The Appleyards

The Appleyards

1952 - United Kingdom

Transmitted once a fortnight from 1952 in the Children's Television slot, The Appleyards is generally regarded as Britain's first television soap opera-even if it was made for kids. 

Telling the ups and downs of a suburban Home Counties family, the show, which picked up a number of awards during its 5 year run, was broadcast live on Thursday's around 4.30 to 5.00pm with a repeat performance the following Sunday. Each episode was approximately 20 minutes in length. 

The theme music for the series, 'Looking Around' was played into the studio live off a 78rpm record. 

The family consisted of Mr and Mrs Appleyard and their four children; teenagers Janet and John, and their younger siblings Margaret and Tommy. Interestingly, the younger actors were replaced during the series run in order to maintain a constant age for the children, suggesting that although regarded as an ongoing series, time stood still in 'Appleyard World'. 

Although the series was popular with the viewing public it's title was not to the liking of everyone, especially the then Controller of Programmes, Cecil McGivern, who suggested it sounded like 'suet pudding with a dash of cement.' 

The series ended in 1957 following around 160 broadcasts of what is best described as the trivial ups and downs of a nice suburban family, worlds apart from the dramatic and often traumatic lifestyles that latter day soap characters lead as an obligatory requirement. A Christmas reunion, Christmas With The Appleyards, was made in 1960. 

Published on November 27th, 2018. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.

Read Next...

Dragnet

A truly defining early entry in the annals of the embryonic genre of US television police drama series, Dragnet became the seminal template from which all later successful cops shows drew a measure of guidance and inspiration...

Also released in 1952

The Howerd Crowd

Frankie Howerd in a series of three shows written by Eric Sykes.

Also released in 1952

Charlie Chester

Debuting in 1952 Pot Luck is notable as the first ever British audience participation series.

Also released in 1952

H.R. Pufnstuf

Short lived but lively musical series based on The Wizard Of Oz.

Also tagged Childrens Television

The Secret Garden

A ten year-old orphaned girl is sent to live with an uncle she has never met.

Also released in 1952

I Married Joan

Standard US sitcom that tried to reproduce the phenomenal success of I Love Lucy.

Also released in 1952

Crossroads

The soap that was the byword for every dropped line, every wobbly doorway, every mundane plot. For many years Crossroads rose above the slating it took from the critics and with ratings as high as 15 million viewers won fans from far and wide.

Also tagged Soap Opera

market in honey lane

Created by Louis Marks and beginning on Monday 3rd April 1967, Market In Honey Lane was British TV's first attempt to break Coronation Streets' supremacy as the number one soap opera with an East End version.

Also tagged Soap Opera