"Mr. Palfrey of Westminster" (1984) TV series 1984-

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

18 April 1984 (UK)

Cast

Alec McCowen	...	Mr Palfrey (10 episodes, 1984-1985)
Caroline Blakiston	...	Co-ordinator (10 episodes, 1984-1985)
Clive Wood	...	Blair (10 episodes, 1984-1985)
Briony McRoberts	...	Caroline (10 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Directed by
Christopher Hodson		(4 episodes, 1984-1985)
Peter Cregeen		(2 episodes, 1984)
Gerald Blake		(2 episodes, 1985)
John Davies		(2 episodes, 1985)

Series Writing credits
Philip Broadley		(4 episodes, 1984-1985)
Michael Chapman		(2 episodes, 1984-1985)
George Markstein		(2 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Produced by
Michael Chapman	....	producer (10 episodes, 1984-1985)
Lloyd Shirley	....	executive producer (10 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Casting by
Linda Butcher		(10 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Production Design by
David Ferris		(4 episodes, 1984-1985)
Robert Ide		(3 episodes, 1984-1985)
Bill Palmer		(2 episodes, 1985)

Series Costume Design by
Jill Silverside		(5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Richard Brown		(2 episodes, 1984)
Caroline Rybolt		(2 episodes, 1985)

Series Makeup Department
Angela Seyfang	....	makeup artist (10 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Art Department
Ian Kestle	....	graphics designer (10 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Sound Department
Peter Bond	....	o.b. sound (10 episodes, 1984-1985)
Peter Ball	....	sound (6 episodes, 1985)
Stan Lee	....	sound (4 episodes, 1984)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Hobbs	....	o.b. cameras (8 episodes, 1984-1985)
Tony Ball	....	o.b. vision control (7 episodes, 1984-1985)
Albert Almond	....	camera operator (6 episodes, 1984-1985)
Bill Marley	....	vision control (4 episodes, 1984-1985)
Andy Andrews	....	lighting director (4 episodes, 1984)
Bob Mason	....	vision control (2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Peter Unwin	....	o.b. vision control (2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Ian Coram	....	vision control (2 episodes, 1985)
Chris Dingley	....	o.b. cameras (2 episodes, 1985)
Allen Harradine	....	lighting director (2 episodes, 1985)
David Motture	....	lighting director (2 episodes, 1985)
Ken Tester-Brown	....	lighting director (2 episodes, 1985)

Series Editorial Department
Peter Phillips	....	vision mixer (5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Grant Goodwin	....	videotape editor (4 episodes, 1984-1985)
Martin Perrett	....	vision mixer (3 episodes, 1984-1985)
Peter Boffin	....	vision mixer (2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Dave Lewinton	....	videotape editor (2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Thomas Kavanagh	....	videotape editor (2 episodes, 1985)

Series Other crew
Shirley Cleghorn	....	stage manager (5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Mary Motture	....	stage manager (5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Peter Sampson	....	o.b. engineering manager (5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Sue Dumbell	....	production assistant (4 episodes, 1984-1985)
Julian Meers	....	floor manager (4 episodes, 1984-1985)
Del Randall	....	studio supervisor (4 episodes, 1984-1985)
Chris Emmins	....	o.b. engineering manager (4 episodes, 1985)
Tim Dehn	....	location manager (3 episodes, 1984-1985)
Paddy Dewey	....	production assistant (3 episodes, 1984-1985)
Valerie Farrow	....	production assistant (3 episodes, 1984-1985)
John Lopes	....	floor manager (3 episodes, 1984-1985)
Barry Millar	....	location manager (3 episodes, 1985)
Brian Kerr	....	studio supervisor (2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Derek Cotty	....	location manager (2 episodes, 1984)
Peter Ernster	....	studio supervisor (2 episodes, 1984)
Peter Errington	....	floor manager (2 episodes, 1985)

Production Companies

• Thames Television

Runtime:

60 min (10 episodes)

Country:

UK

Color:

Color

Company:

Thames Television

Movie Connections:

Follows "Storyboard: The Traitor (#1.5)" (1983)

Cheap production mars potential

Somewhere in here there is a good series, but the cheap production values are distracting. The worst is that it is filmed on videotape - a classic drawback to many BBC productions in the 1970s and early 1980s (DVD boxes should come with warnings that the original content was shot on videotape...) Also, although the plots are not transparent, the next scene usually can be anticipated because the writing suffers from predictability and small scenes - intimate discussions between two people in a tiny sitting room or office. This series could be a great candidate for a remake - after a polishing of the script with the addition of a dash of humour to alleviate the drama. Originally filmed in 1984, it could be updated or set in 1984, but with more of an eye to 1984 culture and a tad more tension. If this were a meal I would say its good, but it needs salt and pepper.