MovieChat Forums > Dixon of Dock Green (1955) Discussion > Dixon of Dock Green returned to TV ! by ...

Dixon of Dock Green returned to TV ! by request

posted 16 years ago by nicksheila
10 replies | jump to latest

It seems such a shame that the BBC have recently shown some of the early series of popular shows that were on years ago, like The Brothers, Shoestring, Berjerac, and Adam Adamant, yet have totally ignored the long running series Dixon of Dock Green. Why has it been ignored when it was such a part of viewing for most families over more than a twenty year period?. I know for a fact that some of the episodes do exist and can be checked on an excellent web site, and some of the actors who took main character roles are still around. Peter Byrne, who was Det.Andy Crawford is at this moment appearing on tour in an Agatha Christie play, "And then there were none" along with Jennifer Wilson, who also appeared in several episodes.With a cast list over all the years that reads like a movie and TV who's who there would certainly be plenty of people who could be interviewed to recall their experiences. Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Michael Crawford, Paul Elliott to name but a few were all in the series at some time, and with over 430 episodes I am sure it would make for an interesting programme.Come on lets try and get the BBC to show some of the episodes again.

[–] joshea98 16 years ago

Great idea to reshow Dixon. Trouble is that, as usual, the BBC didn't bother keeping most of those episodes and they were long ago tossed into the dustbin or whatever. This is the same group that now collects, annually, over a billion pounds per annum from all U.K. residents who own a TV set. I guess they were kept very busy, over the years, collecting all that money to bother about preserving part of Britain's heritage. As more members of the public begin to request repeats of the old programmes, all that lot can come up with is whatever they are able to scrape from the bottom of a very empty barrel.

John

[–] hugh1971 16 years ago

The BBC doesn't seem to like reshowing many of the black and white, 405 line programmes. I think there are several reasons. Firstly, they are difficult to watch, due to the low resolution and often poor sound quality; the production values are often VERY low (see how many missed cues and fluffed lines you can spot in an episode of Dixon)and finally, the moral and social universe programmes like Dixon inhabits is so different to the sex, violence and emotional incontinence of today's TV that most people wouldn't even be able to laugh at it; it would simply be meaningless to them.

[–] markfuller 16 years ago

You're ignoring the fact that for years DoDG, like most TV dramas of the fifties and early sixties, was never filmed or recorded, but shown live as performed...if an episode was to be repeated, they performed it live a second time....

[–] joshea98 16 years ago

Yes, many of those dramas were broadcast live. But the BBC, never ones to pass up a chance at making a few extra bucks, simultaneously made transcription copies of those broadcasts which were then given, for a fee, of course, to broadcasting organisations around the world for use on their own networks. There is every reason to suppose that those transcription discs are still in existence and lying in radio/television vaults of other countries. Some of them have even been offered on e-bay.

John

[–] hugh1971 16 years ago

I was aware that until the sixties most programmes were broadcast live, and they made a very good effort when you consider that, but that doesn't alter the fact that fluffs and glitches do occur that would never be allowed in a recorded programme.

Plus I'd like to see poor old Dixon chase a few villains...he could barely walk in most of the episodes I've seen!

[–] zebulonguy 15 years ago

Many of the Dixon of Dock Green episodes do exist- in the last few years it was not filmed live and was in colour throughout the 70's. Many of these later episodes do exist in the BBC archives. Of course by then the series had evolved but was still very interesting.

[–] hugh1971 15 years ago

Yes I've seen some of those - they were mostly about CID cases involving Dixon's son in law. Dixon himself just appeared behind a desk (presumably with his bad feet in a bowl of Radox and a blanket over his knees as he was about 83 at the time) doing the 'evening all' summing up routine.

[–] BigBadEd 9 years ago

He did once investigate a nasty case of littering in his allotment after finding a crisp bag, it ended with him shakimg his fist at a young kid and muttering GERTCHAAA!!!! BLOOMIN KIDS TODAY.

[–] Jerrers (47) 3 months ago

Well sixteen years later and Dixon of Dock Green has indeed returned to British TV.

Talking Pictures TV channel has committed to show all the surviving episodes on Saturday evenings. Let’s hope it will be appreciated

[–] DeathbySnuSnu (978) 3 months ago

Better than a remake. Imagine the recasting 'for a modern audience'.