'Must We Wait 'Til Doomsday?': The Making And Mauling Of Churchill's People (BBC1, 1974–75). Issue 1 (2nd January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Greaves, Ian; Williams, John
• Is Part Of: Historical journal of film, radio and television. Volume 37:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 82
• Page End: 95
• Publication Date: 2017-01-02
• Subjects: Motion pictures -- History -- Periodicals; Broadcasting -- History -- Periodicals; 302.23409005
• DOI: 10.1080/01439685.2016.1272804
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0143-9685

Abstract

Abstract : In 1974, the lofty ambition of a BBC drama producer to manufacture a 'prestige' international hit along the lines of Elizabeth R (BBC2, 1971) came unstuck. In this case study, the authors consider the plight of Churchill's People (BBC1, 1974–75) during a time of economic strife in the UK and industrial unrest at the BBC, and ask how a series which combined so many skilled writers, directors and actors could result in such a poorly received end product. Churchill's People is also placed in a wider context to assess its 'neglected' status, the authors drawing parallels with other historical drama of the era. The series' qualification for being 'forgotten' is considered in relation to its struggle in the ratings against strong competition, the 'blacking out' by unions of production at the BBC for eight weeks and the subsequent pressures on transmission times, prompting the authors' consideration of a more qualified definition of 'lost' drama, i.e. the drama projects which were remounted, reduced or abandoned altogether during 1974.