Don't Tell Father

Don't Tell Father
GenreSitcom
Written byRoy Clarke
Directed byHarold Snoad
Starring
Theme music composerNick Ingman
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes6
Production
ProducerHarold Snoad
EditorAndy Quested
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companyBBC
Original release
NetworkBBC1
Release26 April (1992-04-26) –
31 May 1992 (1992-05-31)

Don't Tell Father is a British television sitcom written by Roy Clarke that was first broadcast on BBC1 from 26 April to 31 May 1992.[1][2] The series starred Tony Britton, Susan Hampshire, Caroline Quentin, Richard Ashton and Philip Fox.

Premise

The series follows a self-regarding veteran actor, Vivian Bancroft, who dominates the lives of his fifth wife, Natasha, and four grown-up children: Kate, Garth, Spirit and Congreve. Vivian is particularly outraged by his eldest daughter, Kate's, engagement to Marvin Whipple, a driving instructor.[1][2]

Cast

Main

Recurring

  • Hilda Braid as Mrs Dawson (3 episodes)
  • Liz Daniels as Alemka (3 episodes)
  • Anna Dawson as Stella Whipple (3 episodes)
  • Jack Smethurst as Ron Whipple (3 episodes)
  • Jo-Anne Sale as Spirit Bancroft (2 episodes)

Episodes

No.TitleProduced & Directed byWritten byOriginal air date [3]
1"Vivian & Marvin"Harold SnoadRoy Clarke26 April 1992 (1992-04-26)
Vivian discovers that his eldest daughter, Kate, votes Conservative. He and his fifth wife, Natasha, plan to marry her off to a left-wing aristocrat, but Kate, unbeknownst to them, is engaged to Marvin Whipple, a driving instructor. Vivian is to be interviewed by a camera crew later that day. He decides to host a lunch party, inviting all his four children. Kate decides to invite a reluctant Marvin, much to Vivian's displeasure.
2"The Film Studio"Harold SnoadRoy Clarke3 May 1992 (1992-05-03)
3"Marvin's Parents"Harold SnoadRoy Clarke10 May 1992 (1992-05-10)
4"Vivian's Shower"Harold SnoadRoy Clarke17 May 1992 (1992-05-17)
5"Sacked"Harold SnoadRoy Clarke24 May 1992 (1992-05-24)
6"Car Trouble"Harold SnoadRoy Clarke31 May 1992 (1992-05-31)

Reception

Of the series, in his Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy, Mark Lewisohn wrote: "Tony Britton hammed it up for all he was worth as the awful Vivian, and Caroline Quentin proved particularly adept at delivering Roy Clarke's witty dialogue, but the piece as a whole lacked the magic ingredient which made so many of the writer's ideas long-running series."[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Leafe p.302
  2. ^ a b c Lewisohn, Mark (2003). Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy (2nd ed.). London: BBC Worldwide. pp. 234–235. ISBN 0563487550.
  3. ^ "Don't Tell Father (Episodes)". Phill.co.uk. Retrieved 27 December 2023.

Bibliography