Executive Stress

1986 - United Kingdom

With her five children now grown up, Caroline Fairchild decides to resume her former career in the cut-throat world of publishing. Against the wishes of husband Donald, also working in the industry, she takes up the position of Editorial Director for her old company, Oasis Publishing, in London. Little does Caroline realise that Oasis Publishing - part of an American conglomerate overseen by the megalomaniac Edgar Frankland Jr. - is poised to take over Donald's employer, Ginsberg Publishing, and that Frankland takes a rather harsh line on married couples working together within his empire.

Caroline and Donald's solution is unorthodox, yet practical: they become an undercover couple, with Caroline using her maiden name and Donald steadfastly refusing the advances of female colleagues. The ploy seems to work - but there is one unpalatable aspect for Donald: he now finds himself taking orders from his wife...

Two of British comedy's most popular stars came together for this highly original and cleverly written series. Executive Stress featured Penelope Keith and Geoffrey Palmer (in Series One) as the middle-aged couple struggling to keep their marriage under wraps to protect both of their careers, a situation partly inspired by the difficulties faced by the wife of writer George Layton on returning to professional life after having had two children.

This series reunited Penelope Keith - who brings what one reviewer described as 'wit, finesse and touching vulnerability' to the role of Caroline - and The Good Life's producer, John Howard Davies. When Geoffrey Palmer decided to leave at the end of the first series he was replaced by Peter Bowles, who had partnered Penelope Keith in the hugely successful BBC series To The Manor Born. The series featured a theme song composed by Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Tim Rice, and performed by Julie Covington.

Published on December 10th, 2018. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.

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Play and Single Dramas

Inside George Webley (1968)

December 23rd, 2018

George Meredith Webley, a bank clerk who was guaranteed to add the word pooper to party and crushing to bore.

Three Live Wires (1961)

February 6th, 2019

Comedy series that chronicled the merry misadventures of the employees of a London based TV sales and repair shop.

Keeping Up Appearances (1990)

December 28th, 2018

Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet), who spends her entire time trying to climb the local social ladder, much to the dismay of her long suffering husband Richard.

Sheep's Clothing (1957)

January 28th, 2019

Short-lived sitcom starring Digby Wolf before he became a regular writer on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. Early out, too, for Ronnie Corbett.

Billy Liar (1973)

November 30th, 2018

Adapted from the highly successful novel/play/film by successful writing team Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall, this version of Billy Liar was updated by them to make it more relevant to the early 1970s.

Firecrackers (1964)

December 11th, 2018

1960s comedy that was heavily influenced by the classic Will Hay comedy Where's That Fire? that had been shot twenty-five years earlier at the same Elstree studio.

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