Public Eye (TV Series)
''Public Eye'' is a British television drama series that ran from 1965 to 1975, for a total of seven series. It was produced by ABC Weekend TV for three series, and Thames Television for a further four. The series depicted the cases and investigations handled by the enquiry agent Frank Marker (Alfred Burke), an unmarried loner who is in his early forties when the series begins. The title is a twist on the more usual "private eye". Background The series was created by writers Roger Marshall and Anthony Marriott with the aim of getting away from "square-jawed" heroes of the type featured in Hollywood movies—a wish shared by Alfred Burke, the actor chosen to play Marker. This aim allowed for flexibility in the structure and plot lines of the episodes; each individual episode usually dealt with an individual case for Marker, but story arcs spanning several episodes, or in one case an entire series, were produced during the life of the programme. Marker's work ranged broadly, fr ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been contrasted with the epic and the lyrical modes ever since Aristotle's '' Poetics'' (c. 335 BC)—the earliest work of dramatic theory. The term "drama" comes from a Greek word meaning "deed" or " act" (Classical Greek: , ''drâma''), which is derived from "I do" (Classical Greek: , ''dráō''). The two masks associated with drama represent the traditional generic division between comedy and tragedy. In English (as was the analogous case in many other European languages), the word ''play'' or ''game'' (translating the Anglo-Saxon ''pleġan'' or Latin ''ludus'') was the standard term for dramas until William Shakespeare's time—just as its creator was a ''play-maker'' rather than a ''dramatist'' and the building was a ''play-house'' r ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rediffusion London
Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion London, was the British ITV franchise holder for London and parts of the surrounding counties, on weekdays between 22 September 1955 and 29 July 1968. It was the first ITA franchisee to go on air, and one of the " Big Four" companies that between them produced the majority of ITV networked programmes during this period. Rediffusion lost its franchise in 1968, but merged with another franchisee to form Thames Television, which continued to hold the London weekday franchise for another 24 years. History Formation Associated-Rediffusion Television was originally a partnership between British Electric Traction (BET), its subsidiary Broadcast Relay Services Ltd. (trading as Rediffusion), and Associated Newspapers, owner of the ''Daily Mail'', which had been interested in commercial broadcasting as early as the 1920s. In the aftermath of the heavy financial losses made by the new ITV system in its initial years, Associated Newspapers so ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Chertsey
Chertsey is a town in the Borough of Runnymede, Surrey, England, south-west of central London. It grew up round Chertsey Abbey, founded in 666 CE, and gained a market charter from Henry I. A bridge across the River Thames first appeared in the early 15th century. The River Bourne through the town meets the Thames at Weybridge. The Anglican church has a medieval tower and chancel roof. The 18th-century listed buildings include the current stone Chertsey Bridge and Botleys Mansion. A curfew bell, rung at 8 pm on weekdays from Michaelmas to Lady Day ties with the romantic local legend of Blanche Heriot, marked by a statue of her and the bell at Chertsey Bridge. Green areas include the Thames Path National Trail, Chertsey Meads and a round knoll (St Ann's Hill) with remains of a prehistoric hill fort known as Eldebury Hill. Pyrcroft House dates from the 18th century and Tara from the late 20th. Train services are run between Chertsey railway station and London Waterloo by Sout ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Peter Childs
Peter Childs (31 August 1939 – 1 November 1989) was an English character actor best known for playing Cockney Detective Sergeant Ronnie Rycott, nemesis of Arthur Daley in the top-rated ITV series, ''Minder''. Biography Childs was born at Eastbourne, East Sussex, on 31 August 1939, and was educated at the local grammar school before training to be an actor. He trained at the Birmingham Theatre School, toiling 10 years doing repertory work before breaking into television, playing a small role in the Anton Rodgers crime series ''Zodiac''. Later Childs gained valuable experience working with the Manchester 59 company, appearing in ''Erb'', a show that transferred to London's West End. He also played a comical undertaker in Joe Orton's '' Loot'' to great effect. A regular performer at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, Childs gave an outstanding performance in Joan Littlewood's last performance there, '' So You Want to Be in Pictures''. During this time he showed considerable g ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Robin Askwith
Robin Mark Askwith (born 12 October 1950) is an English actor and singer who has appeared in a number of film, television and stage productions. Making his film debut as Keating in the film '' if....'' (1968), a role he would reprise in ''Britannia Hospital'' (1982), Askwith went on to appear in many films including ''Otley'' (1969), ''Alfred the Great'' (1969), ''Nicholas and Alexandra'' (1971) and ''The Canterbury Tales'' (1972), the horror films ''Tower of Evil'' (1972), ''The Flesh and Blood Show'' (1972) and '' Horror Hospital'' (1973) and the comedy films '' Bless This House'' (1972), ''Carry On Girls'' (1973) and ''No Sex Please, We're British'' (1973). However it was his role as Timothy Lea in '' Confessions'' film series that would make him a household name. He has appeared on television as Fred Pickering in '' Beryl's Lot'' (1973–1975), Dave Deacon in ''Bottle Boys'' (1984–1985) and Ritchie de Vries in ''Coronation Street'' (2013–2014). In 1975, at Drury Lane's ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ray Smith (actor)
Ray Smith (1 May 1936 – 15 December 1991) was a Welsh actor who played the tough-talking police chief, Detective Superintendent Gordon Spikings, in the television series '' Dempsey and Makepeace''. He was the first actor to play Brother Cadfael for BBC radio. Early life Smith was born in Trealaw in the Rhondda Valley, and lived his early years on Ynyscynon Road, but lived for most of his adult life in Dinas Powys. He became interested in acting while he was at school, and was determined not to become a miner like his father, who died in a pit accident when Smith was only three years old. After leaving school Smith became a builder's labourer. Following National Service in the army, he began acting professionally at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Cardiff, then joined the Swansea Grand Theatre as an assistant stage manager. He later moved to London, where he spent a year unemployed before obtaining a part in a play about the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Television caree ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Eton, Berkshire
Eton ( ) is a town in Berkshire, England, on the opposite bank of the River Thames to Windsor, connected to it by Windsor Bridge. The civil parish, which also includes the village of Eton Wick two miles west of the town, had a population of 4,692 at the 2011 Census. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Buckinghamshire, in 1974 it became part of the Berkshire admin area following the Local Government Act 1972; since 1998 it has been part of the unitary authority of Windsor and Maidenhead. The town is best known as the location of Eton College. History The name derives from Old English ''Ēa-tūn'', meaning "River-Town", a reference to Eton's proximity to the River Thames. The land that is now Eton once belonged to the manor of Queen Edith, wife of Edward the Confessor. The land was appropriated by the Normans after 1066; and by 1086, the lord was Walter son of Other. The main road between Windsor and London went through the area and a hamlet sprang up amid pastur ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Pier
image:Brighton Pier, Brighton, East Sussex, England-2Oct2011 (1).jpg, Seaside pleasure pier in Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th century. A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of water and usually juts out from its shore, typically supported by piling, piles or column, pillars, and provides above-water access to offshore areas. Frequent pier uses include fishing, boat docking and access for both passengers and cargo, and oceanside recreation. Bridges, buildings, and walkways may all be supported by Pier (architecture), architectural piers. Their open structure allows tides and currents to flow relatively unhindered, whereas the more solid foundations of a quay or the closely spaced piles of a wharf can act as a Breakwater (structure), breakwater, and are consequently more liable to silting. Piers can range in size and complexity from a simple lightweight wooden structure to major structures extended over . In Amer ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Prunella Ransome
Prunella Jane Ransome (18 January 1943 – 4 March 2002) was an English actress, primarily active on television and films. Early life Ransome was born in Croydon, Surrey. She later lived in Fareham, England where her father, Jimmy Ransome, was headmaster of West Hill Park School from 1952 to 1958.''Gryphon'' (magazine of West Park School), Autumn 2002 Ransome studied at Elmhurst School for Dance and began her performing career as a teenager. Career Ransome made her West End debut in a 1959 musical production of '' Jane Eyre'' with further West End appearances in '' Do Re Mi'' and ''Oliver!''. She later spent five months singing at a cabaret in Athens and upon returning to the UK worked delivering cars for a London automobile dealership prior to being cast in 1965 in the musical stage play ''The Match Girls''. Following that play's 1966 West End transfer, Ransome's performance drew the attention of a producer of the 1967 film ''Far from the Madding Crowd'', with a screen test ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Stephanie Beacham
Stephanie Beacham (born 28 February 1947) is an English television, film, radio and theatre actress. Although she has a wide number of credits to her name, Beacham is best known for for playing Sable Colby in the ABC soap operas ''The Colbys'' (1985–1987) and ''Dynasty'' (1985, 1988–1989) and Dr. Kristin Westphalen in Steven Spielberg's NBC science fiction series '' seaQuest DSV'' (1993–1994). Beacham began appearing on British television in 1967 and made her big screen debut in the 1970 film '' The Games'', before starring opposite Marlon Brando in the 1971 film ''The Nightcomers''. She was then given her own soap opera in '' Marked Personal'' (1973–1974) before having starring roles in '' Tenko'' (1981–1982), ''Connie'' (1985). By the mid-1970s, Beacham had become widely known as a "scream queen" for her roles in multiple horror films including ''Dracula A.D. 1972'' (1972), ''Schizo (1976 film), Schizo'' (1976) and ''Inseminoid'' (1981), however it was her role ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Armchair Theatre
''Armchair Theatre'' is a British television drama anthology series of single plays that ran on the ITV network from 1956 to 1974. It was originally produced by ABC Weekend TV. Its successor Thames Television took over from mid-1968. The Canadian-born producer Sydney Newman was in charge of ''Armchair Theatre'' between September 1958 and December 1962, during what is generally considered to have been its best era, and produced 152 episodes. History Intent ''Armchair Theatre'' filled a Sunday-evening slot on ITV, Britain's only commercial network at the time, in which contemporary dramas were the most common form, though this was not immediately apparent. The series was launched by Howard Thomas, head of ABC at the time, who argued that "Television drama is not so far removed from television journalism, and the plays which will grip the audience are those that face up to the new issues of the day as well as to the problems as old as civilisation." The original producer of the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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John Grieve (actor)
John Grieve (14 June 1924 – 21 January 2003) was a Scottish actor, best known as the engineer Macphail in the BBC adaptation of Neil Munro's Para Handy stories, ''Para Handy - Master Mariner'' (1959–60), returning to that role in the BBC Scotland version, ''The Vital Spark'' (1965–67, 1973–74). Born in Maryhill, Glasgow, Grieve attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, before joining the Citizens Theatre in 1951. Grieve worked in variety alongside many familiar Scottish comedians, including Stanley Baxter and Jimmy Logan. Although principally known for his comic roles, he appeared in drama films such as '' The Thirty-Nine Steps'' (1978), '' Eye of the Needle'' (1981) and the BBC docudrama ''Square Mile of Murder'' (1980). His stage roles include the part of the King's Jester in the premier of '' The Burning'' (1971) by Stewart Conn. He had a brief recurring role as Frank Marker's probation officer in the Thames Television series ''Public Eye''. He p ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |