''Emergency Ward 10'' is a British

medical Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practic ...

soap opera series shown on ITV between 1957 and 1967. Like ''

The Grove Family ''The Grove Family'' was a British television series soap opera, generally regarded as the first of its kind broadcast in the UK, made and broadcast by the BBC Television Service from 1954 to 1957. The series concerned the life of the family of ...

'', a series shown by the BBC between 1954 and 1957, ''Emergency Ward 10'' is considered to be one of British television's first major soap operas.

Overview

The series was made by the ITV contractor ATV and set in a fictional hospital called Oxbridge General. Growing out of what was originally intended to be no more than a six-week serial (entitled ''Calling Nurse Roberts''), the series became ITV's first twice-weekly evening soap opera. ''Emergency Ward 10'' was the first hospital-based television drama to establish a successful format combining medical matters with storylines centring on the personal lives of the doctors and nurses. ''Emergency Ward 10'' attracted attention for its portrayal of an interracial relationship between surgeon Louise Mahler (played by

Joan Hooley Joan Hooley (born 13 November 1936) is an actress. Born in Jamaica, Hooley moved to the United Kingdom as a young girl, and her career has been based in Britain. She is best known for playing the role of Josie McFarlane in BBC's ''EastEnders'', ...

) and Doctor Giles Farmer (played by John White), showing the second kiss on television between black and white actors in July 1964, the first such kiss being in a

Granada TV ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was its ...

play ''

You in Your Small Corner "You in Your Small Corner" is a British television play shown in the '' Play of the Week'' series on the Independent Television (ITV) on 5 June 1962. It was formerly believed to include the first televised interracial kiss on British televisio ...

'' in 1962. However, the producers wrote the Mahler character out shortly afterwards by sending her to Africa, where she succumbed to snake bite. When ratings began to slide it was decided to convert the programme from a soap to a one-hour drama for Saturday nights, produced by Jo Douglas. It didn't work. ''Emergency Ward 10'' ended in 1967 after the show had been on air for ten years. ATV executive

Lew Grade Lew Grade, Baron Grade, (born Lev Winogradsky; 25 December 1906 – 13 December 1998) was a British media proprietor and impresario. Originally a dancer, and later a talent agent, Grade's interest in television production began in 19 ...

later admitted that cancelling the series was one of the biggest mistakes he ever made in his career. The formula was subsequently revived with the (originally) afternoon series ''

General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the longest-running American soap opera in production, and the second in American history after '' ...

'' (no connection with the American daytime soap ''

'') which was broadcast between 1972 and 1979. Australia's Charles "Bud" Tingwell starred in the series as surgeon Alan "Digger" Dawson, enjoying a heart-throb status because of his role. The closing theme tune was "Silks and Satins" by Peter Yorke.

Releases

In March 2008, Network released a DVD set containing the 24 earliest surviving episodes which date from 1959 and 1960. A second 24-episode volume was released in July 2008, while a third 24-episode set was released in 2010. A 1966 episode was included on Network's ''Soap Box Volume One'' DVD as was the sole-surviving episode of spin-off ''Call Oxbridge 2000''.

Main cast

* Jill Browne as Nurse Carole Young, staff nurse * Rosemary Miller as Nurse Pat Roberts, staff nurse * Charles Tingwell as Doctor Alan Dawson, senior house officer * Frederick Bartman as Doctor Simon Forrester, senior house officer * Pamela Duncan as Sister Doughty, charge sister * Desmond Carrington as Doctor Chris Anderson, consultant in emergency medicine * John Carlisle as Mr Lester Large, consultant general surgeon * Peter Howell as Doctor Peter Harrison, pre-registration house officer * Anne Lloyd as Nurse Pat Roberts, staff nurse * Glyn Owen as Doctor Patrick O'Meara, medical registrar in cardiology * Tricia Money as Nurse Michaela Davies, senior staff nurse * John White as Doctor Giles Farmer * Paula Byrne as Nurse Frances Whitney, state enrolled nurse * Kerry Marsh as Nurse O'Keefe, student nurse * Richard Thorp as Doctor John Rennie, consultant in emergency medicine *

Barbara Clegg Barbara Clegg (born 1 March 1926) is a British actress and scriptwriter for television and radio. Biography She was born in March 1926 in Manchester, England. Her parents were Herbert Clegg and Ethel Moores, sister of Sir John Moores who fo ...

as Nurse Jo Buckley, staff nurse * Iris Russell as Matron Mary Stevenson, senior ward sister/Hospital matron *

Pik-Sen Lim Pik-Sen Lim (, born 15 September 1944) is a Malaysian-British actress. According to the British Film Institute, Lim was "the most familiar Chinese actor on British television screens in the 1970s and 80s." Her notable roles include Chin Lee i ...

as Nurse Kwei-Kim Yen, staff nurse * Dorothy Smith as Sister McNab * John Barron as Harold de la Roux, hospital trustee * Kathleen Byron as Margaret de la Roux, hospital trustee *

Therese McMurray Therese or Thérèse is a variant of the feminine given name Teresa. It may refer to: Persons Therese *Duchess Therese of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1773–1839), member of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and a Duchess of Mecklenburg * Therese of B ...

as Nurse Maureen Parkin, staff nurse *William Wilde as Doctor Brooke, locum medical registrar in general surgery *

Jane Rossington Jane Rossington (born 5 March 1943) is a British actress, best known for her role as Jill Richardson in the soap opera ''Crossroads''. Biography Born in Derby, Rossington's family moved to Sutton Coldfield when she was four years of age. The ...

as Nurse Katherine Ford, senior consultant nurse in general surgery * Joan Matheson as Sister Rhys

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Emergency - Ward 10 1957 British television series debuts 1967 British television series endings 1950s British television soap operas 1960s British television soap operas ITV soap operas Television series by ITV Studios British television soap operas British medical television series English-language television shows Television shows produced by Associated Television (ATV) Black-and-white British television shows Television shows shot at ATV Elstree Studios

Overview

Releases

Main cast

See also

References

External links