Deadline Midnight

Deadline Midnight

1960 - United Kingdom

Years before Lou Grant became a massive hit in the US, British series Deadline Midnight focused on the investigative reporting team of fictitious Fleet Street newspaper The Daily Globe. The series featured the usual suspects of editors, senior reporters, the hard-bitten veteran and the less than efficient junior. 

To give the series credit it brought in former Daily Express editor Arthur Christiansen, who was been employed by ATV as Editorial Advisor, to oversee the series authenticity. It also gave an early TV outing to Peter Vaughan who went on to appear in 1969's The Gold Robbers, Wolfie Smith's prospective father-in-law in Citizen Smith and the less-than-genial Harry Grout in Porridge. When he left the series he was replaced by Glyn Houston. 

Published on December 7th, 2018. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.

Read Next...

Thirteen-part series centred on the lives of the titular Fox family, who live in Clapham in South London and have gangland connections.

Also starring Peter Vaughan

Fall of Eagles TV series

1970s BBC historical dramatisation about the collapse of three great European dynasties: the Romanovs, the Habsburgs, and the Hohenzollerns.

Also starring Peter Vaughan

Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years

BAFTA nominated eight-part drama series based on Winston Churchill's enforced political exile during the 1920s and 1930s, starring Robert Hardy and an all-star cast

Also starring Peter Vaughan

Biggles

Crack pilot James "Biggles" Bigglesworth leads a team of investigators who solve crime around the world.

Also released in 1960

First Night

First Night presented a series of new plays written for television with an emphasis on action and conflict. The series debuted on BBC with Alan Owen's The Strain on 22 September 1963 and ran through until 1964.

Also starring Peter Vaughan

Porridge

The story of how one of Britain's all-time favourite sitcoms came to our screens

Also starring Peter Vaughan

After the Funeral

When Alun Owen's play 'After the Funeral' was read by Sydney Newman, head of drama for ABC Television, and William Kotcheff, the television director, they were so taken by his conception of Wales and the Welsh, they decided to see for themselves.

Also released in 1960

Life behind bars for an habitual thief is made easier by winning 'little victories' over the system.

Also starring Peter Vaughan