All Quiet on the Preston Front
Encyclopedia
All Quiet on the Preston Front was a BBC
comedy drama about a group of friends in the fictional Lancashire
town of Roker Bridge, and their links to the local Territorial Army infantry platoon
. It was created by Tim Firth
.
Locations
Although set in Lancashire, where the majority of filming took place, some scenes were filmed at locations in the Midlands, including the Black Country Museum.
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...
comedy drama about a group of friends in the fictional Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
town of Roker Bridge, and their links to the local Territorial Army infantry platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
. It was created by Tim Firth
Tim Firth
Tim Firth is an English dramatist, screenwriter and songwriter.Tim Firth was born, and has lived all his life in, the North West of England on the border of Cheshire and Lancashire...
.
Episodes
Three series were made. For series two and three the title was shortened to Preston Front, as the series became less about the TA and more about the personal lives of the protagonists.Series One
- "Hodge's Girlfriend" (4 January 1994); director: Brian Farnham
- "Ally's Husband" (11 January 1994); director: Brian Farnham
- "Eric's Job" (18 January 1994); director: Brian Farnham
- "Lloydy's Fish" (25 January 1994); director: Brian Farnham
- "Diesel's Garage" (1 February 1994); director: Brian Farnham
- "Kirsty's Biscuit" (8 February 1994); director: Brian Farnham
Series Two
- "Dawn's Ball" (16 July 1995); director: Marcus Mortimer
- "Laura's Mousse" (23 July 1995); director: Marcus Mortimer
- "Spock's Leg" (30 July 1995); director: Marcus Mortimer
- "Polson's Lilo" (6 August 1995); director: Betsan Morris Evans
- "Diesel's Out of Body Experience" (13 August 1995); director: Betsan Morris Evans
- "Lloydy's Ark" (27 August 1995); director: Betsan Morris Evans
Series Three
- "Hodge's Driving Test" (21 July 1997); director: Chris Bernard
- "Eric's Won Ton" (28 July 1997); director: Chris Bernard
- "Lloydy's House Warming" (4 August 1997); director: Chris Bernard
- "Spock's Dilated Pupil" (11 August 1997); director: Chris Bernard
- "Polson's Mess" (18 August 1997); director: Rick Stroud
- "Diesel's Ostrich" (1 September 1997); director: Rick Stroud
- "Jeanetta's Marijuna" (8 September 1997); director: Rick Stroud
Locations
Although set in Lancashire, where the majority of filming took place, some scenes were filmed at locations in the Midlands, including the Black Country Museum.
Principal characters
- Private David 'Hodge' Gadd, a garden centre assistant (Colin BuchananColin Buchanan (actor)Colin Buchanan is a Scottish actor who is best known for playing Pascoe in Dalziel and Pascoe. He has also appeared in All Quiet on the Preston Front , The Bill, Between the Lines, Dangerfield, Heartbeat, Space Island One and Brief Encounters and A Touch of Frost...
) - Private Wayne 'Eric' Disley, Hodge's best friend, a bit of a loser (Paul HaighPaul HaighPaul Haigh is an English former football defender.Haigh started his career at Hull City, where he made 180 league appearances. He also represented England under-21's during his spell with the club. In 1980, he moved on to Carlisle United, making over 200 appearances before being released in 1987...
) - Private Dawn Lomax, a trainee teacher (although she later leaves college) and new recruit to the transport section, Eric's girlfriend (later wife) (Caroline CatzCaroline Catz-Biography:Born Caroline Caplan, Catz began acting in the early 1990s, initially playing minor roles. On registering with Equity, she discovered that an actress with the name Caroline Caplan was already registered, so she had to choose a different professional name.In 1994 she took a lead role in...
) - Private Simon 'Spock' Matlock, a history teacher and intellectual (Stephen TompkinsonStephen TompkinsonStephen Tompkinson is a British actor. He is best known for his work in comedy and drama productions such as Drop the Dead Donkey, Ballykissangel, Grafters, In Deep, Wild at Heart and DCI Banks....
in series one, Alistair MacGowan thereafter) - Private Tony 'Lloydy' Lloyd, a farm labourer (later wealthy after inventing a successful boardgame), the platoon clown (Adrian Hood)
- Private (later Lance-Corporal) Derek 'Diesel' Moyle, a garage owner (Tony Marshall)
- Corporal (later Officer Cadet) Alison 'Ally' Minshull, NCO in charge of the transport section, Spock's sister, unhappily married to a local solicitor (Kate Gartside)
- Corporal (later Sergeant) Peter 'Pete' Polson, the friends' sectionSection (military unit)A section is a small military unit in some armies. In many armies, it is a squad of seven to twelve soldiers. However in France and armies based on the French model, it is the sub-division of a company .-Australian Army:...
commander, a former regular NCO, now manager of a hotel leisure centre (David MacCreedy) - Jeanetta Scarry, an older woman with whom Hodge had a one-night standOne-night standOriginally, a one-night stand was a single theatre performance, usually by a guest performer on tour, as opposed to an ongoing engagement. Today, however, the term is more commonly defined as a single sexual encounter, in which neither participant has any intention or expectation of a relationship...
five years before (Susan WooldridgeSusan WooldridgeSusan Wooldridge , is the daughter of British actress Margaretta Scott and composer John Wooldridge. She is also the sister of Hugh Wooldridge.She was born in London, England, and educated at convent schools....
in series one and two, 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...
theafter) - Kirsty, Jeanetta's and Hodge's young daughter (Holly Grainger)
- Lieutenant Carl Rundle, the platoon commander, a junior hotel manager, in love with Ally (Keiran Flynn)
- Laura Delooze, a singer and waitress, briefly Hodge's girlfriend (Lucy AkhurstLucy AkhurstLucy Akhurst is an English actress, writer and director who has been working mainly in television since the 1990s...
) - Peter Wang, owner of the local Chinese restaurant (Ozzie YueOzzie YueOzzie Yue is an English actor, guitarist and singer. He is most noted for his roles in television programmes such as Father Ted, All Quiet on the Preston Front and Coronation Street as well as for roles in films such as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Syriana and Nuns on the Run...
) - Melanie 'Mel' Polson, Polson's younger sister, later Hodge's girlfriend (Angela LonsdaleAngela LonsdaleAngela Lonsdale , is an English actress.Born to a policeman father, Lonsdale's passion for acting was showcased in the Brewery Youth Theatre at the Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal. Working behind the box office, Lonsdale's talent was nurtured by the then Arts Centre Director, Anne Pierson...
; series three only) - Mrs Ruddock, owner of the garden centre where Hodge works (Matyelock Gibbs; series one and three)
- Declan, a plastic surgeon, later Jeanetta's boyfriend (Oliver CottonOliver CottonOliver Cotton is an English actor, known for his work on stage, TV and film.After training at the Drama Centre London, he has worked extensively at the Royal National Theatre playing in many productions including The Royal Hunt of the Sun, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Much Ado About...
; series three only)
Awards
- Best Comedy Drama, Comedy awards
- RTS Award for Best Series
- Best Series Award at the San Francisco Television Festival
- Nominated for BAFTA Award for Best Series
- Writer's Guild of Great Britain Best Original Drama Series Award
- RTS Midlands Best Drama Series
- Nominated for British Comedy Awards