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When the Boat Comes In

Well? Has it come in yet?JAMES BOLAM laid the memory of THE LIKELY LADS to rest with this grisly 1920s depression-quest. Concerning the struggle of a bunch of Geordie ex-squaddies to earn a crust, a young SUSAN JAMESON put food on t’ table as Bolam’s long-suffering wife, and MALCOLM “OUR JOHN WILLIE” TERRIS propped up the bar with a pint o’ black and tan. Pigeon lofts featured, as did a lot of clothes drying in the back yard and cross-class boundary politics. Cue plenty of clenched-fist-wringing angst. Don’t worry lads, there’s another war on the way.

4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. Glenn A

    July 10, 2009 at 2:33 pm

    Thou shall have a bloater, when the boat comes in, or something like that. A good series which ended with the slippery Jack Ford( James Bolam) being involved in dodgy arms deals in the Spanish Civil War and getting shot.

  2. Clio

    April 10, 2011 at 10:56 am

    Several characters got injured down the pit but there was no mine disaster. It should have had a mine disaster.

  3. sheila

    November 23, 2013 at 1:58 pm

    Another cracking English Drama , why don’t they make them like this any more? Seriously worth staying in for!

  4. Glenn Aylett

    October 6, 2019 at 1:21 pm

    Many of the outdoor scenes were filmed in North Shields, as parts of the town were little changed since the 1920s and there was a disused Victorian school that was used where that strange voiced headmaster used to teach. Good series and James Bolam on top form in his first major acting role since you know what and managed to get five years work from playing another Geordie.

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