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Big Deal (TV Series)
''Big Deal'' is a British comedy-drama television series originally broadcast by the BBC between 1984 and 1986. The series was created and written by Geoff McQueen, who created several other major television series including ''Give Us a Break'', ''Stay Lucky'', and ''The Bill''. Starring Ray Brooks, Sharon Duce and Lisa Geoghan, the series concentrated on the ups and downs of small-time London gambler Robbie Box (played by Brooks) and the effect that his poker addiction has on his long suffering girlfriend Jan Oliver (Duce) and her daughter Debby (Geoghan). The theme music was by Bucks Fizz member Bobby G. Cast * Ray Brooks – Robbie Box *Sharon Duce – Jan Oliver * Lisa Geoghan – Debby Oliver *Pamela Cundell – Vi Box * James Ottaway – Tommy *Andy Mulligan – Geordie *Kenneth Waller – Ferret *Deirdre Costello – Joan * Stephen Tate – Dick Mayer *Frank Mills – Gil Roach *Alex Tetteh-Lartey – Black George * Roger Walker – Kipper *Tony Caunter Anthony Pat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Comedy Drama
Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, illness, betrayal, grief, etc.) are handled with realism and subtlety, while preserving a humorous tenor. The term "dramedy" began to be used in the television industry in the 1980s. Modern television comedy dramas tend to have more humour integrated into the story than the comic relief common in drama series, but usually contain a lower joke rate than sitcom, sitcoms. History In Theatre of ancient Greece, Greek theatre, plays were considered comedies or tragedies (i.e. drama): the former being light stories with a happy ending, and the latter serious stories with a sad ending. This concept even influenced Theatre of ancient Rome, Roman theatre and theatre of the Hellenistic period. Theatre of that era is thought to have long-lasting infl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stephen Tate
Stephen Tate is a British actor and musical theatre artist. Career Television He is possibly best known for his recurring role as Alan in the 1970s television drama ''Survivors'' and as Dick Meyer in the 1980s comedy drama '' Big Deal'' alongside Ray Brooks. His other credits include ''Z-Cars'', ''The Onedin Line'', ''Blake's 7'', ''Yes Minister'', ''The Black Adder'', '' Dear John'', '' Boon'', ''The Bill'', ''Minder'', ''Cardiac Arrest'', ''Silent Witness'' and ''Emmerdale''. He played Monsieur Fauchlevant in the 2012 film version of ''Les Misérables'' Musical theatre Tate has had a distinguished career in London's West End: *Judas in ''Jesus Christ Superstar''. *Gregory Gardner in ''A Chorus Line''. *Gus the Theatre Cat and Growltiger in the original West End production of ''Cats''. *Thenardier in ''Les Misérables''. *Created the role of Richard I (Richard the Lionheart) in '' Blondel''. *Jacob/Guru/Potiphar in ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat ''J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1984 British Television Series Debuts
Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). * January 9 – Van Halen releases their sixth studio album ''1984 (Van Halen album), 1984'' (''MCMLXXXIV''), which debuts at number 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and will go to sell over 10 million copies in the United States. * January 10 ** The United States and the Vatican City, Vatican (Holy See) restore full diplomatic relations. ** The Victoria, Seychelles, Victoria Agreement is signed, institutionalising the Indian Ocean Commission. *January 24 – Steve Jobs launches the Macintosh 128K, Macintosh personal computer in the United States. *January 27 – American singer Michael Jackson's hair caught on fire during the making of the Pepsi commercial. February * February 3 ** John Buster and the research ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1980s British Comedy-drama Television Series
__NOTOC__ Year 198 (CXCVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Sergius and Gallus (or, less frequently, year 951 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 198 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years. Events By place Roman Empire *January 28 **Publius Septimius Geta, son of Septimius Severus, receives the title of Caesar. **Caracalla, son of Septimius Severus, is given the title of Augustus. China *Winter – Battle of Xiapi: The allied armies led by Cao Cao and Liu Bei defeat Lü Bu; afterward Cao Cao has him executed. By topic Religion * Marcus I succeeds Olympianus as Patriarch of Constantinople (until 211). Births * Lu Kai, Chinese official and general (d. 269) * Quan Cong, Chinese general and advisor (d. 249) Deaths * Li Jue, Chinese warlord and regent * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BBC Comedy-drama Television Shows
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current state with its current name on New Year's Day 1927. The oldest and largest local and global broadcaster by stature and by number of employees, the BBC employs over 21,000 staff in total, of whom approximately 17,200 are in public-sector broadcasting. The BBC was established under a royal charter, and operates under an agreement with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Its work is funded principally by an annual television licence fee which is charged to all British households, companies, and organisations using any type of equipment to receive or record live television broadcasts or to use the BBC's streaming service, iPlayer. The fee is set by the British government, agreed by Parliament, and is used to fund the BBC's rad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jan Sargent
Jan Sargent is a British director and writer of television, film, and theatre. One of her best known productions is Arthur Miller's ''The Price (play), The Price'' at the Bristol Old Vic. She has also directed episodes of ''Where the Heart Is (British TV series), Where the Heart Is'', ''Backup'', ''Dangerfield (TV series), Dangerfield'', ''The Bill'', ''Ruth Rendell Mysteries'', ''Soldier Soldier'', ''Casualty (TV series), Casualty'', ''Big Deal (TV series), Big Deal'', ''Truckers'', ''Black Silk'', ''Desmonds'', ''Births Marriages & Deaths'' and ''Small Change''. She is married to actor George Irving (English actor), George Irving. References External links * Living people British television directors British theatre directors Year of birth missing (living people) {{UK-film-director-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jeremy Summers
Jeremy Summers (18 August 1931 – 14 December 2016) was a British television director and film director, known for directing television series such as ''The Saint (TV series), The Saint'' and films such as ''Five Golden Dragons'', ''The House of 1,000 Dolls'', and ''The Vengeance of Fu Manchu''. Background Born in St Albans in 1931, Summers was born into a family of theatrical tradition and his father Walter Summers (1896-1973) was a film director and screenwriter. He directed nearly 50 different TV programmes between 1960 and 1999, including ''The Saint (TV series), The Saint'' and ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)''. Career In his early career, Summers worked as a runner and then later assistant director on films such as ''The Dam Busters (film), The Dam Busters'' (1955) with Michael Anderson (director), Michael Anderson and ''Moby Dick (1956 film), Moby Dick'' (1956) with John Huston. Summers became a director with the support film ''Depth Charge (film), Depth Charge'' (196 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gerald Blake (director)
Gerald Blake (3 December 1928 – 5 April 1991) was a British television director who worked in drama from the 1960s to the 1980s. His numerous credits include ''The Gentle Touch'', '' The Omega Factor'' (the episode "After-Image"), ''Blake's 7'' (the episodes "The Harvest of Kairos" (1980) and "Death-Watch" (1980) from the third series), '' Survivors'' (three episodes from the first series), ''The Onedin Line'', '' Out of the Unknown'', ''Doctor Who'' (the stories ''The Abominable Snowmen'' (1967) and ''The Invasion of Time'' (1978)), ''Dr. Finlay's Casebook'', ''Compact'', ''Z-Cars'', '' Mr. Palfrey of Westminster'', and ''Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' (colloquially referred to as ''Corrie'') is a British television soap opera created by ITV Granada, Granada Television and shown on ITV (TV network), ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced ...''. References * External links * 1928 births 1991 deaths British television di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gawn Grainger
Gawn Grainger (12 October 1937 – 17 May 2025) was a Scottish actor, playwright and screenwriter. Early life Some sources indicate he was born in Glasgow, Scotland on 12 October 1937. He was the son of Charles Neil Grainger and his wife Elizabeth (née Gall). Educated at Westminster City School in Victoria, London, he later trained for the stage at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. Grainger made his first London appearance as a boy in 1949, when he played in ''Where the Rainbow Ends'', opposite Anton Dolin, at the Comedy Theatre, London. Career Grainger began his professional career at the Dundee Rep in 1961, followed by two years at Ipswich, 1962–64. He joined Laurence Olivier's National Theatre at the Old Vic company in 1972. Among his notable television credits were the Apostle Andrew in '' Son of Man'' by Dennis Potter (1969); the Earl of Kildare in ''The Shadow of the Tower'' (1972); George Stephenson in the ''Doctor Who'' serial '' The Mark of the Rani'' ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christopher Menaul
Christopher Menaul (born 25 July 1944) is a British film, television director and television writer. Since the late 1970s, Menaul has amassed credits in episodic television and by directing television films. Filmography Film *'' Feast of July'' (1995) *'' First Night'' (2010) *'' Summer in February'' (2013) *'' Another Mother's Son'' (2017) TV *2015 Killing Jesus (TV film) *2013 The Suspicions of Mr Whicher II *2011 Combat Hospital (TV series) *2011 Zen (TV mini-series) *2009 Above Suspicion (TV film) *2007 Saddam's Tribe (TV film) *2006 See No Evil: The Moors Murders (TV film) *2005 Secret Smile (TV film) *2005 Planespotting (TV film) *2004 Belonging (TV film) *2004 Wall of Silence (TV film) *2003 State of Mind (TV film) *2002 The Forsyte Saga (TV mini-series) *2000 One Kill (TV film) *1999 The Passion of Ayn Rand (TV film) *1997 Bright Hair (TV film) *1994 Fatherland (TV film) *1994 Homicide: Life on the Street (TV series) *1992 Great Performances (TV series) *199 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Glenister
John Glenister (12 October 1932 – November 2024) was an English television director. His credits included '' The Six Wives of Henry VIII'', '' Emma'', ''Rumpole of the Bailey'', ''Play for Today'', Dennis Potter's 1971 biopic of '' Casanova'', ''Marie Curie'', ''A Touch of Frost'', Alan Plater's ''On Your Way, Riley'', ''Hetty Wainthropp Investigates'' and ''A Bit of a Do''. Glenister died in November 2024, at the age of 92. His sons, Robert Glenister (born 1960) and Philip Glenister Philip Haywood Glenister (born 10 February 1963) is an English actor. He is known for his role as DCI Gene Hunt in the BBC series ''Life on Mars'' (2006–2007) and its sequel '' Ashes to Ashes'' (2008–2010). He also played DCI William Bell ... (born 1963), became actors. References External links * 1932 births 2024 deaths British television directors Glenister family (show business) {{England-tv-bio-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony Caunter
Anthony Patrick Caunter (born 22 September 1937) is a retired English actor best known for his roles as Jack Shepherd in the Yorkshire Television sitcom '' Queenie's Castle'' (1970–72), DCI Jim Logan in the first three seasons of ''Juliet Bravo'' (1980–1982), and his portrayal of the kindly car dealer Roy Evans in ''EastEnders'' (1994–2003). Early life The second son of Annie Mary and Roy Hobert Caunter, Caunter attended Worthing and Westcliff High Schools. Caunter has an older brother, Roger. Career Caunter's numerous television credits include ''Crown Court'', ''Z-Cars'', '' The Avengers'', ''Casualty'', '' London's Burning'', ''Home to Roost'', '' Queenie's Castle'', '' The Saint'', ''Special Branch'', ''The Champions'', ''Dixon of Dock Green'', ''Catweazle'', '' The Main Chance'', '' The Professionals'', '' The Sweeney'', '' Minder'', '' Pennies From Heaven'', '' Westbeach'', '' Howards' Way'', ''Lovejoy'', '' May to December'', '' Boon'', '' Heartbeat'', ''Juliet ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
