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Crossroads (UK TV Series)
''Crossroads'' (later known as ''Crossroads Motel'' and ''Crossroads King's Oak'') is a British television soap opera that ran on ITV (TV network), ITV over two periods – the original 1964 to 1988 run, followed by a short revival from 2001 to 2003. Set in a fictional motel (hotel in the revival) in the Midlands, ''Crossroads'' became a byword for cheap production values, particularly in the 1970s and early 1980s. Despite this, the series regularly attracted huge audiences during this time, with ratings as high as 15 million viewers. It was created by Hazel Adair (actress and screenwriter), Hazel Adair and Peter Ling and produced by Associated TeleVision, ATV (until the end of 1981) and then by ATV's successor, ITV Central, Central Independent Television until 1988. The series was revived by Carlton Television in 2001; however, due to low ratings it was cancelled again in 2003. Storylines 1964–1988 The original premise of ''Crossroads'' is based around two feuding sisters, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soap Opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored by soap manufacturers.Bowles, p. 118. The term was preceded by "horse opera", a derogatory term for low-budget Westerns. BBC Radio's ''The Archers'', first broadcast in 1950, is the world's longest-running radio soap opera. The longest-running current television soap is '' Coronation Street'', which was first broadcast on ITV in 1960, with the record for the longest running soap opera in history being held by '' Guiding Light'', which began on radio in 1937, transitioned to television in 1952, and ended in 2009. A crucial element that defines the soap opera is the open-ended serial nature of the narrative, with stories spanning several episodes. One of the defining features that makes a television program a soap opera, according to Alber ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sue Nicholls
Susan Frances Harmar Nicholls (born 23 November 1943) is an English actress, known for her roles on British television in ''Crossroads'' (1964–1968), ''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' (1976–1979) and, ''Rentaghost'' (1981–1984), and especially for her long-running part as Audrey Roberts in the soap opera ''Coronation Street'' (1979–1982, 1984–present). She also appeared on Broadway in the 1974 revival of the comedy ''London Assurance''. Nicholls first appeared as Audrey in ''Coronation Street'' in 1979 and played the role intermittently for six years, before joining the cast permanently in 1985. She won the 2000 British Soap Award for Best Comedy Performance and the 2003 British Soap Award for Best Dramatic Performance, and received the Outstanding Achievement Award in 2019. Early life Susan Frances Harmar Nicholls was born in Darlaston, Wednesbury .She was educated at the School of St Mary and St Anne (now known as Abbots Bromley School for Girls), and is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Military Of The United Kingdom
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct military uniform. It may consist of one or more military branches such as an army, navy, air force, space force, marines, or coast guard. The main task of the military is usually defined as defence of the state and its interests against external armed threats. In broad usage, the terms ''armed forces'' and ''military'' are often treated as synonymous, although in technical usage a distinction is sometimes made in which a country's armed forces may include both its military and other paramilitary forces. There are various forms of irregular military forces, not belonging to a recognized state; though they share many attributes with regular military forces, they are less often referred to as simply ''military''. A nation's military may f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Henry (actor)
Paul Henry (born 1947) is an English actor, best known for his role as Benny Hawkins in the soap opera ''Crossroads''. Career Born in Aston, Birmingham, Henry attended the city's Alderlea Boys School in Shard End with Jeff Lynne. Henry trained at the Birmingham School of Speech and Drama, which was followed by eight years at the Birmingham Rep. Between 1975 and 1988, he played his best-known role of Benny Hawkins, a handyman in ''Crossroads''. In 1977, Henry recorded "Benny's Theme" with the Mayson Glen Orchestra for Pye Records. It peaked at no. 39 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1978. He was in character as Benny in the song, but spoke rather than sang. Henry made a guest appearance on the Central Television game show ''Bullseye'', presented by Jim Bowen, on 11 February, 1985. He scored 215 and raised £215 for charity. His country-boy style gained him the part of Peter Stevens in ''The Archers'' for a time. Henry's post-''Crossroads'' career included minor stage roles ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kathy Staff
Kathy Staff (born Minnie Higginbottom; 12 July 1928 – 13 December 2008) was an English actress known for her work on British television. She is best known for her portrayal of Nora Batty in ''Last of the Summer Wine'', the longest running sitcom in the world. Career Early career She began her acting career with touring repertory companies in 1946, changing her name to Katherine Brant. After she married John Staff in 1951, she adopted the surname as her stage name, hence Kathy Staff. She retired from the stage at this point to raise her family, but started working as an extra for Granada Television in Manchester in the 1960s. In her autobiography, Staff revealed herself to be a Conservative, and noted that she had once stood as an election candidate for the party. This appears to have been in 1971, when a Ms. M. Staff contested the Central ward in the Municipal Borough of Dukinfield. The seat was comfortably held by Labour, with the Liberals beating all three Conservative can ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony Adams (actor)
Anthony Stephen Adams (born 11 December 1940) is a Welsh actor of English and Norwegian descent, known for his performances in two British television soap operas. Early life Adams was born on 11 December 1940 in Anglesey, Wales, to Winifred Brown, a sportswoman and aviator. In 1930, she had been the first woman to win the King's Cup Air Race around England. Adams trained as an actor at the Italia Conti Stage School. As a child, he appeared on the London stage, Other stage appearances included a starring role opposite Cheryl Kennedy in a West End revival of '' The Boy Friend'', and he also appeared on the original cast album released with this production. He also appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and in pantomime with David Essex. Career Adams made his name as Dr Neville Bywaters in the 1970s soap ''General Hospital''. He also appeared in the ''Doctor Who'' serial ''The Green Death'' (1973) as Elgin. However, Adams became ill with peritonitis during filming and some ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Terry Molloy
Terry Molloy (born 4 January 1947) is an English actor. He is known predominantly for his work on radio and television, especially his portrayal of Davros, creator of the Dalek, Daleks, in the BBC television science fiction series ''Doctor Who''. Career Molloy has been a member of the cast of BBC Radio 4's ''The Archers'' playing Mike Tucker (The Archers), Mike Tucker since 1974 and has won awards for his work as an actor on radio. In 1980 he performed in the Radio 4 adaptation of Nicholas Monsarrat's war novel ''The Cruel Sea (novel), The Cruel Sea''. On television, Molloy is known for becoming the third actor to play the mad scientist Davros, the creator of the Daleks, in the long-running science fiction series ''Doctor Who''. He appeared in the stories ''Resurrection of the Daleks'' (1984), ''Revelation of the Daleks'' (1985) and ''Remembrance of the Daleks'' (1988), becoming the first actor to play the role in different stories. Molloy was initially cast in the role by di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zeph Gladstone
Zephyrine Frances "Zeph" Gladstone (20 September 1937 - 28 October 2002) was an English television actress, from Norwood in south London. She was best known for her role as the "tart with a heart" hairdresser Vera Downend on the soap opera ''Crossroads'', a role she played from 1970 to 1977. Gladstone started her television career in ''ITV Play of the Week'' in 1964. She moved on to a permanent part on the series ''Dixon of Dock Green''. She also appeared in 'The Baron' as a revolutionary in 'Evening of Hunter', with future 'Crossroads' star Sue Lloyd, in her role on ''Crossroads'' that was most enduring. Gladstone started on the series in June 1970, playing an experienced hairdresser setting up a salon business in the Crossroads Motel. Despite a rough veneer and bad choices, Gladstone's character, Vera Downend, was essentially a "positive" character and developed favourable fan reaction. Gladstone was signed to a contract, which she kept until her departure in October 1977. Gladst ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Angus Lennie
Angus Wilson Lennie (18 April 1930 – 14 September 2014) was a Scottish film and theatre character actor with a 50-year career span. His numerous credits include the character of Flying Officer Archibald Ives in '' The Great Escape'', and ''Shughie McFee'' in the television soap opera '' Crossroads''. Early life Lennie was born and raised in Glasgow, receiving formal education there at Eastbank Academy. During his childhood he was a member of the ''94th Glasgow (1st Shettleston) Company'' of Scotland's Boys' Brigade. He started his career in show business at the age of 14 whilst engaged in an apprenticeship as a stockbroker's clerk, and appeared whilst still a teenager in song and dance acts at the Glasgow Metropole, his diminutive size at 5 ft 1" aiding his nimbleness in performance. After briefly trying stand-up comedy on Scotland's variety circuit post-World War II, and service with Her Majesty's Armed Forces as a National Serviceman, after a period performing in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sue Lloyd
Sue or SUE may refer to: Music * Sue Records, an American record label * ''Sue'' (album), an album by Frazier Chorus * "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)", a song by David Bowie Places * Sue Islet (Queensland), one of the Torres Straits islands, Australia * Sue, Fukuoka, a town in Japan ** Sue Station (Fukuoka), a railway station * Sue Lake, a lake in Glacier National Park, Montana, United States Other uses * Suing (to sue), a type of lawsuit * Sue (name), a feminine given name (and list of people with the name) * Sué, a god of the Andean Muisca civilization * Sue (dinosaur), a ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' specimen * '' Sue Lost in Manhattan'' or ''Sue'', a 1998 film * Subsurface Utility Engineering * Sue ware, ancient Japanese pottery * ARC (file format) or .sue * Door County Cherryland Airport's IATA code * Mary Sue or Sue, an idealized fictional character * Yoshiko Tanaka or Sue (1956–2011), Japanese actress People with the surname * Carolyn Sue, Australian physician-scie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ronald Allen
Ronald John Allen (16 December 1930 – 18 June 1991) was an English actor. He is most well known for playing David Hunter in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Crossroads'', a role he played from 1969 to 1985. Biography Allen was born in Reading, Berkshire. He studied at Leighton Park School in Reading and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, where he won the John Gielgud Scholarship. He worked in repertory theatre and had a season at the Old Vic in London. Allen also appeared in several films, including '' A Night to Remember'' (1958) about the sinking of the ''Titanic'', the espionage film ''A Circle of Deception'' (1960), the British horror films ''The Projected Man'' (1966) and ''The Fiend'' (1972), the war film ''Hell Boats'' (1970), and the black comedy ''Eat the Rich'' (1987). After roles in the BBC soaps ''Compact'' (1963–64) and ''United!'' (1966–67) came his best remembered role, in the long-running ''Crossroads'' (1969–85). Allen playe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Susan Hanson
Susan Hanson (born 11 February 1943, in Preston, Lancashire) is an English actress who played the part of Diane Lawton (later Parker and Hunter) in the long-running British soap opera ''Crossroads'' from 1965–87, when her character was controversially killed off. She also had a brief role in the film ''Catch Us If You Can'' (1965) starring The Dave Clark Five. After a short-lived marriage to BBC Radio 1 DJ Tommy Vance in the 1960s, Hanson married musician Carl Wayne in 1974; they had a son, Jack. After leaving ''Crossroads'' she appeared in the film '' Out of Order'' (1987), and then remained out of the limelight until her husband died of cancer in 2004. A few years later, she returned to British TV screens in the role of the mother of Todd Carty's character in an episode of ''Holby City'', whilst also appearing in ''That's What I Call Television'', alongside former colleagues Jane Rossington (Jill Chance), Tony Adams (Adam Chance) and Paul Henry (Benny Hawkins). In Novembe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
