Crossroads Crossroads: 1964-1988, 2001-2003

[Julia's Gumdrops]

Yes, Janet Hargreaves was a very good actress. Like a croos betwen Julia Cumson and Val Ewing, and a senstiive portrayal of mental illness on this show at the time, considering all the stigmas that mental illness had back in the 1980s.

Anyway. a few episodes on and lovely Meg has now returned from her cruise trip. So that's where she went, and I can now see she had a taste for these well before next years more permanent exodus on the QE2 obviously...
I now have a whole 3rd collection of the Noele Gordon special edition to watch now of Meg's final year. (This collection is now going for extortionate amounts on ebay, I considered selling this online, but not now, I think is actually a keep hold treasured posession of mine, to keep watching for all time, and that is thanks a lot to this forum).

I have already watched the fire episodes, but now it's time to go back and see my wondrous Meg/Nolly in her prime and all the build up to that mess of her departure- this woman deserved so much more respect than she had at the time. I feel that they could have just written her out for a year, Jack Barton & Co at ATV/Central could have been more honest about their issues with her at the time, given Noele the freedom do Gypsy and Call Me Madam to give her and them a break, and then respected her enough to bring her back and keep the Crossroads door open a year later. That's what all the viewers would have wanted, and the lady herself deserved to look forward to keeping her career going, and firing up Crossroads for its final few years.

 

[Marley Drama]

Yes, Janet Hargreaves was a very good actress. Like a croos betwen Julia Cumson and Val Ewing, and a senstiive portrayal of mental illness on this show at the time, considering all the stigmas that mental illness had back in the 1980s.

She was great, and I like how the seeds for the storyline seem to be there for years if you see her character and some of her insecurities.

Janet also is the reason for one of my favourite scenes: that catty exchange with Diane where Rosemary says how thrilled she is to have a "cold buffet waitress" in the family. She's just spot-on.

This collection is now going for extortionate amounts on ebay, I considered selling this online, but not now, I think is actually a keep hold treasured posession of mine, to keep watching for all time, and that is thanks a lot to this forum

When I started watching, I really felt I might struggle to get through the set, but it's such an easy show to devour. Like you, I'll be hanging on to mine and hope to watch again in years to come. I'm very grateful I took the plunge before Network so tragically went under. And, like you, a big part of the reason I took that plunge is through talking about it on this site.

I have already watched the fire episodes, but now it's time to go back and see my wondrous Meg/Nolly in her prime and all the build up to that mess of her departure

Wonderful.

I feel that they could have just written her out for a year, Jack Barton & Co at ATV/Central could have been more honest about their issues with her at the time, given Noele the freedom do Gypsy and Call Me Madam to give her and them a break, and then respected her enough to bring her back and keep the Crossroads door open a year later. That's what all the viewers would have wanted, and the lady herself deserved to look forward to keeping her career going, and firing up Crossroads for its final few years.

Yes... absolutely. It was so incredibly short-sighted.

 

[The First Noele]

'Down South' for the weekend, had some freetime so headed to East Ham and her old address. Sadly no Nolly or Jockey in the garden. X

 

[The First Noele]

And another 100 birthday on Crossroads.

Happy 100th birthday to Vincent Ball (born 4 December 1923)
He played Kevin McArthur. Liked his scenes with Meg

2 x 100 birthdays in a year, the motel must be good for you x

 

[The First Noele]

From trip to East Ham on Friday; Noele Gordon House construction is well under way. It would be rather cool to have that address! It is on the Barking Road. Hard to get a decent photo due to scaffolding and roads being dug up!

 

[The First Noele]

BBC archive have made this available to watch - She was treated dreadfully by ATV - because she was a powerful woman

Noele Gordon was a mainstay of the British soap opera Crossroads from its very first episode in 1964, portraying motel owner Meg Richardson, who later remarried and became Meg Mortimer. She chatted with Russell Harty about her less than amicable departure from the Midlands based soap in 1981 and got an emotional standing ovation from the Manchester studio audience following her performance of the aptly named song 'Goodbye'. In more recent times, Noele's story has been dramatised by Russell T Davies, with Helena Bonham Carter in the starring role of the ITV drama Nolly. Clip taken from Russell Harty, dated 17 November 1981. You have now entered the BBC Archive, a time machine that will transport you back to the golden age of tv to educate, entertain and enlighten you with classic tv clips from the BBC vaults. Make sure you subscribe so that you never miss a single stop on our amazing journey through the BBC Archive - https://www.youtube.com

 

[Julia's Gumdrops]

Russell T Davies is on BBC Breakfast now talking about Nolly. It's being shown on ITV over Xmas, so should get a bigger audience.

 

[The First Noele]

Ive ordered my copy

From C A S on FB

We are delighted to be able to share the news the Crosssroads Wedding Album is to be released for the first time since 1975.
'Crossroads Wedding Party' album will be released on January 26th 2024 thanks to the fabulous Stage Door Records
Licensed from BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd., the album has been digitally remastered from the original master tapes -and sounds superb!. The CD release is a limited edition pressing of 500 units only.
The CD is now available for pre-order on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crossroads-Wedding.../dp/B0CPLPC5PP?

 

[Angels Chanting]

Ive ordered my copy

From C A S on FB

We are delighted to be able to share the news the Crosssroads Wedding Album is to be released for the first time since 1975.
'Crossroads Wedding Party' album will be released on January 26th 2024 thanks to the fabulous Stage Door Records
Licensed from BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd., the album has been digitally remastered from the original master tapes -and sounds superb!. The CD release is a limited edition pressing of 500 units only.
The CD is now available for pre-order on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crossroads-Wedding.../dp/B0CPLPC5PP?

View attachment 49738

Gosh, I still have this album on vinyl somewhere. I bought it at our church's jumble sale for about 20p around 30 years ago.

 

[Marley Drama]

Nolly. It's being shown on ITV over Xmas, so should get a bigger audience.

'Crossroads Wedding Party' album will be released on January 26th 2024

Oh my. It looks like they're expecting Xrds to get even more renewed interest off the back of the ITV1 screenings. Great for the series, and for its fans. How lovely to see a vintage piece of merchandise being revived this way.

 

[The First Noele]

Gosh, I still have this album on vinyl somewhere. I bought it at our church's jumble sale for about 20p around 30 years ago.

that is impressive @Angels Chanting

You could make a fortune on ebay

Since Nolly aired, there are people selling Nolly memorabilia on cover of magazines from 1970s at £145/£150.00
Strangely enough though people arent buying them! What a con!! (or greedy) And the box set going for 3 x what I paid.

I think my CD is due for delivery Jan 26th

2023 has been a Crossroads and Nolly year for me and I have loved it - I hope my English Nan would be proud of me!! She loved Crossroads and Nolly x

 

[Angels Chanting]

Since Nolly aired, there are people selling Nolly memorabilia on cover of magazines from 1970s at £145/£150.00 Strangely enough though people arent buying them! What a con!! (or greedy) And the box set going for 3 x what I paid.

I also have 2 Crossroads annuals and a Crossroads magazine plus autographs of some of the producers (more accurately, signed replies to letters I wrote to Jack Barton, Phillip Bowman and William Smethurst asking or complaining about something in the series). I can't imagine I would sell them, I think I get more pleasure from occasionally having a nostalgic look at them rather than having a few extra pounds in my bank account.

 

[The First Noele]

I also have 2 Crossroads annuals and a Crossroads magazine plus autographs of some of the producers (more accurately, signed replies to letters I wrote to Jack Barton, Phillip Bowman and William Smethurst asking or complaining about something in the series). I can't imagine I would sell them, I think I get more pleasure from occasionally having a nostalgic look at them rather than having a few extra pounds in my bank account.

Oh I agree, I could never part with my rather large Dallas autograph collection no matter how much money i was offered
Just wish Id written to Brad Pitt at the time rather than Omri, Joshua and Shalane McCall

I have 1 Crossroads annual boxed in the loft and I remember spending my lunch money on Goodbye Meg at 75p I think, which is also up in the loft

Thats cool re writing to the Producers - did they say anything of note @Angels Chanting - The more I hear of Jack Barton the more I dislike him as he was THEE One who got her fired

there is a lady on C A S FB page who has a wonderful collection of Crossroads letters and memorabilia mainly from Nolly and Jane and, Yes Nolly really did take the time out to write such lovely fan letters and sent her lovely Xmas cards ("From the Gordons" ) - like NG and her mum on the RNLI lifeboat or lovely hand written thank you letters for a gift she had sent - it was very touching.
She has beautifully neat hand writing and does all the envelopes herself. She has also got lovely letters from Susan Hanson, Ann George, Ronald Allen and the seceretary for Roger Tongue - I spent about an hour 1 night reading them and it was lovely

(Dallas cast take note!! esp BBG, PD and LH back in the 80s)

There is a very poignant one from 1984 Xmas which ends

" I do hope you will have a lovely xmas and a bright and happy 1985"

as we all know that was the year Nolly sadly died and must have been quite ill at the time of writing; its obvious that the fans mean a lot to her and she values them (like Howard Keel)

 

[Angels Chanting]

Thats cool re writing to the Producers - did they say anything of note @Angels Chanting - The more I hear of Jack Barton the more I dislike him as he was THEE One who got her fired

I wrote to Jack Barton when I was about 10 to ask him to bring back Jane Smith, who one of my favourite characters. He replied to say that there weren't any plans to do so but you never know what might happen in the future.

I wrote to Philip Bowman to say how much I liked the changes he made to the show including introducing Nicola Freeman, revamp of the motel and the new title sequence. He replied to say thanks and was glad I was enjoying the show and he hope I would like a new character that would be on screen soon. I think he was referring to Mickey Doyle who I thought was great and I loved his storyline with Jill.

Finally I wrote to William Smethurst to complain about how they wrote out Diane Hunter who he killed off in such a low key and uneventful way hat it was almost a non event and not fitting for a major and long running character. He replied to say that many people we upset with them killing off the Diane. I wasn't, my complaint was in how they did it, so I don't think he read my letter properly or maybe he deliberately didn't want to address my point.

I never wrote to any of the actors on the show.

 

[The First Noele]

I wrote to Jack Barton when I was about 10 to ask him to bring back Jane Smith, who one of my favourite characters. H

Oh I agree, she was salt of the earth type of character who fitted in well at the motel and saw good in everyone

I believe Sally/Jane got pregnant off screen and as a result they wrote her out

Ive heard Jane Rossington make reference to getting pregnant off screen and written off for an eternity!!

Guess Mat leave wasnt an option

and agree re Diane, dreadful way to write out such a popular character

I had stoped watching by then but tuned in to see that one x

 

[The First Noele]

about how they wrote out Diane Hunter who he killed off in such a low key and uneventful way hat it was almost a non event

@Angels Chanting

This is a lovely interview with Sue Hanson when she left Crossroads and she basically says its easier to leave as all the wonderful people she worked with like Nolly, Roger, Ronald, Sue had all left and she would bring Nolly back if she could

it reminds me of Dallas the final years - Crossroads was the same, same name of the show but the people who made it special and gave it heart and soul were all gone!!

 

[Marley Drama]

Fanny Carby’s face is very familiar. Looking at her IMDb she’s been in no end of British sitcoms, dramas and films

I remember her as Vera Duckworths mother in Corrie, think she was a stirrer there also

Fanny appeared in tonight's On The Buses (oo-er missus) as a strict canteen lady - a former warden at Holloway - who fell for Stan.

As in Xrds, her OTB character was a bit light-fingered. This time she got into a compromising position giving Stan contraband canteen stock to take home while trying to get him to succumb and was quickly banished.

 

[Angels Chanting]

@Angels Chanting

This is a lovely interview with Sue Hanson when she left Crossroads and she basically says its easier to leave as all the wonderful people she worked with like Nolly, Roger, Ronald, Sue had all left and she would bring Nolly back if she could

it reminds me of Dallas the final years - Crossroads was the same, same name of the show but the people who made it special and gave it heart and soul were all gone!!

That video got it wrong because her death scene was never shown. She collapsed suffering with a pain in her head, was taken to hospital and wasn't seen again. Her death was off screen a few episodes later. I remember Mrs Tardibigge (ghastly new William Smethurst character) going through Diane's things after she died and squeezing her fat feet into her shoes before taking them.

 

[Festive Englishboy]

I also have 2 Crossroads annuals and a Crossroads magazine plus autographs of some of the producers (more accurately, signed replies to letters I wrote to Jack Barton, Phillip Bowman and William Smethurst asking or complaining about something in the series).

Philip Bowman is actually an Australian by birth. I can remember him directing episodes of hit medical soap, “The Young Doctors” towards the back end of that serial’s run, prior to relocating to the UK.

On taking up his position as boss of the long running motel saga one of the first things he did was to install an editing suite at the Crossroads studios which meant that for the first time episodes could be filmed out of sequence (as is standard practice on most soaps) and also that retakes could be done as and where necessary , for example, when an actor fluffed their lines.

Up until this point, episodes had always been recorded on an “as live” basis with any mistakes being left in.

And another 100 birthday on Crossroads.

Happy 100th birthday to Vincent Ball (born 4 December 1923)
He played Kevin McArthur. Liked his scenes with Meg

Vincent Ball is an Australian actor, who subsequent to his Crossroads acting career went on to appear in 1979 episodes of hit medical soap “The Young Doctors” in which he played a character with the same name as his Crossroads’ character, Kevin McArthur.

Both shows, of course, having the same producer - Reg Watson.

 

[The First Noele]

For interest - Some one has kindly uploaded onto FB - Audio cassette tapes of Crossroads episodes from late 1972 and early 1973 - taped off the TV

I did this with Dallas from 1979 - taped onto a blank cassete tape (TDK!) and continued doing so after my parents got a VCR in 1983