"Pie in the Sky" (1994) TV series 1994-1997

Creator:

Andrew Payne
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

13 March 1994 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

Plot:

Henry Crabbe, an intelligent, sensible, mild-mannered man, desperately wants to retire from the police...

Plot Keywords:

Restaurant | Police | Retirement | Cooking | Detective

Cast

Richard Griffiths	...	Henry Crabbe (40 episodes, 1994-1997)
Maggie Steed	...	Margaret Crabbe (33 episodes, 1994-1997)
Malcolm Sinclair	...	ACC Freddy Fisher (33 episodes, 1994-1997)
Nick Raggett	...	Leon Henderson (27 episodes, 1994-1997)
Bella Enahoro	...	DS Sophia Cambridge / ... (26 episodes, 1994-1996)
Samantha Womack	...	Nicola (22 episodes, 1995-1996)
Joe Duttine	...	Steve Turner (21 episodes, 1994-1995)
Nicholas Lamont	...	Gary Palmer (20 episodes, 1995-1997)
Ashley Russell	...	John (20 episodes, 1994-1995)

Series Directed by
Martin Hutchings		(6 episodes, 1994-1996)
David Innes Edwards		(5 episodes, 1996-1997)
Lawrence Gordon Clark		(4 episodes, 1994-1995)
Colin Gregg		(4 episodes, 1994)
Danny Hiller		(4 episodes, 1995-1996)
Jim Hill		(3 episodes, 1995)
Bill Pryde		(3 episodes, 1996-1997)
George Case		(2 episodes, 1994)
Keith Boak		(2 episodes, 1996)
Malcolm Mowbray		(2 episodes, 1996)
Rob Evans		(2 episodes, 1997)

Series Writing credits
Andrew Payne		(34 episodes, 1994-1997)
John Milne		(8 episodes, 1994-1997)
Richard Maher		(6 episodes, 1994-1996)
Robert Jones		(4 episodes, 1996-1997)

Series Produced by
Chrissy Skinns	....	producer / associate producer (39 episodes, 1994-1997)
Allan McKeown	....	executive producer (30 episodes, 1994-1996)
Joanna Willett	....	executive producer (30 episodes, 1994-1996)
Ken Baker	....	associate producer (30 episodes, 1995-1997)
David Wimbury	....	producer (15 episodes, 1994-1995)
Andrew Payne	....	executive producer (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
Jacky Stoller	....	producer (6 episodes, 1994)

Series Original Music by
Colin Towns		(32 episodes, 1994-1997)

Series Cinematography by
Paul Bond		(14 episodes, 1995-1997)
Ian Punter		(11 episodes, 1995-1997)
Derek Suter		(8 episodes, 1994)
Ken Westbury		(7 episodes, 1994-1995)

Series Film Editing by
Jeremy Strachan		(16 episodes, 1994-1996)
Nick McPhee		(8 episodes, 1995-1997)
William Webb		(7 episodes, 1996-1997)
Brian Freemantle		(5 episodes, 1995-1996)
Belinda Cottrell		(4 episodes, 1994)

Series Casting by
Doreen Jones		(1 episode, 1994)
Sarah Bird		(1 episode, 1995)

Series Production Design by
Tom Brown		(unknown episodes)
Chris Burke		(unknown episodes)
Rod Stratfold		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Mike Joyce		(1 episode, 1995)
Ricky Eyres		(unknown episodes)
Julian Parry		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Pat Godfrey		(1 episode, 1995)
Lance Milligan		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Jan Hope-Kavanagh	....	makeup designer (1 episode, 1995)
Anita Rudyj	....	makeup designer (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Louise Hussey	....	post-production supervisor (1 episode, 1995)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Styles	....	third assistant director (10 episodes, 1994)
Sean Guest	....	first assistant director (4 episodes, 1995)
Terry Madden	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Ken Shane	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Matthew Sharp	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Richard Whelan	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Thomas Martin	....	supervising carpenter (10 episodes, 1994)
Grahame Ménage	....	scenic artist (10 episodes, 1994)
Greg Mason	....	painter (8 episodes, 1997)
Paul Booth	....	stand-by art director (unknown episodes)
Sarah Hauldren	....	assistant art director (unknown episodes)
Robin Heinson	....	painter (unknown episodes)
Deborah Melsom	....	production buyer (unknown episodes)
Steve Wheeler	....	property master (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Steve Cookman	....	dubbing mixer (30 episodes, 1994-1997)
Bruce White	....	sound recordist (28 episodes, 1994-1996)
Paul Evans	....	dubbing editor (10 episodes, 1994)
Matt Grimes	....	dubbing editor (10 episodes, 1995)
Dave McGrath	....	dubbing mixer (10 episodes, 1995)
Andrew Sissons	....	sound recordist (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
Glenn Freemantle	....	dubbing editor (5 episodes, 1995-1996)
Max Hoskins	....	dubbing editor (4 episodes, 1996)

Series Special Effects by
Tim Baxter	....	optical effects (1 episode, 1994)

Series Stunts
Rocky Taylor	....	stunt coordinator / stunt arranger / ... (10 episodes, 1995-1997)
Paul Heasman	....	stunts (6 episodes, 1994-1996)
Sy Hollands	....	stunts (5 episodes, 1994-1996)
Ray De-Haan	....	stunts (4 episodes, 1994-1997)
Colin Skeaping	....	stunts / stunt coordinator (4 episodes, 1994-1996)
Roy Alon	....	stunt coordinator / stunts (4 episodes, 1995-1996)
Gabe Cronnelly	....	stunts (3 episodes, 1994-1997)
Nick Powell	....	stunts (3 episodes, 1994-1996)
Andy Bradford	....	stunt coordinator (3 episodes, 1994)
Eddie Stacey	....	stunts (3 episodes, 1996)
Elaine Ford	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1994-1997)
David Cronnelly	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1994-1996)
Stuart Clark	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1995-1997)
Dorothy Ford	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1995-1996)
Alan Stuart	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1995-1996)
Peter Diamond	....	stunt coordinator / stunts (2 episodes, 1995)
Valentino Musetti	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1995)
Rod Woodruff	....	stunt coordinator / stunts (2 episodes, 1995)
Marc Cass	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1996-1997)
Andy Smart	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1996-1997)
Steve Dent	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1996)
Steve Griffin	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1996)
Mark McBride	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1996)
Terry Walsh	....	stunt coordinator (2 episodes, 1997)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Vince Goddard	....	gaffer (30 episodes, 1995-1997)
Paul Hanning	....	second focus puller (20 episodes, 1995-1997)
Jim Crowther	....	grip (2 episodes, 1994)
Trevor Coop	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Adam Dale	....	aerial camera operator (unknown episodes)
John Deaton	....	focus puller (unknown episodes)
Mike Frift	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Ian Jackson	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Keith Mead	....	grip (unknown episodes)
Simon Mills	....	focus puller: second unit (unknown episodes)
Nick Penn	....	clapper loader (unknown episodes)
Ronnie Rampton	....	gaffer (unknown episodes)
Brad Watson	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Del Colley	....	wardrobe master (1 episode, 1995)

Series Editorial Department
Richard Wilding	....	on-line editor (32 episodes, 1994-1996)
Alasdair Whitelaw	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Sharon Moran	....	production secretary (20 episodes, 1995-1997)
Tim Baish	....	production assistant (3 episodes, 1996)
Ann Simpson	....	script supervisor (2 episodes, 1994)
Victoria Fea	....	script editor (unknown episodes)
Sarah Garner	....	continuity (unknown episodes)
Scott Rowlatt	....	location manager (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (for)
• Nicework
• SelecTV
• Witzend Productions

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (1994) (UK) (TV)

Other Companies

• Capital FX  titles
• Palmbrokers  greenery (uncredited)
• Reelsound  sound editing
• Sylvia Wheeler Film Services  negative cutting

Runtime:

50 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M (some episodes) | Australia:PG (some episodes)

Filming Locations:

Old Town High Street, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

The building in Hemel Hempstead that was used as Henry Crabbe's restaurant was a florist at the time of filming but has now become a restaurant named "Pie in the Sky" in real life.

Feelgood vibe that is only enhanced with time

One of those yearnings for simpler, happier times led me to reflect on life in the nineties and seeing this a few times lately on ITV3 only helped to foster sentimental memories of a less complex age.

It may only be lightweight, but that's its beauty and delight. Richard Griffiths is excellent and was made for his role as the wise, phlegmatic and unconventional inspector. His portly frame hardly lends itself to much frenetic activity, but his facial expressions are a joy and all you need.

A good mix of stories, not always featuring murder, and the slice of restaurant life is a warm counter to the police activity. Plenty of understated humour from a cast of colourful characters.

In 1995 I thought that the century was ending at a pretty fast and bewildering pace, with technology and media beginning to impose itself in almost every walk of life. But watching "Pie" and remembering it all as if it were only yesterday makes me think that maybe life wasn't so fast after all. Fifteen years on and what I find so curious now is that it was made just before the world went nuts with mobile phones and The Internet. It's a show that has dated well in terms of story, but to never see anybody use a mobile phone and scant mention of computers seems strange and rather sweet.

All in all, a really good example of BBC light drama at its best, when the Corporation considered subtlety and intelligence as important as glamour and ratings.