1962-01-02 3/10
Overview
Compact was a British television soap opera shown by the BBC between 1962 and 1965. The series was created by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling, who together went on to devise Crossroads. In contrast to the kitchen sink realism of Coronation Street, Compact was a distinctly middle-class serial, set in the more "sophisticated" arena of magazine publishing. An early "avarice" soap, it took the viewer into the business workplace, and aligned the professional lives of the characters with more personal storylines. The show was scheduled for broadcast on Tuesdays and Thursdays, thus avoiding a clash with ITV's Coronation Street on Mondays and Wednesdays. When Compact began, the editor was a woman, Joanne Minster, yet it was not long before she was replaced by Ian Harmon, the son of the magazine's owner. Despite being largely criticised by reviewers, Compact was popular with the general public, and in 1964 a regular omnibus edition was introduced, broadcast on Sundays. Morris Barry, a some-time actor and BBC director – he directed several Doctor Who stories in the 1960s – took over as producer and was given a brief to spice the series up in view of the criticism it had received from the national press. But the BBC, never comfortable with the concept of soap opera, quietly dropped the series in 1965.
Director :
Writer :
Cast
Vincent Ball
Robert Desmond
Rachel Gurney
Clinton Greyn
Carmen Silvera
Mandy Miller
Seasons List
Season 1
No description available.
1. The First Issue
2. Advice To Readers
3. Efficiency Expert
4. Cover Photograph
5. Tea Break
6. Personal Problem
7. The New Broom
8. Sally Speaks Up
9. Question Of Identity
10. Wedding Grove
11. Suspicion Of Theft
12. Happy Birthday
13. Valentine's Day
14. Testing Time
15. Something To Celebrate
16. Press Reception
17. A True Story
18. Circulation Figures
19. News From New York
20. A Breath Of Air
21. The Party
22. After The Ball
23. Shocks And Bruises
24. Weekend
25. Action Stations
26. The Ideal Husband
27. Future Plans
28. Facing The Facts
29. A Night Out
30. Point Of Departure
31. Surprises By Post
32. A Piece Of Cake
33. Pets Corner
34. The Man For The Job
35. Down The Hatch
36. Stormy Weather
37. Musical Evening
38. Talent Contest
39. Visting Hours
40. Mixed Receptions
41. Home And Away
42. Day Of Frenzy
43. Moment Of Truth
44. In A Spin
45. The Big Chance
46. Garden Party
47. Happy Returns
48. Man And Wife
49. Blackmail
50. Take-Over Time
51. The Proposal
52. Faraway Places
53. Barbecue
54. A Day Of Problems
55. Comings And Goings
56. Looking Ahead
57. Weekend Plans
58. Settlement Day
59. Gone Astray
60. Evening Date
61. A Night Out
62. Pay Off
63. Moving Up
64. Surprise Party
65. Riding For A Fall
66. Unguarded Moment
67. Skin Deep
68. The Contest
69. Ebb And Flow
70. Budget Leak
71. Andiamo
72. Out For The Count
73. Finger Of Suspicion
74. Detective Work
75. The Elopement
76. Heartbeat
77. The First Clue
78. Trapped
79. The Morning After
80. Facing The Facts
81. Heart To Heart
82. Day Of Revolutions
83. True To Type
84. Where There's Smoke
85. Burns And Shock
86. Who's Who?
87. Horoscope
88. Point Of Departure
89. The Truth Of The Matter
90. A Case Of Identity
91. Questions And Answers
92. French Leave
93. Lost And Found
94. Art And Craft
95. The Best Laid Plans
96. Profit And Loss
97. Setting A Trap
98. Sparks Flying
99. The Bad Penny
100. All That Jazz
101. Five More Shopping Days
102. Christmas Spirit
103. Business As Usual
104. Unofficial Strike
105. Many questions
Season 2
No description available.
1. Happy Birthday
2. Merely Players
3. Picture Page
4. Research Pays Off
5. Waiting For News
6. Staff Changes
7. The New Editor
8. To See Ourselves
9. Changing Step
10. Military Honours
11. Vital Talks
12. The Man For The Job
13. Black Ice
14. The Magpie's Hoard
15. The Thief
16. United We Stand
17. Shrove Tuesday
18. Unofficial Strike
19. Emergency
20. Normal Working
21. On The Edge
22. Shock Tactics
23. The Winner
24. Chicken And Champagne
25. The Highway Man
26. A List Of Names
27. The Wrong Idea
28. Fire And Water
29. A Question Of Age
30. Tangled Web
31. Little Boy Lost
32. Sent To Coventry
33. Money Trouble
34. Mr Bruce Remembers
35. Echo From The Past
36. The Puffing Doctor
37. A Novel Situation
38. Bitter Wine
39. Moments Of Truth
40. The New Understanding
41. I'll Be In Scotland Before Ye
42. Auld Acquaintance
43. Family Crisis
44. The McDee In London
45. A Day At The Seaside
46. Run Away
47. Truth Will Out
48. Living In The Past
49. Big Brother
50. Out In Limbo
51. A Case Of Desperation
52. Welcome Home
53. Missing Facts
54. Artist Unknown
55. Back To Work
56. Where Is The Skeleton?
57. A Mystery Solved
58. Highland Fling
59. The Ultimatum
60. Power Play
61. The Reluctant Heroine
62. Principles Won't Stop James
63. Who Pays For Leadership?
64. Because Of Alan
65. Stolen - One Cigarette Case, Gold
66. Man Proposes
67. Investigations Proceed
68. A Shower Of Confetti
69. On The Run
70. The Gamblers
71. Lost, Stolen, Or Strayed
72. A Ring For Iris
73. Faith And Begorra
74. A Touch Of The Blarney
75. Surprise Packet
76. The Sound Of Fury
77. Aftermath
78. The Party Member
79. The Mighty Fallen
80. The Reception
81. Alarms And Excursions
82. Two Faced
83. Stranded
84. Two Lovely Black Eyes
85. Chain Of Events
86. Night Call
87. Dinner At Eight
88. Marmot James Again
89. Fireworks All Round
90. Fire And Water
91. You Have Talent - We Want It
92. They Fell Among Thieves
93. The News Breaks
94. Happy Birthday
95. The Tax Man Cometh
96. Bottled On The Premises
97. Celebration
98. Afterthoughts
99. No Promises - I'll Take Cash
100. Wait For The Bang
101. The New Editor
102. A Job For The Boy
103. Dress Rehearsal
104. Happy New Year
105. On Stage
Season 3
No description available.
1. Weekend Guest
2. A Place Of Your Own
3. A Question Of Morals
4. The Enquiry
5. The Opening
6. Hand In Marriage
7. The Best Policy
8. One Of Us Must Go
9. Love You And Leave You
10. Battle Of The Sexes
11. Unexpected Guests
12. Mutual Understanding
13. Surprises
14. Walls Have Ears
15. In The Air
16. The Poison Spreads
17. The Fatal Call
18. An End And A Beginning
19. The Night Visitors
20. Plots And Plans
21. Secrets And Lies
22. The Ides Of March
23. False Evidence
24. A Difficult Assignment
25. The Eve Of The Wedding
26. Just Married - Good Luck
27. Honeymoon And Holidays
28. Rush Job
29. Moment Of Truth
30. Hot And Cold
31. Home And Away
32. Ian In Danger
33. Investigations
34. Guilty Conscience
35. To Be Delivered By Hand
36. Business Not Blackmail
37. A Ray Of Hope
38. Success Story
39. Wine, Women, And Song
40. Delicate Negotiations
41. Parties And Quarrels
42. Who Is Eddie Pritchard?
43. Crossed Swords
44. A Question Of Loyalties
45. To Catch A Thief
46. Play On Crime
47. The Unexpected
48. Encounter
49. The Verdict Was Guilty
50. Emergency Call
51. The Kiss Of Life
52. Have You Anything To Say?
53. Hide And Seek
54. Find The Lady
55. Responsibilities
56. Time Of Trial
57. A Boy Comes Home
58. Old Friends And Familiar Faces
59. The Offer
60. The Dilemma
61. The Bowler Hat Trick
62. A Game Of Consequences
63. Model Mystery
64. Unexpected Temperament
65. Paradise - My Island Home
66. Departures
67. Backfire
68. Business With Pleasure
69. Treasure Hunt
70. Many Questions
71. Blow The Wind - Westerly
72. Dear Mister Bruce
73. Unconditional Surrender
74. Best Laid Plans
75. Credit Where Credit's Due
76. The Warning
77. Departure And Return
78. Friends And Relations
79. Goodbye Forever
80. The Shadow Of Danger
81. Between Life And Death
82. A Spy In The Camp
83. Smugglers Gold
84. Kooky Christening
85. Moving On
86. To The Rescue
87. Over The Wall
88. Mistaken Identity
89. Home And Dry
90. Maiden Voyage
91. Tangled Web
92. Secrets All Round
93. Lost Property
94. The Truth Will Out
95. Weekend Plans
96. Accident - Presumed Drowned
97. On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner And Blitzen!
98. Seven More Shopping Days
99. Change Partners
100. Do Me A Favour!
101. A Surprise For Christmas
102. A Partridge In A Pear Tree
Season 4
No description available.
1. Ring In The New
2. Day Of Deliverance
3. Fare Thee Well, For I Must Leave Thee
4. Discoveries Of The Day
5. Togetherness
6. Troublemaker
7. The Last Straw
8. Heart To Heart
9. Late Call
10. A Marriage Has Been Arranged…
11. Many A Slip
12. Thunder On The Left
13. Tell It Not In Faith
14. A Family Affair
15. Change Of Plan
16. Kidnapped
17. It Happens To Other People
18. Where There's Smoke
19. Patience On A Monument
20. Blow Hot, Blow Cold
21. Change Of Heart
22. Food For Thought
23. The End Of A Song
24. The Man From Paris
25. The Wrong Set
26. The Egnet Sings
27. A Cigarette That Bears A Lipstick's Trace
28. The Last Act
29. A Tangled Web
30. Who's Who?
31. Never Trust A Woman
32. Travellers Return
33. Gone Away
34. Publish And Be Damned
35. Action For Libel
36. Testing Time
37. Plots, Plans, And A Party
38. True Or False?
39. Hide And Seek
40. Wild Goose Chase
41. High Court, Low Court
42. Best Laid Schemes
43. Trouble Brewing
44. Any Other Business?
45. Time Flies
46. Friends And Enemies
47. Day Of Decision
48. Hidden Depths
49. Appearances Can Be Deceptive
50. The Truth Will Out
51. The Off-White Elephant
52. Winners And Losers
53. Engagements At Sea
54. Storm Warning
55. Change Of Plans
56. Trouble Across The Water
57. Destination - Paris
58. Paris Is For Lovers
59. If The Shoe Fits…
60. Journey's End