''The Kids from 47A'' is a British children's television series produced by

Associated Television Associated Television was the original name of the British broadcaster ATV, part of the Independent Television (ITV) network. It provided a service to London at weekends from 1955 to 1968, to the Midlands on weekdays from 1956 to 1968, and ...

. Three series were made; the first (comprising 15 episodes) was shown in 1973, the second (13 episodes) and third (13 episodes) in 1974. The third series ends with Jess (

Christine McKenna Christine McKenna (born 1951) is a British actress active during the 1970s and 1980s, best known for playing "Christina" in the television series '' Flambards''. McKenna was a drama student at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in G ...

) getting married. A one-off episode (promoted as a comedy and entitled "Home Sweet Home") was broadcast on 31 August 1975.

Plot

The series is about four children whose widowed mother is taken into hospital, leaving them to cope on their own. The eldest—office worker Jess Gathercole—becomes the family matriarch, making every effort to keep her schoolchild sister and brothers at home with her. At the start of the second series, the Gathercole mother has died and Jess is only able to keep the family together after battling with social services, who continue to keep a watchful eye.

Cast

Jess was played by

, her bookish sister Binny by Gaynor Hodgson and her brothers—football-mad Willy and primary schoolboy George—by

Nigel Greaves Nigel Greaves (born c. 1960) is an English actor. He has had several roles in television over the years, including a rude waiter in Tales of the Unexpected (A Man With A Fortune),his longest-running role was in ''The Kids from 47A''. He also app ...

and

Russell Lewis Russell Lewis (born 11 September 1963) is an English television writer and former actor. He is the writer of the ''Inspector Morse'' prequel '' Endeavour'' (2012–present), and the first two series of ''Grace'' (2021-2022). Career Lewis wa ...

, respectively. Other parts were played by

Lloyd Lamble Lloyd Nelson Lamble (8 February 1914 – 17 March 2008) was an Australian actor who worked in theatre, television, radio and film. He lived and worked for most of his life in the United Kingdom. Biography Personal life Lloyd Lamble was born in M ...

(as Jess' employer) and

Joan Newell Joan Newell (1915–2012) was a British actress primarily known for her television roles, but who also appeared in films and on stage. She co-starred with John Slater in the 1953 series '' Johnny, You're Wanted''.Baskin p.11 Amongst her most pro ...

. Christine McKenna would later star in the TV adaptation of ''

Flambards ''Flambards'' is a novel for children or young adults by K. M. Peyton, first published by Oxford University Press in 1967 with illustrations by Victor Ambrus. Alternatively, "Flambards" is the trilogy (1967–1969) or series (1967–1981) name ...

'' and is now a television producer in the US, while Russell Lewis went on to become a successful screenwriter. Nigel Greaves has had roles in '' Tenko'' and

Kenneth Branagh Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh (; born 10 December 1960) is a British actor and filmmaker. Branagh trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and has served as its president since 2015. He has won an Academy Award, four BAFTAs (plus t ...

's cinema adaptation of Shakespeare's ''

Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...

''.

Production

Writers for the series included

Lynda La Plante Lynda La Plante, CBE (born Lynda Titchmarsh; 15 March 1943) is an English author, screenwriter and former actress, best known for writing the ''Prime Suspect'' television crime series. Early life Lynda La Plante was born Lynda Titchmarsh on ...

, Gail Renard and

Phil Redmond Sir Philip Redmond (born 10 June 1949) is an English television producer and screenwriter from Huyton, England. He is known for creating the television series ''Grange Hill'', ''Brookside'' and ''Hollyoaks''. Early life Redmond took the 11-pl ...

. The directors were Alan Coleman, Richard Bramall and Jonathan Wright-Miller. Script editor

Philip Hinchcliffe Philip Michael Hinchcliffe (born October 1944) is a retired English television producer, screenwriter and script editor. After graduating from Cambridge University, he began his career as a writer and script editor at Associated Television befo ...

went on to become the producer of ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

'' for the BBC from 1974 to 1977.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kids from 47A, The 1970s British children's television series 1973 British television series debuts 1974 British television series endings ITV children's television shows English-language television shows Television shows produced by Associated Television (ATV)