The Singing Detective (1986)

Country of Origin: UK / Australia
Date(s) of Broadcast: 16 November 1986 - 21 December 1986 (on BBC1); 1 June 1988 - 6 July 1988 (on BBC2); 11 July 1994 - 15 August 1994 (on BBC1)
Number of Seasons: 1
Total Number of Episodes: 6
Average Episode Running Times: 50 mins
Format: colour
Sound:

PRODUCTION
Production Company: BBC / Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Executive Producer: Rick McCallum
Producers: Kenith Trodd, John Harris

SCRIPT
Script: Dennis Potter

DIRECTION
Director: Jon Amiel

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Ken Westbury

EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Editors: Sue Wyatt, Bill Wright

SOUND
Sound Recording: Clive Derbyshire
Dubbing Mixer: Rob James

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Frances Hannon
Costumes: Hazel Pethig, John Peacock

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Designer: Jim Clay
Graphics: Joanna Ball

MISCELLANEOUS
Choreography: Quinny Sachs

CAST
Michael Gambon (Philip Marlow)
Patrick Malahide (Mark Binney / Mark Finney / Raymond)
Joanne Whalley (Nurse Mills)
Janet Suzman (Nicola Marlow)
Alison Steadman (Mrs Marlow / Lili)
Lyndon Davies (young Philip)
David Ryall (Hall)
Gerard Horan (Reginald Dimps)
Ron Cook, George Rossi (mysterious men)
Leslie French (Noddy Tomkey)
Geoff Francis (porter)
Sharon D. Clarke (night nurse)
Imelda Staunton (Staff Nurse White)
Kate McKenzie (Sonia)
Sharon Bourke (Amanda)
Simon Chandler (Dr Finlay)
Badi Uzzaman (Ali)
Thomas Wheatley (registrar)
Richard Pescud (consultant)
Mary McLeod (Sister Malone)
Paul Lacoux (houseman)
John Matshikiza (visiting doctor)
Trevor Cooper (barman)
Nigel Pegram (busker)
Bill Paterson (Gibbon)
Jim Carter (Mr Marlow)
Janet Henfrey (schoolteacher / scarecrow)
Charles Simon (George Adams)
Richard Butler (Grancher)
Maggie Holland (Gran)
Joan White (Mrs Adams)
William Speakman (young Mark)
Wally Thomas (Granddad Baxter)
Ken Stott (Uncle John)
Jo Cameron Brown (Aunt Emily)
Angela Curran (Mary)
Niven Boyd, David Thewlis (soldiers)
Claire Phelps (Rita)
Neil Pittaway (Brian)
Errol Shaker, Astley Harvey (mortuary attendants)
Heather Tobias (evangelist)
Martin Camm (Harold)
Darren Williams (George)
Emma Myant, Susie Ann Watkins (hostesses)
John Sheraton (drummer)
Malcolm Storry (policeman)
Tricia George (physiotherapist)
Samantha Bryant (Barbara)

Detective story writer Philip Marlow is confined to a hospital bed suffering from acute psoriasis. With little else to occupy his time, Marlow spends his days alternately engaging in elaborate fantasies about his past and present and mentally restaging his novel The Singing Detective.

Another remarkable and provocative piece of work from the perenially interesting Potter. The multi-layered narrative challenges the viewer to pay attention and unravel the many mysteries, and the quality of the writing is of the high standard we've come t expect from one of Britain's best television writers. Excellent performances, an outcry from the conservative press over the sex scenes and a defiantly intellectual approach to prime time drama combine in a heady brew that proved hugely - and justifiably - successful with audience around the world.

Skin (16 November 1986 (on BBC1); 1 June 1988 (on BBC2); 11 July 1994 (on BBC1) - 68 mins
Heat (23 November 1986 (on BBC1); 8 June 1988 (on BBC2); 18 July 1994 (on BBC1) - 69 mins
Lovely Days (30 November 1986 (on BBC1); 15 June 1988 (on BBC2); 25 July 1994 (on BBC1) - 63 mins
Clues (7 December 1986 (on BBC1); 22 June 1988 (on BBC2); 1 August 1994 (on BBC1) - 67 mins
Pitter Patter (14 December 1986 (on BBC1); 29 June 1988 (on BBC2); 8 August 1994 (on BBC1) - 58 mins
Who Done It (21 December 1986 (on BBC1); 6 July 1988 (on BBC2); 15 August 1994 (on BBC1)

UK
Television Distributor: BBC

1986
November
16: UK - Episode 1: Skin first television broadcast
23: UK - Episode 2: Heat first television broadcast
30: UK - Episode 3: Lovely Days first television broadcast

December
7: UK - Episode 4: Clues first television broadcast
14: UK - Episode 5: Pitter Patter first television broadcast
21: UK - Episode 6: Who Done It first television broadcast

1988
June
1: UK - Episode 1: Skin second television broadcast
8: UK - Episode 2: Heat second television broadcast
15: UK - Episode 3: Lovely Days second television broadcast
22: UK - Episode 4: Clues second television broadcast
29: UK - Episode 5: Pitter Patter second television broadcast

July
6: UK - Episode 6: Who Done It second television broadcast

1994
July
11: UK - Episode 1: Skin third television broadcast
18: UK - Episode 2: heat third television broadcast
25: UK - Episode 3: Lovely Days third television broadcast

August
1: UK - Episode 4: Clues third television broadcast
8: UK - Episode 5: Pitter Patter third television broadcast
15: UK - Episode 6: Who Done It third television broadcast

REMAKE
The Singing Detective (2003)

MAGAZINES

American Film March 1989
article (Dennis Potter by Graham Fuller)

New Statesman and Society 24 November 1989
interview with Dennis Potter (Arrows of Desire by John Wyver)

Time 19 December 1988
article (Notes from The Singing Detective: Dennis Potter Makes Beautiful Music from Painful Lives by Richard Corliss)

BOOKS

Dennis Potter by Graham Fuller (London; Boston: Faber and Faber, 1993)

Dennis Potter by Peter Stead (Bridgend, England: Seren, 1993)

Dennis Potter: A Biography by Humphrey Carpenter (1999)

Dennis Potter: A Life on Screen by John R. Cook (Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press, 1995)

Dennis Potter - Between Two Worlds: A Critical Reassessment by Glen Creeber (1999)

Fight and Kick and Bite: The Life and Work of Dennis Potter pp.353-355 by W. Stephen Gilbert (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1995)
credits

Seeing the Blossom: Two Interviews and a Lecture by Dennis Potter (London; Boston: Faber and Faber, 1994)

hospitals, skin diseases, hallucinations, nurses, doctors, detectives, musicals