To Serve Them All My Days (TV series)
Encyclopedia
To Serve Them All My Days is a British
television adaptation of the 1972 novel
by R. F. Delderfield
. 13 episodes 50 minute in length were first shown by the BBC
in 1980 and 1981.
As in the novel, the protagonist is David Powlett-Jones (John Duttine
), a coal miner's son from South Wales
, who has risen from the ranks and been commissioned as a Second Lieutenant
in World War I
. In 1918, after being injured and shell-shocked, he is hired to teach History at Bamfylde School, a fictional public school
in North Devon
, in the southwest of England, where he wins the respect and acclaim of colleagues and students. He serves under headmaster Algy Herries (Frank Middlemass
), forms a friendship with Ian Howarth (Alan MacNaughton
), engages in a rivalry with Carter (Neil Stacy), and marries Beth (Belinda Lang
).
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television adaptation of the 1972 novel
To Serve Them All My Days
To Serve Them All My Days is a novel by British author R. F. Delderfield.First published in 1972, the book was adapted for television in 1980...
by R. F. Delderfield
R. F. Delderfield
Ronald Frederick Delderfield was a popular English novelist and dramatist, many of whose works have been adapted for television and are still widely read.-Childhood in London and Surrey:...
. 13 episodes 50 minute in length were first shown by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 1980 and 1981.
As in the novel, the protagonist is David Powlett-Jones (John Duttine
John Duttine
John Arthur Duttine is an English actor noted for his roles on stage, films and television. He is well known for his role as Sgt George Miller in Heartbeat....
), a coal miner's son from South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
, who has risen from the ranks and been commissioned as a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In 1918, after being injured and shell-shocked, he is hired to teach History at Bamfylde School, a fictional public school
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
in North Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, in the southwest of England, where he wins the respect and acclaim of colleagues and students. He serves under headmaster Algy Herries (Frank Middlemass
Frank Middlemass
Francis George Middlemass was an English actor, who even in his early career played older roles. He is best remembered for his television roles as Rocky Hardcastle in As Time Goes By, Algy Herries in To Serve Them All My Days and Dr. Alex Ferrenby in Heartbeat...
), forms a friendship with Ian Howarth (Alan MacNaughton
Alan MacNaughtan
Alan MacNaughtan was a Scottish actor, born in Bearsden, Dunbartonshire, Scotland. An experienced Old Vic, West End and Broadway actor, he became active in television and certain films between 1954 and 1999....
), engages in a rivalry with Carter (Neil Stacy), and marries Beth (Belinda Lang
Belinda Lang
Belinda Lang is an English actress, best known in the United Kingdom for her role as Bill Porter in the long running BBC sitcom 2point4 children .-Television:...
).
Production
According to a credit in the closing title sequence, the exterior school scenes for the BBC series were filmed at Milton Abbey School in DorsetDorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
.
Cast
- John DuttineJohn DuttineJohn Arthur Duttine is an English actor noted for his roles on stage, films and television. He is well known for his role as Sgt George Miller in Heartbeat....
as David Powlett-Jones - Frank MiddlemassFrank MiddlemassFrancis George Middlemass was an English actor, who even in his early career played older roles. He is best remembered for his television roles as Rocky Hardcastle in As Time Goes By, Algy Herries in To Serve Them All My Days and Dr. Alex Ferrenby in Heartbeat...
as Algy Herries - Alan MacNaughtonAlan MacNaughtanAlan MacNaughtan was a Scottish actor, born in Bearsden, Dunbartonshire, Scotland. An experienced Old Vic, West End and Broadway actor, he became active in television and certain films between 1954 and 1999....
as Howarth - Patricia LawrencePatricia LawrencePatricia Lawrence was an English actress.She may have been best-known for playing the formidable Sister Ulrica, a Dutch prisoner of war in the BBC television drama Tenko.-Credits:Other TV credits include:* Son of Man * Softly, Softly* Van der...
as Ellie Herries - Neil Stacy as Carter
- Susan JamesonSusan JamesonSusan Jameson is an English actress who is best known for her television work.Jameson was born in Barnt Green, Worcestershire, England, UK. She is married to actor James Bolam with whom she has a daughter, Lucy...
as Christine Forster - Charles KayCharles KayCharles Kay is an English actor.Kay was born in Coventry, West Midlands, the son of Frances and Charles Beckingham Piff....
as Alcock - Kim BradenKim BradenKim Braden is an English actor.Braden is the daughter of the actor and broadcaster Bernard Braden and the actor Barbara Kelly. She is married to the director David Carson with a son Matthew and a daughter Mimi...
as Julia - John WelshJohn Welsh (actor)John Welsh was an Irish actor.After an early stage career in Dublin, Welsh moved into British film and television in the 1950s. His roles included James Forsyte in the 1967 BBC dramatisation of John Galsworthy's The Forsyte Saga, as well as the butler Merriman in The Duchess of Duke Street, Sgt...
as Cordwainer - Cyril LuckhamCyril LuckhamCyril Luckham was a British film, television and theatre actor.Luckham played the White Guardian in the long running science fiction television series Doctor Who. He appeared in The Ribos Operation, the first serial in The Key to Time season, and Enlightenment...
as Sir Rufus Creighton - Simon Gipps-KentSimon Gipps-KentSimon Gipps-Kent was a British actor, particularly noted as a prolific child actor in the 1970s.His television credits include: the 1973 BBC television adaptation of M.R...
as Boyer - Belinda LangBelinda LangBelinda Lang is an English actress, best known in the United Kingdom for her role as Bill Porter in the long running BBC sitcom 2point4 children .-Television:...
as Beth - Nicholas LyndhurstNicholas LyndhurstNicholas Simon Lyndhurst is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses, Gary Sparrow in Goodnight Sweetheart, and as Adam Parkinson in Carla Lane's series Butterflies...
as Dobson