Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series)
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''Upstairs, Downstairs'' is a British television
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 ...
series produced by
London Weekend Television London Weekend Television (LWT) (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm (7:00 pm from 1968 un ...
(LWT) for ITV. It ran for 68 episodes divided into five
series Series may refer to: People with the name * Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series * George Series (1920–1995), English physicist Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Series, the ordered sets used in ...
on
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
from 1971 to 1975. Set in a large
townhouse A townhouse, townhome, town house, or town home, is a type of terraced housing. A modern townhouse is often one with a small footprint on multiple floors. In a different British usage, the term originally referred to any type of city residence ...
at 165, Eaton Place in
Belgravia Belgravia () is a Districts of London, district in Central London, covering parts of the areas of both the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Belgravia was known as the 'Five Fields' Tudor Period, during the ...
in central London, the series depicts the servants—"downstairs"—and their masters, the family—"upstairs"—between the years 1903 and 1930, and shows the slow decline of the
British aristocracy The British nobility is made up of the peerage and the (landed) gentry. The nobility of its four constituent home nations has played a major role in shaping the history of the country, although now they retain only the rights to stand for election ...
. Great events feature prominently in each episode but minor or gradual changes are also noted. The show may be regarded as a document of the social and technological changes that occurred during those 27 years, including the
Edwardian period The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history spanned the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910 and is sometimes extended to the start of the First World War. The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 marked the end of the Victori ...
,
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, the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the
Roaring Twenties The Roaring Twenties, sometimes stylized as Roaring '20s, refers to the 1920s decade in music and fashion, as it happened in Western society and Western culture. It was a period of economic prosperity with a distinctive cultural edge in the ...
, and the
Wall Street Crash The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, was a major American stock market crash that occurred in the autumn of 1929. It started in September and ended late in October, when share prices on the New York Stock Exchange colla ...
. It was a ratings success for ITV and received outstanding acclaim worldwide, winning multiple awards. A BBC Wales and ''Masterpiece''-produced continuation, ''
Upstairs Downstairs Upstairs Downstairs may refer to: Television *Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series), ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' (1971 TV series), a British TV series broadcast on ITV from 1971 to 1975 *Upstairs Downstairs (2010 TV series), ''Upstairs Downstairs'' ...
'', was broadcast by
BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
in 2010.


Background

''Upstairs, Downstairs'' was originally an idea by two actress friends,
Jean Marsh Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Jea ...
and
Eileen Atkins Dame Eileen June Atkins, (born 16 June 1934), is an English actress and occasional screenwriter. She has worked in the theatre, film, and television consistently since 1953. In 2008, she won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress and the Emmy Aw ...
, for a comedy called ''Behind the Green Baize Door''. It would focus on two housemaids, played by Marsh and Atkins, in a large
English Country House An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a town house. This allowed them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these peopl ...
in the
Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...
. They soon added a family upstairs, as Marsh recognised "Servants have to serve somebody". In summer 1969, they took this idea to Sagitta Productions, which was run by John Hawkesworth and John Whitney. They soon removed the comedy element, changed the setting to a large
townhouse A townhouse, townhome, town house, or town home, is a type of terraced housing. A modern townhouse is often one with a small footprint on multiple floors. In a different British usage, the term originally referred to any type of city residence ...
in Edwardian London and the title became ''Below Stairs''. It was first offered to Granada Television in
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
, but they declined as they already had a period drama, called '' A Family at War'', about to start. However,
Stella Richman Stella Richman (9 November 1922 – 24 May 2002) was a British television producer. Biography Originally an actress—she had a bit part in the second episode of '' The Quatermass Experiment'' in 1953—Richman was appointed as a script editor ...
, the Controller of Programmes at
London Weekend Television London Weekend Television (LWT) (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm (7:00 pm from 1968 un ...
, saw potential, and in April 1970, the first series was commissioned. Characters were then developed, but when
Alfred Shaughnessy Alfred James Shaughnessy (19 May 1916 – 2 November 2005) was an English scriptwriter, film director and producer best known for being the script editor of '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. Early life Alfred Shaughnessy was born in London, his father, ...
, an old friend of John Hawkesworth, was called in as script editor, he changed much of the detail to make the characters more realistic.
Honor Blackman Honor Blackman (22 August 1925 – 5 April 2020) was an English actress, known for the roles of Cathy Gale in '' The Avengers''Aaker, Everett (2006). ''Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 58. (1962 ...
was short-listed for the role of Lady Marjorie and George Cole for that of the butler,
Hudson Hudson may refer to: People * Hudson (given name) * Hudson (surname) * Henry Hudson, English explorer * Hudson (footballer, born 1986), Hudson Fernando Tobias de Carvalho, Brazilian football right-back * Hudson (footballer, born 1988), Hudso ...
. Jean Marsh was already slated to take the part of Rose Buck, the head house parlourmaid. Eileen Atkins was scheduled to play the other maid, Sarah Moffat, opposite Jean Marsh's Rose, but was playing
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
in a stage show at the time, so
Pauline Collins Pauline Collins (born 3 September 1940) is a British actress who first came to prominence portraying Sarah Moffat in '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' (1971–1973) and its spin-off, '' Thomas & Sarah'' (1979). In 1992, she published her autobiography, ...
took the role. Gordon Jackson was offered the role of Hudson after it was decided that
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
er George Cole would not be suitable to play a Scotsman. The programme took many names, including ''Two Little Maids in Town'', ''The Servants' Hall'' and ''That House in Eaton Square''. It was called ''165 Eaton Place'' until just before the production of the first episode when it was changed to ''Upstairs, Downstairs,'' following a suggestion from John Hawkesworth. Despite having a champion in Stella Richman, the show suffered from internal politics at the station, most notably from the sales department who could not see the attraction of a period drama, and the programme's videotapes spent nearly a year in storage awaiting a transmission date. Eventually the network had a space in its schedule at the unfashionable time of Sunday nights at 10:15 and called upon LWT to fill it. They chose ''Upstairs, Downstairs,'' and with no promotion of the show, there was little expectation of success. However, audiences steadily grew and the series became a hit. In the United States, ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' was aired as part of
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
' ''
Masterpiece Theatre ''Masterpiece'' (formerly known as ''Masterpiece Theatre'') is a drama anthology television series produced by WGBH Boston. It premiered on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) on January 10, 1971. The series has presented numerous acclaimed Briti ...
''.


Cast and characters


Plot

The stories depict the lives of the wealthy Bellamy family ("upstairs"), who reside at 165 Eaton Place in London's fashionable
Belgravia Belgravia () is a Districts of London, district in Central London, covering parts of the areas of both the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Belgravia was known as the 'Five Fields' Tudor Period, during the ...
, and their servants ("downstairs"). The household is led by Lady Marjorie Bellamy (née Talbot-Carey), daughter of the Earl and Countess of
Southwold Southwold is a seaside town and civil parish on the English North Sea coast in the East Suffolk district of Suffolk. It lies at the mouth of the River Blyth within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is ...
, and her husband Richard Bellamy MP, the son of a country
parson A parson is an ordained Christian person responsible for a small area, typically a parish. The term was formerly often used for some Anglican clergy and, more rarely, for ordained ministers in some other churches. It is no longer a formal term ...
. They married despite the objections of her parents and set up house at 165 Eaton Place, one of several London properties owned by Lord Southwold. Richard is a politician, and several plots revolve around his political ambitions and conflicts arising from his desire to follow both his conscience and his allegiance to his father-in-law's politically conservative
Tory A Tory () is a person who holds a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalism and conservatism, which upholds the supremacy of social order as it has evolved in the English culture throughout history. The ...
party. Richard and Lady Marjorie Bellamy have two children,
James James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguati ...
and
Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...
, who are, respectively, in their early twenties and late teens when the series starts in 1903. In 1912, James's wife Hazel becomes the new mistress of the house following Lady Marjorie's death, and the following year, Richard's ward, Georgina, comes to live at 165 Eaton Place. The original servants comprise the authoritarian butler Mr Angus Hudson, cook Mrs Kate Bridges, pragmatic head house parlourmaid Rose Buck, sweet Irish kitchen maid Emily, eccentric
footman A footman is a male domestic worker employed mainly to wait at table or attend a coach or carriage. Etymology Originally in the 14th century a footman denoted a soldier or any pedestrian, later it indicated a foot servant. A running footman deli ...
Alfred Alfred may refer to: Arts and entertainment *''Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series * ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne * ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák *"Alfred (Interlu ...
, mischievous under-house parlourmaid Sarah, coachman Pearce, and Lady Marjorie's lady's maid Maude Roberts. Over the years they are joined by Edward, a cheeky footman who later becomes a chauffeur; Daisy, the parlourmaid who eventually marries Edward; Thomas Watkins, the devious chauffeur who dallies with Sarah's affections; and Ruby, the slow-witted kitchen maid. In the episode "Another Year" from series 4, Hazel Bellamy notes that there are two families living in the house, one upstairs and the other downstairs, which she likens to a related family: Mr Hudson and Mrs Bridges are the father and mother; Rose, the eldest daughter who lost her man at the front; their son Edward and his wife, their daughter-in-law Daisy; and Ruby, the youngest child.


First series, set in 1903–1908

The first and second series span the period 1903 to 1910, during the reign of
Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...
. In 1903, Sarah Moffat applies to be under-house-parlour maid for the Bellamy family, pretending to be of French parentage but soon revealed to be illiterate, English, and with no work history. Later in the year, Lady Marjorie poses for Bohemian artist Mr Scone (which he pronounces "skoon"), who over the same period paints an intimate portrait of Sarah and (an imagined) Rose, the Bellamy's head house maid; he exhibits both paintings juxtaposed at the
Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...
. Fearing a scandal, Bellamy threatens to sack the two maids but is dissuaded by Scone. Later, the Bellamys holiday in Scotland. With Mr Hudson gone from London, the servants carouse drunkenly through the house only to be caught by the Bellamy son James, who promises not to disclose their misbehaviour. James and Sarah later have an affair that results in Sarah's pregnancy. James is banished to India, while Sarah is sent to the Southwold estate for the duration of her pregnancy. Around 1905, daughter Elizabeth returns from Germany to be prepared to be presented to the King and the Queen Consort at a social event. Her rebellious, headstrong nature causes her to flee the event. She later talks with servant Rose, who lectures her about the importance of duty and how it applies to the entire household. Elizabeth soon falls in love with German Baron Klaus von Rimmer, unaware that he is gay and that he is using her in a scheme to obtain naval secrets from her father. Rose catches him having sex with Alfred, the footman, and he flees Eaton Place before the police arrive and arrest them. To spare Elizabeth the real reason for his departure, she is told that he is a spy. Alfred is replaced by Edward Barnes, a young and naive footman whose fun-loving and immature nature initially annoys Mr Hudson. In the summer of 1906, Lady Marjorie is enamoured with her son James's friend, Captain Charles Hammond. She has an affair with him, though guilt compels her to break it off. While Lady Bellamy and Rose are away in the country, a new under-house-parlour maid, Mary Stokes, arrives. She is pregnant, having been raped by Myles Radford, the son of a powerful politician and a Bellamy family friend. Richard Bellamy attempts to help Mary, but the Radfords refuse to take responsibility and the legal system proves ineffective. Mary quits, but departs with a small gift of money from some of the servants. The following year, 1907, Mrs Van Groeben arrives from South Africa. Housemaid Emily falls madly in love with Mrs Van Groeben's footman, William. Mrs Van Groeben learns of the affair, and, considering Emily to be beneath William, forbids him to see her. William drops Emily when he learns of his mistress's disapproval, suggesting he never really cared about her. Emily commits suicide. Mrs. Bridges, distraught with remorse over Emily's death, steals a baby from its pram outside a shop and hides it in her room. The baby is returned to its parents by Richard and Lady Marjorie, and Mrs Bridges only escapes a jail sentence after Hudson agrees to marry her once they are no longer in service. The scullery maid position is first replaced by Doris, then by Nellie, and finally by Ruby, who is rather slow and is frequently scolded by Mrs Bridges. In 1908, daughter Elizabeth Bellamy marries a young poet, Lawrence Kirbridge.


Second series, set in 1908–1910

Somewhat indifferent to his new responsibilities as a householder, Lawrence also avoids marital relations with Elizabeth, claiming he prefers her to be pure and muse-like, leaving their marriage unconsummated. Elizabeth has a brief affair with Lawrence's publisher, which Lawrence facilitates. It results in Elizabeth becoming pregnant, giving birth to a daughter, Lucy Elizabeth. Elizabeth joins militant
suffragettes A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members ...
who attack the home of a prominent politician, resulting in her being arrested. She is bailed out shortly thereafter by a wealthy
Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
gentleman named Julius Karekin. They become romantically involved, and he buys a hat shop for her to manage. Karekin is more interested in buying his way into British society than he is in Elizabeth's affections. He buys the lease of 165 Eaton Place after the Bellamys are forced to sell in the aftermath of Lady Marjorie's father's death in 1909. He offers the lease to Elizabeth who then gives it to her parents. Richard and Lady Marjorie are now morally in Karekin's debt. A pregnant Sarah returns to Eaton Place the night the Bellamys host the King for dinner; Sarah goes into labour, but the baby, a son, is stillborn. James eventually returns from India just before his mother's birthday on 6 May 1910 (which coincides with the death of King Edward VII). He brings his brash and gushing fiancée, Phyllis, the daughter of an army veterinarian. James eventually breaks off the engagement, however, realizing that Phyllis is not right for him. Elizabeth eventually moves to America in 1910 after splitting from Karekin and divorcing Kirbridge. She is later said to have married a man named Dana. Sarah falls in love with chauffeur, Thomas Watkins, who previously worked as Lawrence Kirbridge's valet. Sarah becomes pregnant again and will be dismissed. Thomas offers to marry her, though no one knows it is actually his child. To avoid any scandal, Lord Bellamy arranges for them to leave service and start their own business. While in the ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' episode "A Family Gathering" it is stated that Thomas and Sarah were married, this fact is disregarded in the spin-off series ''
Thomas & Sarah ''Thomas & Sarah'' is a British drama series that aired on ITV in 1979. A spin-off from the BAFTA Award-winning series '' Upstairs, Downstairs'', it stars John Alderton and Pauline Collins reprising their ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' roles. Back ...
''. In episode 9 of this series, "An Object Of Value", veteran British actress
Cathleen Nesbitt Cathleen Nesbitt (born Kathleen Mary Nesbitt; 24 November 18882 August 1982) was an English actress. Biography Born in Birkenhead, Cheshire,Before 1 April 1974 Birkenhead was in Cheshire England to Thomas and Mary Catherine (née Parry) Nesb ...
made a guest appearance as Lady Southwold, Lady Marjorie's mother. At the end of the second season, actresses
Rachel Gurney Rachel Gurney (5 March 1920 – 24 November 2001) was an English actress. She began her career in the theatre towards the end of World War II and then expanded into television and film in the 1950s. She remained active, mostly in television a ...
(as Lady Marjorie) and
Nicola Pagett Nicola Mary Pagett Scott (15 June 1945 – 3 March 2021), known professionally as Nicola Pagett, was a British actress, known for her role as Elizabeth Bellamy in the 1970s TV drama series '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' (1971–1973), as well as being ...
(as Elizabeth) permanently left the series, although Gurney would appear briefly in the premiere episode of the third season ("Miss Forrest"). Pagett's character of Elizabeth would never be seen again although she was constantly mentioned throughout the remainder of the series. Actresses
Meg Wynn Owen Margaret Wright ( Shuttleworth, 8 November 1939 – June 2022), better known as Meg Wynn Owen, was a British actress known for her role as Hazel Bellamy in '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. She also appeared in ''Gosford Park'', ''Love Actually, Pride ...
as Hazel Forrest Bellamy, James's wife; and
Lesley-Anne Down Lesley-Anne Down (born 17 March 1954) is a British actress, singer and former model. She achieved fame as Georgina Worsley in the ITV drama series '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' (1973–75). She received further recognition for her performances in ...
as Georgina Worsley, Richard's ward and James's cousin became the major female upstairs characters.


Third series, set in 1912–1914

Lady Marjorie, her brother, Hugo Talbot-Carey (the Earl of Southwold), and his new wife (widow Marion Worsley) all perish in the RMS ''Titanic'' disaster. Miss Roberts, Lady Marjorie's maid, survives and returns to Eaton Place, refusing to let anyone touch Marjorie's jewellery box, believing she is keeping it for her. Richard's new secretary, Hazel Forrest, gently persuades Miss Roberts to open the box, with her accepting Lady Marjorie is gone; she breaks down into sobs saying she tried to save her. Richard had hired Hazel Forrest to type the biography of his father-in-law, the old Earl of Southwold, which he is writing. She and James fall in love and eventually marry. Hazel, from a respectable middle-class family, becomes mistress of the household. She and James are happy for a time but grow apart due to their differing backgrounds. Their estrangement is worsened by Hazel's miscarriage in the spring of 1914. Georgina Worsley, James's cousin, comes to live with the Bellamys at Christmas 1913, aged 18. Georgina is the orphaned stepdaughter of Lady Marjorie's brother Hugo. She befriends Daisy, the new parlour maid. Georgina decides she and Daisy should take food from the pantry to give to Daisy's struggling family. She is shocked to discover that Daisy's family live in miserable, abject poverty. Rose, the head houseparlourmaid, is shocked when Alfred, the Bellamys' former footman, turns up at Eaton Place one night. He claims that he has been sacked by his former employer and is homeless. She agrees to hide him in one of the basement rooms, but is horrified when it later transpires Alfred is actually on the run from the police having murdered his previous employer. After taking Edward hostage in the coal cellar, Alfred is arrested and eventually hanged for murder. The following year, Rose briefly becomes engaged to an Australian sheep-farmer called Gregory Wilmot whom she meets on a tram. She agrees to move to Australia with him, but at embarkation she discovers that he has a wife in Australia and decides to remain in the life she knows at Eaton Place, a plot line that echoes the story " Eveline" in
James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important writers of ...
's ''
Dubliners ''Dubliners'' is a collection of fifteen short stories by James Joyce, first published in 1914. It presents a naturalistic depiction of Irish middle class life in and around Dublin in the early years of the 20th century. The stories were writt ...
''. Richard, who has sold the house's lease to James after Lady Marjorie's death (all her money passed on to James and Elizabeth), makes money after a share tip-off from a member of his gentleman's club. Richard is later unjustly accused of
insider dealing Insider trading is the trading of a public company's stock or other securities (such as bonds or stock options) based on material, nonpublic information about the company. In various countries, some kinds of trading based on insider information ...
. It is only Hazel's and Hudson's intervention that saves his career and reputation. (This plot was inspired by the
Marconi scandal The Marconi scandal was a British political scandal that broke in mid-1912. Allegations were made that highly placed members of the Liberal government under the Prime Minister H. H. Asquith had profited by improper use of information about the go ...
of 1912). During a visit to Somerby, the country house of James's school-friend Lord "Bunny" Newbury in the autumn of 1913, Edward unwittingly becomes a witness in an impending divorce when he spies rising Tory MP Lord Charles Gilmour leaving the bedroom of a fellow MP's wife. Edward is pressured to change his story, but he refuses, and the case is withdrawn due to Richard's influence. The servants are offered a day's holiday in
Herne Bay Herne Bay is a seaside town on the north coast of Kent in South East England. It is north of Canterbury and east of Whitstable. It neighbours the ancient villages of Herne and Reculver and is part of the City of Canterbury local governmen ...
in Kent in August 1914. They enjoy a rare day out together. Hudson is persuaded to sing on the vaudeville stage but their enjoyment is curtailed by an announcement that Germany has invaded Belgium. Hudson sings "
Rule Britannia "Rule, Britannia!" is a British patriotic song, originating from the 1740 poem "Rule, Britannia" by James Thomson and set to music by Thomas Arne in the same year. It is most strongly associated with the Royal Navy, but is also used by the ...
" instead. Back in London they gather to mark the hour when Britain goes to war. In the Christmas episode, "Goodwill to All Men", Cathleen Nesbitt returns for a second and final appearance as Lady Southwold.


Fourth series, set in 1914–1918

James serves in
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, is seriously injured in a trench battle and brought home, amid much difficulty, to recover. He is nursed by his step-cousin Georgina, who now volunteers as a VAD Nurse and serves in France during the war. Georgina and James develop a close understanding and affection during the war but do not go so far as to become lovers. Downstairs, Edward signs up and fights in the trenches, Hudson serves as a Special Constable, Rose works as a bus conductress, and Ruby leaves Eaton Place to work in a munitions factory in
Silvertown Silvertown is a district in the London Borough of Newham, in east London, England. It lies on the north bank of the Thames and was historically part of the parishes of West Ham and East Ham, hundred of Becontree, and the historic county ...
, returning to service after the
Silvertown explosion The Silvertown explosion occurred in Silvertown in West Ham, Essex (now part of the London Borough of Newham, in Greater London) on Friday, 19 January 1917 at 6:52 pm. The blast occurred at a munitions factory that was manufacturing explos ...
. Hazel, unknowingly echoing her late mother-in-law Lady Marjorie, has a brief affair with an
RFC RFC may refer to: Computing * Request for Comments, a memorandum on Internet standards * Request for change, change management * Remote Function Call, in SAP computer systems * Rhye's and Fall of Civilization, a modification for Sid Meier's Civ ...
Lieutenant named Jack Dyson who, like herself, has risen from the ranks of the middle classes. He is killed while James is at home on leave. Rose meets up with Gregory Wilmot again. After overcoming their emotional and practical hurdles, she finally agrees to marry him on his return from the war and follow him to Australia. However, he is killed in action. Rose is heartbroken but Gregory has left her £1,275 in his will, enough to make her independent in her retirement. Edward returns, and while not physically wounded, suffers badly from
shell shock Shell shock is a term coined in World War I by the British psychologist Charles Samuel Myers to describe the type of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) many soldiers were afflicted with during the war (before PTSD was termed). It is a react ...
and goes into hospital. He speaks to Richard, who comforts him, assuring him that mental wounds are as real as physical, and no mark on his character. The fourth season ends in 1918 with the close of World War I. Both James and Georgina return from their wartime duties. Despite the celebration and relief that the war is over, Hazel, who is about 35 at this time, contracts influenza in the worldwide pandemic. She dies and the Bellamy household is devastated over her loss. Grief-stricken, James lets Georgina comfort him, but she stops him from any further closeness. Richard is elevated to the
House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...
as ''Viscount Bellamy of Haversham'' in the New Year Honours List of 1919. At the end of the fourth series Meg Wynn Owen left the show, with her character Hazel dying of influenza in the
Spanish flu The 1918–1920 influenza pandemic, commonly known by the misnomer Spanish flu or as the Great Influenza epidemic, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 influenza A virus. The earliest documented case was ...
pandemic. The character of Virginia Hamilton, played by
Hannah Gordon Hannah Campbell Grant Gordon
Film reference website
(born 9 April 1941) is a Scottish actress and presenter ...
, was introduced in the fourth series when she asked Richard for help in relation to her son.


Fifth series, set in 1919–1930

According to Jean Marsh and Simon Williams, at the end of the fourth series they, along with other cast members, were eager to move on to other projects. However, with much persuasion by the producers and writers, they, along with the rest of the cast, agreed to do a fifth and final series showing the Bellamy family and staff entering the decade of the twenties and ending the series with the start of the Great Depression. During the final series, Marsh and Williams reduced their appearances on the show, both appearing in only 11 instalments out of the sixteen episodes produced. In addition, eight new cast members were added to the series, which included two servants, Frederick and Lily, played by Gareth Hunt and
Karen Dotrice Karen Dotrice ( ; born 9 November 1955) is a British actress. She is known primarily for her role as Jane Banks in Walt Disney's '' Mary Poppins'', the feature film adaptation of the '' Mary Poppins'' book series. Dotrice was born in Guernsey i ...
; Richard Bellamy's new wife, Virginia (played by Hannah Gordon); Virginia's two children Alice and William (Anne Yarker and Jonathan Seely);
Shirley Cain Shirley Cain (born Shirley Roberts; April 30, 1935) is a British actress of film and television. She graduated from RADA The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoir ...
as Miss Treadwell, the children's governess; Madeleine Cannon as Lady Dorothy (Dolly) Hale, Georgina's self-centred, catty, fair weather friend; and Anthony Andrews as Lord Robert Stockbridge, Georgina's fiancé and husband. At the start of the fifth season, James is still grieving over Hazel's death. Richard has married a young widow named Virginia Hamilton, after the events of the fourth series when she asked Richard, along with his solicitor Sir Geoffrey Dillon (
Raymond Huntley Horace Raymond Huntley (23 April 1904 – 15 June 1990) was an English actor who appeared in dozens of British films from the 1930s to the 1970s. He also appeared in the ITV period drama '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' as the pragmatic family s ...
), to defend her son Michael, aged 17, who was facing a court martial charge for cowardice in the war. Michael was acquitted of the charges but was killed in the war shortly after. During that time, Richard and Virginia fell in love. In the first instalment of the fifth series, "On With The Dance", Richard and Virginia are just returning to London from their honeymoon. James is in a quandary because with only himself and Georgina living at Eaton Place, there is not enough for the servants to do and therefore, James feels he will have to dismiss them from their jobs and ultimately, sell the house. He tries to persuade Richard and Virginia to move in with him and Georgina, but Virginia is stubborn and adamant about finding a house of her own. Collaborating with Georgina, James invites Richard, Virginia, and her two children, Alice, aged 10 and William, aged 6, to tea. The house suddenly comes alive with their visit. James, Georgina, and the servants welcome them wholeheartedly to the point where Virginia is finally convinced that 165 Eaton Place is the perfect home for her family. As a result, she, Richard, and the children become residents of the house. Alice becomes very attached to Rose, who is soon given duties that keep her upstairs with the children and the new Lady Bellamy. Downstairs, Edward and a pregnant Daisy have left Eaton Place and are replaced by Frederick (James's batman during the war) and Lily, respectively. Edward's job prospects are dim, and Daisy loses their baby due to malnutrition; both are re-hired at Eaton Place as chauffeur and house parlourmaid, respectively. Rose becomes children's maid and later lady's maid to Virginia. In the fifth episode of that season, "Wanted: A Good Home", William is sent off to a boarding school while Alice resumes her schooling with Miss Treadwell. To compensate for William's absence, Rose gives Alice a dog - a cairn terrier named Thimble. While Lord and Lady Bellamy are away on a trip, Miss Treadwell quickly assumes the role as head of the house alienating the other servants as well as mentally and physically abusing Alice and the dog. Upon their return, Lord and Lady Bellamy dismiss Miss Treadwell and she leaves in disgust. Richard and Virginia then decide that Alice should go to a day school for her studies. After that instalment, Alice, William, and the dog are never seen again, although they are frequently referred to, and Alice returns for a brief appearance in the final episode. Downstairs, romance blooms between Hudson and Lily, but she spurns him and Lily leaves her position in the seventh episode "Disillusion". Frederick leaves service at the Bellamy house in the eleventh instalment "Alberto" when he discovers the allure of escorting young upper-class women to balls and other functions. Also during this season, the roles played by actresses
Jenny Tomasin Jenny Tomasin (22 March 1938 – 3 January 2012) was an English actress best known for her roles in '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' and ''Emmerdale''. Early life Tomasin was born in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, in 1938 to working class parents. S ...
and
Joan Benham Joan may refer to: People and fictional characters *Joan (given name), including a list of women, men and fictional characters *:Joan of Arc, a French military heroine *Joan (surname) Weather events *Tropical Storm Joan (disambiguation), multiple ...
were expanded to show more character depth. For Tomasin, the role of the childlike, simple-minded kitchen maid Ruby Finch was showcased in two episodes - the eighth instalment "Such A Lovely Man" where Ruby meets a man named Herbert through magazine correspondence, but rejects him because "he was no Rudolph Valentino"; and the fourteenth chapter of the series, "Noblesse Oblige" in which Ruby, fed up and disgusted with Mrs. Bridges's treatment of her, temporarily leaves her position at Eaton Place after they have a bitter quarrel. Benham's character of Lady Prudence Fairfax (or "Pru" as she was affectionately referred to) had been featured throughout the previous four series as a long time close friend of the Bellamy family who was a delightful social butterfly always welcome at family parties and events, as well as a harmless gossipy woman. However, in the fifth series, Benham was able to show another side of Lady Prudence - as a wise, kind, loyal, loving, and devoted friend to the Bellamys in two instalments - in the fourth episode "Joy Ride" and the eleventh episode "Alberto". In the roaring 1920s, Georgina and her friends rebel against the depression and hard times of the post-war period, but her frivolity and merriment quickly end — firstly after the suicide of a friend who professed his love for her and threatened to kill himself unless she married him, and then killed himself during a Roaring 20s party at the Bellamy house. Secondly, Georgina accidentally kills a working class man after taking Richard's car without permission and driving it herself to compete in a scavenger hunt. Her friends, part of the moneyed, bored and pleasure-seeking "bright young things", desert her at the inquest. Only the rich but shallow Lady Dolly Hale and also the seemingly dull Lord Robert Stockbridge, heir to a dukedom, defend her. Georgina and Robert quickly fall in love. James suffers long-term emotional stress from his war experiences and Hazel's death. Restless, he stands for
Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
, but loses the election. Lord Stockbridge's parents send their son on a trip around the world to try to wean him from Georgina, under the guise of helping him discover whether his feelings are true. James returns from America in October 1929, where he has visited Elizabeth and become rich through speculation on Wall Street. Rose allows James to invest the money Gregory left her when he died in the war, but the market crashes and James loses everything. James had also "borrowed a fair bit" that he now is unable to repay. He has disgraced his family and taken advantage of a member of staff who trusted him. Depressed and ashamed, he goes to a hotel in Maidenhead and commits
suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
. The final episode, set in 1930, finds things looking up at Eaton Place as Georgina marries Lord Stockbridge on 12 June 1930. Mr Hudson and Mrs Bridges also finally marry, and take the uneducated but surprisingly shrewd kitchen maid, Ruby Finch, to the seaside with them, to run a guest house. When asked by Rose how she feels about becoming part of the Hudsons' household, Ruby says, "They'll not last long, and I'll have guest house all to meself." Lord Bellamy has delivered his retirement speech to the House of Lords. He and Virginia retreat to a small villa in
Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...
, keeping Rose Buck in their employ. Young Edward and his wife, Daisy, are elevated to the posts of butler and head house parlourmaid in the country household of the Marquess and new
Marchioness A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman w ...
of Stockbridge. The last scene shows Rose taking a final walk through the now empty rooms at 165 Eaton Place, which is for sale. She 'hears' in her head the voices of Lady Marjorie, Mr. Hudson, and others, as well as the many incidents she witnessed over the years. On hearing James reassuring her about Gregory's honourable death in the war echoing in her ears, she becomes spooked and hurriedly leaves through the front door.


Episodes

''Upstairs, Downstairs'' ran for five series from 10 December 1971 to 21 December 1975. The first four series had thirteen episodes each, while the final series had sixteen. Due to an
industrial dispute Strike action, also called labor strike, labour strike, or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to Labor (economics), work. A strike usually takes place in response to grievance (labour), employee grievance ...
over extra payments for using newly introduced colour equipment, during which broadcasting unions refused to allow their members to use colour cameras, the first six episodes of the first series were shot in
black-and-white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...
, and when colour production resumed, the first episode was remade in colour. Two endings were made, which could be shown depending on whether the black and white episodes were broadcast by the channel. The original black-and-white version of the first episode is believed to have been
wiped Lost television broadcasts are mostly those early television programs which cannot be accounted for in studio archives (or in personal archives) usually because of deliberate destruction or neglect. Common reasons for loss A significant prop ...
. The opening credits of each episode featured a
cartoon A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently animated, in an unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved over time, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or series of images ...
from the magazine ''
Punch Punch commonly refers to: * Punch (combat), a strike made using the hand closed into a fist * Punch (drink), a wide assortment of drinks, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice Punch may also refer to: Places * Pun ...
'', and the lettering was drawn by the graphic designer Terry Griffiths. The theme tune was composed by
Alexander Faris Samuel Alexander "Sandy" Faris (11 June 1921 – 28 September 2015) was a Northern Irish composer, conductor and writer, known for his television theme tunes, including the theme music for the 1970s TV series '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. He compos ...
and entitled ''The Edwardians''. It won an
Ivor Novello Award The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They have been presented annually in London by the Ivors Academy (formerly the BASCA) since 1956, and over 1,000 statuettes have been a ...
. Part of this tune would be made into the song '' What Are We Going to Do with Uncle Arthur?'', sung by Sarah, with lyrics written by Alfred Shaughnessy. Pauline Collins released this as a
single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
in 1973. The theme tune was also used as the processional march for the church wedding of Elizabeth and Lawrence in series 1, Episode 13: ''For Love of Love''. Many writers wrote episodes throughout the five series, including
Alfred Shaughnessy Alfred James Shaughnessy (19 May 1916 – 2 November 2005) was an English scriptwriter, film director and producer best known for being the script editor of '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. Early life Alfred Shaughnessy was born in London, his father, ...
, John Hawkesworth,
Fay Weldon Fay Weldon CBE, FRSL (born Franklin Birkinshaw; 22 September 1931 – 4 January 2023) was an English author, essayist and playwright. Over the course of her 55-year writing career, she published 31 novels, including ''Puffball'' (1980), '' The ...
, Terence Brady and Charlotte Bingham, John Harrison, Julian Bond, Raymond Bowers, Jeremy Paul,
Rosemary Anne Sisson Rosemary Anne Sisson (13 October 1923 – 28 July 2017) was an English television dramatist and novelist. She was described by playwright Simon Farquhar in 2014 as being "one of television's finest period storytellers", and in 2017 fellow ...
, Anthony Skene and
Elizabeth Jane Howard Elizabeth Jane Howard, Lady Amis (26 March 1923 – 2 January 2014), was an English novelist, author of 12 novels including the best-selling series ''The'' ''Cazalet Chronicles''. Early life Howard's parents were timber-merchant Major David L ...
.


Production

Each episode of ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' was made in a fortnightly production schedule. The book ''Inside Updown'' has a detailed production history. The first week and a half would be spent rehearsing, with two days in the studio - the latter part of the second day being used for recording. Location footage was usually shot beforehand. The exterior shots of 165 Eaton Place were filmed at 65 Eaton Place with the "1" painted on. ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' was one of the first major colour productions to be made by LWT. Interior sequences were first recorded in LWT's first studio facility in Wembley in London, for all of series one and the episode "A Pair of Exiles" in series two. For the rest of series two and for the remaining three series the interior sequences were recorded in LWT's new studio complex called Kent House (later known as
The London Studios The London Studios (also known as The South Bank Studios, The London Television Centre, ITV Tower, Kent House and LWT Tower) in Lambeth, Central London was a television studio complex owned by ITV plc and originally built for London Weekend Te ...
) on London's Southbank.
Herne Bay Herne Bay is a seaside town on the north coast of Kent in South East England. It is north of Canterbury and east of Whitstable. It neighbours the ancient villages of Herne and Reculver and is part of the City of Canterbury local governmen ...
features in series three, episode thirteen "The Sudden Storm", when the staff take a day out to the seaside.


Awards

''Upstairs, Downstairs'' was nominated for and won many national and international awards, winning two BAFTA awards, two Royal Television Society awards, three Writers Guild Awards, eight Emmys, and a Golden Globe. It was nominated for a further seven BAFTAs, nine Emmys and four Golden Globes. It was nominated for the BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Series in 1972, 1973, 1975, and 1976, winning in 1972 and 1974.
Pauline Collins Pauline Collins (born 3 September 1940) is a British actress who first came to prominence portraying Sarah Moffat in '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' (1971–1973) and its spin-off, '' Thomas & Sarah'' (1979). In 1992, she published her autobiography, ...
was nominated for Best Actress in 1973 for her portrayal of
Sarah Moffat Sarah Moffat (born Clémence Moffat; July 1882 –Unknown), also known as Sarah Delice and Clémence Dumas, is a fictional character in the ITV drama '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' and its spin-off '' Thomas & Sarah''. She was portrayed by Pau ...
and Gordon Jackson was nominated for Best Actor for playing Mr. Hudson in 1975. In the United States, ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' was honoured for both the Primetime Emmy Awards and the
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
s. In 1974, 1975, and 1977 it won the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series since its institution in 1951. The award goes to the producers of the series. The award is often cited as one of the "main awards" at the Emmys cerem ...
. In 1975,
Jean Marsh Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Jea ...
won the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leadi ...
, and Bill Bain won the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series is presented to the best directing of a television drama series, usually for a particular episode.Though this category is the dominant one in which dramatic directing has been ...
. The following year, it won for Outstanding Limited Series, and Gordon Jackson won for Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Comedy or Drama Series, and
Angela Baddeley Madeleine Angela Clinton-Baddeley, CBE (4 July 1904 – 22 February 1976) was an English stage and television actress, best-remembered for her role as household cook Mrs. Bridges in the period drama '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. Her stage career ...
was nominated for Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. In 1977,
Jacqueline Tong Jacqueline Tong (born 21 May 1951) is an English actress. She is best known for playing Daisy Peel in the television series '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' (1973–1975), for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Contin ...
was nominated for Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. For the Golden Globes, ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' won the Golden Globe Award for Best TV Show - Drama in 1975 and was nominated again for the same award in 1978. Jean Marsh was nominated in 1975 and 1977 for Best TV Actress - Drama.
Alfred Shaughnessy Alfred James Shaughnessy (19 May 1916 – 2 November 2005) was an English scriptwriter, film director and producer best known for being the script editor of '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. Early life Alfred Shaughnessy was born in London, his father, ...
, script editor and frequent writer, was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award twice for the episodes "
Miss Forrest "Miss Forrest" is the first episode of the third series of the British television series, '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. The episode is set in 1912, and is the last appearance of Rachel Gurney as Lady Marjorie Bellamy. It also introduces Hazel Fo ...
" and " Another Year". John Hawkesworth, frequent writer and producer, was nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for the episode " The Bolter".
Fay Weldon Fay Weldon CBE, FRSL (born Franklin Birkinshaw; 22 September 1931 – 4 January 2023) was an English author, essayist and playwright. Over the course of her 55-year writing career, she published 31 novels, including ''Puffball'' (1980), '' The ...
won a Writers Guild of America Award for Best British TV Series Script of 1971 for " On Trial".


Spin-offs

Following the final episode of ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' many ideas for
spin-offs Spin-off may refer to: *Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work *Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity * Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gov ...
evolved. These included having the new
Lord Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or ar ...
and Lady Stockbridge buying back 165 Eaton Place and an American company wanted to make a programme based around Hudson and
Rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...
immigrating to the United States.
Jack Webb John Randolph Webb (April 2, 1920 – December 23, 1982) was an American actor, television producer, Television director, director, and screenwriter, who is most famous for his role as Joe Friday, Sgt. Joe Friday in the Dragnet (franchise) ...
was interested in a series of Marsh and Gordon Jackson reprising their roles as head of a Los Angeles employment agency. Another idea, called ''You Live or You Die'', was to have Frederick Norton seeking his fortune in the US. A further idea would have followed Hudson, Mrs Bridges and
Ruby A ruby is a pinkish red to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum ( aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sa ...
running their seaside boarding house, and this probably would have been made had it not been for the death of
Angela Baddeley Madeleine Angela Clinton-Baddeley, CBE (4 July 1904 – 22 February 1976) was an English stage and television actress, best-remembered for her role as household cook Mrs. Bridges in the period drama '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. Her stage career ...
on 22 February 1976. The only spin-off to make it onscreen was ''
Thomas & Sarah ''Thomas & Sarah'' is a British drama series that aired on ITV in 1979. A spin-off from the BAFTA Award-winning series '' Upstairs, Downstairs'', it stars John Alderton and Pauline Collins reprising their ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' roles. Back ...
'', which broadcast in 1979, and this followed the adventures of
Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...
and Sarah after they left Eaton Place. A short-lived
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
series entitled '' Beacon Hill'', which aired in the fall of 1975, was loosely based upon ''Upstairs, Downstairs''; its executive producer,
Beryl Vertue Beryl Frances Vertue ('' née'' Johnson; 8 April 1931 – 12 February 2022) was an English television producer, media executive, and agent. She was founder and chairman of the independent television production company Hartswood Films. Early li ...
, was Jean Marsh's literary agent and had been responsible for helping sell the original ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' to LWT. In 2011, the BBC ran a series entitled ''
Royal Upstairs Downstairs ''Royal Upstairs Downstairs'' is a British television documentary series of 20 half-hour episodes broadcast by BBC Two each Monday to Friday evening from 7 March to 1 April 2011. The title is a reference to the drama series '' Upstairs, Downstairs' ...
'' in which
Tim Wonnacott Timothy Wonnacott (born 12 March 1951) is an English chartered auctioneer, chartered surveyor, antiques expert, narrator, and a television presenter. He was previously a director of Sotheby's, one of the world's oldest auction houses. He is ...
and
Rosemary Shrager Rosemary Jacqueline Shrager (; born 21 January 1951) is a British chef and TV presenter, best known for being an haute cuisine teacher on the reality television programme ''Ladette to Lady'', and as a judge on '' Soapstar Superchef''. She als ...
tour country houses visited by
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
. Tim tours the Upstairs concentrating on the architecture and events of Victoria's visit, while Rosemary concentrates on the downstairs, demonstrating recipes cooked for the Queen.


Novelisations

Each series of ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' was accompanied by a novelisation, with additional detail in each, but also with some episodes missing. All books were published by
Sphere Books Sphere Books is the name of two British paperback publishers. History The original Sphere Books was launched in 1966 by Thomson Corporation. Sphere was sold to Pearson PLC in 1985 and became part of Penguin. The name was retired in 1990. In 19 ...
. The novelisation of the first series, ''Upstairs, Downstairs or the secrets of an Edwardian household'', was written by John Hawkesworth and published in 1972. Hawkesworth also wrote the series two novelisation, ''In My Lady's Chamber'' and this was published in 1973. The following year, Mollie Hardwick's novelisation of the third series, ''The Years of Change'', was published and she also wrote the 1975 ''The War to End Wars'', the fourth series novelisation. The fifth series, which was longer than the others, was novelised in two books, both by
Michael Hardwick John Michael Drinkrow Hardwick (10 September 1924 in Leeds, Yorkshire − 4 March 1991), known as Michael Hardwick, was an English author who was best known for writing books and radio plays which featured Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's creation Sherlo ...
and published in 1975. They were called ''On With The Dance'' and ''Endings and Beginnings''. As well as these novelisations, five books were separately published, again by Sphere Books, with each being the biography of a main character before the series started. ''Rose's Story'' was written by Terence Brady & Charlotte Bingham and published in 1972. The following year, Mollie Hardwick's ''Sarah's Story'' and Michael Hardwick's ''Mr Hudson's Diaries'' were both published. ''Mr Bellamy's Story'', by Michael Hardwick, was published in 1974 and ''Mrs Bridge's Story'' by Mollie Hardwick was published in 1975. Also in 1975, ''The Upstairs, Downstairs Omnibus'', featuring all five slightly edited stories, was published. John Pearson published ''The Bellamys of Eaton Place'' (a.k.a. ''The Bellamy Saga'') in 1976.


Influence

The
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
series ''
The Duchess of Duke Street ''The Duchess of Duke Street'' is a BBC television drama series set in London between the late 1800s and 1925. It was created by John Hawkesworth (producer), John Hawkesworth, previously the producer of the ITV (TV network), ITV period drama ' ...
'' is widely seen as the BBC's answer to ''Upstairs, Downstairs'', not least because some of the same producers and writers worked on it, and it also has a theme tune by Faris. The 1990 BBC sitcom '' You Rang, M'Lord?'' also featured a similar situation. In 1975, an American version, entitled '' Beacon Hill'', debuted but due to low ratings it was soon cancelled, running for just thirteen episodes.
Tom Wolfe Thomas Kennerly Wolfe Jr. (March 2, 1930 – May 14, 2018)Some sources say 1931; ''The New York Times'' and Reuters both initially reported 1931 in their obituaries before changing to 1930. See and was an American author and journalist widely ...
called the series a plutography, i.e. a "graphic depiction of the lives of the rich". A ''
Monsterpiece Theater ''Monsterpiece Theater'' is a recurring segment on the popular children's television series ''Sesame Street'', a parody of '' Masterpiece Theatre''. Format While using Muppet characters to act out educational principles, primarily Grover and ot ...
'' sketch on ''
Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) a ...
'', introduced/narrated by
Cookie Monster Cookie Monster is a blue Muppet character on the long-running PBS/ HBO children's television show ''Sesame Street.'' In a song in 2004, and later in an interview in 2017, Cookie Monster revealed his real name as "Sid". He is best known for hi ...
(as Alistair Cookie – a play on
Alistair Cooke Alistair Cooke (born Alfred Cooke; 20 November 1908 – 30 March 2004) was a British-American writer whose work as a journalist, television personality and radio broadcaster was done primarily in the United States.Grover Grover is a blue Muppet character on the popular PBS/HBO children's television show ''Sesame Street''. Self-described as lovable, cute and furry, he is a blue monster who rarely uses contractions when he speaks or sings. Grover was originall ...
running up and down a staircase until collapsing from exhaustion. In 2000, a stop-motion animated series called '' Upstairs, Downstairs Bears'', co-produced by Canada's
Cinar Cookie Jar Entertainment Inc. (also known as Cookie Jar Group and originally known as CINAR; renamed as DHX Cookie Jar Inc. from 2012 until 2014, or simply just Cookie Jar) was a Canadian media production and distribution company owned by DHX ...
and
Scottish Television Scottish Television (now, legally, known as STV Central Limited) is the ITV network franchisee for Central Scotland. The channel — the largest of the three ITV franchises in Scotland — has been in operation since 31 August 1957 and is th ...
for the
CITV CITV (short for Children's ITV, also known as the CITV Channel) is a British free-to-air children's television channel owned by ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive and acquisitions, every day from 6 am to 9 pm which ...
block, was based upon ''Upstairs, Downstairs''. Ironically, it happened to air on the last day of London Weekend Television's broadcasting under that brand (as part of the CITV block) on 27 October 2002; the next day LWT was subsumed into
ITV London ITV London is the on-air brand name used by ''ITV Broadcasting Limited'' for two broadcast franchises of ITV, Carlton Television (weekdays) and London Weekend Television (weekends) in the London ITV region. Its terrestrial digital signal is ...
.
Company Pictures Company Pictures is an independent British television production company which has produced drama programming for many broadcasters. It was set up in 1998 by Charles Pattinson and George Faber, colleagues at BBC Films. Their first film was '' ...
' 2008 television series ''
The Palace ''The Palace'' is a British drama television series that aired on ITV in 2008. Produced by Company Pictures for the ITV network, it was created by Tom Grieves and follows a fictional British Royal Family in the aftermath of the death of King ...
'' has been described as a "modern ''Upstairs, Downstairs''" as it features the points of view of both a fictional
royal family A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/ rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term ...
and their servants. From November 2008 to January 2010 variations (played in different styles, e.g., a
fugue In music, a fugue () is a contrapuntal compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject (a musical theme) that is introduced at the beginning in imitation (repetition at different pitches) and which recurs frequently in the c ...
,
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
, calypso,
death metal Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
) of the theme music were played on
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...
's '' PM'' programme to introduce a segment entitled "Upshares, Downshares", in which
Nils Blythe Nils Blythe (born 25 February 1956) is a British journalist who worked for BBC News until 2011. He specialises in business and economics. Before launching his own PR company in 2014, he was the executive director of Communications at the Bank o ...
ran through the day's business news. In November 2010, with the composer
Alexander Faris Samuel Alexander "Sandy" Faris (11 June 1921 – 28 September 2015) was a Northern Irish composer, conductor and writer, known for his television theme tunes, including the theme music for the 1970s TV series '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. He compos ...
's blessing, a special CD of collected versions was released to raise money for the charity Children in Need. The ITV series ''
Downton Abbey ''Downton Abbey'' is a British historical drama television series set in the early 20th century, created and co-written by Julian Fellowes. The series first aired in the United Kingdom on ITV on 26 September 2010 and in the United States o ...
'', which ran from 2010 to 2015, has many similarities with ''Upstairs, Downstairs.'' Both series depict a noble family and their servants in the context of some of the same historical events; certain storylines and characterisations also appear in both series. In 2019, ''Downton Abbey's'' executive producer
Gareth Neame Gareth Elwin Neame (born 8 March 1967) is a British television producer and executive. As an executive at the BBC, Neame presided over the development of the dramas '' Spooks'', '' State of Play'', '' Bodies'', '' Hustle'', ''New Tricks'' and '' ...
acknowledged the inspiration, stating that upon watching ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' for the first time as an adult, he realised that "there's two generations now who have got something new to be exposed to” because they had never seen ''Upstairs, Downstairs''. The phrase "upstairs-downstairs coalition", an allusion to ''Upstairs, Downstairs'', has been used by political writers to describe political coalitions (such as the Democratic Party in the United States) that appeal to both socially moderate white suburbanites and minorities.


Revival

In 2009, the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
announced it was to broadcast a revival of the series, with Jean Marsh reprising her role as Rose alongside a new cast in the same Eaton Place household. The new series was created and written by
Heidi Thomas Heidi Thomas (born 13 August 1962) is an English screenwriter and playwright. Career After reading English at Liverpool University, Thomas gained national attention when her play, ''Shamrocks And Crocodiles'', won the John Whiting Award in ...
. The first series aired from 26 December 2010. Eileen Atkins appeared in the first series, but left her role before production on the second series began.


Home releases


Region One DVDs

''Upstairs, Downstairs'' was first released to Region One DVD in December 2001 by A&E Home Entertainment. During 2002, it released the remaining series and then released '' Thomas and Sarah'' on DVD in 2004. The individual releases have also been collected together into two boxed sets, the second of which, ''The Collector's Edition Megaset'', also includes ''Thomas and Sarah''. These are all out of print. In 2011 Acorn Media released ''Upstairs Downstairs: The Ultimate Collection'' which includes ''Thomas and Sarah'' and 25 hours of special features in a 40th Anniversary 26-disc set.


Region Two DVDs

''Upstairs, Downstairs'' was originally released on DVD by VCI in Region 2 (UK). The colour episodes of the first series were released in 2001 followed by the other series finishing in 2003. In 2004, the
black-and-white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...
episodes and the first episode with the original ending were released. ''Thomas & Sarah'' was released in matching packaging in 2004. In 2005, VCI stopped making these DVDs, none of which had included any extras. Network Video released the entire programme series-by-series from 2005 to 2006. The episodes were
remaster Remaster refers to changing the quality of the sound or of the image, or both, of previously created recordings, either audiophonic, cinematic, or videographic. The terms digital remastering and digitally remastered are also used. Mastering A ...
ed and the black-and-white episodes were put in chronological order in the first series. Some episodes also featured audio commentaries, the LWT logo,
commercial bumper In broadcasting, a commercial bumper, ident bumper, or break-bumper (often shortened to bump) is a brief announcement, usually two to fifteen seconds in length that can contain a voice over, placed between a pause in the program and its commercia ...
s and the original preceding countdowns. In addition, each series was accompanied by a special one-hour documentary relating to that series featuring new and archive interviews. The fifth series release also featured the 1975 documentary ''
Russell Harty Frederic Russell Harty (5 September 1934 – 8 June 1988) was an English television presenter of arts programmes and chat shows. Early life Harty was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, the son of greengrocer Fred Harty, who ran a fruit-and-veget ...
goes... "Upstairs, Downstairs"''. In 2006, a boxed set featuring all the DVDs was released. DVDs of the series have also been released in
Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...
,
Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
, Germany,
the Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, Spain, and
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
.


Region Four DVDs

Universal DVD released all five series to DVD in Australia and New Zealand. These were later deleted. Timelife issued the series as a mail-order collection. ITV began re-releasing the series in Australia in January 2013. The show is rated PG in New Zealand for its low level violence.


See also

* ''
Downton Abbey ''Downton Abbey'' is a British historical drama television series set in the early 20th century, created and co-written by Julian Fellowes. The series first aired in the United Kingdom on ITV on 26 September 2010 and in the United States o ...
'' * ''
The Duchess of Duke Street ''The Duchess of Duke Street'' is a BBC television drama series set in London between the late 1800s and 1925. It was created by John Hawkesworth (producer), John Hawkesworth, previously the producer of the ITV (TV network), ITV period drama ' ...
'' * ''
The Forsyte Saga ''The Forsyte Saga'', first published under that title in 1922, is a series of three novels and two interludes published between 1906 and 1921 by the English author John Galsworthy, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature. They chronicle the vici ...
'' * ''
The Pallisers ''The Pallisers'' is a 1974 BBC television adaptation of Anthony Trollope's Palliser novels. Set in Victorian era England with a backdrop of parliamentary life, Simon Raven's dramatisation covers six of Anthony Trollope's novels and follows the e ...
'' * ''
Thomas & Sarah ''Thomas & Sarah'' is a British drama series that aired on ITV in 1979. A spin-off from the BAFTA Award-winning series '' Upstairs, Downstairs'', it stars John Alderton and Pauline Collins reprising their ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' roles. Back ...
'' * ''
Upstairs Downstairs (2010 TV series) ''Upstairs Downstairs'' is a British drama series, broadcast on BBC One from 2010 to 2012, and co-produced by BBC Wales and Masterpiece. Created and written by Heidi Thomas, it is a continuation of the London Weekend Television series of the ...
''


References


External links


The ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' Web Pages


''Encyclopedia of Television'' * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Upstairs, Downstairs British historical television series 1970s British drama television series 1971 British television series debuts 1975 British television series endings BAFTA winners (television series) Best Drama Series Golden Globe winners English-language television shows Fictional servants ITV television dramas Peabody Award-winning television programs Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series winners Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries winners Television series set in the 1900s Television series set in the 1910s Television series set in the 1920s Television series set in the 1930s Television shows set in London World War I television drama series Television series by ITV Studios London Weekend Television shows Works about social class