The Adventures of Black Beauty
Encyclopedia
The Adventures of Black Beauty is a British children's television
drama series produced by London Weekend Television
and shown by ITV
in the United Kingdom
between 1972 and 1974. It was distributed internationally by London Weekend International.
in the 1980s and is currently shown on the Retro Television Network
.
by Anna Sewell
, but a "continuation" featuring new characters created by Ted Willis
, most prominently Dr James Gordon, played by William Lucas
, and his children Vicky, played by Judi Bowker
(who became Jenny, played by Stacy Dorning
, in the second series) and Kevin, played by Roderick Shaw. Other writers included David Butler
and Richard Carpenter, while directors included Charles Crichton
and Peter Duffell
. The series, which was filmed mainly at Stockers Farm, Rickmansworth
, Hertfordshire
, was widely acclaimed for its high production values and quality of writing and acting, and at times had remarkable English gothic overtones for a children's series.
and performed by the London String Chorale, was released as a single and peaked at number 31 in the UK charts in the week of February 2, 1974. It was later used at the climax of the first series of I'm Alan Partridge
, with Alan
dreaming of running through a field as Black Beauty does in the series' title sequence. The theme tune was also featured in the series Brainiac: Science Abuse
. It actually has lyrics by Dick Vosburgh
as revealed by Denis King at a memorial concert for Dick Vosburgh in July 2007.
The series The New Adventures of Black Beauty
(1990–91) was a continuation of the 1970s series.
The theme appears in Alan Partridge's party in I'm Alan Partridge
.
releases over the years were superseded by two DVD
releases, featuring selected episodes from both series, in 2001. The entire series has been released on DVD in Region 2 by Network DVD
and in Region 1 by Image Entertainment
.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
drama series 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...
and shown by 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...
in the United Kingdom
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...
between 1972 and 1974. It was distributed internationally by London Weekend International.
Broadcast history
Two seasons were produced, the first airing from September 1972 to March 1973 and the second from September 1973 to March 1974. Although it was mainly aimed at children, it was shown in the Sunday teatime family timeslot and gained a wide audience, becoming popular enough to make the general Top 20 ratings. It was repeated regularly, although often on a regional basis, for many years, its last full repeat run being on Sunday mornings from 1986 to 1988. It also aired in the United States on NickelodeonNickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
in the 1980s and is currently shown on the Retro Television Network
Retro Television Network
The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...
.
Plot
The series was not an adaptation of the bookBlack Beauty
Black Beauty is an 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell. It was composed in the last years of her life, during which she remained in her house as an invalid. The novel became an immediate bestseller, with Sewell dying just five months after its publication, long enough to see her first and only...
by Anna Sewell
Anna Sewell
Anna Sewell was an English novelist, best known as the author of the classic novel Black Beauty.-Biography:Anna Mary Sewell was born in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England into a devoutly Quaker family...
, but a "continuation" featuring new characters created by Ted Willis
Ted Willis
Edward Henry Willis, Baron Willis , commonly known as Ted Willis, was a British television dramatist who was also politically active in support of the Labour Party.-Political life:...
, most prominently Dr James Gordon, played by William Lucas
William Lucas (British actor)
William Lucas is a British film and television actor. His first acting role was in the film Portrait of Alison , and later appeared in many Hammer Film Productions such as Shadow of the Cat. He is probably best known for his role in The Adventures of Black Beauty as Dr...
, and his children Vicky, played by Judi Bowker
Judi Bowker
Judi Bowker is an English television and cinema actress. Her roles include Princess Andromeda in the 1981 film version of Clash of the Titans and Saint Clare in Franco Zeffirelli's 1972 film Brother Sun, Sister Moon.-Biography:...
(who became Jenny, played by Stacy Dorning
Stacy Dorning
Stacy Dorning is an English actress, best known for appearing in the second series of The Adventures of Black Beauty . She also appeared in Just William and Keep It in the Family . She is the elder daughter of actors Robert Dorning and Honor Shepherd, and older sister of actress Kate...
, in the second series) and Kevin, played by Roderick Shaw. Other writers included David Butler
David Butler (screenwriter)
David Butler was a Scottish writer of numerous screenplays and teleplays who won an Emmy Award and was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe...
and Richard Carpenter, while directors included Charles Crichton
Charles Crichton
Charles Crichton was an English film director and film editor. He became best known for directing comedies produced at Ealing Studios...
and Peter Duffell
Peter Duffell
Lieutenant General Sir Peter Royson Duffell KCB CBE MC was Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong.-Military career:Educated at Dulwich College, Duffell was commissioned into the 2nd Gurkha Rifles in 1960. He served with his Regiment in Malaya during the Malayan Emergency and in Borneo during the...
. The series, which was filmed mainly at Stockers Farm, Rickmansworth
Rickmansworth
Rickmansworth is a town in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire, England, 4¼ miles west of Watford.The town has a population of around 15,000 people and lies on the Grand Union Canal and the River Colne, at the northern end of the Colne Valley regional park.Rickmansworth is a small town in...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, was widely acclaimed for its high production values and quality of writing and acting, and at times had remarkable English gothic overtones for a children's series.
Theme
The theme tune, "Galloping Home", written by Denis KingDenis 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...
and performed by the London String Chorale, was released as a single and peaked at number 31 in the UK charts in the week of February 2, 1974. It was later used at the climax of the first series of I'm Alan Partridge
I'm Alan Partridge
I'm Alan Partridge is a BBC situation comedy starring Steve Coogan, of which two series of six episodes each were produced — the first in 1997 and the second in 2002...
, with Alan
Alan Partridge
Alan Gordon Partridge is a fictional radio and television presenter portrayed by English comedian Steve Coogan and invented by Coogan, Armando Iannucci, Stewart Lee and Richard Herring for the BBC Radio 4 programme On The Hour...
dreaming of running through a field as Black Beauty does in the series' title sequence. The theme tune was also featured in the series Brainiac: Science Abuse
Brainiac: Science Abuse
Brainiac: Science Abuse is a British entertainment TV show with a science motif. Numerous experiments are carried out in each show, often to verify whether common conceptions are true or simply to create impressive explosions...
. It actually has lyrics by Dick Vosburgh
Dick Vosburgh
Richard Kennedy "Dick" Vosburgh was an American-born comedy writer and lyricist working chiefly in Britain....
as revealed by Denis King at a memorial concert for Dick Vosburgh in July 2007.
The series The New Adventures of Black Beauty
The New Adventures of Black Beauty (1990)
The New Adventures of Black Beauty was a television drama series made in 1990-91 by Isambard Productions Ltd in association with London Weekend Television and The Fremantle Corporation...
(1990–91) was a continuation of the 1970s series.
The theme appears in Alan Partridge's party in I'm Alan Partridge
I'm Alan Partridge
I'm Alan Partridge is a BBC situation comedy starring Steve Coogan, of which two series of six episodes each were produced — the first in 1997 and the second in 2002...
.
Home video releases
A number of videoVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
releases over the years were superseded by two DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
releases, featuring selected episodes from both series, in 2001. The entire series has been released on DVD in Region 2 by Network DVD
Network DVD
Network DVD is a DVD publishing company that specialises in classic British television. In particular, it has the rights to a number of well-known ITV programmes...
and in Region 1 by Image Entertainment
Image Entertainment
Image Entertainment, Inc. is an independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming and film & television productions in North America, with approximately 3,000 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 250 exclusive CD titles in domestic release, and approximately 450...
.
| Season/Series | Ep# | Region 1 | Region 2 (UK) |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Adventures of Black Beauty: Season 1 | 26 | May 5, 2009 | 3 September 2007 |
| The Adventures of Black Beauty: Season 2 | 26 | August 4, 2009 | 14 April 2008 |
| The Adventures of Black Beauty: The Complete Series | 52 | N/A | 5 October 2009 |