Oxbridge Blues
Encyclopedia
Oxbridge Blues is a British television mini-series, produced by the BBC
and first shown in 1984. It is an anthology of seven 75-minute teleplays, most of which focus on relationships of one kind or another. All of the teleplays except one take place in England; "He'll See You Now" takes place in the U.S.
The eponymous first teleplay in the series, "Oxbridge Blues", was nominated for a BAFTA television award for Best Single Drama. The series was broadcast in the U.S. on A&E
in 1986 and on PBS in 1988. In Australia, the series was broadcast on ABC
in 1987.
The seven teleplays are dramatized from short stories by the novelist Frederick Raphael, and he described the series as "mostly kind of chamber pieces — modest dramas about love and sex and honour and marriage". Raphael directed one episode, James Cellan-Jones directed four, and Richard Stroud directed two.
In December 1984, the BBC published the seven teleplays together in book form, entitled Oxbridge Blues and Other Plays for Television.
.
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...
and first shown in 1984. It is an anthology of seven 75-minute teleplays, most of which focus on relationships of one kind or another. All of the teleplays except one take place in England; "He'll See You Now" takes place in the U.S.
The eponymous first teleplay in the series, "Oxbridge Blues", was nominated for a BAFTA television award for Best Single Drama. The series was broadcast in the U.S. on A&E
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
in 1986 and on PBS in 1988. In Australia, the series was broadcast on ABC
ABC Television
ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
in 1987.
The seven teleplays are dramatized from short stories by the novelist Frederick Raphael, and he described the series as "mostly kind of chamber pieces — modest dramas about love and sex and honour and marriage". Raphael directed one episode, James Cellan-Jones directed four, and Richard Stroud directed two.
In December 1984, the BBC published the seven teleplays together in book form, entitled Oxbridge Blues and Other Plays for Television.
Episodes
Each episode of Oxbridge Blues is a separate and unrelated story, with different characters in each.| # | Title | Director | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
Main cast
- Ian CharlesonIan CharlesonIan Charleson was a Scottish stage and film actor. He is best known internationally for his starring role as Olympic athlete and missionary Eric Liddell, in the Oscar-winning 1981 film Chariots of Fire. He is also well known for his portrayal of Rev...
– Victor Geary ("Oxbridge Blues") - Rosalyn LandorRosalyn LandorRosalyn Landor is an English film, television, and stage actress and audio book narrator.-Early life:Landor was born in London. She began her career at the age of seven, when she appeared in the Hammer Horror film The Devil Rides Out .-Career:In 1970 she appeared with Susannah York in Jane Eyre,...
– Wendy ("Oxbridge Blues") - Amanda RedmanAmanda Redman-External links:* ArtistsTheatreSchool.com* The-Little.co.uk...
– Maxine ("Oxbridge Blues") - Michael ElphickMichael ElphickMichael John Elphick was an English actor. Elphick was known in the UK for his trademark croaky voice and his work on British television, in particular his roles as the eponymous private investigator in the ITV series Boon and later Harry Slater in BBC's EastEnders.Robust and ruggedly good-looking...
– Curly Bonaventura ("Oxbridge Blues") - Malcolm StoddardMalcolm StoddardMalcolm Stoddard is a British actor who has appeared on television.His credits include: The Voyage of Charles Darwin, Colditz, The Brothers, The New Avengers, Blake's 7, Squadron, By the Sword Divided, Juliet Bravo, Boon, The Bill, Families, Emmerdale, The Campbells, Heartbeat and The...
– Philip Geary ("Oxbridge Blues"); Michael ("Similar Triangles") - Kate FahyKate FahyKatherine "Kate" Fahy is an English stage and film actress from Birmingham. She studied drama at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and then joined its "Young Vic Theatre Company". Later on she joined the Everyman Theatre Liverpool Company, where she met actor Jonathan Pryce...
– Eileen ("Similar Triangles"); Lizzie (Cheap Day") - Ciaran MaddenCiaran MaddenCiaran Madden is a British stage, film, and television actress. She is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and is an Associate Member of the academy...
– Laura ("Cheap Day"); Rachel ("Similar Triangles") - Norman RodwayNorman Rodway-Early life:Rodway was born in Dublin to English parents, Frank and Lillian Rodway. He studied classics, graduating at Trinity College. He worked as an accountant, teacher, and university lecturer before acting.-Career:...
– Alec ("Cheap Day"); Narrator ("Similar Triangles") - Geoffrey PalmerGeoffrey Palmer (actor)Geoffrey Dyson Palmer, OBE is an English actor, best known for his roles in sitcoms such as Butterflies and As Time Goes By.-Career:...
– Fred ("Cheap Day") - Christopher GoodChristopher GoodChristopher Good is a British actor best known for his work on television.Good has made many one-off or short-lived appearances in drama and comedy programmes, with Murder Most Horrid, Rumpole Of The Bailey, Danger UXB, The Choir and Pie In The Sky being among them...
– James ("Cheap Day") - Ben KingsleyBen KingsleySir Ben Kingsley, CBE is a British actor. He has won an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards in his career. He is known for starring as Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi in 1982, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
– Geoff Craven ("Sleeps Six") - Diane KeenDiane KeenDiane Keen is an English actress.Keen is possibly best known for her starring roles in the British TV drama Doctors which she has been in since 2003 , and in the 1970s comedy series The Cuckoo Waltz and Rings on Their Fingers.-Personal life:Keen has one daughter, actress Melissa Greenwood, from...
– Sherry Craven ("Sleeps Six") - Jeremy ChildJeremy ChildSir Coles John "Jeremy" Child, 3rd Baronet is an English actor.He was born in Woking, England and educated at Eton College, as well as trained as an actor at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. After appearing in repertory theatre, he was cast in a significant role in the 1967 film Privilege...
– Philip Witham ("Sleeps Six") - Jackie Smith-WoodJackie Smith-WoodJackie Smith-Wood is a British actress and director. As an actress she has worked in film, television, theatre and radio.Internationally Smith-Wood is best known in her portrayal of Mary Crawford in the BBC's 1983 miniseries of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park.Smith-Wood's stage credits include:* Ann...
– Lady Jane Witham ("Sleeps Six") - Susan SarandonSusan SarandonSusan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
– Natalie ("He'll See You Now") - Barry DennenBarry DennenBarry Dennen is an American actor, singer, and writer.Dennen was born in Chicago, Illinois. In New York City from 1960 to 1963, he had a relationship with Barbra Streisand, including living together for a year, during which time he helped her develop the nightclub act that began her successful...
– Dr. Stein ("He'll See You Now") - David SuchetDavid SuchetDavid Suchet, CBE, is an English actor, known for his work on British television. He is recognised for his RTS- and BPG award-winning performance as Augustus Melmotte in the 2001 British TV mini-drama The Way We Live Now, alongside Matthew Macfadyen and Paloma Baeza, and a 1991 British Academy...
– Colin ("The Muse") - Frances TomeltyFrances TomeltyFrances Tomelty is a Northern Irish actress and the first wife of Sting. She is the daughter of Belfast actor Joseph Tomelty ....
– Angela Lane ("The Muse") - Carol RoyleCarol RoyleCarol Royle is an English television actress.Royle was born in Blackpool and studied drama at the Central School of Speech and Drama. She is probably best known for her leading role as Jenny Russell alongside Simon Cadell in the BBC sitcom Life Without George which ran for three series from 1987...
– Tory ("That Was Tory"); Ellen ("The Muse") - John BirdJohn Bird (actor)John Bird is an English satirist, actor and comedian.-Early life:Born in Bulwell, Nottingham, England, and educated at High Pavement Grammar School, Nottingham, Bird briefly joined the Socialist Party of Great Britain, while still at school...
– Clive ("That Was Tory") - Joanna LumleyJoanna LumleyJoanna Lamond Lumley, OBE, FRGS is a British actress, voice-over artist, former-model and author, best known for her roles in British television series Absolutely Fabulous portraying Edina Monsoon's best friend, Patsy Stone, as well as parts in The New Avengers, Sapphire & Steel, and Sensitive...
– GiGi ("That Was Tory")
Music
The series theme music was composed by Richard Holmes, and sung by the English group CantabileCantabile (group)
Cantabile - The London Quartet is a British a cappella vocal quartet.-Biography:They were formed as a student group whilst studying at Cambridge University in 1977...
.
Awards and nominations
- The first episode, "Oxbridge Blues", was nominated for a BAFTABritish Academy of Film and Television ArtsThe British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
television award for Best Single Drama. - Susan SarandonSusan SarandonSusan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
won the 1987 CableACE AwardCableACE AwardThe CableACE Award was an award that was given from 1978 to 1997 to honor excellence in American cable television programming...
for Best Actress in a Dramatic Series for her performance in the episode "He'll See You Now". - Ben KingsleyBen KingsleySir Ben Kingsley, CBE is a British actor. He has won an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards in his career. He is known for starring as Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi in 1982, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
was nominated for a CableACE Award for Best Actor in a Dramatic Series for his performance in the episode "Sleeps Six".
External links
- Oxbridge Blues at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...
- Oxbridge Blues at the BFIBritish Film InstituteThe British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...