"Our Friends in the North" (1996) TV mini-series

Directors:

Simon Cellan Jones
Pedr James

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

30 September 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A nine part series depicting the varying fortunes of four friends - Nicky, Geordie, Mary and Tosker...

Plot Keywords:

Political | Newcastle | TV Mini-Series | Human Relationship

Awards:

7 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Christopher Eccleston	...	Nicky Hutchinson (9 episodes, 1996)
Mark Strong	...	Tosker Cox (9 episodes, 1996)
Gina McKee	...	Mary Cox / ... (9 episodes, 1996)
Daniel Craig	...	Geordie Peacock / ... (8 episodes, 1996)
Peter Vaughan	...	Felix Hutchinson (8 episodes, 1996)
David Bradley	...	Eddie Wells (8 episodes, 1996)
Freda Dowie	...	Florrie Hutchinson (7 episodes, 1996)
Alun Armstrong	...	Austin Donohue (5 episodes, 1996)
Malcolm McDowell	...	Benny Barrett (5 episodes, 1996)
Danny Webb	...	Detective Inspector Ron Conrad / ... (4 episodes, 1996)
David Schofield	...	DCI John Salway / ... (4 episodes, 1996)
Geoffrey Hutchings	...	John Edwards (4 episodes, 1996)
Donald Sumpter	...	Commander Harold Chapple (4 episodes, 1996)
Frank Couchman	...	Patrick Soulsby (4 episodes, 1996)
Daniel Casey	...	Anthony Cox (3 episodes, 1996)
Rod Culbertson	...	Bede Connor (3 episodes, 1996)
Tony Haygarth	...	Roy Johnson (3 episodes, 1996)
Tracey Wilkinson	...	Elaine Cox / ... (3 episodes, 1996)
Peter Jeffrey	...	Commisioner Colin Blamire / ... (3 episodes, 1996)
John Dair	...	Charlie Dawson (3 episodes, 1996)
Mark Drewry	...	Michael Frisch (3 episodes, 1996)
Louise Salter	...	Julia Allen (3 episodes, 1996)
Anne Orwin	...	Mrs Weightman (3 episodes, 1996)
Saskia Wickham	...	Claudia Seabrook (3 episodes, 1996)
Val McLane	...	Rita Cox (3 episodes, 1996)
Tony Hodge	...	Brian Cox (3 episodes, 1996)
Julian Fellowes	...	Claud Seabrook (3 episodes, 1996)
David Begg	...	Billy Shaughnessy (2 episodes, 1996)
Terence Rigby	...	Berger (2 episodes, 1996)
Trevor Fox	...	Harry (2 episodes, 1996)
Harriet Keevil	...	Helen Windsor (2 episodes, 1996)
Craig Conway	...	Christopher Collins (2 episodes, 1996)
Granville Saxton	...	Commissioner Jellicoe (2 episodes, 1996)
Larry Lamb	...	Alan Roe (2 episodes, 1996)
Leon Lissek	...	Walensky (2 episodes, 1996)
Chris Walker	...	DCI Paul Boyd (2 episodes, 1996)
Andrew Grainger	...	Detective Constable Fred Black (2 episodes, 1996)
Gavin Muir	...	Father Kyle (2 episodes, 1996)
Siobhan Burke	...	Lucille (2 episodes, 1996)
Pete Lee-Wilson	...	Colin Butler (2 episodes, 1996)
Elspeth Charlton	...	Mrs Soulsby (2 episodes, 1996)
Jack McBride	...	Mr Soulsby (2 episodes, 1996)
Harry Herring	...	Arthur Watson (2 episodes, 1996)
Sam Latham	...	Bouncer / ... (2 episodes, 1996)
Mark Pegg	...	Detective Constable Tony Weir / ... (2 episodes, 1996)

Series Directed by
Simon Cellan Jones		(5 episodes, 1996)
Pedr James		(4 episodes, 1996)
Stuart Urban		(3 episodes, 1996)

Series Writing credits
Peter Flannery		(9 episodes, 1996)

Series Produced by
Melanie Howard	....	associate producer (9 episodes, 1996)
Charles Pattinson	....	producer (9 episodes, 1996)
Nicola Shindler	....	assistant producer (9 episodes, 1996)
Michael Wearing	....	executive producer (9 episodes, 1996)

Series Original Music by
Colin Towns		(9 episodes, 1996)

Series Cinematography by
John Daly		(4 episodes, 1996)
John Kenway		(3 episodes, 1996)
Simon Kossoff		(2 episodes, 1996)

Series Film Editing by
Greg Miller		(5 episodes, 1996)
Paul Tothill		(4 episodes, 1996)
David Spiers		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Gail Stevens		(9 episodes, 1996)
Andy Pryor		(6 episodes, 1996)
Emma Style		(5 episodes, 1996)

Series Production Design by
Rob Hinds		(9 episodes, 1996)

Series Art Direction by
Henry Jaworski		(9 episodes, 1996)
Julie Knight		(9 episodes, 1996)
Bill Bryce		(4 episodes, 1996)
Jim Holloway		(3 episodes, 1996)
Linda Ward		(2 episodes, 1996)

Series Costume Design by
James Keast		(9 episodes, 1996)

Series Makeup Department
Joceline Andrews	....	makeup artist (5 episodes, 1996)
Kezia De Winne	....	makeup designer (5 episodes, 1996)
Jenny Sharpe	....	makeup artist (5 episodes, 1996)
Margaret Aston	....	makeup artist (4 episodes, 1996)
Lisa Pickering	....	makeup artist (4 episodes, 1996)
Suzan Broad	....	makeup designer (3 episodes, 1996)

Series Production Management
Cliff Pinnock	....	production manager (4 episodes, 1996)
Jonathan Crofts	....	production manager (3 episodes, 1996)
Paul Brodrick	....	production manager (2 episodes, 1996)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jamie Hall	....	third assistant director (4 episodes, 1996)
Deborah Saban	....	first assistant director (4 episodes, 1996)
Helen Kelley	....	second assistant director (3 episodes, 1996)
Chris Ballantyne	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 1996)
Pennie Bloomfield	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 1996)
Jeannie Hamilton	....	third assistant director (2 episodes, 1996)
James Munro	....	second assistant director (2 episodes, 1996)
Kas Braganza	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
John Davies	....	production buyer (9 episodes, 1996)
John Thorpe	....	construction manager (9 episodes, 1996)
Mike Killman	....	property master / prop master (6 episodes, 1996)
Christine Buttner	....	title sequence (4 episodes, 1996)
Jack Emanuel	....	dressing props / dressing crew (3 episodes, 1996)
John Gibson	....	stand-by chippy (3 episodes, 1996)
Tony Lenman	....	construction painter (3 episodes, 1996)
Steve Protheroe	....	construction chippy (3 episodes, 1996)
Keith Warwick	....	dressing props / dressing crew (3 episodes, 1996)
Giovanni Giacotto	....	stand-by painter (2 episodes, 1996)
Harry Hull	....	stand-by painter (2 episodes, 1996)
Colin Mutch	....	stand-by props (2 episodes, 1996)
Rory O'Connor	....	stand-by props (2 episodes, 1996)
Clive Pickard	....	stand-by props (2 episodes, 1996)
Simon Price	....	stand-by props (2 episodes, 1996)

Series Sound Department
Mik Gough	....	assistant sound recordist (9 episodes, 1996)
Paul Hamblin	....	dubbing mixer (7 episodes, 1996)
Catherine Hodgson	....	dubbing editor (6 episodes, 1996)
Tim Humphries	....	sound recordist (4 episodes, 1996)
Richard Manton	....	sound recordist (4 episodes, 1996)
Andy Kennedy	....	dubbing editor (3 episodes, 1996)
Michael Redfern	....	dubbing editor (3 episodes, 1996)
David Old	....	dubbing mixer (2 episodes, 1996)
Steve Hancock	....	sound camera operator (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Tony Harding	....	visual effects designer (2 episodes, 1996)

Series Stunts
Clive Curtis	....	stunt coordinator (4 episodes, 1996)
Tom Delmar	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Steve Griffin	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Alan Stuart	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Mary Kyte	....	focus puller (4 episodes, 1996)
Dick Reed	....	gaffer (4 episodes, 1996)
Rob Southam	....	focus puller (4 episodes, 1996)
George Vince	....	gaffer (4 episodes, 1996)
Steve Wallace	....	clapper loader (4 episodes, 1996)
Adam Coles	....	clapper loader (3 episodes, 1996)
David Draper	....	grip (3 episodes, 1996)
Robert Hunt	....	best boy / gaffer (3 episodes, 1996)
Stuart King	....	electrician / best boy (3 episodes, 1996)
John Rake	....	grip (3 episodes, 1996)
Graham Banks	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1996)
Alf Tramontin	....	steadicam (2 episodes, 1996)

Series Casting Department
Tony Froude	....	extras casting (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jane Hamnett	....	assistant costume designer (5 episodes, 1996)
Michael Johnson	....	wardrobe master (4 episodes, 1996)
Sarah Moore	....	dresser (2 episodes, 1996)
Nick Troth	....	dresser (2 episodes, 1996)

Series Editorial Department
Russell Beeden	....	assistant editor (3 episodes, 1996)
Michael Harrowes	....	assistant film editor (3 episodes, 1996)
Cecilia Coleshaw	....	post-production coordinator (2 episodes, 1996)

Series Transportation Department
Dougie Lankston	....	driver: dressing props (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Kim Armitage	....	continuity (9 episodes, 1996)
Marion O'Neill	....	assistant accountant (9 episodes, 1996)
Cecilia Coleshaw	....	post production co-ordinator (4 episodes, 1996)
Neil Houston	....	assistant floor manager (4 episodes, 1996)
Mark Sendell	....	location manager (4 episodes, 1996)
Debbi Slater	....	location manager (4 episodes, 1996)
Vanessa De Sousa	....	location manager (3 episodes, 1996)
Vanessa Jones	....	production secretary (3 episodes, 1996)
Beverley Lamb	....	location manager (3 episodes, 1996)
David Leach	....	assistant accountant (3 episodes, 1996)
Samantha Vince	....	production secretary (3 episodes, 1996)
Jenny Arnold	....	choreographer (2 episodes, 1996)
Kas Braganza	....	assistant floor manager (2 episodes, 1996)
Andrew Glancy	....	dialect coach (2 episodes, 1996)
Anne Hopkinson	....	contracts executive (2 episodes, 1996)
Christine Llewellyn Reeve	....	location manager (2 episodes, 1996)
Anthoula Papadakis	....	choreographer (2 episodes, 1996)
P.J. Simpson	....	location manager (2 episodes, 1996)
Jackie Taylor	....	location manager (2 episodes, 1996)
Christine Buttner	....	title designer (unknown episodes)
Peter Mares	....	publicist (unknown episodes)
John Nixon	....	dog handler (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (1996) (UK) (TV)
• BMG Video (1997) (UK) (VHS)
• BMG Music Programming (2002) (UK) (DVD)

Runtime:

623 min (9 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:18

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Because of earlier production problems the scenes of the polling station and most of the whole episode had to be shot again, originally this was shot in the winter months, but had to be re-shot in the summer months and made to look convincingly like it was cold.

Quotes:

Benny Barratt: Women are rubbish, Geordie. Most people are rubbish, but all women are.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Becoming Bond (2006) (TV)

One of the greatest TV Dramas

I felt compelled to comment after reading a disparaging comment, I too come from a 'North/South' family with a mix of working and middle class and in no way found this patronising or contrived.

Instead I found a drama that personalised Britain's modern history, which also gave me an anchor of historical facts while watching to really emerse myself in the stories.

I found the characters at times to be self important but this was clearly the intention- Eccleston's character Nicky was self-important and selfish with his views- these are character flaws. This was the brilliance of the length of the series as you become so intimately knowledgeable of the characters. The tragedy of Geordie and the on/off nature of Nicky and Mary's relationship. By the end you feel like you have lived their lives with them, something only achievable with a top notch cast and great script.

I would unreservedly recomend this to anyone, even outside of the UK, as it is quite simply brilliant drama.