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Caroline Blakiston
Caroline Georgiana Blakiston (born 13 February 1933) is an English actress. She is best known for her role in the British television comedy series ''Brass (TV series), Brass'' and to international audiences as Mon Mothma in the ''Star Wars'' film ''Return of the Jedi'', and Aunt Agatha in ''Poldark (2015 TV series), Poldark''. Early life Blakiston was born in London, to the archivist and author Hugh Noel Blakiston (1905–1984), and (Rachel) Georgiana (1903–1995), daughter of barrister Harold John Hastings Russell (a descendant of the 6th Duke of Bedford) and Lady Victoria Alberta Leveson-Gower, whose father was the statesman Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville. The Blakiston family originated in County Durham, and were related to the Blakiston baronets. Blakiston attended RADA, graduating in 1957. Career In the 1960s, Blakiston appeared in three episodes of ''The Avengers (TV series), The Avengers'' as well a number of ITC Entertainment, ITC productions such as ''The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area in West London, England, due south-west of Kilometre zero#Great Britain, Charing Cross by approximately . It lies on the north bank of the River Thames and for postal purposes is part of the SW postcode area, south-western postal area. Chelsea historically formed a manor and parish in the Ossulstone hundred of Middlesex, which became the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea in 1900. It merged with the Metropolitan Borough of Kensington, forming the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea upon the creation of Greater London in 1965. The exclusivity of Chelsea as a result of its high property prices historically resulted in the coining of the term "Sloane Ranger" in the 1970s to describe some of its residents, and some of those of nearby areas. Chelsea is home to one of the largest communities of Americans living outside the United States, with 6.53% of Chelsea residents having been born in the U.S. History Early history The word ''Chelsea'' (also formerly ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Never Trust A Ghost
"Never Trust a Ghost" is the fourth episode of the 1969 ITC British television series ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' starring Mike Pratt, Kenneth Cope and Annette Andre. The episode was first broadcast on 12 October 1969 on ITV. Directed by Jeremy Summers. Synopsis One evening, whilst idly passing the time away, Marty witnesses an ambush outside the home of a wealthy civil servant, James Howarth. Mr Howarth arrives home and is threatened by a man waiting in the street and forced into his own house, where he is promptly shot. The killer then immediately gets on the telephone and tells somebody that his mission was a success and that there were no witnesses (unaware of Marty's presence of course) and reveals himself to be a Mr Rawlins in the process. Marty immediately calls round to see Jeff and convinces him to call the police. Jeff rings a grumpy inspector Clayton, who seems to have a particular dislike for Jeff and is none too pleased at being disturbed in the middle of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miss Marple (TV Series)
''Miss Marple'', titled ''Agatha Christie's Miss Marple'' in the series, is a British television series based on the Miss Marple murder mystery novels by Agatha Christie, starring Joan Hickson in the title role. It aired from 26 December 1984 to 27 December 1992 on BBC One. All twelve original Miss Marple novels by Christie were dramatised. The adaptations were written by T. R. Bowen, Julia Jones, Alan Plater, Ken Taylor and Jill Hyem; and the series was produced by George Gallaccio. In addition to its availability on VHS and DVD, the series began to be released on Blu-ray Disc in October 2014, marking its 30th anniversary. Background Agatha Christie had never been very happy with most filmed adaptations of her works, and according to her grandson Mathew Prichard, who handled her estate after her death, she "did not care much for television", either. Producer Pat Sandys of London Weekend Television first approached Prichard and the Christie estate with a researched, detailed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
At Bertram's Hotel
''At Bertram's Hotel'' is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie, first published in the United Kingdom by the Collins Crime Club on 15 November 1965Chris Peers, Ralph Spurrier and Jamie Sturgeon. ''Collins Crime Club: A Checklist of First Editions''. Dragonby Press (second edition) March 1999 (p. 15) and in the United States by Dodd, Mead and Company in 1966. The novel follows Chief Inspector Fred Davy as he investigates an upmarket hotel that is at the centre of a mysterious disappearance. Among the lodgers at the hotel is Christie's popular character Miss Marple; ''At Bertram's Hotel'' was marketed as a Miss Marple novel, despite the fact that Marple only appears in a few chapters and has a completely passive role in the investigation. ''At Bertram's Hotel'' met with mostly positive reviews. Reviewers criticized the reliance of far-fetched coincidences, but found that Christie's gripping writing style makes the book enjoyable in spite of any weaknesses in the plot. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miss Marple
Miss Jane Marple is a fictional character in Agatha Christie's crime novels and short stories. Miss Marple lives in the village of St Mary Mead and acts as an amateur consulting detective. Often characterised as an elderly spinster, she is one of Christie's best-known characters and has been portrayed numerous times on screen. Her first appearance was in a short story published in '' The Royal Magazine'' in December 1927, " The Tuesday Night Club", which later became the first chapter of '' The Thirteen Problems'' (1932). Her first appearance in a full-length novel was in '' The Murder at the Vicarage'' in 1930, and her last appearance was in '' Sleeping Murder'' in 1976. Origins The character of Miss Marple is based on friends of Christie's step grandmother, Margaret Miller, née West. Christie attributed the inspiration for the character to multiple sources, stating that Miss Marple was "the sort of old lady who would have been rather like some of my step grandmother's Ealing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joan Hickson
Joan Bogle Hickson (5 August 1906 – 17 October 1998) was an English actress of theatre, film and television. She was known for her role as Agatha Christie's Miss Marple in the television series '' Miss Marple''. She also narrated a number of ''Miss Marple'' stories on audiobooks. Biography Born in Kingsthorpe, Northampton, Hickson was a daughter of Edith Mary (née Bogle) and Alfred Harold Hickson, a shoe manufacturer. After boarding at Oldfield School in Swanage, Dorset, she went on to train at RADA in London. She made her stage debut in 1927, then worked for several years throughout the United Kingdom, achieving success playing comedic, often eccentric characters in the West End of London. She played the role of the cockney maid Ida in the original production of '' See How They Run'' at the Q Theatre in 1944, and then at the Comedy Theatre in January 1945. She made her first film appearance in 1934. The numerous supporting roles she played during her career included se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alec McCowen
Alexander Duncan McCowen, (26 May 1925 – 6 February 2017) was an English actor. He was known for his work in numerous film and stage productions. Early life McCowen was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, the son of Mary (née Walkden), a dancer, and Duncan McCowen, a shopkeeper. He attended The Skinners' School in Tunbridge Wells - he was known as 'Squeaker' McCowen by his friends - and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Career Early theatre work McCowen first appeared on stage at the Macclesfield repertory theatre in August 1942 as Micky in ''Paddy the Next Best Thing''. He appeared in repertory in York and Birmingham 1943–45, and toured India and Burma in a production of Kenneth Horne's West End comedy '' Love in a Mist'' during 1945 with the Entertainments National Service Association ( ENSA). He continued in repertory 1946–49, during which time he played a season at St John's, Newfoundland, Canada. McCowen made his London debut on 20 April 1950, at the Arts The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rebel Alliance
The Rebel Alliance (known formally Universe of Star Wars, in-universe as the Alliance to Restore the Republic) is an organization that features in the fictional world of the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise. The Alliance is portrayed as a stateless coalition of rebel dissidents and defectors who oppose the Galactic Empire and its authoritarian rule. Its stated goal is to restore the governance of the previous Galactic Republic, which had been dissolved after its leader Palpatine seized absolute power and declared himself emperor. It is the main protagonistic faction of the Star Wars original trilogy, original ''Star Wars'' trilogy. In Universe of Star Wars, the ''Star Wars'' universe, the Insurgency, rebel insurgency conducts covert operations on Imperial garrison worlds, utilizing a stateless strategy in conjunction with Wolfpack (naval tactic), wolfpack-guerrilla warfare against the Imperial fleet throughout the galaxy. Capital ships are portrayed as having no place in the Reb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Private Schulz
''Private Schulz'' is a 1981 BBC television comedy drama serial set mostly in Germany, during and immediately after World War II. It stars Michael Elphick in the title role and Ian Richardson playing various parts. Other notable actors included Tony Caunter, Billie Whitelaw, Billy Murray and Mark Wingett. It was shown on '' Masterpiece Theatre'' in the US. Plot summary Over six 50-minute episodes, it tells the story of Gerhard Schulz, a German fraudster and petty criminal who is forced against his will to serve in the SS. In a story based on the real, though unrealised, plot by the Germans known as Operation Bernhard, he persuades his superiors to authorise a project to print counterfeit British five pound notes for the purpose of destroying the British economy. Schulz has little interest in the defeat of Britain, and simply wants to steal the forged notes, although he is also strongly motivated to help a former criminal colleague, a Jewish master forger imprisoned in a co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crown Court (TV Series)
''Crown Court'' is a British television courtroom drama series produced by Granada Television for the ITV network. It ran from 1972, when the Crown Court system replaced Assize courts and Quarter sessions in the legal system of England and Wales, to 1984.Down, R., Perry, C. (1995). ''The British Television Drama Research Guide, 1950–1995''. Dudley: Kaleidoscope. It was transmitted in the early afternoon. Format A court case in the crown court of the fictional town of Fulchester (a name later adopted by '' Viz'') would typically be played out over three afternoons in 25-minute episodes. The most frequent format was for the prosecution case to be presented in the first two episodes and the defence in the third, although there were some later, brief variations. Unlike some other legal dramas, the cases in ''Crown Court'' were presented from a relatively neutral point of view and the action was confined to the courtroom itself, with occasional brief glimpses of waiting areas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
King's Counsel
A King's Counsel ( post-nominal initials KC) is a senior lawyer appointed by the monarch (or their viceregal representative) of some Commonwealth realms as a "Counsel learned in the law". When the reigning monarch is a woman, the title is Queen's Counsel (QC). The position originated in England and Wales. Some Commonwealth countries have retained the designation, while others have either abolished the position or renamed it so as to remove monarchical connotations — for example, " Senior Counsel" or "Senior Advocate". Appointment as King's Counsel is an office recognised by courts. Members in the UK have the privilege of sitting within the inner bar of court. As members wear silk gowns of a particular design, appointment as King's Counsel is known informally as ''taking silk'' and KCs are often colloquially called ''silks''. Appointments are made from within the legal profession on the basis of merit and not a particular level of experience. Successful applicants are norm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Raffles (TV Series)
''Raffles'' is a 1977 television series adapted from the A. J. Raffles stories by E. W. Hornung. The stories were adapted by Philip Mackie. Set in Victorian era London, the series features the criminal adventures of gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, a renowned cricketer, and his friend, the eager but naive Bunny Manders, as they test their skills in relieving the wealthy of their valuables whilst avoiding detection, especially from Inspector Mackenzie. The episodes were largely faithful adaptations of the stories in the books, though occasionally two stories would be merged to create one episode, such as "The Gold Cup", which featured elements from two short stories, "A Jubilee Present" and "The Criminologist's Club". The series has been released on DVD. Regular cast * Anthony Valentine as A. J. Raffles, a clever and daring gentleman who is a well-known cricketer and also secretly an expert burglar * Christopher Strauli as Bunny Manders, Raffles's loyal friend and accomp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
