We’re delighted to be joined once again by leading author, publisher and podcaster on classic British television, and hugely valued contributor to this podcast, Oliver Crocker. This episode we take an in-depth look at his definitive history of the iconic BBC television series, All Creatures Great and Small, based on the bestselling books by James Herriot, which ran for 90 episodes between 1978 and 1990.
For All Memories Great and Small, Oliver sourced rare production documents and photographs, and personally interviewed 75 cast and crew, including the producer and stars, so we get unprecedented access behind the scenes and learn about the series directly from those who made it.
Oliver shares some personal anecdotes about meeting the fascinating people who were key to making All Creatures Great and Small one of the BBC’s most beloved series of all time, and we find out just how warmly Oliver and his work have been embraced in the heart of James Herriot country.
All Memories Great and Small is available from Devonfire Books , major online retailers, or ask at your favourite bookshop.
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The BBC adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small ran for 90 episodes, from 1978 to 1990, and at its peak was watched by over 18 million people in the UK alone. It was based on the bestselling series of novels by James Herriot, a pen-name for real-life Yorkshire vet, Alf Wight (1916-1995). According to PBS, the books have sold over 80 million copies, have been translated into 36 languages, and haven’t been out of print since the the series’ debut in 1970.
Alf Wight’s daughter, (Dr) Rosie Page, wrote the foreword for All Memories Great and Small and said this;
“…I so admire Oliver for what he has achieved. He has delivered a book which is a must for all Herriot fans, but will also be enjoyed by anyone with any interest in television production. I enjoyed this book enormously; I know Alf Wight would have loved it too…”
Two feature films preceded the television series; in 1975 All Creatures Great and Small with Simon Ward as James Herriot and Anthony Hopkins as Siegfried, and then the following year, It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet, written by Alan Plater and starring John Alderton in the title role.
All 90 episodes of the television series were produced by Bill Sellars (1925-2018), who already had a proven track record as a television director and producer. He observed on a train journey that everyone was reading All Creatures Great and Small, there followed a fateful meeting with the BBC’s Head of Drama, and a series was commissioned.
Many cast ensembles we now look on as iconic came together largely by accident, Only Fools and Horses and Dad’s Army to name just two. We learn that the role of James Herriot was turned down by Richard Beckinsale, as well as John Alderton who refused on the grounds of considering the character a ‘cipher’. Christopher Timothy had no such concerns and made the character his own over the run of the series.
(Lynda Bellingham played Helen from series four onwards)
Oliver recalls interviewing Robert Hardy in this brief clip from our previous two-part conversation.
Robert Hardy in definitive television roles: As Winston Churchill in The Wilderness Years (Southern Television 1981), with Sian Phillips as Clementine, and as Prince Albert with Annette Crosbie as Victoria, in Edward the Seventh (ATV 1975).
Jean Heywood (1921-2019) came into the series towards the end, as Mrs Alton, and explained to Oliver how her working class roots informed her performance. (She was born into a coal mining family in Blyth, Northumberland).
“…It’s sort of the character of the women in my early life…I never had any money when I was young and had to make do and mend and manage…So I didn’t have to search how to play that kind of character. People loved my character in (When the Boat Comes In), a working class, good woman, quiet but very strong and I think Mrs Alton was a similar character…”
She also offered this insight into the art of ensemble acting;
“…Rehearsing is like playing a ball game, you throw a ball off the idea of your character that you’ve formed in your head, you keep throwing it in the air and nobody has received it back, until you go into the rehearsal studio where you throw the idea from inside your head to the other person, it comes back differently from how you’d imagined, so the character develops and works much more excitingly than what you had in your head…”
Margaretta Scott (1912-2005), despite having appeared in just 17 of the 90 episodes, created one of the series’ most memorable and enduring characters, Mrs Pumphrey, along with Tricki-Woo. Her screen career began in 1931, with her final credit in 1997.
Her daughter is BAFTA winning actress Susan Wooldridge (Jewel in the Crown, Hope and Glory), whom Oliver interviewed for All Memories Great and Small;
“…So she was 65 when she was cast as Mrs Pumphrey…Suddenly out of the clear blue sky, which occasionally happens to us actors, this lovely job came along and it was to be her life really for the next 13 years. It was very special to her, she loved that part of the country…
…She would be walking down the street and taxi drivers would stop and yell out, ‘How’s Tricki?’. She used to say, ‘I’ve played Juliet, Viola and Beatrice at Stratford, but it’s that bloomin’ dog I’m going to be remembered for.’…”
Susan Wooldridge also recalled that her mother loved everyone she worked with, had a lovely time and was very sad when the series ended.
Additional Context
Darlington and Stockton Times: (Dr) Rosie Page – Growing up with James Herriot and the lasting legacy of All Creatures Great and Small (A great article.)
Bill Sellars Obituary (The Guardian)
PBS Masterpiece: Q and A with Jim Wight and Rosie Page
Lynda Bellingham – Career in Pictures (BBC)
Richard Martin (Director) and Suzanne Neve (IMDb listings)
Writer Roger Davenport’s official website is a great read, with lots of insights, biographical details, credits and background, and a page dedicated to Joanna McCallum’s career details.
Joanna McCallum and Roger Davenport: Images from rogerdavenport.co.uk
Sample (Audio) Shorts
During our recording session we also talked about Oliver’s flagship success, The Bill Podcast, and actor Larry Dann’s autobiography, Oh, What a Lovely Memoir, edited by Oliver and published by Devonfire Books. That episode will be available in due course, and will be added to our existing Oh What a Lovely Memoir page.
If you enjoy this episode, you might also enjoy our tributes to Dad’s Army legends Frank Williams and Ian Lavender, available here or wherever your get your podcasts.
Very special thanks to Oliver, and to all our readers and listeners.
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