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Rumpole of the Bailey

"I call my next witness - yet another liberal archetype from the chattering classes!"EVER-RELIABLE COURTROOM sparring from JOHN MORTIMER, charting weaselish exploits of tetchy, defence-cases-only, cigar-toting, hangdog hero Horace Rumpole, aka LEO MCKERN. Resident of 38 Froxbury Mansions, the ‘pole blasted many a snide, snivelling prosecution brief into a thousand pieces, before retiring to Pomeroy’s Wine Bar and spouting pithy extracts from the Oxford Book Of English Verse. All of which narked legendary acid-tongued “she who must be obeyed” wife Hilda (PEGGY THORPE-BATES). Once memorably represented shifty 70s “drop-out” yoof accused of theft when he was actually at nearby Rolling Stones gig. Friends, foes and “old darlings” numbered PATRICIA “SHE DEVIL” HODGE, PETER “MANOR” BOWLES, BILL “CLAUDE SNUDGE” FRASER, RICHARD “MUCH BINDING” MURDOCH and JOANNA “DUTY FREE” VAN GYSEGHEM. Plotting, acting, direction all ultra-high vintage.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Richardpd

    June 14, 2023 at 10:39 pm

    This was originally adapted as a single drama by the BBC, who planned to make a fully series, but at the last minute it was dropped by a change of management in the drama department.

    Luckily Thames snapped up the series, & commissioned on & off over nearly a decade & a half until they lost their franchise.

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