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Shine on Harvey Moon

DOE-EYED POST-WAR bittersweet comdram, forever on a Friday night, created by an on-form Marks and Gran. KENNETH CRANHAM was your eponymous discharged ex-Tommy, walking back into an East End where everyone thought he’d copped it as an RAF handyman in Bombay. Unfortunately for him this means his other half MAGGIE STEED is “carrying on” with American GIs left, right and centre, while daughter LINDA ROBSON is “carrying on” with – yikes – NIGEL PLANER, and his nan just sits about moaning. Fortunately for Harvey, and us, the writers remembered to pack some punchlines. Unsurprisingly PAULINE QUIRKE was involved, failing to get blown up by one of the man unexploded bombs which played supporting roles. Otherwise, a way above average excursion into no-audience period gaggery.

3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. Richardpd

    August 24, 2023 at 10:35 pm

    Supposedly Adam Faith was pencilled in to be Harvey, & Linda Robson was cast with him in mind.

    It had an odd revival in the 1990s with Nicky Henson taking on the lead role, while the original run was well timed for the mid century nostalgia, the revival was a few years after this had peaked, but there was the odd pre-Rock & Roll era drama around.

    While sitcoms have been a tricky genre for ITV, comedy-dramas have had quite a a decent hit rate for them.

  2. Glenn Aylett

    August 26, 2023 at 6:25 pm

    I think Kenneth Cranham was a former clerk in the RAF, even though he exaggerated what he did in the war, rather than a handyman. Also the actor who played Doctor Legg in Eastenders appeared in a few episodes as a Jewish refugee.

  3. Richardpd

    August 27, 2023 at 12:45 pm

    Leonard Fenton was one of those actors who seemed to mostly do supporting parts, with Dr Legg being a rare regular role, though he was in it less often as the years went on.

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