Sat, Jan 5, 2013
Celebrating the extraordinary career of entertainer Stanley Baxter, whose shows captivated huge audiences for twenty years before the cost of his epics priced him off our screens. Tracing his origins to Scotland's variety and review stages, his story is told by admiring fans including Michael Grade, Barry Cryer, Bill Oddie and Gregor Fisher.
Sat, Apr 6, 2013
Documentary telling the story of the well-known face - and trademark yacking laugh - of the Carry On films. Sid James was a huge star who learned his craft in postwar British films and who played the same 'Jack the Lad' character for twenty years in a string of television sitcom hits. He was closely involved with the Hancock radio and television series and matured with his audience into the bewildered father figure of the typical 70s family in Bless This House.
Sat, Apr 20, 2013
A programme tracing the extraordinary career of one of Britain's most versatile stars. Michael Crawford was a child actor who hit the 60s at just the right time. His first film The Knack was an award-winning cult success that saw him rub shoulders with the Beatles. A surprise move to the stage caught the eye of Gene Kelly and led to a lead role for Michael in the film Hello Dolly - one of the last great Hollywood musicals. The programme features a new interview with Michael in which he reveals he's not a natural singer or dancer - the Hello Dolly producers wanted to overdub his most famous song. That song is now a cult classic, but his Hollywood success was short-lived and he spent some time working in his wife's cushion factory before landing his best known part as Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do Ave Em. His love of stunts and mastery of Frank's comic mannerisms made him a household name, but once more Michael Crawford turned to the stage in what became the biggest musical of all time - The Phantom of the Opera. In recent years he has stayed on stage, but relentless stunt work and a punishing schedule has taken a toll on his health. Nevertheless, after more than 50 years in the business, he returned to the stage in the musical The Wizard of Oz - still singing and dancing with a new generation.
Sat, Jun 22, 2013
The Many Faces of Dame Helen Mirren is an entertaining and revealing journey through the career of one of Britain's best-loved actors. She is a performer who frequently courted controversy in her younger years and who has retained a sensual aura in later life. Her portrayal of Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect revolutionised British crime drama and made her a household name, but it was her Oscar-winning performance in The Queen that propelled her to international stardom. In recent years she has balanced Hollywood commitments with a return to her first love - the stage.