Don't Tell Father
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| caption =
| alt_name =
| genre = Sitcom
| creator =
| developer =
| based_on =
| writer = Roy Clarke
| director = Harold Snoad
| creative_director =
| presenter =
| starring = {{Plainlist|
- Tony Britton
- Susan Hampshire
- Caroline Quentin
- Richard Ashton
- Philip Fox
}}
| judges =
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer = Nick Ingman
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer =
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| num_series = 1
| num_episodes = 6
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer =
| producer = Harold Snoad
| editor = Andy Quested
| location =
| cinematography =
| camera = Multi-camera
| runtime = 30 minutes
| company = BBC
| channel = BBC1
| first_aired = {{start date|1992|4|26|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{end date|1992|5|31|df=y}}
| related =
}}
Don't Tell Father is a British television sitcom written by Roy Clarke that was first broadcast on BBC1 from 26 April to 31 May 1992.{{sfn|Leafe|1992|p=302}}{{Cite book |last=Lewisohn |first=Mark |title=Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy |publisher=BBC Worldwide |year=2003 |isbn=0563487550 |edition=2nd |location=London |pages=234–235 |author-link=Mark Lewisohn}} The series starred Tony Britton, Susan Hampshire, Caroline Quentin, Richard Ashton and Philip Fox.
Premise
The series follows a self-regarding veteran actor, Vivian Bancroft, who dominates the lives of his fifth wife, Natasha, and four grown-up children: Kate, Garth, Spirit and Congreve. Vivian is particularly outraged by his eldest daughter, Kate's, engagement to Marvin Whipple, a driving instructor.{{sfn|Leafe|1992|p=302}}
Cast
= Main =
- Tony Britton as Vivian Bancroft
- Susan Hampshire as Natasha Bancroft
- Caroline Quentin as Kate Bancroft
- Richard Ashton as Garth Bancroft
- Philip Fox as Marvin Whipple
= Recurring =
- Hilda Braid as Mrs Dawson (3 episodes)
- Liz Daniels as Alemka (3 episodes)
- Anna Dawson as Stella Whipple (3 episodes)
- Jack Smethurst as Ron Whipple (3 episodes)
- Jo-Anne Sale as Spirit Bancroft (2 episodes)
Episodes
{{No plot|section|date=December 2024}}
{{Episode table |background=#006600 |overall=6 |title=22 |director=20 |directorT=Produced & Directed by |writer=20 |airdate=18 |airdateR={{cite web |title=Don't Tell Father (Episodes) |url=https://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/dtf/list.html |website=Phill.co.uk |access-date=27 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227120143/https://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/dtf/list.html |archive-date=27 December 2023 |url-status=live}} |episodes={{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 1
| Title = Vivian & Marvin
| DirectedBy = Harold Snoad
| WrittenBy = Roy Clarke
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|4|26|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = Vivian discovers that his eldest daughter, Kate, votes Conservative. He and his fifth wife, Natasha, plan to marry her off to a left-wing aristocrat, but Kate, unbeknownst to them, is engaged to Marvin Whipple, a driving instructor. Vivian is to be interviewed by a camera crew later that day. He decides to host a lunch party, inviting all his four children. Kate decides to invite a reluctant Marvin, much to Vivian's displeasure.
| LineColor = #006600
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 2
| Title = The Film Studio
| DirectedBy = Harold Snoad
| WrittenBy = Roy Clarke
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|5|3|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #006600
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 3
| Title = Marvin's Parents
| DirectedBy = Harold Snoad
| WrittenBy = Roy Clarke
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|5|10|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #006600
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 4
| Title = Vivian's Shower
| DirectedBy = Harold Snoad
| WrittenBy = Roy Clarke
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|5|17|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #006600
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 5
| Title = Sacked
| DirectedBy = Harold Snoad
| WrittenBy = Roy Clarke
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|5|24|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #006600
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 6
| Title = Car Trouble
| DirectedBy = Harold Snoad
| WrittenBy = Roy Clarke
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|5|31|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #006600
}}
}}
Reception
Of the series, in his Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy, Mark Lewisohn wrote: "Tony Britton hammed it up for all he was worth as the awful Vivian, and Caroline Quentin proved particularly adept at delivering Roy Clarke's witty dialogue, but the piece as a whole lacked the magic ingredient which made so many of the writer's ideas long-running series."
References
=Citations=
{{Reflist}}
=Works cited=
- {{Cite book |last=Leafe |first=David |title=British Film Institute Film and Television Handbook 1993 |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |year=1992 |isbn=9780851703442}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|id=0103401}}
{{Roy Clarke}}
{{Harold Snoad}}
Category:BBC television sitcoms
Category:1992 British television series debuts
Category:1992 British television series endings