

A director has to provide an explanation to a public committee on how his firm made such a huge profit on a government contract. Starring Geoffrey Bayldon, Rowena Cooper, and Michael Jayston.

The Father. 1968

Based on the play by August Strindberg about a father’s struggle to impose his will on his family, this play has themes of conflict, infidelity and insanity. With Patrick Wymark, Dorothy Tutin and Sybil Thorndike. An ITV Playhouse presentation.

The Detour. 1968

Patrick Wymark stars in this ITV Playhouse presentation.

The Judge. 1968

An ITV Playhouse drama starring Patrick Wymark.

Public and Confidential. 1968

An ITV Playhouse drama from Cecil Clark.

Love Story: The Vast Horizons of the Mind. 1968

David Crawley (Keith Baxter) is in love with Birgit Sorenson (Wanda Ventham) who is Swedish and cannot speak a word of English.

Virgin of the Secret Service. 1968

Clinton Greyn stars in the blood and thunder exploits of Captain Robert Virgin of the British Secret Service, a courageous soldier of fortune and Britain’s top secret agent during the Northwest Indian Frontier campaign of the 1900s.

A man of incredible bravery who would have laid down his life to protect Britain’s honour (and was frequently asked to do so by his superior, Colonel Shaw-Camberley), Virgin fought his way through his adventures with a stiff upper lip and considerable panache. Using the sword, the knife, or his fists (he was highly proficient with all three), he blazed his way across the frontier protecting the honour of his regiment and saving his beautiful (though thoroughly emancipated) assistant, Mrs Virginia Cortez, from the dastardly overtures of their adversaries, the diabolically evil Karl Von Brauner and his equally evil (and deranged) aide, Klaus Striebeck, both of whom shared an intense hatred for the upright and intrepid hero, and forced him to face unspeakable tortures whenever he fell into their hands.

Goodbye Again. 1968

A series of sketch shows written by comic heroes Peter Cook and Dudley Moore featuring support from the likes of John Cleese, Anne Bancroft and Rodney Bewes, plus pop performances from big name acts of the time including Ike and Tina Turner, Mel Torme, Traffic and Donovan.

Love Story: S for Sugar, A for Apple, M for Missing. 1968

Problems are caused after a lighter is accidentally left in a taxi. With Elizabeth Shepherd, Barry Foster, Tommy Godfrey.

Driveway. 1968

Drama series about an ex-army officer who starts a driving school in the Midlands. With Anthony Newlands, Margaret Ashcroft, Sandra Bryant.

Crime Buster. 1968

Crime drama series featuring a former sports champion who, as a newspaper columnist, crusades against corruption in sport. Featuring Mark Eden as Ray Saxton.

The Male of the Species. 1968

Featuring rare television performances from Sean Connery, Michael Caine and Paul Scofield, and with Anna Calder-Marshall as the increasingly savvy Mary MacNeil, this trilogy of plays, narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier, forms a dramatic and controversial study in male behaviour. Part of ITV’s celebrated anthology series Saturday Night Theatre, Male of the Species was written by Oscar-nominated playwright Alun Owen and originally screened in 1969 to great acclaim, earning Primetime Emmy Awards for both Paul Scofield and Anna Calder-Marshall.

Never trust a man whoever he is. This is the bitter lesson learned by Mary MacNeil in her relationships with three different men: her father, a mendacious womaniser; a smooth-talking office flirt, Cornelius; and an elderly barrister, Emlyn, who is enchanted by Mary’s youthful vitality and charm. Only one of these men will win her heart in the end…

Love Story: A Man Alone. 1968

An insecure pop star needs his manager for support when his home is invaded by an adoring fan. Starring Philippa Gail, T.P. McKenna and Dennis Waterman.

Love Story: Look Out! It’s Margaret Mitchell’s Solicitors! 1969

A travelling Irish theatre troupe suddenly discover that the love story they had been sold and were performing each night is none other than a plagiarized version of ‘Gone with the Wind’.

The Friendly Persuaders. 1969

Sci fi drama. An alien race arrive on Earth painting an idyllic picture of their world but one Whitehall sceptic is not so convinced.

Dave Allen in the Melting Pot. 1969

Documentary about the melting pot of New York – the city and people who live there – as seen through the eyes of the Irish comedian Dave Allen.

He receives some remarkable confessions of fears and hopes, from regular New Yorkers – be they German, Greek, Polish, Irish , Italian or whatever. The result is an investigation of the aspects of life that go to make up and besiege the throb and vitality of a huge city: love, drug addiction, crimes of violence, and race relations among them.

Love Story: The Dolly Spike. 1969

More romance from Love Story.

The Engelbert Humperdinck Show. 1969-70

British pop singer Engelbert Humperdinck hosts his own music variety series featuring British and American star guests including Dusty Springfield, Ray Charles and Tom Jones, with regular contributions from the Jack Parnell Orchestra and the Irving Davies Dancers.

The Marrying Kind. 1969

A large four-poster bed with a romantic and remarkable history provides the intriguing background to David Reid’s period comedy play. Its present occupants are a young honeymoon couple, and the bridegroom is a descendant of the bed’s first owner.

Love Story: Ensign To the Cannon Proud. 1969

André Morell, Jennifer Daniel, Basil Moss star in another romantic tale with a twist.

The Liberace Show. 1969

Liberace is back in the UK and back at ATV Elstree for more glitz and glamour with showbiz pals who provide comedy and music. Stars knocking on his diamond encrusted knob include Eva Gabor, Frankie Vaughan and Moira Anderson.