Anthony Skene Movies
- 1985
"The Dancing Men" is an episode of the television series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, an excellent adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories, produced in Britain for Granada TV. In this episode directed by John Bruce, Jeremy Brett portrays the famed detective aided by his companion Dr. Watson (David Burke) as they investigate the source of a series of curious drawings that are being seen by Elise Cubitt (Betsy Brantley). The drawings are extremely disturbing to the young woman, and her husband is concerned for her well-being. Written by Anthony Skene, this episode is one of the more famous of the Holmes' stories; the faithfulness to the original story first published in the Strand Magazine during the late 19th century is exceptional. This series was followed by related sequels, as well as four TV movie adaptations. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeremy Brett, David Burke, (more)
- 1979
Created by Ian Mackintosh, the British sitcom Thundercloud was set during WWII. Thanks to a bureaucratic snafu in the British admiralty, the HMS Thundercloud, a dry-docked Yorkshire naval base, was classified as an active minesweeper. As a result, the Thundercloud was able to requisition as many supplies as traffic would allow, whereupon these same supplies would be resold via the black market by the base's enterprising medical officer, Dr. Smith (Frank Gatliff) and chief petty officer Hawkins (James Cosmo). If the Thundercloud's befuddled skipper, Commander Flint (Derek Waring), knew what was going on, he certainly never betrayed that knowledge. The 13-episode Thundercloud was carried by ITV's Yorkshire Television service from May 24 to December 18, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
It is of no surprise to anyone at Eaton Place that housemaid Sarah (Pauline Collins) is pregnant again, nor that her seducer was a "gentleman" who bade her leave without giving her his name. This time around, chauffeur Thomas Watkins (John Alderton) offers to come to Sarah's rescue by marrying her. The rest of the household is suspicious: Is Thomas merely being magnanimous, or is he really the father -- and does he have an ulterior motive? Written by Anthony Skene, "The Wages of Sin" was originally telecast in England on January 12, 1973, then seen in America on March 24, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Jack Challen (John Horsley), a businessman friend of Richard Bellamy (David Langton), offers Richard a confidential investment tip, in return for his "word of honor" that he will not reveal where the tip came from. Unfortunately, Richard's sudden financial upsurge compromises his position as a Member of Parliament. Accused of using his political influence to glean inside trading information, and unable to clear himself by revealing that he received his information on a friendly, no-strings-attached basis, Richard must put his fate in the hands of eternal deux ex machina Sir Geoffrey Dillon (Raymond Huntley). Written by Anthony Skene, "Word of Honour" made its first BBC appearance on December 8, 1973, and its PBS bow on December 15, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Lee Remick made her TV movie debut in And No One Could Save Her. She plays an American heiress whose husband (Frank Grimes) has apparently disappeared in the middle of a transcontinental flight. Remick heads to Ireland, her husband's original destination, to get to the bottom of things. And No One Could Save Her was the first TV production of the Robert Stigwood Group (Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Can't Stop the Music etc.) The film originally aired February 21, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
The lavishly produced British historical series The Strauss Family chronicled the lives of rival "Waltz Kings" Johann Strauss -- both senior and junior -- in 19th century Vienna. Though initially forbidden to study music, Johann Strauss Jr. (Stuart Wilson) eventually became a celebrated composer, much to the chagrin of his more celebrated (and intensely competitive) father Johann Strauss Sr. (Eric Woolfe). Caught in the middle of the familial hostilities was Johann Sr.'s long-suffering wife, Anna (Anne Stallybrass), who, after being shut out of her husband's life, devoted her energies to promoting the career of her son, Johann Jr. Surviving the political upheaval of 1848, when Johann Sr. was forced into exile for siding with the Hapsburg regime, Johann Jr. went on to weather many a personal tragedy and professional setback, finding solace and comfort in his music. Among the stars-to-be seen in this seven-part miniseries were Derek Jacobi as Johann Jr.'s half-brother Josef and Jane Seymour as Russian belle Karolin. The music was provided by the London Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Cyril Ornadel. Premiering over Britain's ATV on November 7, 1972, The Strauss Family was later picked up by America's ABC network, where it was telecast on Saturday evenings from May 5 to June 16, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anne Stallybrass, Barbara Ferris, (more)
- 1972
Curious over Elizabeth's (Nicola Pagett) mysterious meetings with an old school chum, Elizabeth's servant Rose (Jean Marsh) decides to investigate. As a result, both women are swept up in a Suffragette riot, arrested, and thrown in jail. Though Elizabeth is treated courteously and released quickly, Rose is forced to withstand the humiliation and abuse of the London penal system. A pungent commentary on how the scales of justice were tipped in favor of the wealthy and connected in Edwardian England, "A Special Mischief" was written by Anthony Skene. The episode made its first BBC appearance on December 29, 1972, and was subsequently seen in America on March 10, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Produced for Granada Television, Seasons of the Year was a weekly British dramatic anthology, set in a lavish country house. The series' six hour-long plays covered 150 years within the walls of the house, with a different cast each week. It should come as no surprise that the series' principal writer was Anthony Skene, a fixture of the later British weekly Upstairs, Downstairs. Seasons of the Year was originally telecast in 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
In this episode of the allegorical television series The Prisoner, No. 6 (Patrick McGoohan) discovers a new sort of danger has come to the Village, while a carnival attempts to distract the villagers from their gloom. No. 6 recognizes a new resident, and learns that he is being tortured by No. 2 (Marn Morris) in order to learn the truth about No. 6 and his past. As both No. 6 and the newcomer are subjected to interrogation to find out what they know, a body washes up on the beach, which No. 6 discovers has a radio in his pocket. Will he be able to get the radio to work and find out what's happanmed in the outside world? And can he somehow send a signal to the people outside the Village about his plight? ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Morris
- 1967
Originally broadcast in England on November 12, 1967, this episode of The Prisoner was written by Anthony Skene and directed by "Joseph Serf" --- actually a pseudonym for series star Patrick McGoohan. Arising from his slumbers early one morning, Number Six discovers that the Village is deserted and all the power has been shut off. At last able to make his escape, Number Six fashions a raft and sets out to sea. Washing up on the shore of what seems to be a familiar English coastal village, he finds that his old lodgings have been taken over by a Mrs. Butterworth (Georgina Cookson), whose behavior does not set his heart at ease. Hoping to return to his former government headquarters to inform his superiors of the Village's existence, the prisoner is plunged into a deep and ever-widening pit of paranoia, with no certainty as to whom he can trust and whom he should fear. Donald Sinden and Patrick Cargill guest star as the Colonel and Thorpe, respectively. "Many Happy Returns" first aired in America on July 20, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
In this episode of the British television series The Prisoner, medical researchers at the Village have discovered a way to tap into the human mind and observe a person's dreams and sub-conscious thoughts. Number Six (Patrick McGoohan) becomes a test subject, and as he is unconscious, his imaginings are adjusted until he believes he's in Paris on a rendezvous to sell the secrets he learned as an espionage agent. Number Two, the leader of the mysterious Village, is played in this episode by Colin Gordon; Katherine Kath and Sheila Allen also appear. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
