Figure 1.--Ranked as Britain’s first ever soap opera it was transmitted as a 20-minute programme from April 1954. It followed the lives of a lower-middle-class family who were regaining a comfortable lifestyle that was lost during the events of the World War II.

Ranked as Britain’s first ever soap opera it was transmitted as a 20-minute programme from April 1954 and ran into 1957. It followed the lives of a lower-middle-class family who were regaining a comfortable lifestyle that was lost during the events of the World War II. There was little dramatic effect, as the stories tended to be more directed towards social and domestic issues. The program featured very accurate period costuming. Main cast: Edward Evans (Bob Grove), Ruth Dunning (Gladys Grove), Peter Bryant (Jack Grove), Nancy Roberts (Gran), Margaret Downs (Daphne Grove) and Christopher Beeny as the 11-year-old Lennie Grove. He was typically dressed for a boy of the 1950s and often wore various outfits with short trousers. In adult life Christopher Beeny appeared in numerous productions one was as the footman Edward in Upstairs Downstairs. One episode was about Lennie's first pair of long pants. A reader reports that Christopher Beeney played the part of a 14-year old and wore short trousers although he was 17 at the time. This resulted in newspaper articles asking "When is he going to wear long trousers?" An English reader writes, " I remember the programme very well and the young Christopher Beeny who played Lennie Grove. No matter what role he now plays, I will always think of him in his role as Lennie."

Created: September 10, 2003
Last updated: September 10, 2003