"Tenko" (1981) TV series 1981-1984

Creator:

Lavinia Warner

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

22 October 1981 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Three 10x55min series. In the first series, a group of English women in 1941 Singapore are shipwrecked while they try to escape the Japanese invasion...

Plot Keywords:

Prisoner Of War | Malaya | One Word Title | WWII | War Crime

Awards:

1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Ann Bell	...	Marion Jefferson (30 episodes, 1981-1984)
Stephanie Cole	...	Dr. Beatrice Mason (30 episodes, 1981-1984)
Claire Oberman	...	Kate Norris (30 episodes, 1981-1984)
Veronica Roberts	...	Dorothy Bennett (28 episodes, 1981-1984)
Emily Bolton	...	Christina Campbell (28 episodes, 1981-1984)
Elizabeth Chambers	...	Mrs. Domenica Van Meyer (26 episodes, 1981-1984)
Patricia Lawrence	...	Sister Ulrica (21 episodes, 1981-1984)
Jean Anderson	...	Lady Jocelyn 'Joss' Holbrook / ... (20 episodes, 1982-1984)
Stephanie Beacham	...	Rose Millar (19 episodes, 1981-1982)
Burt Kwouk	...	Major Yamauchi / ... (19 episodes, 1981-1984)
Eiji Kusuhara	...	Lt. Sato / ... (17 episodes, 1981-1984)
Takashi Kawahara	...	Shinya (17 episodes, 1981-1982)
Takahiro Oba	...	Kasaki / ... (16 episodes, 1981-1984)
Louise Jameson	...	Blanche Simmons (13 episodes, 1981-1982)

Runtime:

UK:50 min (30 episodes)

Country:

Australia | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Filming Locations:

Dorset, England, UK

Company:

Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)

Quotes:

[repeated lines]
Mrs. Domenica Van Meyer: How dare you speak to me this way?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Drama Connections: Tenko (#1.3)" (2005)

A well-made POW drama

I watched all of this series when it was repeated on UK Drama very recently.

It is about some British and Dutch women who are captured by the Japs in 1942 Singapore and held in P-O-W camps.

The first series concentrated on the women adjusting to captivity, the main characters being commander Yamachui, leaders Marion Jefferson and Sister Ulrica, officious Dr Beatrice Mason, elegant snob Rose Millar, "Raj"-style older woman Sylvia Ashburton, young mother Dorothy Bennett, cockney Blanche Simmons, nurses Kate Norris and Nellie Keene, Chinese Christina Campbell and wealthy and selfish Mrs Van Meyer to name a few

The second series saw the women split up in new camps struggling to survive the brutal conditions of new commanders Sato and Miss Hassan and slyness of new leader Verna Johnson.

The third series saw the women liberated and back in Singapore trying to get their life back together again.

Tenko is a very well-made example of the suffering of female P-O-W's in 1942-5 Mayala and you should watch it, not to be entertained but to be educated as well