The Barchester Chronicles
''The Barchester Chronicles'' is a 1982 British television serial produced by Jonathan Powell for the BBC. It is an adaptation by Alan Plater of Anthony Trollope's first two Chronicles of Barsetshire, ''The Warden'' (1855) and '' Barchester Towers'' (1857). The series was directed by David Giles. Location work was videotaped in and around Peterborough Cathedral, using locations such as the Deanery and Laurel Court. Plot overview The clerical community around Barchester's cathedral is rocked by a press investigation into the finances of Hiram's Hospital almshouse. Following the death of the bishop in the midst of the controversy, the chaplain and wife of the new bishop lead a reforming crusade, which arouses strong opposition within the diocese. These public events have a significant effect on the private lives of many of those involved. Cast * Donald Pleasence as Mr Harding * Nigel Hawthorne as Archdeacon Grantly * Angela Pleasence as Mrs Grantly * Cyril Luckham as Bishop Gran ... [...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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BBC Two
BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio channels, it is funded by the television licence, and is therefore free of commercial advertising. It is a comparatively well-funded public-service network, regularly attaining a much higher audience share than most public-service networks worldwide. Originally styled BBC2, it was the third British television station to be launched (starting on 21 April 1964), and from 1 July 1967, Europe's first television channel to broadcast regularly in colour. It was envisaged as a home for less mainstream and more ambitious programming, and while this tendency has continued to date, most special-interest programmes of a kind previously broadcast on BBC Two, for example the BBC Proms, no ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Richard Leech
Richard Leeper McClelland (24 November 1922 – 24 March 2004), known professionally as Richard Leech, was an Irish actor. Richard Leeper McClelland was born in Dublin, Ireland, the son of Isabella Frances (Leeper) and Herbert Saunderson McClelland, a lawyer. He was educated at Haileybury and Trinity College, Dublin, and qualified as a doctor in 1945. He worked in that profession from 1945–6, then became a full-time actor. His numerous film credits include '' The Dam Busters'' (1955) (playing Dinghy Young), ''Night of the Demon'' (1957), '' Yangtse Incident: The Story of HMS Amethyst'' (1957), ''Ice Cold in Alex'' (1958), ''Tunes of Glory'' (1960), ''Young Winston'' (1972), ''Gandhi'' (1982) and the acclaimed ''The Shooting Party'' (1985). On television Richard Leech appeared in ''Dickens of London'', ''The Barchester Chronicles'', ''Smiley's People'', three episodes of '' The Avengers'' in different roles, ''Redcap'', ''Danger Man'', '' The Doctors'', '' The New Avengers' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Richard Bebb
Richard Bebb (12 January 1927 – 12 April 2006) was an English actor of stage, screen and radio. Born Richard Bebb Williams in London, he changed his name to his mother's surname, Bebb, when he took up acting as there was already a British actor called Richard Williams. Bebb's father Herbert Edward Williams was a physician whose practice was run from part of St Mary's Lodge, the family's impressive home in Stoke Newington. Bebb was educated at Highgate School in North London, and attended Trinity College, Cambridge from . In 1952, he married actress Gwen Watford (1927–1994), who predeceased him. Bebb was a prolific performer in theatre, television and radio, probably most famously as "Second Voice" in the original 1954 BBC Radio broadcast of Dylan Thomas's ''Under Milk Wood'', opposite Richard Burton's "First Voice". On television, he appeared in early televised Shakespeare to Z Cars, Dixon of Dock Green, Softly, Softly (TV series), and a long running role in the soap-op ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Maggie Jones (actress)
Margaret Jones (21 June 1934 – 2 December 2009) was an English actress, best known for playing Blanche Hunt in the British soap opera ''Coronation Street'', a role which she first portrayed in 1974 and played regularly from the late-1990s until shortly before her death. She won the British Soap Award for Best Comedy Performance in 2005 and 2008. Career Jones graduated from the drama school RADA and performed in numerous plays including ''Pride and Prejudice'' and '' The Women'' on the West End stage. Her first television role came in 1961 when she appeared in one episode of ''Coronation Street'' as a policewoman. Jones's first major television role was in BBC's 1967 adaptation of ''The Forsyte Saga''. Jones played the maid, Smither, a small but recurring part. Later , she appeared twice in Nearest and Dearest . Prior to playing Blanche Hunt in ''Coronation Street'' her best-known role was as Polly Barraclough in '' Sam'' with Mark McManus and she also appeared in the 1971 BB ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jonathan Adams (British Actor)
Jonathan Adams (14 February 1931 – 13 June 2005) was an English television, film and theatre actor. He was also a visual artist whose works were exhibited throughout his life. Biography Born John Adams in Northampton, he trained as an artist at Northampton Art College and Chelsea College of Art. He became an actor in 1959, changing his name to Jonathan Adams, but continued working as an artist. He was especially known for his surrealist cartoons and collages. His work has been exhibited at a wide range of venues including London University's Dixon Gallery, the Barbican Centre, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery, the South London Gallery and the Chelmsford Arts Festival (where in 1996 he was Resident Artist). His final exhibition, "Jonathan Adams in Wonderland", opened at the Riverside Studios in London, the April before his death. As an actor, Adams is best known for his role as the Narrator in the original 1973 London production of ''The Rocky Horror Show'', and is featured ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Peter Blythe
Peter Blythe (14 September 1934 – 27 June 2004) was an English character actor, probably best known as Samuel "Soapy Sam" Ballard in ''Rumpole of the Bailey''. Early life Born in Yorkshire, Blythe studied drama on scholarship at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art after serving in the Royal Air Force. He began his professional career as a repertory player with the Living Theatre Company, the Nottingham Playhouse and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He made his West End debut in 1965. Selected theatre credits Blythe was frequently associated with the director Peter Hall and the playwright Alan Ayckbourn. * '' The Creeper'' (St. Martin's Theatre, 1965): Maurice * ''Early Morning'' (English Stage Company/Royal Court, 1969): Lord Mennings * '' So What About Love?'' (Criterion Theatre, 1969): Robert * ''Absurd Person Singular'' (Criterion Theatre, 1974): Sidney * ''The Clandestine Marriage'' (Savoy Theatre, 1975): Sir John Melvil * '' The Return of A. J. Raffles'' (Royal Shakesp ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ursula Howells
Ursula Howells (17 September 1922 – 16 October 2005) was an English actress whose elegant presence kept her much in demand for roles in film and television. Life and career Howells was born in London, the daughter of composer Herbert Howells, and was educated at St Paul's Girls' School, where her father worked as Director of Music. She made her first stage appearance at Dundee in 1939, in John Drinkwater's ''Bird in Hand'', then moved to Oxford in 1942 and three years later made her London debut at the Embassy Theatre, Swiss Cottage. In 1947, she appeared in the comedy ''Jane'' at the Aldwych Theatre The Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Aldwych in the City of Westminster, central London. It was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971. Its seating capacity is 1,200 on three levels. History Origins The theatre was constructed in th .... After several years in the West End theatre, West End, and a brief stint on Broadway theatre, Broadway where she appeared in '' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Clive Swift
Clive Walter Swift (9 February 1936 – 1 February 2019) was an English actor and songwriter. A classically trained actor, his stage work included performances with the Royal Shakespeare Company, but he was best known to television viewers for his role as Richard Bucket in the BBC sitcom ''Keeping Up Appearances''. He played many other television and film roles. Life and career Swift was born in Liverpool on 9 February 1936, the son of Abram Sampson Swift, who owned a furniture shop in Bootle, and Lily Rebecca, née Greenman. His elder brother David was also an actor. Both were educated at Clifton College and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where Clive read English literature. He was previously a teacher at LAMDA and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His family was Jewish. He appeared as Snug in the Royal Shakespeare Company's 1968 film production of ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' as part of a cast that included Diana Rigg, Helen Mirren and Ian Richardson. During the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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George Costigan
George J. Costigan (born 8 August 1947) is an English actor who is best known for portraying Bob in the 1987 film ''Rita, Sue and Bob Too'' and for roles in TV series such as '' Happy Valley'' and ''So Haunt Me''. Early life Born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, Costigan grew up in Salford, Greater Manchester. After attending St Augustine's C of E Primary School on Bolton Road in Pendlebury, he went to Wardley Grammar School on Mardale Avenue in Wardley near Swinton. Career Costigan has appeared regularly on television since 1978. He played Tom Towers in the 1982 series of ''The Barchester Chronicles'', an adaption of the novels by Anthony Trollope, and in the same year starred as Tom Hannaway in a BBC adaptation of '' Fame is the Spur''. In 1984, he appeared as lead guest actor playing Wilson Kemp in The Greek Interpreter, an episode of the successful Granada TV series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and, in the same year, also played Philip the Bastard in the BBC Television S ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Cyril Luckham
Cyril Alexander Garland Luckham (25 July 1907 – 8 February 1989) was an English film, television and theatre actor. He was the husband of stage and screen actress Violet Lamb. Career The son of a paymaster captain in the Royal Navy, Cyril Luckham was educated at RNC Osborne and Dartmouth and briefly followed his father into the service. He was promoted Lieutenant in 1930 and retired the following year, transferring to the Emergency List. Afterwards he trained for the stage with the Arthur Brough school at Folkestone, making his debut with Brough's company there in ''The Admirable Crichton'' in 1935. For several years he appeared in provincial repertory, notably with the Rapier Players at Bristol's Little Theatre. He had been promoted to Lieutenant-Commander on the retired list in 1938 and was recalled to the Navy when the War broke out. He was invalided out soon afterwards following serious illness and returned to the theatre. Luckham made his West End debut as Torvald Helmer ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Peterborough Cathedral
Peterborough Cathedral, properly the Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul and St Andrew – also known as Saint Peter's Cathedral in the United Kingdom – is the seat of the Church of England, Anglican Bishop of Peterborough, dedicated to Saint Peter, Paul of Tarsus, Saint Paul and Saint Andrew, whose statues look down from the three high gables of the famous West Front. Although it was founded in the History of Anglo-Saxon England, Anglo-Saxon period, its architecture is mainly Norman architecture, Norman, following a rebuilding in the 12th century. With Durham Cathedral, Durham and Ely Cathedral, Ely cathedrals, it is one of the most important 12th-century buildings in England to have remained largely intact, despite extensions and restoration. Peterborough Cathedral is known for its imposing English Gothic architecture, Early English Gothic West Front (façade) which, with its three enormous arches, is without architectural precedent and with no direct successor. The appeara ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |