Richard Wilson talks about his impressive career to date, with archive footage and testimony from friends and colleagues. The programme contains footage and stills from programmes such as One Foot in the Grave, Crown Court, Only When I Laugh and Richard's first TV appearance on Dr Finlay's Casebook.
Alison Steadman talks about her impressive career, featuring archive footage and testimony from friends and colleagues. The programme progresses from her earliest appearances on screen, to what drove her choices, for good or ill, and their consequences.
This follows Sir Michael Caine's impressive career, featuring archive clips woven together with interviews from colleagues and critics. It covers his 50 year long career with classic films like Zulu, The Ipcress File, The Man Who Would Be King and Get Carter, plus the more recent controversial British film, Harry Brown.
Documentary tracing the career of Dame Judi Dench using excerpts from performances and interviews with friends and colleagues. The programme shows very early recordings of Dame Judi performing Shakespeare and her first television appearance in Z Cars. We see performances in classic 60s dramas, 'Talking to a Stranger' and 'Four in the Morning' then show how she became a television sitcom star in 'A Fine Romance' and 'As Time Goes By'. Her sense of humour is illustrated by rarely seen outtakes from the shows. Dame Judi's career enjoyed a late flourish when three films propelled her into the international spotlight 'Goldeneye', 'Mrs Brown' and 'Shakespeare in Love' reinvented her as a film star and earned her an Oscar. Among many colleagues, the programme features Sir Michael Parkinson, Geoffrey Palmer and Simon Callow.
Les Dawson was one of Britain's all time great comedy talents, best known as a comedian but also a talented musician, writer and actor. This programme traces his career, with familiar favourite TV clips and some rare gems from the archives. Together with interviews from friends, relatives and colleagues, the programme unpicks the secrets of his enduring legacy nearly 20 years after his untimely death. After 'discovery' on the Opportunity Knocks talent show in the 60s, he quickly became a regular face on TV, hosting comedy-led variety shows like Sez Les and The Les Dawson Show. His trademarks were short, pithy jokes, usually targeting his wife or mother in law, long verbose monologues and, perhaps most famously, piano recitals that went hilariously off key. His reputation attracted guest appearances from some unexpected fans like John Cleese and Shirley Bassey, and he created an overweight dance troupe, The Roly Polys. The programme shows how his career unfolded and illustrates the different facets of his comedy genius. John Cleese remembers their unlikely friendship, modern comedy stars Robert Webb and Russell Kane talk about his inspiration and Dawson's widow Tracy recalls their marriage and his joy at being a father late in life.
Programme telling the story of Ronnie Barker, a quiet dedicated actor who might have been a bank manager but went on to become one of the country's favourite comedy stars. Ben Elton, Michael Grade, David Renwick and Josephine Tewson are among friends and colleagues who remember his genius. Famed as one half of the Two Ronnies and the likeable convict Fletcher in Porridge, he was also a prolific writer and admired actor in serious roles.
Celebrating the extraordinary career of entertainer Stanley Baxter, whose shows captivated huge audiences for twenty years before the cost of his epics priced him off our screens. Tracing his origins to Scotland's variety and review stages, his story is told by admiring fans including Michael Grade, Barry Cryer, Bill Oddie and Gregor Fisher.
Telling the story of one of the Carry On films most well known faces.
The Many Faces of Dame Helen Mirren is an entertaining and revealing journey through the career of one of Britain's best loved actors. She was a performer who frequently courted controversy in her younger years and who has retained a sensual aura in later life. Her portrayal of Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect revolutionised British crime drama and made her a household name but it was her Oscar winning performance as The Queen that propelled her to international stardom. In recent years she has balanced Hollywood commitments with a return to her first love - the stage.
A programme tracing the extraordinary career of one of Britain's most versatile stars. Michael Crawford was a child actor who hit the 60s at just the right time. His first film The Knack was an award winning cult success that saw him rub shoulders with the Beatles. A surprise move to the stage caught the eye of Gene Kelly and led to a lead role for Michael in the film Hello Dolly - one of the last great Hollywood musicals. The programme features a new interview with Michael in which he reveals he's not a natural singer or dancer - the Hello Dolly producers wanted to overdub his most famous song. That song is now a cult classic but his Hollywood success was short lived and he spent some time working in his wife's cushion factory before landing his best known part as Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do Ave Em. His love of stunts and mastery of Frank's comic mannerisms made him a household name but once more Michael Crawford turned to the stage in what became the biggest musical of all time - The Phantom of the Opera. In recent years he has stayed on stage but relentless stunt work and a punishing schedule has taken a toll on his health. Nevertheless, after more than 50 years in the business, he recently returned to the stage in the musical The Wizard of Oz - still singing and dancing with a new generation.
A programme tracing the extraordinary career of one of Britain's finest actors in comedy and drama. Robbie Coltrane talks candidly about his career as well as featuring exclusive interviews with JK Rowling, Jimmy McGovern, Keith Allen, Peter Richardson, Mike Newell, John Sessions, Rupert Grint and Gerladine Somerville. The multi-award winning actor has gone from edgy alternative comedian to performing in one of the most well-known roles in the Harry Potter films. Showing the funniest and finest moments of Robbie's career, this is a rollercoaster ride through the career of one of our most loved and respected performers.
For 17 years, The Dick Emery Show dominated Saturday night TV. Regularly pulling in audiences of 17 million, Dick Emery became one of the giants of British character comedy, until his untimely death in 1983, aged 67. Firmly rooted in the traditions of the Concert Party and Vaudeville, his characters and their catchphrases were legendary. In this programme, his influence is acknowledged by current comedians such as David Walliams, Charlie Higson and David Baddiel. With previously unseen footage and contributions from his family, contemporaries and those he worked with, The Many Faces of Dick Emery takes a closer look at his career.
Ronnie Corbett is an icon of television entertainment. His starring role in The Two Ronnies has earned him a chapter in the book of all-time comedy greats. But who knew of his first screen role in You're Only Young Twice, or that six episodes of Two Ronnies were made in Australia? Like many of his generation, Ronnie had a strong career on stage and was 36 before his first big television break. That was on the groundbreaking Frost Report - a live tinder box of comedy talent that also introduced John Cleese and Ronnie Barker. Ronnie's comedy is still vibrant. Show business has refused to let him stop working. The list of his modern-day collaborators is both lengthy and impressive. Expect to see favourite moments and many surprises in The Many Faces of Ronnie Corbett.
Comedy actress June Whitfield tells her own story, from her early days in the West End working with Noel Coward, her ill-fated Broadway debut, and with the help of rarely seen archive, her fifty plus years of impeccable comedy performances on radio and TV. She also offers insights into her onscreen relationship with Terry Scott and the secret behind her continuing success.
