I remember the TV advertising about this series before it was broadcast on ITV on , I think on 1st January 1976. I was 12 , going on 13 and in my second year of secondary school. The year before I’d been introduced to the wonder of Shakespeare so this faithful adaptation of Arnold Bennett ‘s novels really entranced me. This adaptation was 26 episodes and i was entranced. Certain programmes stay with you as you age and this is one of them. Wonderful acting by the gorgeous Peter McEnery , Janet Suzman, Harry Andrews, Renee Asherson. There must have been something in the water that year. There was also the Naked Civil Servant and I, Claudius. I feel lucky to have rediscovered Clayhanger this weekend. I watched episode 11 to 22 throughout the night. Watching the rest now
I was a similar age to yourself, and also remember the trailers advertising this series before it started. But being shown after the watershed hour, my parents initially wouldn't allow me to watch it until they relented around ep 6 or so. From that moment, I was utterly entranced and obsessed from week to week by it - from the opening credits and wonderful theme tune, to the brilliant acting (of Andrews, McEnery and Suzman in particular). Such was my obsession with it that one week (think it was ep24) ,my mother's sister and her family were visiting from Australia and I was told it wouldn't be possible to watch it. This was of course way before VCR's, catchup Tv, repeats etc so I became very distressed at the prospect of missing it. So - it was arranged that I would go round to my neighbours and watch it, with the added bonus of seeing it in colour! This series has never left me, and although I remember it vividly, I was reticent about watching it again lest it might in some way disappoint. It doesn't - it remains as enthralling as it was 47 years ago. Indeed, it is highly poignant, uncannily so in fact. I've just reached this episode, and it took me back to my father's death 6 months ago, I checked my father over in exactly the same way as Edwin did with Darius, and also not long before my father died, I too had to stand up to him in the way Edwin had to in the previous episode. A brilliant, albeit sometimes painful, revisit of the past. So glad to be watching it again- a true gem.
The other impressive aspect of how this episode is produced is that after the grimness of the prolonged death scene, we are left with real hope at the end of the episode - I remember at the time that being a particularly long week waiting for the next episode.
Wasn't it wonderful all the historical programmes we had in the 70s, with great theatre actors? I was too young for most too but did watch I, Claudius, and Duchess of Duke Street was my fave. Really enjoying catching up with them again now.
I remember the TV advertising about this series before it was broadcast on ITV on , I think on 1st January 1976. I was 12 , going on 13 and in my second year of secondary school. The year before I’d been introduced to the wonder of Shakespeare so this faithful adaptation of Arnold Bennett ‘s novels really entranced me. This adaptation was 26 episodes and i was entranced. Certain programmes stay with you as you age and this is one of them. Wonderful acting by the gorgeous Peter McEnery , Janet Suzman, Harry Andrews, Renee Asherson. There must have been something in the water that year. There was also the Naked Civil Servant and I, Claudius. I feel lucky to have rediscovered Clayhanger this weekend. I watched episode 11 to 22 throughout the night. Watching the rest now
I was a similar age to yourself, and also remember the trailers advertising this series before it started. But being shown after the watershed hour, my parents initially wouldn't allow me to watch it until they relented around ep 6 or so. From that moment, I was utterly entranced and obsessed from week to week by it - from the opening credits and wonderful theme tune, to the brilliant acting (of Andrews, McEnery and Suzman in particular). Such was my obsession with it that one week (think it was ep24) ,my mother's sister and her family were visiting from Australia and I was told it wouldn't be possible to watch it. This was of course way before VCR's, catchup Tv, repeats etc so I became very distressed at the prospect of missing it. So - it was arranged that I would go round to my neighbours and watch it, with the added bonus of seeing it in colour!
This series has never left me, and although I remember it vividly, I was reticent about watching it again lest it might in some way disappoint. It doesn't - it remains as enthralling as it was 47 years ago. Indeed, it is highly poignant, uncannily so in fact. I've just reached this episode, and it took me back to my father's death 6 months ago, I checked my father over in exactly the same way as Edwin did with Darius, and also not long before my father died, I too had to stand up to him in the way Edwin had to in the previous episode. A brilliant, albeit sometimes painful, revisit of the past. So glad to be watching it again- a true gem.
The other impressive aspect of how this episode is produced is that after the grimness of the prolonged death scene, we are left with real hope at the end of the episode - I remember at the time that being a particularly long week waiting for the next episode.
Wasn't it wonderful all the historical programmes we had in the 70s, with great theatre actors? I was too young for most too but did watch I, Claudius, and Duchess of Duke Street was my fave. Really enjoying catching up with them again now.
For some reason I find myself so moved by Edwin's plight, but now the chain is broken I hope he goes to Brighton and marries Miss Lessways asap!
I'm wondering if it's possible to adjust the audio- on your side, King's Oak?
If you fiddle with the utube settings speed you'll be able to fix it
When the Azrael came, it looks bad to some, that person is trying to escape, as if the man saw Azrael ( he is acting very good)!
Boy, they sure dragged out the dying scene!
did he have a heart attack in the previous episode?
it takes how long it takes, sweetie, it ain't like in the movies and often it ain't pretty