We'll Meet Again (TV series)
Encyclopedia
We'll Meet Again is a British
television drama set in the Second World War. It was produced by London Weekend Television
(LWT) for the ITV
network and was broadcast in early 1982 in the Friday primetime slot of 9 pm GMT.
The show, based in a fictional village in East Anglia
, was set around the clandestine and illicit love affair between civilian Helen Dereham (played by Susannah York
) whose husband was away fighting in Europe and the commanding officer of the nearby USAAF base, Major
Jim Kiley (Michael J. Shannon).
Although a major commission for LWT, the programme was planned for just one series of thirteen hour-long episodes. Production commenced in 1981 with studio scenes filmed at the South Bank Television Centre and location filming in the villages of Lenham
and West Malling
in the county of Kent
. As was standard practice at the time, studio scenes were recorded on 2-inch quadruplex videotape with location scenes shot on 16 mm film
and converted to broadcast master tape via telecine
. The show was transmitted between February and May 1982. LWT had previously produced Enemy at the Door
, a series about the German occupation of Guernsey during the same war, and the two series have a common theme of tension between the locals and the 'intruding' soldiers whose presence affects their ways of life, something which can become obvious when actors play similar roles in similar storylines in both series (most obviously: Ray Smith, as the father of a girl who disapproves of his daughter associating with foreign servicemen).
The show featured several writers who were responsible for writing individual episodes: these included David Butler, John Gorrie and David Crane. Similarly, the show featured several directors including Tony Wharmby
, Christopher Hodson, Peter Creegan and John Reardon.
The show's title was based on the popular wartime song "We'll Meet Again
" performed by Dame Vera Lynn. The theme for the show was composed by Denis King
. A vocal version was released as a single by Stutz Bear Cats.
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 drama set in the Second World War. It was produced by London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
(LWT) for the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
network and was broadcast in early 1982 in the Friday primetime slot of 9 pm GMT.
The show, based in a fictional village in East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
, was set around the clandestine and illicit love affair between civilian Helen Dereham (played by Susannah York
Susannah York
Susannah York was a British film, stage and television actress. She was awarded a BAFTA as Best Supporting Actress for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe for the same film. She won best actress for Images at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival...
) whose husband was away fighting in Europe and the commanding officer of the nearby USAAF base, Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Jim Kiley (Michael J. Shannon).
Although a major commission for LWT, the programme was planned for just one series of thirteen hour-long episodes. Production commenced in 1981 with studio scenes filmed at the South Bank Television Centre and location filming in the villages of Lenham
Lenham
Lenham is a market village in Kent situated on the southern edge of the North Downs, halfway between Maidstone and Ashford. The picturesque square in the village has two public houses , a couple of restaurants, and a tea-room....
and West Malling
West Malling
West Malling is a historic market town in the Tonbridge and Malling district of Kent, England. It has a population of about 3000-5000.-Landmarks:...
in the county of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. As was standard practice at the time, studio scenes were recorded on 2-inch quadruplex videotape with location scenes shot on 16 mm film
16 mm film
16 mm film refers to a popular, economical gauge of film used for motion pictures and non-theatrical film making. 16 mm refers to the width of the film...
and converted to broadcast master tape via telecine
Telecine
Telecine is transferring motion picture film into video and is performed in a color suite. The term is also used to refer to the equipment used in the post-production process....
. The show was transmitted between February and May 1982. LWT had previously produced Enemy at the Door
Enemy at the Door
Enemy At The Door is a British television drama series made by London Weekend Television for ITV. The series was shown between 1978 and 1980 and dealt with the German occupation of Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands, during the Second World War...
, a series about the German occupation of Guernsey during the same war, and the two series have a common theme of tension between the locals and the 'intruding' soldiers whose presence affects their ways of life, something which can become obvious when actors play similar roles in similar storylines in both series (most obviously: Ray Smith, as the father of a girl who disapproves of his daughter associating with foreign servicemen).
The show featured several writers who were responsible for writing individual episodes: these included David Butler, John Gorrie and David Crane. Similarly, the show featured several directors including Tony Wharmby
Tony Wharmby
Tony Wharmby is an English television director and producer.Wharmby is best known for his directorial work on television series such as JAG, NCIS, The O.C., Bones, Providence, Coronation Street, High Sierra Search and Rescue, The X-Files, Coins in the Fountain, New Scotland Yard, Gossip Girl,...
, Christopher Hodson, Peter Creegan and John Reardon.
The show's title was based on the popular wartime song "We'll Meet Again
We'll Meet Again
"We'll Meet Again" is a 1939 song made famous by British singer Vera Lynn, and it also may refer to:* We'll Meet Again , a musical starring Lynn that includes the song...
" performed by Dame Vera Lynn. The theme for the show was composed by Denis King
Denis King
Denis King is an English Ivor Novello award-winning composer, singer and actor.As a writer he composed music for the British television series The Adventures of Black Beauty, Within These Walls, Lovejoy and Worzel Gummidge amongst others. He also composed the theme to the 1992 series The New...
. A vocal version was released as a single by Stutz Bear Cats.
Cast
- Susannah YorkSusannah YorkSusannah York was a British film, stage and television actress. She was awarded a BAFTA as Best Supporting Actress for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe for the same film. She won best actress for Images at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival...
as Helen Dereham - Michael J. Shannon as Major Jim Kiley
- Lou HirschLou HirschLou Hirsch is an actor, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, United States, and currently based in the United Kingdom. He studied at the University of Miami and The Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, UK, with future Star Trek actress Marina Sirtis...
as Sergeant Hymie Stutz - Patrick O'ConnellPatrick O'Connell (actor)Patrick O'Connell is a retired Irish actor known for numerous performances on UK television and in films.He was brought up in Birmingham, England and after working in the office of a department store he trained as an actor at RADA...
as Jack Blair - Lynne Pearson as Rosie Blair
- Carolyn PicklesCarolyn PicklesCarolyn Pickles is an English actress who has appeared in West End theatre and on British television, perhaps most notably in Emmerdale as Shelly Williams.-Life and career:Pickles was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England...
as Sally Bilton - James SaxonJames SaxonJames Saxon was a British character actor. He often played aristocrats or middle class characters.Having trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he made a career on screen with leading parts in television series such as the BBC adaptation of Vanity Fair , the ITV comedy Brass , the brief...
as Sergeant Elmer Jones - Gavan O'HerlihyGavan O'HerlihyGavan O'Herlihy is an Irish actor.O'Herlihy was born in Dublin, the son of Elsa Bennett and Irish actor Dan O'Herlihy. In his youth, he was an avid tennis player, and even became Irish National Tennis Champion...
as Captain 'Red' Berwash - June Barry as Vera Mundy
- Ray SmithRay Smith (actor)Ray Smith was a Welsh actor who notably played the tough-talking police chief, Detective Superintendent Gordon Spikings, in the television series, Dempsey & Makepeace.- Early life :...
as Albert Mundy - Ronald HinesRonald HinesRonald Hines is a British television actor.He has had a lengthy career, but possibly his best known role was as the husband in three of the four series of Not in Front of the Children...
as Ronald Dereham - Ed DevereauxEd DevereauxEd Devereaux was an Australian actor, who lived in the UK for many years. He was best known for playing the part of "Matt Hammond" in the Australian children's television series Skippy. He was also involved in the series behind the scenes: Devereaux directed The Veteran , for which he received...
as Colonel Rufus Krasnowici - Christopher MalcolmChristopher MalcolmChristopher Malcolm is a Scottish television and film actor, director and producer. He first achieved fame for his role as Brad Majors in the original stage production of The Rocky Horror Show.-Early life and education:...
as MSgt. Joe 'Mac' McGraw - Natalie OgleNatalie OgleNatalie Ogle is a British actress.She worked extensively in television and theatre during the seventies and the eighties and is still active in the industry....
as Letty Mundy - Patrick Pearson as Peter Mundy
- Kathryn PogsonKathryn PogsonKathryn Pogson is a film and stage actress. She appeared in Terry Gilliam's 1985 cult film Brazil. She received a Drama Desk Award nomination for her performance in the 1986 New York production of Aunt Dan and Lemon....
as Vi Blair - Lise Ann McLaughlin as Patricia Dereham