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''The Plane Makers'' is a British television series created by
Wilfred Greatorex Wilfred Glyn Greatorex (27 May 1921 – 14 October 2002) was an English television and film writer, script editor and producer. He was creator of such series as '' Secret Army'', ''1990'', ''Plane Makers'' and its sequel ''The Power Game'', ''H ...
and produced by Rex Firkin. ATV made three series for ITV between 1963 and 1965. It was succeeded by ''The Power Game'', which ran for an additional three series from 1965 to 1969. Firkin continued as producer for the first two series, and David Reid took over for series 3.


''The Plane Makers''

''The Plane Makers'' focused on the power struggles between the
trades union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ...
and the management on the shop floor of a fictional aircraft factory, Scott Furlong Ltd, as well as the political in-fighting amongst the management themselves.
Patrick Wymark Patrick Wymark (11 July 192620 October 1970) was an English stage, film and television actor. Early life Wymark was born Patrick Carl Cheeseman in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. He was brought up in neighbouring Grimsby and frequently revisited th ...
proved particularly popular as the
anti-hero An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero) or antiheroine is a main character in a story who may lack conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism, courage, and morality. Although antiheroes may sometimes perform action ...
ic Managing Director John Wilder, who was "a bully and a boor", who "is forgiven only if he gets results". Wilder's nemesis in the boardroom in the third series was David Corbett (
Alan Dobie Alan Russell Dobie (born 2 June 1932) is an English stage, television and film actor and a former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Early life and career Dobie was born in Wombwell, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, to George Russ ...
), though he was supported by his long-suffering wife Pamela ( Ann Firbank, standing in for Barbara Murray from series 2), his Sales Director and confidant Don Henderson (
Jack Watling Jack Stanley Watling (13 January 1923 – 22 May 2001) was an English actor. Life and career The son of a travelling scrap metal dealer, Watling trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts as a child; and made his stage debut in ''Where ...
) and ever-reliable secretary Miss Lingard ( Norma Ronald). In the first two series their task was to manufacture and sell their aircraft, the Sovereign, to an international market. In series 3, Wilder unexpectedly changed strategy to a military
VTOL A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is one that can take off and land vertically without relying on a runway. This classification can include a variety of types of aircraft including helicopters as well as thrust-vectoring fixed-wi ...
jet aircraft, by taking over the firm of Ryan Airframe.


''The Power Game''

According to one report, it was on Gretorex's advice that the drama "left the factory floor for the executive suite". At the end of the final ''Plane Makers'' series in January 1965, Wilder left Scott Furlong after a project for the Scott-Furlong Predator, a vertical takeoff aircraft, had failed, and took a seat on the board of a merchant bank while also collecting a
knighthood A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the ...
. He returned eleven months later in ''The Power Game''. Bored with being a gentleman of leisure, Wilder uses his influence with the bank on whose board he sits to become Joint Managing Director of an established building firm, Bligh Construction. The first two series of ''The Power Game'' in 1965–66 chronicled his attempts to keep control in the face of opposition from the company's elderly founder Caswell Bligh ( Clifford Evans), a stern, old-school patriarch who resents what he sees as Wilder's imposition on a family firm, and Bligh's ambitious but inexperienced son Kenneth (
Peter Barkworth Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a s ...
), who would prefer to be sole managing director, and free of his father's influence. Both Henderson and Miss Lingard were back in harness. Wilder's private life came more to the fore in ''The Power Game''; he has a long-running affair with a civil servant, Susan Weldon (
Rosemary Leach Rosemary Anne Leach (18 December 1935 – 21 October 2017) was a British stage, television and film actress. She won the 1982 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a New Play for ''84, Charing Cross Road'' and was nominated for the BAFTA Award fo ...
), but is aghast when his wife Pamela also plays the field, with engineering expert Frank Hagadan (
George Sewell George Sewell (31 August 19242 April 2007) was an English actor, best known for his television roles, but also active on stage and in films. Early life and career The son of a Hoxton printer and a florist, Sewell left school at the age of 14 a ...
). The third and final series in 1969 saw Wilder free from Bligh's—but not from Bligh himself—and working for the British government as a 'roving' Foreign Office Ambassador for Trade. Patrick Wymark died suddenly in 1970 and it was decided not to continue with the series without its most notorious and memorable character.


Archives Status

Only Episode 1 of Series 1 of ''Plane Makers'' exists, but series 2 and 3 survive, all as 16mm-film telerecordings. All three series of ''The Power Game'' survive as 16mm-film telerecordings.


Regular cast – ''The Plane Makers''

*John Wilder –
Patrick Wymark Patrick Wymark (11 July 192620 October 1970) was an English stage, film and television actor. Early life Wymark was born Patrick Carl Cheeseman in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. He was brought up in neighbouring Grimsby and frequently revisited th ...
*Don Henderson –
Jack Watling Jack Stanley Watling (13 January 1923 – 22 May 2001) was an English actor. Life and career The son of a travelling scrap metal dealer, Watling trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts as a child; and made his stage debut in ''Where ...
*David Corbett –
Alan Dobie Alan Russell Dobie (born 2 June 1932) is an English stage, television and film actor and a former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Early life and career Dobie was born in Wombwell, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, to George Russ ...
*Dusty Miller –
John Junkin John Francis Junkin (29 January 1930 – 7 March 2006) was an English actor and scriptwriter who had a long career in radio, television and film, specialising in comedy. Early life Born in Ealing, Middlesex, the son of a policeman, he and h ...
*Arthur Sugden – Reginald Marsh *Henry Forbes – Robert Urquhart *James Cameron Grant –
Peter Jeffrey Peter Jeffrey (18 April 1929 – 25 December 1999) was an English character actor. Starting his performing career on stage, he would later have many roles in television and film. Early life Jeffrey was born in Bristol, the son of Florence ...
*Kay Lingard – Norma Ronald *Pamela Wilder – Barbara Murray, ( Ann Firbank some episodes, series 3) *Laura Challis – Wendy Gifford *Sir Gordon Revidge – Norman Tyrrell


Regular cast – ''The Power Game''

*Sir John Wilder –
Patrick Wymark Patrick Wymark (11 July 192620 October 1970) was an English stage, film and television actor. Early life Wymark was born Patrick Carl Cheeseman in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. He was brought up in neighbouring Grimsby and frequently revisited th ...
*Don Henderson –
Jack Watling Jack Stanley Watling (13 January 1923 – 22 May 2001) was an English actor. Life and career The son of a travelling scrap metal dealer, Watling trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts as a child; and made his stage debut in ''Where ...
*Caswell Bligh – Clifford Evans *Kenneth Bligh –
Peter Barkworth Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a s ...
*Susan Weldon –
Rosemary Leach Rosemary Anne Leach (18 December 1935 – 21 October 2017) was a British stage, television and film actress. She won the 1982 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a New Play for ''84, Charing Cross Road'' and was nominated for the BAFTA Award fo ...
(Series 1-2) *Justine Bligh –
Rachel Herbert Rachel Herbert (born 1935) is a British actress whose television appearances include roles in '' Deadline Midnight'' (1960), ''Thursday Theatre'' (1964), ''The Villains'' (1964), ''No Hiding Place'' (1963–65), ''Danger Man'' (1965), ''The Power ...
(Series 1-2) *Miss Lingard – Norma Ronald (Series 1-2) *Lady Wilder – Barbara Murray *Frank Hagadan –
George Sewell George Sewell (31 August 19242 April 2007) was an English actor, best known for his television roles, but also active on stage and in films. Early life and career The son of a Hoxton printer and a florist, Sewell left school at the age of 14 a ...
(Series 1-2) *Charles Grainger –
Robin Bailey William Henry Mettam "Robin" Bailey (5 October 1919 – 14 January 1999) was an English actor. He was born in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. Often cast in upper class and tradition-bound roles such as Mr Justice Graves in Thames Television's '' ...
(second Series) *Sir Gordon Revidge – Norman Tyrrell *Sir Jason Fowler –
Richard Hurndall Richard Gibbon Hurndall (3 November 1910 – 13 April 1984) was an English actor. He is best remembered for replacing William Hartnell in the role of the First Doctor for '' Doctor Who's'' 20th anniversary special '' The Five Doctors''. Caree ...
(third series) *Lincoln Dowling –
Michael Jayston Michael James (born 29 October 1935), known professionally as Michael Jayston, is an English actor. He played Nicholas II of Russia in the film ''Nicholas and Alexandra'' (1971). He has also made many television appearances, which have include ...
(third series) *Garfield Kane –
Barrie Ingham Barrie Stanton Ingham (10 February 1932 – 23 January 2015) was an English actor, performing on stage and "in a handful of films." He was perhaps most widely known as "a prolific television actor". His notable work includes '' A Challenge for ...
(third series) *Jill (Wilder's secretary) –
Deborah Grant Deborah Grant (born Deborah Jane Snelling; 22 February 1947) is an English actress. Between 1981 and 1991, she played Deborah Bergerac in the BBC television detective series '' Bergerac''. Since 2007, she has appeared in the sitcom ''Not Going ...
(third series)


DVD releases

Network has released the following DVD boxsets.


References

* Footnotes


External links

* *
British Film Institute Screen Online
{{DEFAULTSORT:Plane Makers/Power Game, The Aviation television series ITV television dramas 1960s British drama television series Television shows produced by Associated Television (ATV) English-language television shows Black-and-white British television shows Television shows shot at ATV Elstree Studios