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The Big Flame
''The Big Flame'' is a 1969 BBC television play by socialist playwright Jim Allen, produced by Tony Garnett and directed by Ken Loach. The play tells the story of 10,000 dockworkers occupying the Liverpool docks in a "work-in". Filmed in a gritty, realistic drama documentary style, it was first broadcast on 19 February 1969 on BBC1, at a time when unemployment was rising in Britain. The play was shown in the BBC's ''The Wednesday Play'' anthology strand, which was noted for tackling social issues. Following its broadcast, Mary Whitehouse, president of the National Viewers' and Listeners' Association, wrote to both Prime Minister Harold Wilson and Leader of the Opposition Edward Heath, demanding that they review the charter of the BBC in light of its transmission of "a blueprint for the communist takeover of the docks." Unofficial strikes were the subject of political debate at the time, and the government had proposed a ban on unofficial strikes the previous month in the pape ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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] |
The Wednesday Play
''The Wednesday Play'' is an anthology series of United Kingdom, British television plays which ran on BBC One, BBC1 for six seasons from October 1964 to May 1970. The plays were usually original works written for television, although dramatic adaptations of fiction (and occasionally stage plays) also featured. The series gained a reputation for presenting contemporary social dramas, and for bringing issues to the attention of a mass audience that would not otherwise have been discussed on screen. Some of British television drama's most influential, and controversial, plays were shown in this slot, including ''Up the Junction (The Wednesday Play), Up the Junction'' and ''Cathy Come Home''. The earliest television plays of Dennis Potter were featured in this slot. History Origins and early seasons The series was suggested to the BBC's Head of Drama, Sydney Newman, by the corporation's director of television Kenneth Adam after his cancellation of the two previous series of sin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roland MacLeod
Roland MacLeod (1935 – 3 April 2010) was an English actor working in film and television. He was born in London. His television credits include '' Coronation Street'', '' Softly, Softly'', ''Ripping Yarns'', ''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'', ''Sykes'', ''Please Sir!'', ''Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'', '' Marty'', '' Broaden Your Mind'' and ''The Goodies''. He also made some appearances in Season Three of ''Grange Hill'' as a slightly comical workman sporting a comb over, often seen in confrontation with staff and pupils. However, his character showed a kinder side when he cleaned Duane Orpington's new coat in episode two. He also played the mad Head Teacher in The Boot Street Band, a TV series written by Steve Attridge and Andrew Davies. He appeared as a vicar in John Cleese's film '' A Fish Called Wanda'' as well as in ''Le Pétomane Joseph Pujol (June 1, 1857 – August 8, 1945), better known by his stage name Le Pétomane (, ), was a French flatulist (professi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Forrest
Michael Forrest (July 1932 – 21 December 2004) was a Welsh television actor. He appeared in many British television series and films, which include ''Sir Francis Drake'', ''Z-Cars'', ''Danger Man'', ''The Saint'', '' The Avengers'', ''UFO'', '' Off to Philadelphia in the Morning'', '' The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes'', ''Doomwatch'', ''Who Dares Wins ''Who Dares Wins'' (Latin: ''Qui audet adipiscitur''; el, Ο Τολμών Νικά, ''O tolmón niká''; french: Qui ose gagne; it, Chi osa vince; Portuguese: ''Quem ousa vence''; German: ''Wer wagt, gewinnt'') is a motto made popular in the ...'', '' Armour of God'' and others. Acting credits References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Forrest, Michael 1932 births 2004 deaths Welsh male television actors ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Meredith Edwards (actor)
Gwilym Meredith Edwards (10 June 1917 – 8 February 1999) was a Welsh character actor and writer. He was born in Rhosllannerchrugog, Denbighshire, Wales, the son of a collier, and attended Ruabon Boys' Grammar School. He became an actor in 1938, first with the Welsh National Theatre Company, then the Liverpool Playhouse. He was a Christian conscientious objector in the Second World War, serving in the Non-Combatant Corps, before being seconded to the National Fire Service in Liverpool and London. His film appearances include ''A Run for Your Money'' (1949), ''The Blue Lamp'' (1950), ''The Magnet'' (1950), ''The Lavender Hill Mob'' (1951), '' The Cruel Sea'' (1953), ''The Great Game'' (1953), '' The Long Arm'' (1956), ''Dunkirk'' (1958) and ''Tiger Bay'' (1959). He appeared as the murderous butler in the cult television series ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' in 1969, and as Tom in the cult children's science fiction serial ''Sky'' in 1975. He also played Thomas Charles Ed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Rank And File (Play For Today)
"The Rank and File" is the 21st episode of first season of the British BBC anthology TV series '' Play for Today''. The episode was a television play that was originally broadcast on 20 May 1971. "The Rank and File" was written by Jim Allen, directed by Ken Loach and produced by Graeme McDonald. It is included in the ''Ken Loach at the BBC'' boxset released in 2011, although the recording is of unusually poor quality for a DVD release. Background In 1970, an unofficial strike took place at the Pilkington Glass Works in St. Helens, Lancashire, initially after an error in wage packets but the strikers later demanded a wage rise to £25 per week. The cause was described in the ''New Statesman'' as 'the cumbersome structure of different bonus and shift payments which meant that men doing similar jobs took home different and unpredictable pay packets'. Six thousand workers went on strike for two months. The BBC insisted that the name of the company be changed from "Pilkington" to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Working Class Movement Library
The Working Class Movement Library (WCML) is a collection of English language books, periodicals, pamphlets, archives and artefacts, relating to the development of the political and cultural institutions of the working class created by the Industrial Revolution, in Salford, Greater Manchester, England. History In 1953, two bibliophiles, Eddie (Edmund) Frow and Ruth Haines, met at a Communist Party Summer School. In 1956, they set up home together and the merger of their book collections was the beginning of the Working Class Movement Library. They spent their spare time and money travelling around Britain, gathering new items for the collection. By 1960, the collection was being consulted by historians and academics, and they had attracted the support of other collectors of labour movement material. In 1964, they gained charitable trust status. By the mid 1980s, the collection had filled their semi in Trafford. Salford City Council agreed to support the library and, in 1987, ga ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Big Flame (political Group)
Big Flame was "a revolutionary socialism, revolutionary socialist feminism, feminist organisation with a working-class orientation" in the United Kingdom. Founded in Liverpool in 1970, the group initially grew rapidly, with branches appearing in some other cities. Its publications emphasised that "a revolutionary party is necessary but Big Flame is not that party, nor is it the embryo of that party". The group was influenced by the Italian Lotta Continua group. The group published a magazine, ''Big Flame'', and a journal, ''Revolutionary Socialism''. Members were active at the Ford Motor Company, Ford plants at Halewood and Dagenham and devoted a great deal of time to self-analysis and considering their relationship with the larger Trotskyism, Trotskyist groups. In time, they came to describe their politics as "libertarian Marxist". In 1976 an undercover officer of the Special Demonstration Squad unsuccessfully attempted to infiltrate the group. In 1978 they joined the Social ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
In Place Of Strife
''In Place of Strife'' ( Cmnd 3888) was a UK Government white paper written in 1969. It was a proposed act to use the law to reduce the power of trade unions in the United Kingdom, but was never passed into law. The title of the paper was a reworking of the title of Nye Bevan's book ''In Place of Fear''. It was proposed by the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, Barbara Castle. Amongst its numerous proposals were plans to force unions to call a ballot before a strike was held and establishment of an Industrial Board to enforce settlements in industrial disputes. The Labour Cabinet of the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, was divided over the issue. The proposals had been drafted in secret by Wilson and Castle. Divisions quickly appeared within the Cabinet when the proposals were presented, with the opposition led by Home Secretary James Callaghan. A settlement was eventually reached with the Trades Union Congress whereby the proposals were dropped. Although the pape ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Unofficial Strike
A wildcat strike action, often referred to as a wildcat strike, is a strike action undertaken by unionised workers without union leadership's authorisation, support, or approval; this is sometimes termed an unofficial industrial action. The legality of wildcat strikes varies between countries and over time, although they are not typically criminal offenses. By country Canada In 1965, Canada Post workers illegally walked out for two weeks and won the right to collective bargaining for all public sector employees. This resulted in them throwing out the leadership of the company union and forming the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. On March 23, 2012, Air Canada ground employees suddenly walked off the job at Toronto Pearson International Airport, resulting in many flight delays, after three workers were suspended for heckling Canadian Labour Minister Lisa Raitt. This followed months of fighting between Air Canada and its other unions. Hundreds of members of the Alberta Union of Pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (founded in 1821) are published by Times Newspapers, since 1981 a subsidiary of News UK, in turn wholly owned by News Corp. ''The Times'' and ''The Sunday Times'', which do not share editorial staff, were founded independently and have only had common ownership since 1966. In general, the political position of ''The Times'' is considered to be centre-right. ''The Times'' is the first newspaper to have borne that name, lending it to numerous other papers around the world, such as ''The Times of India'', ''The New York Times'', and more recently, digital-first publications such as TheTimesBlog.com (Since 2017). In countries where these other titles are popular, the newspaper is often referred to as , or as , although the newspaper is of nationa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 191617 July 2005), often known as Ted Heath, was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. Heath also served for 51 years as a Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament from 1950 to 2001. Outside politics, Heath was a yachtsman, a musician, and an author. Born to a lady's maid and a carpenter, Heath was educated at a grammar school in Ramsgate, Kent (Chatham House Grammar School for boys) and became a leader within student politics while studying at the University of Oxford. He served as an officer in the Royal Artillery during the Second World War. He worked briefly in the Civil Service (United Kingdom), Civil Service, but resigned in order to stand for Parliament, and was elected for Bexley (UK Parliament constituency), Bexley at the 1950 United Kingdom general election, 1950 el ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
