Crossroads (1964–1988)

The four or five times a week adventures of a motel owner, son, daughter and her staff. Drama was never far away from the ringing of the reception bell.

Creators:

Hazel Adair, Peter Ling

Stars:

Noele Gordon, Susan Hanson, Ronald Allen

Cast

Series cast summary:
Noele Gordon	...	Meg Mortimer (219 episodes, 1964-1981)
Susan Hanson	...	Diane Parker (203 episodes, 1966-1985)
Ronald Allen	...	David Hunter (195 episodes, 1972-1983)
Paul Henry	...	Benny (172 episodes, 1976-1987)
Roger Tonge	...	Sandy Richardson (151 episodes, 1964-1980)
Jane Rossington	...	Jill Harvey (126 episodes, 1964-1988)
Sally Adcock	...	Jane Smith (119 episodes, 1973-1978)
Kathy Staff	...	Doris Luke (107 episodes, 1978-1982)

Storyline

The four or five times a week adventures of a motel owner, son, daughter and her staff. Drama was never far away from the ringing of the reception bell.

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Plot Keywords:

motel | sergeant | partially lost tv series | midlands | soap | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Official fan club

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 1964 (UK)

Also Known As:

The Midland Road

Company Credits

Production Co:

Associated Television (ATV), Central Independent Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min (4510 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The show originally focused on the different routes taken in life by sisters Meg Richardson and Kitty Jarvis (the former a motel-running widow, the latter owning a newsagents shop), later being joined in King's Oak by their supermarket-managing brother Andy Fraser. The idea of exploring family ties in this way drifted off somewhat when Meg proved to be hugely popular with viewers, and also by the unexpected death in 1969 of Kitty actress Beryl Johnstone.

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Connections

Referenced in Man About the House: Did You Ever Meet Rommel? (1974)

User Reviews

Awfully Wonderful

The previous reviewer is quite right. Crossroads was of the "so bad, it's good" ilk. Still, during its peak it had its followers including the (then) prime minister's wife, Mrs. Mary Wilson, a staunch follower. Crossroads suffered from a hectic schedule, originally five days a week. No time for retakes, so it was not uncommon to see a camera crew whizzing by in the background, or to witness an overhanging microphone at the top of the TV screen. Fluffed lines guaranteed in every episode. In its favor, it did not bring dead and buried characters back to life, or have five different actors play the same character (as is common in US soaps). Aside from those mentioned, there were many other memorable characters such as the mousy postmistress Miss Tatum (Elisabeth Croft), the "tart with a heart" hairdresser Vera Downend (Zeph Gladstone), and the kitchen gossip Amy Turtle (Ann George, who deserved an award for worst actress).

Looking back years later, and having spent ten years in the States, I can only compare Crossroads star Noele Gordon to Susan Lucci, the queen of US soaps. Gordon was hardly the glamorous star that Lucci is, but she was undoubtedly THE queen of the UK soap. When she was unceremoniously dumped from Crossroads in 1981, there was a public outcry, and the soap's fate was sealed (as was Gordon's who never quite got over her dismissal and died four years later). Crossroads was given an overhaul and plodded on for a few more years. In the last episode, Jane Rossington (Gordon's screen daughter who spoke the first lines in 1964) drove off into the distance (sunset unavailable) and it was the end of an era. Crossroads and Coronation Street often replaced each other at No. 1 in the charts, just as Coronation Street and Eastenders do these day. That's how good/bad it was.