Inside the March Issue:
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The Afternoon Tea Times welcomes correspondence. Contact Afternoon Tea online, or by mail to: Afternoon Tea Times, MPT, 11767 Owings Mills Blvd., Owings Mills, MD 21117-1499. You may also reach MPT Afternoon Tea by telephone at (443) 394-1634.
Tea Times is a co-production of Maryland Public Television and The Insider, a publication of the BBC Sales Company.
The Insider welcomes all correspondence, story ideas and requests for contributed articles. Send letters via e-mail to Editor N. Scott Jones at bbinsider@comcast.net or by snail mail to: The Insider, c/o Oliviu Savu, BBC Worldwide Americas, 747 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10017-2803. All letters are assumed to be for publication unless marked otherwise. The Insider reserves the right to edit letters for reason of space or clarity. Let us know what you think!
The Insider, copyright 1999-2007 by the BBC Sales Company. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission. All photos and graphics used are rights free or copyrighted by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Unless otherwise indicated, all material written by N. Scott Jones.
Editor's Note
Top of the morning to you!
Yes, it's St. Patrick's Day this month. We hope the luck of the Irish follows you around all month!
Big News! MPT Select - MPT's digital channel - will carry the Afternoon Tea Brit Coms the week of March 2-6 beginning at 2 pm. Read the Tea News Bits to find out more.
Ruth Rendell Mysteries return in March and we think you'll be happy about this. The Tea News Bits will tell you when to tune in.
Did they really give the Batmobile a parking ticket? Read further to find out where this happened.
We give you a wonderful article on the great writing duo of John Esmonde and Bob Larbey. Their career had an interesting beginning with some bumps but was fairly successful early on. And obviously, it gave us many great programs to enjoy over the years. You will want to read about their journey, we're sure.
We had a few losses to the British television empire lately and we share these losses with you.
St. Patrick's Day always means corned beef and cabbage. How about some potato and leek soup to complement it this year? We give you the recipe to try.
The Irish are famous for their Proverbs and we enclose some to share with your family and friends. Enjoy!
And the rest of the day to you!
The Tea Times Newsletter Staff
1
They Say It's Your Birthday!
Do you share a birthday with any of these people?
March 5, 1958
Andy Gibb – singer, brother of the "Bee Gees"
March 19, 1813
David Livingstone – physician, explorer
March 21, 1944
Timothy Dalton – actor
March 28, 1921
Dirk Bogarde – actor
2
The Wars of the Roses
 Edward IV
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This time it was Edward IV who was forced to flee the country when John Neville changed loyalties to support his brother Warwick. Edward was unprepared for the arrival of Neville's large force from the north and had to order his army to scatter. Edward and Gloucester fled from Doncaster to the coast and thence to Holland and exile in Burgundy. Warwick had already invaded from France, and his plans to liberate and restore Henry VI to the throne came quickly to fruition. Henry VI was paraded through the streets of London as the restored king in October and Edward and Richard were proclaimed traitors. Warwick's success was short-lived, however. He overreached himself with his plan to invade Burgundy in alliance with the King of France, tempted by King Louis' promise of territory in the Netherlands as a reward. This led Charles the Bold of Burgundy to assist Edward (who was also his brother-in-law), providing funds and an army to launch an invasion of England in 1471.
Edward landed with a small force at Ravenspur on the Yorkshire coast. He soon gained the city of York and rallied several supporters. His brother Clarence turned traitor again, abandoning Warwick. Having captured London, Edward's army met Warwick's at the Battle of Barnet. The battle was fought in thick fog, and some of Warwick's men attached each other by mistake. It was believed by all that they had been betrayed, and Warwick's army fled. Warwick was cut down trying to reach his horse.
Margaret and her son Edward had landed in the West Country only a few days before the Battle of Barnet. Rather than return to France, Margaret sought to join with the Lancastrian supporters in Wales and marched to cross the Severn but was thwarted when the city of Gloucester refused her passage across the river. Her army, commanded by the fourth successive Duke of Somerset, was brought to battle and destroyed at the Battle of Tewkesbury, and Prince Edward of Westminster, the Lancastrian heir to the throne was killed. With no heirs to succeed him, Henry VI was murdered shortly afterwards on May 14, 1471, to strengthen the Yorkist hold on the throne.
...to be continued.
www.wikipedia.org
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Tea News Bits
Afternoon Tea Brit Coms
The Afternoon Tea Brit Coms will not be on the week of March 2-6 on MPT's analog channel, however you can see them on MPT Select, MPT's digital channel. Beginning at 2 pm each day that week, the programs will be on in the same order you are used to watching them. If you are currently hooked up to a digital converter box, you can find MPT's digital channel over the air. It can be found at:
22-2 Annapolis
62-2 Frederick
31-2 Hagerstown
36-2 Oakland
67-2 Owings Mills
28-2 Salisbury
If you view on Comcast in the Baltimore area, MPT Select is located on Channel 200.
Breaking News
Actress Wendy Richard passed away on February 26, 2009 at the age of 65. Ms. Richard suffered from an aggressive, terminal form of cancer. As a remembrance, we will include an overview of her life in the April 2009 Tea Times.
March Programming
March begins with a new Celtic music presentation, Highland Heartbeat, on Sunday, March 1 at 2:30 p.m. Highland Heartbeat embodies the pride and passion of a country rich with history, offering a concert that spans genres and generations from traditional Scottish compositions like "Loch Lomond" and "Down in the Glen" to pop hits originally sung by Carly Simon, Bette Midler, and Simon and Garfunkel that infuse Scottish cultural significance to the familiar lyrics. This program repeats on Tuesday, March 3 at 1:30 p.m.
Also on Sunday, March 1, is Paul Simon: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize at 7:30 p.m. followed by Chris Botti: Live in Boston at 9 p.m. If you haven't heard of Chris Botti before, you are in for a treat. Mr. Botti is a trumpeter who has played with the likes of Sting, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé and many, many others. Chris Botti repeats on Tuesday, March 3 at 4:30 p.m. and on Saturday, March 14 at 8 p.m.
Every time we broadcast it you seem to love seeing it again! So back by popular demand is the As Time Goes By Reunion. Join us at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, March 2 to see all your favorites re-united.
Yanni is coming to the First Mariner Arena in Baltimore on Saturday, April 25! Make your Pledge while watching Yanni: Live from the Forum in Acapulco on Monday, March 2 at 8 p.m. and you could receive tickets to the show. It's a win-win situation for you! If you miss it, or just want to see it again, you can do so on Thursday, March 5 at 3:30 p.m.
Celtic Woman returns on Friday, March 6 at 3:30 p.m. Everyone always enjoys hearing their angelic voices so don't miss it!
MPT-produced programs are always top-notch! On Tuesday, March 10 at 9 p.m. watch Global Harbors: A Waterfront Renaissance. Learn about the Baltimore Harbor's planning process and the impact that it has had globally on other harbor renovations.
This is followed by Pip & Zastrow: An American Friendship, the true story of two men who cross racial boundaries during segregation in the 1940s and form a life-long friendship that takes extraordinary turns. With humor, compassion and heartbreak, Pip and Zastrow navigate through 60 years against the backdrop of the civil rights movement and a country that has yet to overcome deep-seated racism and social inequity.
Fast forward to Thursday, March 12 at 9 p.m. to see Moving Maryland Forward: A Century of Modern Highways, another stellar program produced by MPT. Maryland Public Television will air the documentary that explores the hard road Maryland has traveled from centuries ago to the founding of the State Roads Commission in 1908, to its present state of national leadership in transportation. Moving Maryland Forward offers some fascinating lessons in how Maryland came to be known as the home of some of the best maintained highways in the nation.
On Sunday, March 15 and 22 at 9 p.m. tune in for Masterpiece Theater: David Copperfield, parts 1 and 2.
Three's a charm and so is our third MPT-produced program of the month, Annapolis 300: A Capital Celebration. Learn the story of one of our nation's most important historical treasures as Maryland's capital city celebrates its' 300th birthday. The program airs on Saturday, March 21 at 6:30 p.m.
Ruth Rendell Mysteries return on Saturday, March 28 at 9 p.m. The first installment is "Master of the Moor," part 1. Don't miss any of them!
Tune in at 9 p.m. on Monday, March 30 to see Citizen Schaefer, an hour-long biography that explores Governor William Donald Schaefer's roots, his rise to power through the ranks of Baltimore's machine politics of the 50's and 60's, his time on the city council, and as Mayor of Baltimore. Citizen Schaefer examines Schaefer's two terms as Maryland Governor and, finally, his move out of political life in his last term as state Comptroller.
Don't' forget to catch Volvo Ocean Race each Saturday in March at 6 p.m.
The afternoon Brit Coms will not be on the first week of March but will return Monday, March 9. Also, the Brit Coms will not be on Saturday, March 7 or 14. The Saturday Brit Coms will return on Saturday, March 21.
Does even Batman get parking fines in Lambeth?
At first glance it seems even the caped crusader himself could not escape the beady eye of Lambeth's parking wardens when a parking ticket was slapped on to the windscreen of none other than the batmobile.
The supercar from blockbuster The Dark Knight was parked outside the GMTV studios in Waterloo to promote the DVD release of the Batman film.
However it turned out the ticket had been put on the windscreen by a prankster who had transferred it from another vehicle nearby.
A Lambeth spokesman said: "Even Batman has to park legally but this photo was a prank by a member of the public and no ticket was actually issued."
"There is no way one of our attendants would have issued a ticket."
"The car has not got a number plate."
www.thisislocallondon.co.uk
What do you want to know more about?
If you have a topic that you would like to know more about, please drop us a line at tealady@mpt.org. We'll explore the opportunities to bring you the information you have interest in.
4
John Esmonde and Bob Larbey
The Story of British Comedy's Dynamic Writing Duo
From the comfortable suburbia of Good Neighbors to the darker world of Mulberry, writers John Esmonde and Bob Larbey have created some of British comedy's best-loved programs. We know their shows, but what of the writers themselves?
 John Esmonde and Bob Larbey
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The story of their prolific partnership is one of how persistence and talent paid off. They first met at grammar school in Clapham, where Larbey was three years ahead of Esmonde. During a school trip to Switzerland the duo discovered that they shared a similar sense of humor and forged a long-lasting friendship.
Both served in the military. After service, they found themselves in a situation similar to that of their most famous character, Tom Good. Stuck in dead-end, unfulfilling jobs they would often meet for lunchtime gripe sessions about work. There had to be a better way to make a living.
How about writing? Their mutual enthusiasm for radio and comedy revues inspired them to come up with some material of their own. They would work at John's house in the evenings, but their early creations resulted in nothing but rejection.
Finally they sold their first work. It was a very short skit consisting of an encounter between an elderly man and woman.
MAN: I love you desperately, Gladys, but we can never become man and wife.
GLADYS: Why?
MAN: Because I'm a mod and you're a rocker.
Not exactly memorable stuff, but maybe you had to be there. Still, it was a start and gave them hope that maybe one day they'd be able to ditch the nine-to-five routine.
 Dick Emery
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Their television break came when they began contributing short bits to the long-running Dick Emery Show. They kept their day jobs for about the first year, but this took its toll on them physically in the form of exhaustion. Since they were getting positive feedback on their writing, they asked themselves if it wasn't time to take that big leap and become full-time writers. They decided to take the risk.
It was thrilling to be able to do what they'd always wanted, but life without the security of a paycheck wasn't easy. Larbey's wife was especially supportive, taking over as the family breadwinner when necessary.
Luck came in the form of a producer for BBC radio, who asked if they were interested in doing a half-hour comedy show.
They readily accepted the challenge. The result was Spare a Copper, a comedy which, as its title suggests, is about a cop. The series lasted two seasons and in the process Esmonde and Larbey learned a lot about how to structure thirty minutes of comedy as opposed to the short skits they'd been doing. They also learned a lot about how to create a character. But more important, the success of the series gave them confidence in their ability to make their livings as writers.
 Spare a Copper
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In contrast to some writing partnerships, Esmonde and Larbey split script responsibility in half and worked in the same office. In an exclusive interview with The Insider back in March of 2001, Larbey explained their process:
"We always wrote together in the same room. I've heard of pairs of writers who do scenes each and then meet up and put them together, but that never appealed to us. We rented a series of disgusting little offices and just used to go to work--sit in the same room, talk a lot, drink a lot of coffee, and ad-lib dialogue. We used to get the story fairly straight first, and then start to ad-lib dialogue. And that was it. Ad-lib it and write it down, and try to remember what you've just been laughing at. That's the hardest part."
They rarely disagreed on things, but decided early on that if one of them felt very strongly that a scene wasn't working or a line of dialogue should be taken out, then it would be gone.
They were helped out in the early days by people such as Marty Feldman and famed comedy writer/producer Barry Took, who would give them constructive, positive criticism.
With the success of Spare a Copper on radio, Esmonde and Larbey decided to challenge themselves further with a television sitcom. Their first effort was called Room at the Bottom, the plot of which revolved around maintenance men working at a manufacturing plant.
It was shown as part of Comedy Playhouse, a series that aired a different pilot every week. If a pilot was deemed strong enough, a complete season would then be commissioned. (Comedy Playhouse was also responsible for other classics such as Are You Being Served?)
Room at the Bottom was indeed successful enough to warrant the production of an entire season of seven episodes. It wasn't picked up for a second season, but it was valuable experience and a program they both look back on with pride.
 Please, Sir!
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In 1968 the pair scored their first big hit with the comedy Please, Sir! It starred John Alderton as a young teacher coping with a class of kids who knew more about life than he did.
Unlike many shows, which take several seasons to become established and gather an audience, Please, Sir! was an instant hit and ran for a total of 56 episodes. A sequel, called The Fenn Street Gang, ran for an additional 49 episodes.
It was only with the success of these two series that Esmonde and Larbey realized they'd made it. There would be no returning to a boring nine-to-five routine.
Until, of course, they dealt with the subject in Good Neighbors. Since both of them had suffered through stifling, dead-end jobs, it was something they could write about from experience. Plus, Larbey had just turned a crucial age. As he told The Insider:
"I think it was a good idea. We started with the premise of somebody reaching his fortieth birthday, in this case the character [Tom Good]. People think of it as one of those milestone ages, the "Oh, God, what have I done with my life? What do I do about it?" That was the premise."
They knew that Tom was going to chuck his job and the question became what would he do then? At first they considered having him build a yacht and sail around the world, but a subject that was trendy at the time turned out to be a better idea.
"Then we added the self-sufficiency, which seemed a good idea," Larbey said. "It started slowly-bad reviews and low audiences, and then somewhere in the second series it just took off and flew. And it sort of passed into legend for some reason."
 Barbara and Tom Good
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Good Neighbors (or The Good Life, as it was known in the UK) passed into legend for many good reasons. There was the brilliant ensemble of Richard Briers, Felicity Kendal, Penelope Keith and the late Paul Eddington. The chemistry among them has rarely been equaled in television sitcoms. But the majority of the credit must go to Esmonde and Larbey, who made a number of smart moves in the creation and writing of the series.
First, a premise that almost anyone can relate to. Who hasn't dreamed of being their own boss? Most people, however, don't have the nerve of a Tom Good to make it actually happen. A large number of people spend years at an unfulfilling job, so it's a pleasure to live vicariously through him. Some fans, however, were inspired by the series and actually went out to become self-sufficient.
Then there was the relationship between the Goods and the Leadbetters. Setting up the two couples as friends was much more effective than if they'd had an adversarial relationship, though there was always just enough conflict to keep things interesting.
This also allowed Esmonde and Larbey to develop Margo and Jerry into strong characters in their own right.
 The Goods and the Ledbetters
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It would've been easy to write Margo solely as a caricature of a middle-class snob or as a shrewish, disapproving harridan, but Esmonde and Larbey turned her into more. Add in Penelope Keith's stellar performance and Margo became one of the most popular characters in Britcom history. Same for her husband Jerry. Esmonde and Larbey made him more than just another Richard Bucket-style henpecked husband.
Jerry usually - but not always - kowtowed to his wife while Margo definitely was snobbish and often disapproved of what the Goods were doing. Yet any tension between the neighbors was offset by acts of true friendship. Who can forget the sight of Margo slipping in the mud as she helped Tom and Barbara bring in a crop that was on the verge of destruction because of a bad storm? Who was there to help when the pig gave birth? Margo and Jerry.
The shoe was sometimes on the other foot. Tom and Barbara provided the Leadbetters with a scaled-down Christmas to remember after Margo's "Christmas in a van" couldn't be delivered on time. Tom and Barbara were also there to support Margo when she made her debut in the music society production of The Sound of Music.
Another smart move Esmonde and Larbey made was having the Goods try self-sufficiency in suburbia. Had the setting been a rural area it really wouldn't have created the same kind of tension or had the same kind of impact.
Good Neighbors ran for four seasons and the final regular season episode - called Anniversary - ended the series on a combination of sadness and optimism. The Good's home is burglarized on the same day Tom is celebrating his 42nd birthday. The Goods and the Leadbetters are at first devastated and for a moment it looks like Tom and Barbara will have to abandon the idea of self-sufficiency. However, despite this temporary setback Tom and Barbara refuse to give up and the couples share a toast to "the good life."
"Anniversary" was seen by over 12 million viewers but there were two more shows to come. A 1977 Christmas special and a special episode, called "When I'm 64" filmed in front of one of the show's biggest fans: the Queen.
Perhaps Esmonde and Larbey's greatest achievement with Good Neighbors was that more than any other program of its era it gives a portrait of British life at that point in time. It captured the dreams as well as the frustrations of many Britons. Tom wanted a better life while Margo had the nerve to stand up to the rates man and be the voice of the "silent majority."
In a few years things would start to change as Mrs. Thatcher was elected and disillusioned British youth loudly began to proclaim their displeasure with her.
While Good Neighbors was still airing, Esmonde and Larbey reached into their pasts for material to create another sitcom. Get Some In! was based on their military service. It proved another hit and ran for five seasons, giving Robert Lindsay his first major role.
 The Other One
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The 70s were a busy time for the duo and their output also included some things that didn't quite gel. Richard Briers and Michael Gambon starred in The Other One, in which Briers played a habitual liar. The British public seemed unable to accept their beloved Briers as a bad guy, so the series didn't go over well. However, it remains one of Esmonde and Larbey's favorites.
In the early 80s they decided to take a bit of a break. Esmonde went to spend time in Spain while Larbey bought a new home and, suddenly strapped with a hefty mortgage, found himself in need of some cash. He spoke to his agent, who told him the obvious: "You're a comedy writer. Write a comedy."
It was odd for Larbey to work without his long-time partner, but his first solo project became a big hit.
 A Fine Romance
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A Fine Romance stars Judi Dench (before she was a Dame) as translator Laura Dalton and her late husband Michael Williams as Mike Selway, a scruffy landscape gardener. This sweet romantic comedy follows the pair as they are set up on a blind date by Laura's sister and, despite their initial reservations about each other, slowly but surely fall in love.
Larbey's excellent script and the winning combination of Dench (in her first sitcom) and Williams made this program a smash that lasted for four seasons.
The final episode of A Fine Romance was transmitted in 1984. That same year Larbey reteamed with both Esmonde and Briers for Ever Decreasing Circles.
The character Briers plays, that of Martin Bryce, is on some levels similar to Tom Good. They both feel the need to be efficient, organized and in control. They are both more than a bit self-absorbed and can be incredibly insensitive to the needs of their better half. On the other hand, both Tom and Martin have intentions that are good.
Martin wants to help his community and in his zeal heads up about every conceivable local committee. He has a small office (well, a closet) in his house that is constantly abuzz with the sound of his duplicating machine printing out meeting agendas or other committee business.
Yet his singular focus on doing good causes Martin to become an incredible bore. His wife wants to go to see a famed pianist while Martin prefers his meetings or studying up on various esoteric subjects.
Every protagonist needs an antagonist and Esmonde/Larbey give Martin a wonderful one in the form of Paul Ryman, played by Peter Egan. Paul is everything Martin is not - supremely confident and seemingly able to have everything fall together effortlessly. Paul is adept at his profession as a hairdresser, good at sports and apparently has no problem with the ladies.
Most of all, Paul is good at getting under Martin's skin. While others take a shine to the charismatic newcomer, Martin is driven to distraction in an attempt to find out something - ANYTHING - that he's better at than Paul.
 Ever Decreasing Circles
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The rivalry between the two men is beautifully rendered with Briers giving one of his best performances. Along with Egan, Penelope Wilton provides able support as Martin's wife Ann. Martin is too clueless to sense the growing attraction between Paul and Ann, but like Barbara Good, Ann is a faithful wife who stays with a man that other women might have left.
Esmonde and Larbey's scripts beautifully capture the spirit of being British and of being an "everyman" - a normal guy dealing with every day problems. Sure, Martin makes the most ordinary molehills into mountains, but as frustrating as he is, you root for him in the end. Being the smart writers that they are, Esmonde and Larbey also show that Paul's life is not as rosy as it first appears.
As Ever Decreasing Circles began to reach an end, Esmonde and Larbey brought out their next effort, Brush Strokes, with Karl Howman as a wisecracking womanizer who works as a house painter. Howman would later star in Mulberry, playing an apprentice Grim Reaper who develops a soft spot for the woman he is supposed to be escorting into the next world.
The woman in question is the cantankerous Miss Farnaby, played by Geraldine McEwan. In an attempt to make her last days pleasant, Mulberry gets a job as her servant and his charm eventually wears down the elderly woman's crusty exterior.
His affection for her grows to the point where he's hesitant to do the job he's been sent to do. This is frowned upon by his father, the Grim Reaper who appears to his son as a mysterious black figure.
 Mulberry
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Mulberry lasted thirteen episodes and was a good example of how Esmonde and Larbey's writing could display an incredible amount of depth. It also showed them experimenting with the sitcom formula, dealing with somewhat dark subject matter in a humorous way and incorporating plenty of fantasy and whimsy.
Esmonde and Larbey have been criticized in some circles as being too safe and cozy, but their later work like Ever Decreasing Circles and Mulberry show that this criticism is to a large extent unfair.
Following one more collaboration (1995's Down to Earth, also starring Briers), Esmonde and Larbey decided to call their partnership quits. It was entirely amicable, due mainly to Esmonde's desire to spend more time in Spain. He still lives there and concentrates on writing novels.
By this time, Larbey had already begun to write another enormously popular Britcom. It was somewhat similar in premise to his earlier A Fine Romance and one of its stars was also the same.
The idea for As Time Goes By was brought to Larbey by the Theater of Comedy production company and they asked him to see what he could do with it. The premise - of two former lovers reuniting after almost forty years - was right up Larbey's alley and the dream casting of Dame Judi Dench as Jean Pargetter and Geoffrey Palmer as Lionel Hardcastle turned Larbey's words into gold.
For the first few seasons, the plot revolved around whether or not Lionel and Jean would get back together. As Larbey confessed to The Insider,
"You can do just so much with two people sort of dancing around each other--and the audience knowing that the outcome was going to be a happy one. I think the reason that I went on was that they were all so good in it and enjoyed it, and I liked the characters that I'd written. It was a happy time, and we said let's go on, let's make it a character comedy."
 As Time Goes By
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And that he did, keeping the show fresh after the original "will they or won't they?" question was resolved. The other characters - especially Moira Brooker as Judith and Philip Bretherton as Alistair - went through their own relationship roller coaster and there was the wonderful romance of Lionel's octogenarian father Rocky, who marries his child bride, the septuagenarian Madge.
Larbey was also able to throw in some great supporting characters, such as the lovable Mrs. Flack, a very conscientious secretary who nonetheless drove Lionel crazy when she was hired to help him with his book.
Despite his success as a solo writer, Larbey admits that working without a partner is less fun. There is no one to bounce ideas off of nor is there a partner to laugh with if something is funny. He also admits that when he and Esmonde worked together there was much more planning and outlining involved in the scripts. On his own, Larbey says he thinks in broad terms, figures out the ending and just goes from there.
Larbey's recent scripts contain the same strengths as the work he did with Esmonde. They got laughs without resorting to coarse language or cheap laughs. They never repeated themselves and, although not every one of their collaborations proved to be a hit, they weren't afraid to experiment. They created characters everyone could relate to and let the laughter flow naturally from the characters and the situation rather than an endless stream of artificial one-liners. Together and solo, the work of John Esmonde and Bob Larbey has made the world of British comedy a much richer place. For that, we here at The Insider salute them and say thank you, gentlemen.
The Insider, March, 2004
5
Losses to the British television empire
Rumpole's creator Mortimer dies
Dramatist and author Sir John Mortimer, who created enduring character Rumpole of the Bailey, has died aged 85 after a long illness.
Sir John, who began working as a barrister in the 1940s, went on to become one of the most prolific writers of books and screenplays.
His first radio play was broadcast in 1957, and later wrote a TV adaptation of Laurie Lee's Cider With Rosie.
Sir John, whose daughter is actress Emily Mortimer, was knighted in 1998.
His other well-known screen creations included obnoxious Conservative Mr. Lesley Titmuss, portrayed by actor David Threlfall.
Actor Leo McKern, who died in 2002, played Rumpole throughout his time on screen, and was called "a wonderful actor" by Sir John.
The curmudgeonly barrister famously referred to his feared wife Hilda as "she who must be obeyed".
Sir John adapted his own best-selling novel Summer's Lease for the small screen, which featured Sir John Gielgud.
The writer also adapted ITV's lavish 11-part serial Brideshead Revisited.
He combined his careers as barrister and dramatist for several decades, successfully defending Oz magazine against charges of obscenity in 1971.
His own life was reflected in his dramatic output, with A Voyage Round My Father a portrayal of his blind father, who was also a barrister.
The drama appeared on radio, television and the London stage.
Melvyn Bragg, a friend and neighbour of Sir John, said the writer had a "wonderful life, beginning and ending" in a cottage in the Buckinghamshire village of Turville Heath, previously owned by his father.
"Life was encircled around that place in Turville and he was the monarch of that," Lord Bragg said.
"We went to pay court to him and, to be honest, you went just to laugh and to hear the latest gossip and the latest book he'd read and 'what do you think of this and what do you think of that?'"
"There was a whiff of erudition and scandal always around John and it was completely seductive and he'll be badly, badly missed."
BBC radio drama head Alison Hindell said: "It's a great loss for the huge circle of his admirers, fans and friends who will always carry Rumpole, and the other wonderful works he wrote, in their hearts."
Tony Lacey, Sir John's editor at publishing house Viking said: "It's hard to think he's gone.
"At least we're lucky enough to have Rumpole to remind us just how remarkable he was."
www.bbc.co.uk
Prisoner star McGoohan dies at 80
Emmy-winning actor Patrick McGoohan, best known for starring in cult 1960s TV show The Prisoner, has died at the age of 80.
He died in Los Angeles after a short illness, his film producer son-in-law Cleve Landsberg told Associated Press.
McGoohan played the character Six in the surreal 1960s show, filmed in the north Wales village of Portmeirion.
He won two Emmy awards for his work on TV detective series Columbo, playing different characters.
The first came for an episode of the series in 1974, with another 16 years later.
The screen star also won a Bafta award for best television actor in 1959 for his role in The Greatest Man In The World, a one-off drama in ITV's Armchair Theatre series.
In more recent years, McGoohan played King Edward Longshanks in the 1995 Mel Gibson film Braveheart.
The actor also starred in ITV series Danger Man, which began in 1960.
The actor, who was born in New York and raised in England and Ireland, came to screen prominence in TV series Danger Man, in which he played a secret service agent. The programme later aired as Secret Agent in the US.
He was later considered for the role of James Bond for the movie Dr. No.
But McGoohan was chiefly associated with cult ITV drama The Prisoner, writing some of the episodes himself under a different name.
His character spent the entire time attempting to escape from The Village and finding out the identity of his captor, the elusive Number One.
He repeatedly declared: "I am not a number - I am a free man!"
In 2000, McGoohan reprised his most famous role in an episode of The Simpsons.
Residents of Portemeirion, which has its own The Prisoner shop selling memorabilia from the show, have paid tribute to the star.
Councillor Dewi Lewis said: "It helped to put Portmeirion the village on the map during the 60s and we are still benefiting from that today."
"Mr. McGoohan is held in high esteem in the area for the work he did - it still has a loyal following of people who come to Portmeirion annually."
Robin Llywelyn, managing director of the Portmeirion village resort, added: "What he created out of The Prisoner is a lasting piece of TV at its best - it achieved cult status. It's something that we are very proud of."
Last year, ITV confirmed that Passion of the Christ star Jim Caviezel would take the role of Number Six in a remake of The Prisoner, which will also star Sir Ian McKellen.
"His [McGoohan's] creation of The Prisoner made an indelible mark on the sci-fi, fantasy and political thriller genres, creating one of the most iconic characters of all time," AMC, which is co-producing the remake, said in a statement.
"AMC hopes to honour his legacy in our re-imagining of The Prisoner."
McGoohan's last role came in 2002, as a voice artist in animated picture Treasure Planet.
www.bbc.co.uk
6
Becoming Jane Austen
The True Love Story That Inspired
the Classic Novels
by John Spence
Part of a continuing series.
Little is known of Jane's own life before 1783, but we can reconstruct something of life at Steventon. In 1773, two years before Jane was born, George Austen began to take boarding pupils as a means of increasing the family income. It was a good way to make money while beginning to educate James. Mr. Austen taught the boys, and Mrs. Austen acted as housekeeper, adviser and mother to the pupils as well as to her own children.
On the side of formal instruction, Mr. Austen is said to have had considerable talent as a teacher. Frank later remembered that his father "joined to an unusual extent of classical learning and a highly cultivated gentleness of manners." Mrs. Austen's genius was of a different kind. She was capable, energetic and sensible. She had a facility for composing impromptu verse, a lively talent she used to cajole the boys and keep them amused.
Jane Austen
|
When she was a small child, her uncle Theophilus Leigh, the Master of Balliol College, Oxford, had called her "the poet of the family," and a few surviving poems written to or for the Steventon pupils give a sprightly picture of the part she played in their lives. When Gilbert East kept making excuses to delay his return to Steventon and his studies, Mrs. Austen sent him a letter in verse to urge him to come back. She begins the poem with a cheerful expression of concern:
Your Steventon Friends
Are at their wits Ends
To know what has become of Squire East:
They very much fear
He'll never come here
Having left them nine weeks at least.
After six more verses relating what the pupils and family at Steventon had been doing both in work and play, she comes to the point with a compliment and a question:
That you dance very well
All beholders can tell.
For lightly and nimbly you tread: But pray, is it meet
To indulge thus your feet
And neglect all the while your poor head?
7
Tea Advisor
Aspects of Tea Production
Robert Bruce, an ex-army businessman, had gone to Assam before the war looking for trading opportunities, and had become an agent for an Assamese chief who the East India Company were backing for the control of Upper Assam. In 1823 Bruce had learnt of the existence of tea plants in Assam, and made arrangement to obtain some. Meanwhile, the war had broken out with Burma, and Robert Bruce's brother, C.A. Bruce, arrived to command some British gunboats.
C.A. Bruce, who was to become perhaps the most important figure in the development of tea in India, had led an adventurous life before he came to Assam. He had left England in 1809 as a midshipman on an East India Company ship. On the journey he had been twice captured by the French, marched across Mauritius "at the end of the bayonet," and kept prisoner until the island was taken by the British. He then went with the British to take Java.
As it happened Bruce's area of command in Assam covered Sadiya - the very place from which his brother was hoping to get tea plants. C.A. Bruce collected the promised tea plants, grew some in his garden at Sadiya, sent some to the British Agent in Assam to grow in his garden, and dispatched leaves and seeds to Calcutta for examination. The Company's Botanical Gardens at Calcutta declined to confirm that the samples were tea rather than another variety of camellia, and the probable discovery was not pursued.
Tea | By Roy Moxham
8
Mystery of the Month
What Is Your Guess?
Case One
One fateful day in a courthouse in the American South, a young litigator hears the disturbing tale of a girl's rape. He is so moved by the story that he changes the direction of his life permanently. From that point on, he wakes up early to pursue this new passion that will one day make him quite wealthy.
The Mystery
Who is the man and what does he become?
-
Clues
- The man was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives for seven years.
- An attorney by training the man now makes his living at a computer.
- The man is one of modern publishing's great success stories.
- Nearly all of the man's books have made it to the silver screen.
- The man knows Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon.
Case Two
A man builds a castle but never lives in it, despite its popularity. Even after his death, millions pay homage every year, encountering enormous beasts and witnessing terrible explosions. Though exhausted and drained of valuable resources, men feel compelled to make another pilgrimage to the castle's grounds in the future.
The Mystery
Who built the castle and where is it?
-
Clues
- A TV and movie producer designed the castle.
- The castle is part of a magical place.
- The castle is in California.
- The castle is surrounded by an amusement park.
- The castle's creator brought Pinocchio to life.
Be sure to check the April 2009 edition of the Tea Times for the answers
Answers to February Mysteries:
Case One: The stars are criminals wanted by the police and the FBI. They are featured on "America's Most Wanted."
Case Two: Parker is one of the Three Little Pigs. The Big Bad Wolf is his enemy.
9
England's Calendar of Events | March
Bulb Burst at Kew Gardens
February 15 - March 11, 2009
Kew Gardens
From mid-February to early March, the first signs of spring bring a blaze of colour to Kew Botanical Gardens as over five million bulbs burst into flower, from the crocus carpet and blue chinidoxia to swathes of daffodils.
The flowers are, of course, at the mercy of the weather. In order to see them in their full glory, call before you visit to ensure that spring has indeed arrived. You may also be able to take in one of the many family events arranged around this time.
www.whatsonwhen.com
Bird's Eye View - Women's Film Festival
March 5-13, 2009
London, Institute of Contemporary Art
The Birds Eye View Film Festival is the UK's first annual film festival devoted exclusively to women directors, hosted at the BFI, the Barbican and the ICA.
With only seven per cent of directors being female, the festival champions the largely untapped but very real talent that exists among women in an industry traditionally dominated by men. Films from some of the most exciting up-and-coming women directors are screened at the event, which is backed by some of the biggest names in the industry, including patrons Mira Nair, Joanna Lumley, Alison Steadman, Anthony Minghella, Mike Figgis and Juliet Stevenson.
The programme includes international feature films, short films and documentaries, parties, director Q&As, educational events, awards and much more.
www.whatsonwhen.com
St Patrick's Day Festival
March 15, 2009
London
Trafalgar Square bursts with a huge festival and parade on St Patrick's Day. Traditional and contemporary Irish music take over the stage and the fountains pump out green water. Guinness and Irish fun also fill Covent Garden and Leicester Square.
The parade assembles on the northbound section of Park Lane, setting off at 12.30pm making its way through central London via Piccadilly, Regent Street, Trafalgar Square and on to Whitehall Place where it ends.
Aside from in Trafalgar Square, more live music is performed in Covent Garden which also hosts a two-day celebration of traditional Irish food. In Leicester Square, people will be able to take part in an outdoor Ceili Mor where a caller will lead participants in a lively afternoon of traditional Irish dancing.
The festivities also encompass a range of other events and activities including dance workshops, exhibitions, programmes for kids, classical concerts and guided walks.
www.whatsonwhen.com
10
The weather is getting better but soup always makes you feel good inside! Complement your corned beef and cabbage with this soup on St. Patrick's Day.
Potato and Leek Soup
From the Kitchen of Mary Lydon
Dunsany, Co. Meath, Ireland
- 1 heaping cup potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 heaping cup leeks, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced (optional)
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 ¾ cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons cream
- Bouquet garni *
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish: chopped chives or parsley
Preparation
- In a large saucepan, heat butter and oil; add vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes. Do not brown.
- Add stock and seasoning; bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes until vegetables are soft.
- Puree in a blender or with an electric mixer. If too thin, return to pan; blend flour with a little water and whisk into soup. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Serve in warmed soup bowls with croutons, melba toast, brown bread or rolls. Garnish with chopped chives or parsley.
- Yield: 4 servings
* Bouquet Garni:
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 4 large sprigs of parsley (including stalks)
- 1 4-inch piece of celery stalk with leaves
- 2 4-inch pieces of leek (green part)
Place the bay leaf, thyme, parsley and celery on one piece of green leek. Cover with remaining piece of green leek. Tie securely with fine string, leaving a length of string attached so that the bouquet garni can be easily retrieved.
www.littleshamrocks.com
11
Afternoon Teaisms
Rhymes and Wits
Irish Proverbs
Work and Idleness
Poverty waits at the gates of idleness.
Youth and Old Age
The older the fiddle the sweeter the tune.
Romance and Marriage
Beauty won't make the kettle boil.
Character and Honor
Who gossips with you will gossip of you.
Opportunity
Many a sudden change takes place on an unlikely day.
The Wisdom of Silence
Who keeps his tongue keeps his friends.
Life's Ups and Downs
You must take the little potato with the big potato.
Human Nature
Pity him who makes an opinion a certainty.
islandireland.com