The Heart Surgeon (1997) (TV)

Director:

Audrey Cooke

Writer:

John Collee (written by)

Release Date:

3 February 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Cardiac surgeon Alex Marsden has an affair with Marcella Duggan, but then finds himself having to operate on her husband Larry...

Cast

Nigel Havers	...	Dr. Alex Marsden
Orla Brady	...	Marcella Duggan
Lorcan Cranitch	...	Larry Duggan
John Castle	...	Charlie Hawkesmore
Claire Yarlett	...	Sarah
Michael Troughton	...	Bill Lester
Sam Dastor	...	V. J. Krishna
Alexandra Gilbreath	...	Rachel Ryan
David Ashton	...	Gavin Cranmere
Mark Addy	...	Phil Mycroft
Toby Salaman	...	Coronor
Gillian Hanna	...	Margot
Gabrielle Glaister	...	Paula Shears
Roger Morlidge	...	Maggot
Sylvester Salmon	...	Joshua Unussu
Pauline Monro	...	Hilda
Nicholas Hutchison	...	Profusionist
Joy Harrison	...	Anaesthetist
Poppy Smith	...	Ward Nurse
Dennis Banks	...	Theatre Porter
James Barriscale	...	Scrub Nurse
Andrew Hallett	...	Runner
Adrian Bower	...	ICU Nurse
Margaret John	...	Mrs. Hughes
Kate Alderton	...	TV Reporter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Melanie Claus	...	Cheerful Nurse (uncredited)
Leonie Dodd	...	Hotel Chambermaid (uncredited)
Dawn Hope	...	Julie Fielding (uncredited)
Philomena Matheson	...	Anaesthetic Nurse (uncredited)
Frank Stirling	...	Accident & Emergency Consultant (uncredited)
Daniel G. Tomlinson	...	Hotel Waiter (uncredited)

Directed by
Audrey Cooke

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
John Collee		written by

Produced by
Sophie Balhetchet	....	executive producer
Diana Barton	....	associate producer
Bill Shapter	....	producer
Tony Virgo	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Michael Kamen
Ed Shearmur

Cinematography by
John Else

Film Editing by
Nick McPhee

Casting by
Susie Bruffin
Liz Vincent-Fernie

Production Design by
Gillian Miles

Art Direction by
Paul Spriggs

Costume Design by
Amy Roberts

Makeup Department
Kezia De Winne	....	makeup designer

Production Management
Liz Pearson	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark Challenor	....	second assistant director
David Downing	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Billy Mahoney	....	dubbing mixer
Ian Voigt	....	sound recordist
Ian Wilkinson	....	dubbing editor
Rowena Wilkinson	....	foley artist

Camera and Electrical Department
Dave Fowler	....	electrician
Robert Shacklady	....	daily focus puller

Other crew
Jim Allan	....	location manager
Fleur Fontaine	....	production assistant
Kevin Freemantle	....	production accountant
Carlton Jarvis	....	medical advisor
Kate Ledger	....	production coordinator
Judy Uren	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• World Productions

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (original airing)

Other Companies

• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services

Runtime:

150 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Orla Brady was very nervous about the nudity in Marcella's big love scene with Alex (Nigel Havers). To minimize the delay, director Audrey Cooke broke the ice by demonstrating how the scene would look. Cooke said afterwards that the crew, mostly male, did not know where to look when she undressed ("You should have seen their faces") and developed a sudden and deep interest in the wall behind them. The tactic worked and the scene was shot. "After seeing me topless," Cooke quipped, "she reckoned nothing could be worse than that." She says that she'd never done this before and "certainly won't be doing it again."