Glynis Johns, remembered by movie audiences as Mrs. Banks from Mary Poppins and by Broadway devotees as the first person to sing Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns” on a national stage, died Thursday of natural causes at an assisted living home in Los Angeles. She was 100.
Her death was announced by her manager and publicist Mitch Clem. “Today’s a sad day for Hollywood,” Clem said in a statement. “She is the last of the last of old Hollywood.”
A Tony winner (Best Actress/Musical) for her performance as Desiree Armfeldt in the original 1973 Broadway cast of the Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler A Little Night Music, Johns both debuted and, due to her widespread acclaim, helped popularize what would become perhaps Sondheim’s most beloved and well-known songs with “Send in the Clowns.”
Born in Pretoria, South Africa, the Welsh Johns made her West End debut in 1931 at age...
Her death was announced by her manager and publicist Mitch Clem. “Today’s a sad day for Hollywood,” Clem said in a statement. “She is the last of the last of old Hollywood.”
A Tony winner (Best Actress/Musical) for her performance as Desiree Armfeldt in the original 1973 Broadway cast of the Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler A Little Night Music, Johns both debuted and, due to her widespread acclaim, helped popularize what would become perhaps Sondheim’s most beloved and well-known songs with “Send in the Clowns.”
Born in Pretoria, South Africa, the Welsh Johns made her West End debut in 1931 at age...
- 1/4/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Glynis Johns, the upbeat leading lady with the British charm who starred as the spirited feminist mother Winifred Banks in Mary Poppins, has died. She was 100.
Johns lived in West Hollywood and died Thursday of natural causes at an assisted living facility in the area, her manager, Mitch Clem, told The Hollywood Reporter.
A multitalented actress, dancer, pianist and singer, Johns earned a best supporting actress Oscar nomination for playing the widowed saloon and hotel owner Mrs. Firth in Fred Zinnemann’s Australia-set The Sundowners (1960).
Plus, she memorably sang “Send in the Clowns,” which Stephen Sondheim wrote just for her, in her Tony Award-winning performance as Desiree Armfeldt in the original 1973 production of A Little Night Music.
The husky voiced Johns was nominated for a Golden Globe for portraying a daffy older socialite who is stirred by the young stud she meets on the beach in a then-controversial film about sex,...
Johns lived in West Hollywood and died Thursday of natural causes at an assisted living facility in the area, her manager, Mitch Clem, told The Hollywood Reporter.
A multitalented actress, dancer, pianist and singer, Johns earned a best supporting actress Oscar nomination for playing the widowed saloon and hotel owner Mrs. Firth in Fred Zinnemann’s Australia-set The Sundowners (1960).
Plus, she memorably sang “Send in the Clowns,” which Stephen Sondheim wrote just for her, in her Tony Award-winning performance as Desiree Armfeldt in the original 1973 production of A Little Night Music.
The husky voiced Johns was nominated for a Golden Globe for portraying a daffy older socialite who is stirred by the young stud she meets on the beach in a then-controversial film about sex,...
- 1/4/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The world of Doctor Who has changed greatly in the space of just 10 years. The cast and crew have almost completely been replaced since 2005, including a number of new actors to play the errant Time Lord and his companions.
But what has happened to the class of '05? Where are Rose and Mickey now? What is the writer of 'Dalek' up to? And where can you see more work from the director of 'Rose'?
Here it is then, your guide to the main players of Doctor Who series one.
The Cast
After his three-month on-screen stint as the Doctor, Christopher Eccleston's career continued in much the same vein, taking in theatre, interesting television roles and the odd blockbuster.
Post-2005, the Northern actor went Stateside to take on the role of invisible man Claude in the Us series Heroes. From there, he popped up in a very amusing Doctor Who-esque cameo as Dr.
But what has happened to the class of '05? Where are Rose and Mickey now? What is the writer of 'Dalek' up to? And where can you see more work from the director of 'Rose'?
Here it is then, your guide to the main players of Doctor Who series one.
The Cast
After his three-month on-screen stint as the Doctor, Christopher Eccleston's career continued in much the same vein, taking in theatre, interesting television roles and the odd blockbuster.
Post-2005, the Northern actor went Stateside to take on the role of invisible man Claude in the Us series Heroes. From there, he popped up in a very amusing Doctor Who-esque cameo as Dr.
- 3/24/2015
- Digital Spy
Sheridan Smith stars as Cilla Black in the new ITV biopic about the Liverpudlian songbird, and the first pictures of the actress's transformation into the flame-haired singer have been released.
A trailer featuring Smith taking on the role of the pop singer during her rise to fame in 1960s Liverpool has also been released, giving viewers a taste of Jeff Pope's three-part drama.
Aneurin Barnard (The White Queen, Citadel, We'll Take Manhattan) stars as Cilla's husband Bobby, Ed Stoppard (The Politician's Husband, Silent Witness, Branded) plays Brian Epstein, John Henshaw (Downton Abbey, Midsomer Murders, South Riding) is Cilla's father, John White and Melanie Hill (Waterloo Road, Hebburn, Merlin) is Cilla's mother, Priscilla.
The drama captures the atmosphere of promise and excitement in the Merseybeat music scene, and the battle for Cilla's heart between future husband Bobby and manager Brian Epstein.
"I am thrilled to be playing Cilla,...
A trailer featuring Smith taking on the role of the pop singer during her rise to fame in 1960s Liverpool has also been released, giving viewers a taste of Jeff Pope's three-part drama.
Aneurin Barnard (The White Queen, Citadel, We'll Take Manhattan) stars as Cilla's husband Bobby, Ed Stoppard (The Politician's Husband, Silent Witness, Branded) plays Brian Epstein, John Henshaw (Downton Abbey, Midsomer Murders, South Riding) is Cilla's father, John White and Melanie Hill (Waterloo Road, Hebburn, Merlin) is Cilla's mother, Priscilla.
The drama captures the atmosphere of promise and excitement in the Merseybeat music scene, and the battle for Cilla's heart between future husband Bobby and manager Brian Epstein.
"I am thrilled to be playing Cilla,...
- 8/19/2014
- Digital Spy
Death Comes To Pemberley Review
Mr Darcy and Elizabeth. Sounds familiar right? Don’t worry, Death Comes to Pemberly isn’t another dramatization of Pride and Prejudice. It’s a dramatization of a novel by the same name that featured some of the characters from Jane Austen’s greatest work. Written by P D James, Death Comes to Pemberly is an international best seller and a great choice for the BBC’s Christmas 2013 period drama.
As soon as this production was given the green light, people began to speculate about the identity of the actor who would be cast as Darcy. In the end, the BBC picked Matthew Rhys (The Americans). He cut his death in period drama last year in the network’s adaptation of Edwin Drood. He has the look of a Darcy with his dark hair and brooding Celtic brow, and he didn’t disappoint. Playing opposite...
Mr Darcy and Elizabeth. Sounds familiar right? Don’t worry, Death Comes to Pemberly isn’t another dramatization of Pride and Prejudice. It’s a dramatization of a novel by the same name that featured some of the characters from Jane Austen’s greatest work. Written by P D James, Death Comes to Pemberly is an international best seller and a great choice for the BBC’s Christmas 2013 period drama.
As soon as this production was given the green light, people began to speculate about the identity of the actor who would be cast as Darcy. In the end, the BBC picked Matthew Rhys (The Americans). He cut his death in period drama last year in the network’s adaptation of Edwin Drood. He has the look of a Darcy with his dark hair and brooding Celtic brow, and he didn’t disappoint. Playing opposite...
- 12/27/2013
- by Edited by K Kinsella
As is often the way with costume designers, Stephanie Collie is something of an unsung hero. We will not reel off her entire back catalogue, but it does include South Riding (2011, TV), Telstar (2008) Peter’s Friends (1992) and perhaps most exciting of all, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998).
Now, anyone old enough to remember when Lock, Stock arrived will remember just what an incredible influence its Mod inspired costumes had on the world of fashion. You could not pick up a men’s magazine of the time without seeing some guy in slim trousers and a jersey polo shirt. Stephanie Collie invented this look, thus providing one of the clearest examples of how costume design can transcend a movie and become something more. We would go so far as to say Stephanie Collie helped define an era.
The young cast of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels wearing the soon...
Now, anyone old enough to remember when Lock, Stock arrived will remember just what an incredible influence its Mod inspired costumes had on the world of fashion. You could not pick up a men’s magazine of the time without seeing some guy in slim trousers and a jersey polo shirt. Stephanie Collie invented this look, thus providing one of the clearest examples of how costume design can transcend a movie and become something more. We would go so far as to say Stephanie Collie helped define an era.
The young cast of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels wearing the soon...
- 8/29/2013
- by Christopher Laverty
- Clothes on Film
Steve Coogan's alter ego Alan Partridge has taken to the big screen this week, but it's a very different Coogan on display in the first trailer for drama 'Philomena'.
Coogan plays unlikely friends with Dame Judi Dench in 'Philomena' - a funny and shocking drama true story about a woman's search for her lost son.
Steve Coogan, Dame Judi Dench and Anna Maxwell Martin in 'Philomena'
Stephen Frears directs the dramas, which tells the story of Irish teenager Philomena, sent to a convent in 1952 after falling pregnant, with her baby sent away for adoption to America.
Philomena later encountered journalist Martin Sixsmith (played by Coogan in the film), who became intrigued by her story and helped her travel to America to seek out her lost son.
Sixsmith’s book 'The Lost Child Of Philomena Lee' was published in 2009. It acted as a catalyst...
Coogan plays unlikely friends with Dame Judi Dench in 'Philomena' - a funny and shocking drama true story about a woman's search for her lost son.
Steve Coogan, Dame Judi Dench and Anna Maxwell Martin in 'Philomena'
Stephen Frears directs the dramas, which tells the story of Irish teenager Philomena, sent to a convent in 1952 after falling pregnant, with her baby sent away for adoption to America.
Philomena later encountered journalist Martin Sixsmith (played by Coogan in the film), who became intrigued by her story and helped her travel to America to seek out her lost son.
Sixsmith’s book 'The Lost Child Of Philomena Lee' was published in 2009. It acted as a catalyst...
- 8/9/2013
- by The Huffington Post UK
- Huffington Post
The Village BBC One
Grey Feeney
BBC One’s new drama The Village began with Old Bert (David Ryall) explaining to an unseen interviewer that he is the second oldest man in Britain. After a few moments of private reflection, Old Bert began to recount the events of his childhood beginning in the summer of 1914.
Stylistically, the BBC got it spot on as The Village and its inhabitants looked surprisingly authentic. In terms of casting, they picked the cream of the crop with a line-up that included John Simm, Maxine Peake, Nico Mirallegro, Juliet Stevenson and the aforementioned Mr Ryall. The pre-war setting was a familiar one and we saw the predictable shots of bunting and cobbled streets that we’ve been overly exposed to in recent productions such as War Horse and Downton Abbey. We also saw themes that were explored in another BBC drama from that era – South Riding – as women’s lib,...
Grey Feeney
BBC One’s new drama The Village began with Old Bert (David Ryall) explaining to an unseen interviewer that he is the second oldest man in Britain. After a few moments of private reflection, Old Bert began to recount the events of his childhood beginning in the summer of 1914.
Stylistically, the BBC got it spot on as The Village and its inhabitants looked surprisingly authentic. In terms of casting, they picked the cream of the crop with a line-up that included John Simm, Maxine Peake, Nico Mirallegro, Juliet Stevenson and the aforementioned Mr Ryall. The pre-war setting was a familiar one and we saw the predictable shots of bunting and cobbled streets that we’ve been overly exposed to in recent productions such as War Horse and Downton Abbey. We also saw themes that were explored in another BBC drama from that era – South Riding – as women’s lib,...
- 4/1/2013
- by Edited by K Kinsella
Further cast details about The Alan Partridge Movie have been revealed.
It has been announced that characters from the original TV sitcom will be making a return to appear alongside Steve Coogan, including Alan Partridge's faithful Pa Lynn (Felicity Montagu), Geordie friend and Bp garage worker Michael (Simon Greenall) and rival DJ Dave Clifton (Phil Cornwell).
According to Variety, new faces will also appear in the film about the Norfolk DJ, including Star Trek actor Colm Meaney, The Bletchley Circle and South Riding star Anna Maxwell Martin, and film actor Sean Pertwee.
They will join more recent characters from spin-off series Mid Morning Matters, who will also appear in the film, including Sidekick Simon (Tim Key).
Father Ted and Moone Boy director Declan Lowney is at the helm of the motion picture.
Earlier today (February 7), it was reported that scenes will be filmed at several locations in North Norfolk, including Sheringham and Cromer.
It has been announced that characters from the original TV sitcom will be making a return to appear alongside Steve Coogan, including Alan Partridge's faithful Pa Lynn (Felicity Montagu), Geordie friend and Bp garage worker Michael (Simon Greenall) and rival DJ Dave Clifton (Phil Cornwell).
According to Variety, new faces will also appear in the film about the Norfolk DJ, including Star Trek actor Colm Meaney, The Bletchley Circle and South Riding star Anna Maxwell Martin, and film actor Sean Pertwee.
They will join more recent characters from spin-off series Mid Morning Matters, who will also appear in the film, including Sidekick Simon (Tim Key).
Father Ted and Moone Boy director Declan Lowney is at the helm of the motion picture.
Earlier today (February 7), it was reported that scenes will be filmed at several locations in North Norfolk, including Sheringham and Cromer.
- 2/7/2013
- Digital Spy
The South Riding star on the dearth of funny roles for women, dance-offs and why she's only ever spotted in Waitrose
Did you have a nice Christmas?
It was lovely. We were at home in London and then up in North Yorkshire, where my best friend has just moved on to a pig farm.
What was your favourite present?
Oh… erm… I'm never that into presents. I don't mean to sound like a total martyr but I can't even remember what I was given. I got a vegetable strainer, which I quite like. It's yellow.
You are about to appear at the Hampstead theatre in Di and Viv and Rose, a play written by Amelia Bullmore, which features three strong, funny female characters. Is it rare for women to find original material like that to act in?
Yes, massively. Very few people are doing it. Julia Davis is a huge...
Did you have a nice Christmas?
It was lovely. We were at home in London and then up in North Yorkshire, where my best friend has just moved on to a pig farm.
What was your favourite present?
Oh… erm… I'm never that into presents. I don't mean to sound like a total martyr but I can't even remember what I was given. I got a vegetable strainer, which I quite like. It's yellow.
You are about to appear at the Hampstead theatre in Di and Viv and Rose, a play written by Amelia Bullmore, which features three strong, funny female characters. Is it rare for women to find original material like that to act in?
Yes, massively. Very few people are doing it. Julia Davis is a huge...
- 1/6/2013
- by Elizabeth Day
- The Guardian - Film News
Accused Season Two Finale
N Conrad
The Accused season finale picked up where last week’s episode left of with the Stephen being taken to jail. Tina Dakin (Anna Maxwell-Martin) was responsible for escorting him to his cell and it didn’t take her long to realize that Stephen was deeply troubled. Despite her own efforts to get him help, her negligent boss Frank, left Stephen alone just long enough for him to take his own life. Rather than telling the truth, Tina decided to conceal Frank’s actions and things quickly and inevitably things spiraled out of control.
Anna Maxwell Martin (South Riding) and Ewen Bremner (Trainspotting) were the big name stars in the episode but Robert Sheehan (Stephen) and John Bishop (Stephen’s father) were tasked with handling some of the toughest and most harrowing scenes. Maxwell Martin and Bremner seem to excel in dreary dramas about flawed...
N Conrad
The Accused season finale picked up where last week’s episode left of with the Stephen being taken to jail. Tina Dakin (Anna Maxwell-Martin) was responsible for escorting him to his cell and it didn’t take her long to realize that Stephen was deeply troubled. Despite her own efforts to get him help, her negligent boss Frank, left Stephen alone just long enough for him to take his own life. Rather than telling the truth, Tina decided to conceal Frank’s actions and things quickly and inevitably things spiraled out of control.
Anna Maxwell Martin (South Riding) and Ewen Bremner (Trainspotting) were the big name stars in the episode but Robert Sheehan (Stephen) and John Bishop (Stephen’s father) were tasked with handling some of the toughest and most harrowing scenes. Maxwell Martin and Bremner seem to excel in dreary dramas about flawed...
- 9/5/2012
- by Edited by K Kinsella
Martin Clunes ITV
B Van Heusen
Doc Martin’s Martin Clunes returns to ITV this Autumn to star in the two part drama A Mother’s Son. The show is set in a small coastal town in Suffolk where a teenage girl’s murder has left the local community in a state of shock. Clunes plays Ben – a man with teenage children of his own who is involved in a new romance with a woman named Rosie. Hermione Norris (Mi5) plays Clunes’ love interest. Their budding romance is rocked to its core when Roise uncovers evidence to suggest Ben’s son was involved in the murder.
South Riding’s leading lady Anna Maxwell-Martin will also be on ITV this Autumn. She is set to star in the network’s cold war era drama The Bletchley Circle. As the name implies, the central characters are veteran World War II code breakers.
B Van Heusen
Doc Martin’s Martin Clunes returns to ITV this Autumn to star in the two part drama A Mother’s Son. The show is set in a small coastal town in Suffolk where a teenage girl’s murder has left the local community in a state of shock. Clunes plays Ben – a man with teenage children of his own who is involved in a new romance with a woman named Rosie. Hermione Norris (Mi5) plays Clunes’ love interest. Their budding romance is rocked to its core when Roise uncovers evidence to suggest Ben’s son was involved in the murder.
South Riding’s leading lady Anna Maxwell-Martin will also be on ITV this Autumn. She is set to star in the network’s cold war era drama The Bletchley Circle. As the name implies, the central characters are veteran World War II code breakers.
- 8/22/2012
- by Edited by K Kinsella
The Woman In Black is available on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Download from 18th June, 2012. We have two copies of the Blu-ray to give away to our readers.
The Woman In Black tells the tale of Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe – Harry Potter…), a lawyer who is forced to leave his young son and travel to a remote village to attend to the affairs of the recently deceased owner of Eel Marsh House. Working alone in the old mansion, Kipps begins to uncover the town’s tragic and tortured secrets and his fears escalate when he discovers that local children have been disappearing under mysterious circumstances. When those closest to him become threatened by the vengeful woman in black, Kipps must find a way to break the cycle of terror.
With a fantastic supporting cast including Oscar® nominee Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs, Tumbleweeds), Ciarán Hinds (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy), Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife,...
The Woman In Black tells the tale of Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe – Harry Potter…), a lawyer who is forced to leave his young son and travel to a remote village to attend to the affairs of the recently deceased owner of Eel Marsh House. Working alone in the old mansion, Kipps begins to uncover the town’s tragic and tortured secrets and his fears escalate when he discovers that local children have been disappearing under mysterious circumstances. When those closest to him become threatened by the vengeful woman in black, Kipps must find a way to break the cycle of terror.
With a fantastic supporting cast including Oscar® nominee Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs, Tumbleweeds), Ciarán Hinds (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy), Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife,...
- 6/6/2012
- by Matt Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
Stars of the small screen reveal their TV secrets
The entertainers: Ant and Dec
This feels like real life," says Declan Donnelly, settling back into the sofa next to Anthony McPartlin. "We've done this before." You would have thought that after all those hours on telly performing – often live – for millions, Ant and Dec would want to do anything but watch it when they got home. "It's my number-one way to relax," says Dec. "We watch everything and anything and we constantly text each other to check what we're watching." Dec's last text to Ant was about the best ham sandwich in the world, as featured on Countrywise Kitchen. Ant's alerted Dec to the Hairy Bikers' pork terrine. Both food related, "but we text through sport, documentaries and dramas, too," says Dec. As hosts of Britain's Got Talent, the pair have been baffled by the competition revved...
The entertainers: Ant and Dec
This feels like real life," says Declan Donnelly, settling back into the sofa next to Anthony McPartlin. "We've done this before." You would have thought that after all those hours on telly performing – often live – for millions, Ant and Dec would want to do anything but watch it when they got home. "It's my number-one way to relax," says Dec. "We watch everything and anything and we constantly text each other to check what we're watching." Dec's last text to Ant was about the best ham sandwich in the world, as featured on Countrywise Kitchen. Ant's alerted Dec to the Hairy Bikers' pork terrine. Both food related, "but we text through sport, documentaries and dramas, too," says Dec. As hosts of Britain's Got Talent, the pair have been baffled by the competition revved...
- 5/19/2012
- by Alice Fisher
- The Guardian - Film News
Stars of the small screen reveal their TV secrets
The entertainers: Ant and Dec
This feels like real life," says Declan Donnelly, settling back into the sofa next to Anthony McPartlin. "We've done this before." You would have thought that after all those hours on telly performing – often live – for millions, Ant and Dec would want to do anything but watch it when they got home. "It's my number-one way to relax," says Dec. "We watch everything and anything and we constantly text each other to check what we're watching." Dec's last text to Ant was about the best ham sandwich in the world, as featured on Countrywise Kitchen. Ant's alerted Dec to the Hairy Bikers' pork terrine. Both food related, "but we text through sport, documentaries and dramas, too," says Dec. As hosts of Britain's Got Talent, the pair have been baffled by the competition revved...
The entertainers: Ant and Dec
This feels like real life," says Declan Donnelly, settling back into the sofa next to Anthony McPartlin. "We've done this before." You would have thought that after all those hours on telly performing – often live – for millions, Ant and Dec would want to do anything but watch it when they got home. "It's my number-one way to relax," says Dec. "We watch everything and anything and we constantly text each other to check what we're watching." Dec's last text to Ant was about the best ham sandwich in the world, as featured on Countrywise Kitchen. Ant's alerted Dec to the Hairy Bikers' pork terrine. Both food related, "but we text through sport, documentaries and dramas, too," says Dec. As hosts of Britain's Got Talent, the pair have been baffled by the competition revved...
- 5/16/2012
- by Alice Fisher
- The Guardian - Film News
14 year old Maisie Williams stars alongside Suranne Jones in the BBC One adaptation of James Herbert's best-selling ghost story The Secret of Crickley Hall.
Maisie (represented by Louise Johnston Management) has received much acclaim for her screen debut portrayal of Arya in Game of Thrones, which is back for a second series in April.
The Secret of Crickley Hall tells the story of family who move to Crickley Hall to start a new life after their son goes missing. But they quickly discover the building is haunted and events there begin to terrorise them.
Written and directed by Joe Ahearne, this three-part drama is a modern day ghost story especially for Halloween. Told in a dual timeframe, it is full of scares yet underpinned by the heart-breaking story of a family needing to heal and ghosts who need to be laid to rest.
A year after their little boy goes missing,...
Maisie (represented by Louise Johnston Management) has received much acclaim for her screen debut portrayal of Arya in Game of Thrones, which is back for a second series in April.
The Secret of Crickley Hall tells the story of family who move to Crickley Hall to start a new life after their son goes missing. But they quickly discover the building is haunted and events there begin to terrorise them.
Written and directed by Joe Ahearne, this three-part drama is a modern day ghost story especially for Halloween. Told in a dual timeframe, it is full of scares yet underpinned by the heart-breaking story of a family needing to heal and ghosts who need to be laid to rest.
A year after their little boy goes missing,...
- 3/22/2012
- by noreply@blogger.com (ScreenTerrier)
- ScreenTerrier
Yes Prime Minister.
Marc Dubonnet
Click here to friend Best British TV on Facebook or here to follow us on Twitter. You can also find us on Google+ by clicking here.
When you consider the fact that the BBC is a publicly funded organization it is perhaps not surprising that politicians have been a regular feature of both satires and drama shows in the UK. Some depictions of these political figures have been sympathetic but many have been less than flattering. For better or worse, the following individuals are 10 of the Best British TV politicians.
1. James Hacker (Paul Eddington) in Yes Minister. Jim Hacker must rank as one of Britian’s best loved and weakest prime ministers. All too often his decisions were made for him by the sinister Sir Humphrey Appleby. Fans didn’t mind much since the original show spawned a sequel, a radio version and most recently a stage play.
Marc Dubonnet
Click here to friend Best British TV on Facebook or here to follow us on Twitter. You can also find us on Google+ by clicking here.
When you consider the fact that the BBC is a publicly funded organization it is perhaps not surprising that politicians have been a regular feature of both satires and drama shows in the UK. Some depictions of these political figures have been sympathetic but many have been less than flattering. For better or worse, the following individuals are 10 of the Best British TV politicians.
1. James Hacker (Paul Eddington) in Yes Minister. Jim Hacker must rank as one of Britian’s best loved and weakest prime ministers. All too often his decisions were made for him by the sinister Sir Humphrey Appleby. Fans didn’t mind much since the original show spawned a sequel, a radio version and most recently a stage play.
- 1/18/2012
- by admin
Sean Bean
Grey Feeney
Click here to friend Best British TV on Facebook or here to follow us on Twitter
Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings) plays a cross-dressing English teacher and Stephen Graham (Occupation) appears as a satellite TV installation man in season two of Jimmy McGovern’s The Accused. Like season one of the award winning show, The Accused season two features a series of self-contained stories each of which centers around a court case. Anna Maxwell-Martin (South Riding) is among the other big name stars that will appear in show which is due to air some time during 2012.
Recent Articles:
Sherlock Review: The Hounds of the Baskerville
Being Human Season Four
10 Best British TV Women of Action...
Grey Feeney
Click here to friend Best British TV on Facebook or here to follow us on Twitter
Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings) plays a cross-dressing English teacher and Stephen Graham (Occupation) appears as a satellite TV installation man in season two of Jimmy McGovern’s The Accused. Like season one of the award winning show, The Accused season two features a series of self-contained stories each of which centers around a court case. Anna Maxwell-Martin (South Riding) is among the other big name stars that will appear in show which is due to air some time during 2012.
Recent Articles:
Sherlock Review: The Hounds of the Baskerville
Being Human Season Four
10 Best British TV Women of Action...
- 1/12/2012
- by admin
Sean Bean, Anna Maxwell Martin and Stephen Graham will star in the second series of Jimmy McGovern's Accused. Bean (Game of Thrones, Sharpe), Maxwell Martin (South Riding) and Graham (Boardwalk Empire) will star in two episodes of the award-winning BBC One drama, which will be filmed later this year. "I've wanted to work on a Jimmy McGovern drama for a while and I think this cracking script really delivers a powerful, emotional drama for the audience," said Bean. Bean will play an English teacher, who has a cross-dressing alter ego Tracie, which leads him into a "terrible crime of passion". Graham is cast as Tony, a satellite and aerial engineer with Rachel Leskovac (Coronation Street) as his beautician wife (more)...
- 1/11/2012
- by By Alex Fletcher
- Digital Spy
BBC Shakespeare
R Feeney
Click here to friend Best British TV on Facebook or here to follow us on Twitter.
2012 won’t be a bard year for Shakespeare fans as the BBC have just started work on producing Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V. The Hour star Ben Whishaw takes on the title role in Richard II while Jeremy Irons and Tom Hiddleston take on the regal roles in the other two productions.
The supporting cast for all three plays include a host of stars such as Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart, David Morrissey (South Riding), David Suchet (Poirot) and Julie Walters (Educating Rita). The plays are being executive produced by Hollywood director Sam Mendes (American Beauty) and co-produced by NBC UK and the New York based PBS affiliate Wnet. Filming on Richard II which has already started, should wrap up in July which means the play should air...
R Feeney
Click here to friend Best British TV on Facebook or here to follow us on Twitter.
2012 won’t be a bard year for Shakespeare fans as the BBC have just started work on producing Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V. The Hour star Ben Whishaw takes on the title role in Richard II while Jeremy Irons and Tom Hiddleston take on the regal roles in the other two productions.
The supporting cast for all three plays include a host of stars such as Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart, David Morrissey (South Riding), David Suchet (Poirot) and Julie Walters (Educating Rita). The plays are being executive produced by Hollywood director Sam Mendes (American Beauty) and co-produced by NBC UK and the New York based PBS affiliate Wnet. Filming on Richard II which has already started, should wrap up in July which means the play should air...
- 11/25/2011
- by admin
Screenterrier posted the casting call for new Cbbc series Postcode back in May last year, and now the series is about to hit our screens.
Postcode stars a line-up of new talent:
Rwanda-born 17 year old Roger Nsengiyumva, from Norwich, who made his screen debut last year in feature film Africa United takes the lead role of Jamal. He is joined by newcomer Manpreet Bambra (represented by Kelly Management) as female lead Sheela and another newcomer 17 year old Robert Eades from London stars as Zak.
The three-part drama, written by the BAFTA-winning screenwriter Tony Marchant, follows a group of young people with diverse backgrounds who share a postcode – but very little else.
In the first episode of the three-part drama, viewers meet Jamal, a Somali refugee from the local estate, and Zac, who lives in a posh house just around the corner.
When their paths cross by accident at the local Mini Mart,...
Postcode stars a line-up of new talent:
Rwanda-born 17 year old Roger Nsengiyumva, from Norwich, who made his screen debut last year in feature film Africa United takes the lead role of Jamal. He is joined by newcomer Manpreet Bambra (represented by Kelly Management) as female lead Sheela and another newcomer 17 year old Robert Eades from London stars as Zak.
The three-part drama, written by the BAFTA-winning screenwriter Tony Marchant, follows a group of young people with diverse backgrounds who share a postcode – but very little else.
In the first episode of the three-part drama, viewers meet Jamal, a Somali refugee from the local estate, and Zac, who lives in a posh house just around the corner.
When their paths cross by accident at the local Mini Mart,...
- 11/10/2011
- by noreply@blogger.com (ScreenTerrier)
- ScreenTerrier
The Field of Blood. co. BBC
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South Riding lead man David Morrissey and The Suspicions of Mr Whicher star Peter Capaldi bring their not inconsiderable talents to BBC One at the end of August in the two-part crime drama The Field of Blood. David Kane’s screenplay is based on the novel by Denise Mina about newspaper employee who gets caught up in a murder case.
The Field of Blood follows the attempts of an aspiring journalist Paddy Meehan (Jayd Johnson) to make a name for herself at a Glaswegian newspaper. She decides to start looking into the gruesome murder of a toddler. To her horror, the main suspect in the case turns out to be her 10 year old cousin. Meehan has to choose between protecting her family’s honor and seizing her chance...
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South Riding lead man David Morrissey and The Suspicions of Mr Whicher star Peter Capaldi bring their not inconsiderable talents to BBC One at the end of August in the two-part crime drama The Field of Blood. David Kane’s screenplay is based on the novel by Denise Mina about newspaper employee who gets caught up in a murder case.
The Field of Blood follows the attempts of an aspiring journalist Paddy Meehan (Jayd Johnson) to make a name for herself at a Glaswegian newspaper. She decides to start looking into the gruesome murder of a toddler. To her horror, the main suspect in the case turns out to be her 10 year old cousin. Meehan has to choose between protecting her family’s honor and seizing her chance...
- 8/16/2011
- by admin
Screenterrier reported back in 2009 that Michelle Magorian’s critically acclaimed novel, Just Henry, was being adapted for ITV by Monarch Of The Glen creator Michael Chaplin.
The 90-minute drama started filming in Leeds today and tells the engaging story of one boy’s discovery which alters his family life forever.
17 year old rising star Josh Bolt (represented by Curtis Brown) from Liverpool, who appeared in Nowhere Boy, and is set to appear in the new series of Shameless, leads the cast as the troubled school-boy Henry.
19 year old Perry Millward (also Curtis Brown) who recently appeared in Christopher and His Kind, plays his fellow class-mate Paul Jefferies
and 17 year old Charlie May-Clark from Leeds (also Curtis Brown) who starred in the BBC's South Riding, plays Grace, a new student who can’t read but has an exquisite singing voice.
Set in post-Second World War Britain Henry is growing up in...
The 90-minute drama started filming in Leeds today and tells the engaging story of one boy’s discovery which alters his family life forever.
17 year old rising star Josh Bolt (represented by Curtis Brown) from Liverpool, who appeared in Nowhere Boy, and is set to appear in the new series of Shameless, leads the cast as the troubled school-boy Henry.
19 year old Perry Millward (also Curtis Brown) who recently appeared in Christopher and His Kind, plays his fellow class-mate Paul Jefferies
and 17 year old Charlie May-Clark from Leeds (also Curtis Brown) who starred in the BBC's South Riding, plays Grace, a new student who can’t read but has an exquisite singing voice.
Set in post-Second World War Britain Henry is growing up in...
- 8/1/2011
- by noreply@blogger.com (ScreenTerrier)
- ScreenTerrier
Clare Foy in The Night Watch. co.BBC
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N Conrad
BBC2′s The Night Watch was based on the novel of the same name by author Sarah Waters. The show like the book covered three time periods: 1941, 1944 and 1947. That is a lot to squeeze into one 90 minute long drama especially when you consider the fact that the story has four main characters each of whom have their own love troubles and problems to navigate.
Stylistically the show was a success. It seemed authentic, the soundtrack was pleasant but not invasive and the director managed to create a fairly intimate mood without resorting to lots of unflattering close ups. Three of the four main characters were gay which would not in of itself make a good drama were it set in modern times but during World War II,...
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N Conrad
BBC2′s The Night Watch was based on the novel of the same name by author Sarah Waters. The show like the book covered three time periods: 1941, 1944 and 1947. That is a lot to squeeze into one 90 minute long drama especially when you consider the fact that the story has four main characters each of whom have their own love troubles and problems to navigate.
Stylistically the show was a success. It seemed authentic, the soundtrack was pleasant but not invasive and the director managed to create a fairly intimate mood without resorting to lots of unflattering close ups. Three of the four main characters were gay which would not in of itself make a good drama were it set in modern times but during World War II,...
- 7/12/2011
- by admin
Shooting began in Glasgow this week on new BBC One drama Young James which tells the story of a young James Herriot, the author and vet, while he was a student at the Glasgow Veterinary College in the Thirties. James Herriot's memoirs were previously immortalised in the long-running TV series All Creatures Great and Small starring Christopher Timothy.
Iain de Caestecker (represented by Hamilton Hodell) takes the title role of Young James, a bright, idealistic young man and the drama follows his student exploits with close university friends Whirly Tyson and Rob McAloon.
Iain, himself originally from Glasgow, played Adam Barlow in Coronation Street, and will also be seen this year in the lead role in new BBC Three thriller The Fades.
Scottish actress Amy Manson (represented by Independent Talent) who played vampire Daisy in Being Human, and Fleur in Outcasts, plays Whirly Tyson. And Ben Lloyd-Hughes (represented by...
Iain de Caestecker (represented by Hamilton Hodell) takes the title role of Young James, a bright, idealistic young man and the drama follows his student exploits with close university friends Whirly Tyson and Rob McAloon.
Iain, himself originally from Glasgow, played Adam Barlow in Coronation Street, and will also be seen this year in the lead role in new BBC Three thriller The Fades.
Scottish actress Amy Manson (represented by Independent Talent) who played vampire Daisy in Being Human, and Fleur in Outcasts, plays Whirly Tyson. And Ben Lloyd-Hughes (represented by...
- 7/1/2011
- by noreply@blogger.com (ScreenTerrier)
- ScreenTerrier
The Night Watch co.BBC
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BBC 2 have revealed that their adaptation of Sarah Water’s novel The Night Watch will be aired on Tuesday 12 July. The network have included snippets of the drama in compilations of upcoming shows since the start of the year so fans of the novel will be pleased to see that broadcast details have finally been revealed.
The Night Watch tells the tale of four Londonders and begins in the capital in 1947. Fans of British costume dramas will recognize South Riding’s Anna Maxwell Martin while Clare Foy of Upstairs Downstairs certainly needs no introduction. The other principal roles are taken on by Harry Treadaway and Jodie Whittaker. The quartet play troubled young adults who have to deal with complex inter-personal relationships and the sexual taboos of 1940s Britain. The...
Click here to friend us on Facebook or click here to follow our new Twitter page.
BBC 2 have revealed that their adaptation of Sarah Water’s novel The Night Watch will be aired on Tuesday 12 July. The network have included snippets of the drama in compilations of upcoming shows since the start of the year so fans of the novel will be pleased to see that broadcast details have finally been revealed.
The Night Watch tells the tale of four Londonders and begins in the capital in 1947. Fans of British costume dramas will recognize South Riding’s Anna Maxwell Martin while Clare Foy of Upstairs Downstairs certainly needs no introduction. The other principal roles are taken on by Harry Treadaway and Jodie Whittaker. The quartet play troubled young adults who have to deal with complex inter-personal relationships and the sexual taboos of 1940s Britain. The...
- 6/30/2011
- by admin
Hello. My name is John Bensalhia and I'm a freelance journalist. There, that should leave you hurling abuse and running for the hills.
Let's face it, journalists don't really have a very good press – they're a rung or two above bankers, accountants, Inland Revenue staff and parking ticket inspectors, but there's still a stench of doubt whenever you mention the word journalist, which I think is massively unfair - but then I would say that. But then, given some of the more sensationalist members of the media, maybe those sneers aren't as misplaced as you may think.
The new reboot of Doctor Who's proving to be particularly good at targeting modern day trends, whether they're the superficial lifestyles of the likes of Posh And Becks (The End Of The World ), political manifestos (Aliens Of London/World War Three) or now media manipulation. This seems to be a particular target...
Let's face it, journalists don't really have a very good press – they're a rung or two above bankers, accountants, Inland Revenue staff and parking ticket inspectors, but there's still a stench of doubt whenever you mention the word journalist, which I think is massively unfair - but then I would say that. But then, given some of the more sensationalist members of the media, maybe those sneers aren't as misplaced as you may think.
The new reboot of Doctor Who's proving to be particularly good at targeting modern day trends, whether they're the superficial lifestyles of the likes of Posh And Becks (The End Of The World ), political manifestos (Aliens Of London/World War Three) or now media manipulation. This seems to be a particular target...
- 5/4/2011
- Shadowlocked
In TV news, BAFTA has nominated the original Danish The Killing as well as usual suspects Mad Men, Glee and Boardwalk Empire for BAFTA's best international show. Full list is below. BAFTA TV Nominations: Leading actor Jim Broadbent – Any Human Heart (Channel 4) Benedict Cumberbatch – Sherlock (BBC1) Daniel Rigby – Eric and Ernie (BBC4) Matt Smith – Doctor Who (BBC1) Leading actress Anna Maxwell Martin – South Riding (BBC1) Vicky McClure – This Is England '86 (Channel 4) Natalie Press – Five Daughters (BBC1) Juliet Stevenson – Accused (BBC1) Supporting actor Brendan Coyle – Downton Abbey (ITV1) Martin Freeman – Sherlock (BBC1) Johnny Harris – This Is England '86 (Channel 4) Robert Sheehan – Misfits (E4) Supporting actress Gillian Anderson – Any Human ...
- 4/26/2011
- Thompson on Hollywood
Courtesy: Amclondon, UK (X17online) - The British Academy of Film and Television Arts television award nominees are out, and some American favorites are in the running. The U.S. is, as usual, dominating the Best International Show category. Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire, Glee and the Danish crime drama The Killing will compete for the award May 22 at this year's British Academy Television Awards. The question becomes if anyone can top Mad Men, which won the award in 2010 and 2009. This is the first nomination for the other three, and The Killing has received almost worldwide critical praise. See the full list of nominees in the major categories below. Main Bafta TV Nominations: Leading actor Jim Broadbent – Any Human Heart (Channel 4) Benedict Cumberbatch – Sherlock (BBC1) Daniel Rigby – Eric and Ernie (BBC4) Matt Smith – Doctor Who (BBC1) Leading actress Anna Maxwell Martin – South Riding (BBC1) Vicky McClure – This Is England '86...
- 4/26/2011
- x17online.com
Mad Men, which has won best international show at the Brit TV BAFTA awards for the past two years, is up against Boardwalk Empire, Glee, and Danish crime thriller The Killing. This year’s BAFTA TV awards will take place at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on May 22, fronted by chat show host Graham Norton. BBC1 will televise the show on the night. Misfits, the sci-fi drama that U.S. broadcasters are sniffing around for a remake, leads the nominations in four categories. The BBC’s Sherlock has three nominations in total, as do Channel 4’s drama Any Human Heart and the BBC’s The Road to Coronation Street, the story of how the UK’s longest-running soap nearly never made it on air. Other names known in Hollywood up for awards include Steve Coogan and Gillian Anderson, and The X Factor is nominated for Entertainment Programme. The BBC...
- 4/26/2011
- by TIM ADLER in London
- Deadline London
The full list of nominees at the BAFTA Television Awards 2011, to be held in London on May 22, is as follows: Leading Actor
Jim Broadbent - Any Human Heart (Channel 4)
Benedict Cumberbatch - Sherlock (BBC One)
Daniel Rigby - Eric and Ernie (BBC Four)
Matt Smith - Doctor Who (BBC One) Leading Actor
Anna Maxwell Martin - South Riding (BBC One)
Vicky McClure - This Is England '86 (Channel 4)
Natalie Press - Five Daughters (BBC One)
Juliet Stevenson - Accused (BBC One) Supporting Actor
Brendan Coyle - Downton Abbey (ITV1)
Martin Freeman - Sherlock (BBC One)
Johnny Harris - This Is England '86 (Channel 4)
Robert Sheehan - Misfits (E4) Supporting Actress
Gillian Anderson - Any Human Heart (Channel 4)
Lynda Baron - The Road To Coronation (more)...
Jim Broadbent - Any Human Heart (Channel 4)
Benedict Cumberbatch - Sherlock (BBC One)
Daniel Rigby - Eric and Ernie (BBC Four)
Matt Smith - Doctor Who (BBC One) Leading Actor
Anna Maxwell Martin - South Riding (BBC One)
Vicky McClure - This Is England '86 (Channel 4)
Natalie Press - Five Daughters (BBC One)
Juliet Stevenson - Accused (BBC One) Supporting Actor
Brendan Coyle - Downton Abbey (ITV1)
Martin Freeman - Sherlock (BBC One)
Johnny Harris - This Is England '86 (Channel 4)
Robert Sheehan - Misfits (E4) Supporting Actress
Gillian Anderson - Any Human Heart (Channel 4)
Lynda Baron - The Road To Coronation (more)...
- 4/26/2011
- by By Catriona Wightman
- Digital Spy
Spoiler alert: I've got a killer segue lined up for the transition from "Jamie's Dream School" to "South Riding"! You're going to love it. That being said, on to the programmes.
Jamie's Dream School
The prog that everyone's talking about right now in Britain is "Jamie's Dream School", a title that puts the 'moron' in 'oxymoron'. Indeed, the weird establishment staffed by celebrities for drop-out students, under the watchful eye of the Naked Chef himself, is so far from being a dream school that I caught myself humming 'Gangsta's Paradise' halfway through the first episode.
So the idea of "Dream School" is that Jamie Oliver, drawing on the experience that saw him revolutionise school dinners for ten minutes back in 2005, gets some cool slebs to sort out the youngsters and inspire them and turn their lives around, or something like that. So he has David Starkey, the famous(ly pompous and creepy) historian,...
Jamie's Dream School
The prog that everyone's talking about right now in Britain is "Jamie's Dream School", a title that puts the 'moron' in 'oxymoron'. Indeed, the weird establishment staffed by celebrities for drop-out students, under the watchful eye of the Naked Chef himself, is so far from being a dream school that I caught myself humming 'Gangsta's Paradise' halfway through the first episode.
So the idea of "Dream School" is that Jamie Oliver, drawing on the experience that saw him revolutionise school dinners for ten minutes back in 2005, gets some cool slebs to sort out the youngsters and inspire them and turn their lives around, or something like that. So he has David Starkey, the famous(ly pompous and creepy) historian,...
- 3/11/2011
- by Dustin Rowles
Hello all. This week we have a new take on a classic by Andrew Davies, a cookery show outstaying its welcome, and a new legal drama from Peter Moffatt. Dem's the shows: let's get right to the bitchy take-down of them, eh?
South Riding
The scene: the office of Andrew Davies, famous screenwriter behind the adaptations of "Bleak House," "Middlemarch," and "Pride & Prejudice" (the one with Colin Firth and the pond). Andrew Davies is sitting at a desk piled high with Penguin Classics.
Andrew Davies: (Sigh)
A young man enters. It's Peter, Andrew Davies' assistant.
Andrew Davies: Well, what have you got?
Peter: Mr Davies, sir, I...
Andrew Davies (shouting): Call me Andy! So? What classics have you got for me?
Peter: Well, I've been reading Tolstoy like you told me to, and...
Andrew Davies: Yes, boy, yes, yes? Can I adapt him? Is he any good?...
South Riding
The scene: the office of Andrew Davies, famous screenwriter behind the adaptations of "Bleak House," "Middlemarch," and "Pride & Prejudice" (the one with Colin Firth and the pond). Andrew Davies is sitting at a desk piled high with Penguin Classics.
Andrew Davies: (Sigh)
A young man enters. It's Peter, Andrew Davies' assistant.
Andrew Davies: Well, what have you got?
Peter: Mr Davies, sir, I...
Andrew Davies (shouting): Call me Andy! So? What classics have you got for me?
Peter: Well, I've been reading Tolstoy like you told me to, and...
Andrew Davies: Yes, boy, yes, yes? Can I adapt him? Is he any good?...
- 2/24/2011
- by Dustin Rowles
New BBC drama South Riding rode in with 6.6 million viewers on Sunday evening, despite tough competition from Dancing On Ice and Wild At Heart, the latest audience data has revealed. South Riding, a three-part mini-series starring David Morrissey and Anna Maxwell Martin, averaged 6.62m (23.9%) for BBC One in the 9pm hour. The programme held its own against Wild At Heart, with the long-running ITV1 drama pulling in 6.76m (23.6%) from 8.30pm and 89k (0.4) on +1. South Riding also stood tall against Dancing On Ice: The Skate-Off, which entertained 6.63m (24.6%) from 9.30pm, down 700k week-on-week. The show, featuring the elimination of Kerry Katona, grabbed a further 194k (1.2%) on timeshift. Elsewhere on ITV1, the main Dancing On Ice programme fetched 8.32m (30.9%) from 6.15pm and 184 (0.6%) on +1. That Sunday (more)...
- 2/21/2011
- by By Andrew Laughlin
- Digital Spy
David Morrissey has claimed that his new drama South Riding is relevant to modern audiences. The BBC drama, which is set in the 1930s, follows a teacher called Sarah (Anna Maxwell Martin) as she becomes the head at a Yorkshire girls' school. Speaking to What's On TV, Morrissey explained that his character Robert will be unhappy about Sarah's arrival. "Robert is a middle-class landowner who is on the local council and takes his duties seriously," (more)...
- 2/16/2011
- by By Catriona Wightman
- Digital Spy
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