‘Take-over’ by Thames successful

Press, 19 October 1976, Page 25

‘Take-over’ by Thames successful

By Robin Turkel Thames Television’s one-week take-over of a New York channel has been judged a stunning success on both sides of the Atlantic, For five days last month, Thames — the largest supplier of Britiain’s I.T.V. commercial network — presented all the evening programming on WOR-TV, Channel 9, one of New York’s four major independent stations. “Definitely a cut above standard American fare,” “The Village Voice” said of three Thames made-for-television movies, adding, “if the British had won the revolution we might have had television like this every night.” Critical praise was generally loud and long, with the exception of a snide piece in the tabloid Daily News headed, “the British better? Not bloody likely.” But news critic Kay Gardella found some things to praise, particular,y “Beauty, Bonny, Daisy, Violet, Grace and Geoffrey Morton,” the explicit documentary about. Yorkshire shire horses and .their foaling. Miss Gardella said the programme was “a very touching, caring hour,” a feeling shared by Prix Italia judges who, a few weeks later awarded it their top documentary prize. “Beauty, Bonny” etc, ran here on TVI last March, and may be due for a summer repeat if the right time slot can be found. Top honours for a single show during Thames’ New York week went to "The Naked Civil Servant,” a drama starring John Hurst as Quentin Crisp, a homosexual actor who defied convention by

making no bones about his personality. “A similar production on American television would be unimaginable,” wrote O’Connor. “The British have a talent for tackling such projects more directly, with a minimum of hesitation. “The Naked Civil Servant expands the possibilities of television . . •. by itself, the production makes the entire concept of ‘Thames or. L’ eminently worthwhile.” The teleplay went on to win the Prix Italia drama prize — Thames won two of the three top awards in the festival this year — and has been acquired by TVI. Thames’ “Rock Follies,” incidentally written by American Howard Schuman, came in for New i York praise, too, as “a; deliriously perceptive commentary on the lunacy and infuriating lovability of show business.” The series — six one-> hour episodes — will bqi shown by TVI, as will the drama series “Shades of Greene,” adaptations of Graham Greene novels which figured prominently during Thame.s’ New York week. This, too, will go to Avalon. It cost Thames about $850,000 to showcase itswares in the world’s richest market, home of 90 per cent of America’s major advertising: agencies. Back in London, top Thames officials said the week had been “an extraordinary success, both critically and in terms of ratings.” And the company expects to recoup about half its outlay immediately, with sales of “The Sweeney” to WOR-TV and

“Rock Follies” to Public Broadcasting Service virtually assured.