Armchair Theatre was ITV’s flagship drama anthology series. Initially screened between 1956 and 1973, it was hugely popular, with viewing figures occasionally reaching twenty million, and became a byword for quality in televised drama. Pioneering, immensely influential and sometimes challenging in its content, the series consistently drew upon a wide range of talent. Armchair Theatre became a showcase for the post-war generation of British writers who sought to place sensitive social topics - in particular the British class system - under the microscope. Throughout, the series featured a number of powerful, award-winning plays, and its lasting influence was a testament to producer Sydney Newman’s passionate belief in television’s potential to bring high-quality drama to the viewing public. For the first time, this collection brings together eight plays, broadcast between 1970 and 1973. Featuring scripts by Colin Welland (his BAFTA-winning Say Goodnight to Your Grandma), Ian Kennedy-Martin, Fay Weldon (as Laurence Wells), Roy Clarke and Brendan Behan’s brother Dominic, the plays feature key performances from accomplished television actors including Tom Bell, Billie Whitelaw, Richard Beckinsale, Peter Barkworth, Rita Tushingham and Beryl Reid.

7TH DECEMBER WHIPLASH

In August 1851, the discovery of gold in Ballarat, Australia, sent shockwaves across the world. Hordes of adventurers flocked to the new land of the golden dream, encountering a harsh, frequently violent land. Despoiled by bushrangers, brutalised by the old convict system and torn by class conflicts, it took a certain kind of settler to rise to the challenges of the new country. Boston-born Christopher Cobb is one of those people. Seasoned with experience gained in the Californian gold rush, Chris’s job is to find rights of way through the arid terrain of New South Wales, survey new lines of communication, and secure lucrative contracts for his expanding stagecoach business. He is a gentleman, yet no stranger to violence, and possesses an inherent hatred of injustice in any form - a trait that leads him into highly dangerous situations. In a land that has no sympathy for weaklings, Chris becomes whatever man he needs to be to. American actor Peter Graves (Mission: Impossible) brought his sun-bleached good looks to this joint venture between ATV/ ITC and the Australian Seven Network, with input from an American production crew and writers, Whiplash transposed the frontier drama of the classic western to the heat and dust of the bush and Cobb defended himself with a bullwhip rather than a pistol. First broadcast in the UK in 1960, Whiplash features fast-moving scripts, including several by future Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, and a memorably rousing theme composed by Edwin Astley and sung by international star Frank Ifield. This complete series is released here for the very first time.

7TH DECEMBER ZODIAC

Astrology is strictly for the birds. That’s the emphatic view of David Gradley, a workshy ex-Harrovian who has drifted into the police force. Then he meets a pretty young astrologer called Esther Jones – and his ideas get knocked for six! Created by Roger Marshall (The Avengers, Public Eye, The Sweeney), this lighthearted thriller series became a cult piece of escapism for viewers during its six-week stay on British television and has become a much sought-after series by collectors - largely due to its novel premise of the groovy ‘70s culture clash between the Thin Blue Line and the Age of Aquarius! In an early role, Anouska Hempel (UFO) stars as Esther, opposite Anton Rodgers (Murder Most English, The Prisoner) as the coolly methodical Detective Inspector Gradley. Michael Gambon, Peter Egan, Joanna David, Ian Ogilvy, Robert Powell and Peter Vaughan are among a host of guest stars also appearing in this popular and memorably quirky series from Thames, originally screened in 1974.

18TH JANUARY MAN AT THE TOP

Man at the Top, originally screened in the early ‘70s, takes up the continuing story of Joe Lampton, the aggressively ambitious anti-hero of John Braine’s bestselling novel Room at the Top, its award-winning film adaptation of 1958, and 1965 sequel Life at the Top. Kenneth Haigh’s portrayal of Joe Lampton earned him a BAFTA nomination, while accomplished film and stage actress Zena Walker is Joe’s long-suffering wife, Susan. This intense, compelling drama series was created and co-written by John Braine, and George Markstein (Callan) features among the producers. This release contains the complete first series, available for the first time anywhere. Thirteen years on from his marriage to the pregnant Susan – a condition of his continuing promotion by Susan’s father and his then boss, Mr. Brown – Joe Lampton has a new home in Surrey’s stockbroker belt and a career as a management consultant. As pushy and hard-headed as ever, he will go to any lengths to keep a grip on his position. Joe remains married to Susan and the couple now have two children, but his attentions rarely remain fixed and he does not fail to take advantage of all that his status and connections bring within his reach; this inevitably includes the attractive and available women he encounters. A single event, however, causes Joe to re-assess his life – with far-reaching consequences.

22ND FEBRUARY THE GUARDIANS

Following a period of mass unemployment, hyperinflation, social disorder and industrial unrest, democracy has been swept away amid a raft of security measures; law and order have been restored under a new regime, whose totalitarian rule is enforced by uniformed paramilitaries known as the Guardians. Behind the slogan ‘Make Britain Great’, the outwardly benign regime suppresses all opposition, while the Guardians, taking orders from their shadowy leader, the General, have become the true holders of power. There are voices of dissent, however; a loose affiliation of resistance groups, collectively known as Quarmby, has begun a clandestine struggle against the regime. But opposing factions quickly emerge within the movement – and with them, the inescapable moral dilemmas faced by all those who must use force to achieve their ends. The Guardians’ chilling vision of an Orwellian near-future has remained unseen since its original airing in 1971. Created by Rex Firkin and Vincent Tilsley, whose combined credits include The Prisoner, Manhunt, The Death of Adolf Hitler and The Forsyte Saga, the series anticipated many more recent dramatisations featuring similarly dystopian landscapes, and has been praised for its insightful, intelligent handling of its subject; the grey area in which resistance tactics may disturbingly mirror those of the oppressor is acknowledged, and ambivalent, doubt-ridden characters exist on both sides. Available here for the very first time in any format, this release contains all 13 hour-long episodes.

OUT NOW THE PRISONER on BLU-RAY

Network DVD’s first ever Blu-ray title will be a special-features laden THE PRISONER THE COMPLETE SERIES (PG) starring Patrick McGoohan. Available to buy as a 6-disc limited edition box set on 28th September 2009. This will be the first Blu-ray version of the series anywhere in the world. The only home entertainment edition of the series to be officially endorsed by McGoohan himself and based on the version of the standard definition DVD which won Best TV DVD at the Home Entertainment Awards in 2008, THE PRISONER THE COMPLETE SERIES BLU-RAY is thought-provoking, revelatory and just plain cool. McGoohan's iconic series is as fresh and dynamic now as it was when first unleashed upon an unsuspecting world in 1967. Containing all seventeen episodes the wealth of special features include: “Don’t Knock Yourself Out” a feature-length documentary which is the most comprehensive look at the production of ‘The Prisoner’, told by those involved in its creation. Restored original edit of ‘Arrival’ with an optional music-only soundtrack featuring Wilfred Josephs’ complete and abandoned score. Production Crew audio commentaries on seven episodes. Trailers for all episodes. Archive textless material, including the title sequence with clean themes by Ron Grainer, Wilfred Josephs and Robert Farnon. Commercial Break Bumpers. Behind-the-Scenes footage including much previously unseen. Script and Production Documentation PDFs. Image Galleries with Music Suites. Exclusive book on the making of the series by TV historian Andrew Pixley. 5.1 sound mixes on all episodes.

OUT NOW HILLSBOROUGH

Christopher Eccleston and Ricky Tomlinson head a strong cast in Jimmy McGovern’s emotionally powerful and highly acclaimed dramatisation of personal grief and public issues in the wake of the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster. Following the stories of three victims’ families, from the initial excitement of match day to the legal battles that followed the tragedy, 'Hillsborough' presents a raw, honest portrayal of the campaign for truth within a culture of closed ranks and cover-ups. The drama also seeks to dismantle damaging myths regarding fans’ conduct, perpetuated by sections of the popular press and seen by McGovern and others as symptomatic of an ongoing vilification of the working class within the British media; the impact of 'Hillsborough' has been considered an important factor in the setting up of a new official inquiry into the disaster. Initially screened in 1996, 'Hillsborough' won countless awards, including a BAFTA for Best Single Drama and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain award for Best TV Play. It is available here for the very first time in any format.

NOW SERGEANT CORK

Set in London in the 1890's, Sergeant Cork worked for the newly formed CID, the Criminal Investigation Department of the Metropolitan Police. The show was created by Ted Willis, who was responsible for the long running -and at that time, modern day police series, 'Dixon of Dock Green'. Willis would often repeat the story of how the series came about when he went to see ATV executive Lew Grade to pitch an idea about a different series to him. Grade wasn't interested and asked Willis if he had anything else to offer. Willis didn't, but not wanting to leave Grade's office without a commission and thinking on his feet he said 'what about a series about a Victorian detective, fog shrouded London, Jack The Ripper, music halls and all that?" Grade took a long thoughtful puff on his cigar and said, "I'll take 26." The series proved so successful that eventually 65 episodes were made over the next three years. John Barrie is Sergeant Cork, one of the early members of London’s Metropolitan Police C.I.D. - plain-clothes detectives tasked with maintaining law and order in the seething metropolis of Victorian London. Assisted by Bob Marriott (William Gaunt) from his attic office at Old Scotland Yard, Cork has to contend with the heavy crimewave created by the massive population boom, industrial expansion and an ever-widening gap between the rich and poor. Unseen since the sixties, this set contains all thirteen episodes of the first series.

OUT NOW STAY LUCKY

Dennis Waterman ('Sweeney', 'Minder', 'New Tricks') stars as Thomas Gynn, a London gangland refugee who heads north to escape old demons and attempt to carve out a new life in this popular and light-hearted drama series from Yorkshire Television. At a rain-lashed service station on the A1, Thomas meets widow Sally Hardcastle (Jan Francis - 'Just Good Friends'), a feisty, independent local businesswoman; the sparks literally fly as he fixes Sally’s broken-down car and is reluctantly offered a lift to Leeds. Together, Thomas and houseboat enthusiast Sally embark on a series of misadventures - becoming rather more reliant upon each other than either of them would care to admit. They reluctantly end up sharing a housebout while he tries to find work wherever he can (at one point driving a minicab in Newcastle) and she runs her narrowboat charter company in Yorkshire. Originally made in 1989 'Stay Lucky' was created by Geoff McQueen (creator of 'The Bill') and ran for three seasons.

OUT NOW ARMCHAIR CINEMA

'Armchair Cinema' was one of the first projects undertaken by Thames Television’s Euston Films subsidiary. Based on the format of the hugely successful and influential 'Armchair Theatre', 'Armchair Cinema' presented a series of individual film dramas and is perhaps best remembered for one groundbreaking and phenomenally successful film - 'Regan', which introduced John Thaw and Dennis Waterman’s maverick Flying Squad detectives, gaining a huge audience and leading to the commissioning of 'The Sweeney.' The standard of drama offered by the series was consistently high; its flexibility and scope attracted some of the best contemporary television writers, and every film showcased the talents of first-class performers - including John Thaw, Edward Woodward, Anthony Valentine and Tom Bell. This five-disc set also includes 'Suspect' and 'Rumour' - two Thames Television filmed plays by Mike Hodges ('Get Carter') which were a dry run for the Euston Films style - alongside 'The Sailor’s Return' and 'Charlie Muffin', two standalone television movies made by Euston Films.

OUT NOW SUPER GRAN

Is there nothing she cannae do? Granny Smith is a sweet old lady living a sedate life in the Scottish coastal town of Chisleton. Then, one day, she is accidentally struck by a stray beam from Inventor Black’s magic ray machine and transformed into ‘Supergran’ - possessor of amazing powers, superhuman strength, and even a magic ‘flycycle’! These she puts to great use in the fight against Chisleton’s local villain, The Scunner Campbell, and his nasty cohorts, Dustin and Muscles; though with Supergran’s miraculous abilities, defeating the baddies is not usually too much of a challenge! Gudrun Ure stars as the fearless octogenarian superheroine in this fondly remembered children’s series. Alongside regular cast members Iain Cuthbertson and Bill Shine, Supergran also features an array of guest stars including George Best, Lulu, Spike Milligan, Patrick Troughton, Charles Hawtrey and champion strongman Geoff Capes; the show’s catchy theme song, performed by Billy Connolly, helped to ensure that it remained firmly in viewers’ memories long after its initial transmission. This complete first series of Supergran was originally screened in 1985.

OUT NOW A KIND OF LOVING

Granada’s acclaimed ten-part adaptation of Stan Barstow’s classic novel is a landmark in television drama. Following the emotional development of its protagonist over a period of 15 years, 'A Kind of Loving' features powerful performances from Clive Wood as Vic, Joanne Whalley - in her first major television role - as Ingrid, and Susan Penhaligon as Donna. This faithful and sensitive adaptation was originally screened in 1982 and was only kept from the number one ITV programme spot by 'Coronation Street', pulling in 15 million viewers on average. Much sought-after since its first transmission, it is available here for the first time in any format. December 1957: miner’s son Vic Brown meets Ingrid Rothwell, an attractive young typist in the engineering firm where he works as a draftsman, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Vic is infatuated; they begin an intense relationship, and when Ingrid discovers that she is pregnant, the couple marry in haste and move in with Ingrid’s mother. But Vic finds that physical desire rapidly fades and the banality of marital life frustrates him as his sense of claustrophobia grows.

OUT NOW QUEENIE'S CASTLE

Diana Dors stars as glamorous matriarch Queenie Shepherd, who rules the roost in Margaret Rose House in the Buckingham Flats development in Yorkshire, sharing her home with her three wayward princelings Raymond, Douglas and Bunny and brother-in-law Jack. While Queenie’s husband is mysteriously absent, her beloved boys are involved in all manner of dodgy activities and no Shepherd is a stranger to the local magistrates’ court; in fact, there are quite a few residents - neighbour Mrs. Petty for one - who would be heartily relieved to see the back of them... although the landlord of The Builders’ Arms would probably be forced to seek an alternative income! Coronation Street stars Lynne Perrie - as the aptly named Mrs. Petty - and Bryan Mosley also appear alongside Eastenders’ Tony Caunter in this raucous Yorkshire Television sitcom from Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall ('Billy Liar', 'Budgie'). Cut from the same cloth as 'Shameless', this release contains every episode of 'Queenie’s Castle', originally screened between 1970 and 1972.

OUT NOW THE GAFFER

Bill Maynard ('Oh No, it’s Selwyn Froggitt!', 'Heartbeat') is Fred Moffatt, the tight-fisted yet quick-thinking director of a small light-engineering firm, in this cleverly scripted, bittersweet sitcom. The recession is biting, and The Gaffer finds himself under siege from the taxman, his creditors, his bank manager... and just about everyone else. He sometimes resorts to extreme measures to keep his head above water, and is permanently at odds with militant shop steward Harry (Russell Hunter - 'Callan'). But glamorous secretary Betty (Pat Ashton) is always around to lighten the mood - even if she rarely succeeds in getting Harry and Fred to see eye-to-eye. 'The Gaffer' was originally written by Graham White as a BBC radio sitcom but when YTV wanted a new series to replace 'Selwyn Froggitt' he adapted his scripts for television. Presented here is the entire first series of this hugely popular sitcom from Yorkshire Television, originally screened in 1981.

OUT NOW ROBERTS ROBOTS

Brilliant inventor Robert Sommerby is head of a research establishment that is engaged in a very special secret project: the development of robots. Far from the crude, lumbering, steel-clawed automatons of sci-fi films, Robert’s robots are humanoid in appearance and ultrasophisticated in design, with highly developed electronic brains, fast reflexes and smooth, natural movement. Naturally, there are personality clashes; Eric is Robert’s most advanced robot, who thinks humans are quite disgusting with their revolting habits like eating, while K.T. (aka Katie) is big, strong, and very stupid - he has a tendency to walk through doors and is generally kept away from guests. The eccentric Robert encounters all sorts of problems - not least, the devious activities of Marken, head of an acquisitive electronics company, and his seedy private eye, Gimble, who will try anything to discover Robert’s secret project. But he has his doting Aunt Millie and lovely fiancée Angela to help out, and he’s just about tolerated by at least some of his robots - who are fair-minded enough to concede that he is, after all, only human! From Bob Block, the creator of 'Rentaghost', 'Roberts Robots' stars John Clive as Robert and 'Magpie' presenter Jenny Hanley as Angela, and is available here for the first time in any format. This release comprises all seven episodes of series one, originally transmitted in 1973.

OUT NOW DES O'CONNOR

Six decades in showbusiness and still going strong! Singer, talk show host, comedian and legendary entertainer, Des O’Connor has been a mainstay of the light entertainment industry since he first made his way onto television screens in the 1950s. Acclaimed for his work on both stage and television, his successful black and white 1960s variety series - The Des O’Connor Show - was so popular that his first colour series in 1970 garnered him a massive international following, being shown all over the world and transmitted prime-time in America. This special volume contains the best bits of this hit 1970 series, featuring a wonderful mixture of comedy and music. Terry-Thomas, Val Doonican, Dusty Springfield, Liberace, Jimmy Edwards, Lonnie Donegan, Sacha Distel, Sandie Shaw, Matt Monro, Roy Hudd, Harry Secombe and many more stars join Des and his regulars Jack Douglas (more often than not in the guise of Alf Ippititimus) and the statuesquely gorgeous Valerie Leon in over four hours of unforgettable entertainment from 1970.

OUT NOW MAGPIE

A hipper, trendier, more working class version of Blue Peter, Magpie was transmitted live twice a week by Thames Television from 1968 to 1980. With its knack of tapping into the latest trends, the emphasis was firmly on fashion, music and fun and the series was presented across its 12-year run by Susan Stranks, Tony Bastable, Pete Brady, Douglas Rae, Mick Robertson, Jenny Hanley and Tommy Boyd. And not forgetting their rather portly mascot - Murgatroyd the magpie! Out of approximately 1000 episodes made, less than a hundred survive. This volume contains twelve of the best that remain - including the 1976 Christmas show and an edition transmitted live from Beaulieu Abbey. This two disc set includes a number of Special Features such as My Brother David - this 1971 edition offers a frank and moving portrait of David, a special-needs child, as seen through the eyes of his elder sister. Nearly half an hour’s worth of orphaned film inserts from programmes that no longer exist and the first Magpie Annual in PDF format.

OUT NOW DIRECTLY FROM NETWORK DVD ONLY KING OF THE CASTLE

Macabre, fantastical and a benchmark production for children’s television in the 1970s, King of the Castle was created by Doctor Who stalwarts Bob Baker and Dave Martin as one of the run of outstanding children’s dramas HTV produced in that decade. Featuring strong direction and a script which expertly melds fantasy and reality, the series boasts solid performances from genre stalwarts Fulton Mackay, Milton Johns and Talfryn Thomas as well as Philip Da Costa as the series’ hero, Roland. Recently moved to a crumbling tower block of flats, Roland’s cleverness marks him out for rough treatment from the gang who haunt the stairwells. Fleeing from Ripper, the gangleader, he plummets to earth in a lift that should be broken... waking up he finds himself in the grotesque and eerie fantasy world of ‘The Castle’ – a twisted version of the tower block, filled with gruesome versions of the people he knows. Can Roland find the missing keys he needs to become ‘King of the Castle’? One of the most memorable television series of the ‘70s is available here, for the very first time in any video format. Episode three no longer exists in the archive in any format and the version included on this set is taken from an off-air VHS.

OUT NOW DIRECT FROM NETWORK DVD ONLY ESCAPE INTO NIGHT

Compelled to find her own amusement whilst confined to bed after a riding accident, Marianne fills her sketchpad with drawings of an imaginary place. When she sleeps she dreams of her imaginary world and realises that the more she draws in her waking hours, the more she can explore when she sleeps. She draws a house to investigate in her dreams and is shocked to find a boy looking at her through one of its windows... A milestone in children’s television drama, 'Escape Into Night' was adapted from Catherine Storr’s novel 'Marianne Dreams' by Ruth Boswell ('Timeslip', 'The Tomorrow People'). The combination of Boswell’s taught scripts, Richard Bramall’s clever direction and Alan Coleman’s production enabled the juvenile cast to give memorable and, sometimes, terrifying performances. More experimental than most children’s drama series,' Escape Into Night’s' surreal, dark tone and eerie sense of unearthliness made an indelible impression on its viewing public and is still remembered, perhaps with a sense of unease, after nearly 40 years. Originally made in colour, 'Escape Into Night' now exists only as black and white telerecordings made for overseas sales, the original colour videotapes having been junked many years ago.

OUT NOW DIRECT FROM NETWORK DVD ONLY THE JENSEN CODE

Sixteen-year-old Terry Connor is sent, along with a few of his friends, to an Outward Bound centre. On his first day at the centre Terry is taken pot-holing by the senior instructor, Alex. All goes well until, at 100 feet underground, Alex goes to search for the torchthat Terry has dropped. Hours pass, and, to Terry’s astonishment, when Alex finally returns he has no recollection whatever of having been absent. Terry suspects something sinister is taking place – it is surely no coincidence that there is a secret Ministry of Defence establishment nearby. But just how deeply his curiosity will involve him in dangerous matters becomes clear when he learns the truth about the ‘Jensen Code’... 'The Jensen Code' was a highly unusual children’s thriller series, written by Carey Harrison (author son of actor Rex Harrison), and starring David (Dai) Bradley, the BAFTA-winning young star of 'Kes', as the teenager who unwittingly uncovers a terrifying space-age espionage project. This complete 13-part series, rarely seen since its original transmission in 1973, is released here for the first time in any format. Originally made in colour, 'The Jensen Code' now exists only as black and white telerecordings made for overseas sales, the full colour episodes having been junked many years ago.

OUT NOW FROST ON SUNDAY

One of the triumvirate of Frost programmes that dominated ITV weekends in the late 1960s and early ‘70s, 'Frost on Sunday' concerned itself with the lighter end of the entertainment spectrum. Made at a time when David Frost was hosting a chat show in the US and then jetting back to the UK to do three shows over the weekend, Frost on Sunday concentrates this energy into fifty minutes worth of light entertainment featuring numerous sketches from Ronnie Corbett, Ronnie Barker – who won a BAFTA for best Light Entertainment Performance – and Josephine Tewson (the latter two fresh from their stint on 'Hark at Barker'). Amongst the shows many guests are Rolf Harris, Matt Monro, Michael Bentine, Des O’Connor, Ted Ray, Kenneth Williams, Vincent Price and Michael Palin as Julie Andrews (aka L. F. Dibley). A number of editions of 'Frost on Sunday' no longer exist – this set includes the first show from 1968, which was the subect of a technical strike and so has no on-screen credits. The rest of the shows come from the second series in 1970, including the edition on 8th March 1970 where the team decamped from their Wembley studios to the London Palladium to present that year’s British Film and Television Awards. Though this episode only exists in a slightly edited format, the special show features Laurence Olivier, Morecambe and Wise, Marty Feldman and John Alderton with the 'Fenn Street Gang' (in character!).