Grange Hill (series 1)

Grange Hill series 1
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of episodes	9
Release
Original network	BBC One
Original release	8 February – 5 April 1978

The first series of the British television drama series Grange Hill began broadcasting on 8 February 1978, before ending on 5 April 1978 on BBC One. The series follows the lives of the staff and pupils of the eponymous school, an inner-city London comprehensive school. It consists of nine episodes.

Cast and characters

Pupils

Character	Actor/Actress	Duration
Justin Bennett	Robert Morgan (later credited as Robert Craig-Morgan)	1978–82
Judy Preston	Abigail Brown (later credited as Abigail Arundel)	1978–79
Michael Doyle	Vincent Hall	1978–81
Peter "Tucker" Jenkins	Todd Carty	1978–82 cameo 2003, 2008
Tommy Watson	James Jebbia (1978) Paul McCarthy (1979–81)	1978–81
Mary Johnson	Kim Benson	1978–80
Jackie Heron	Miriam Mann	1978–79
Trisha Yates	Michelle Herbert	1978–82
Lucy	Kim Neve (1978) Karen Snow (1979)	1978–79
Carol Yates	Julia Gale	1978–81
Alan Humphries (Alan Hargreaves and Alan Turner in Season 1)	George Armstrong	1978–82
Benny Green	Terry Sue-Patt	1978–82
Joseph Hughes	Donald Waugh	1978–80
Sudhamani Patel	Sheila Chandra	1978–81
Ann Wilson	Lucinda Duckett	1978
Adrian Jones	Clive Gehle	1978
Jackie Heron	Miriam Mann	1978–79
Margaret Shaw	Carol Daniels	1978
Carol Yates	Julia Gale	1978–81
Brenda	Karen Snow	1978 - 1979

Teachers

Character	Actor	Position in School	Duration
Mr Tony "Old Mitch" Mitchell	Michael Percival	Geography Teacher Form tutor to G1	1978–79
Mrs Schubert	Brenda Cavendish	PE Teacher	1978–79
Mr "Grumpy" Garfield	Graham Ashley	Caretaker	1978–80
Miss Pauline Clarke	Jill Dixon	Science Teacher	1978–79
Janet	Stella Haime	School secretary	1978–81
Mr Parkes	Derek Anders	Woodwork Teacher	1978
Mr Rankin	Blake Butler	Biology Teacher	1978
Mr Dan "Frosty" Foster	Roger Sloman	PE Teacher	1978
Mrs Monroe	Dorothea Phillips	Head of First Year	1978
Mr "Tweety Bird" Starling	Denys Hawthorne	Headmaster	1978
Mr Malcolm	Christopher Coll	Swimming Teacher	1978
Miss Mather	Carole Nimmons	Art Teacher	1978

Episodes

No.	Episode	Writer	Director	Original airdate
1	Episode One	Phil Redmond	Colin Cant	8 February 1978
The new comprehensive looks intimidating to Justin Bennett and Judy Preston. Trisha Yates makes it clear that she's not putting up with any nonsense from Tucker Jenkins and Ann Wilson has some difficulty finding the school at all. First appearances: Benny Green, Peter "Tucker" Jenkins, Alan Humphries, Justin Bennett, Ann Wilson, Trisha Yates, Carol Yates, David Lewis, Mr Tony "Old Mitch" Mitchell, Mr "Frosty" Foster, Mr Rankin, Margaret Shaw, Mary Johnson, Jackie Heron, Brendal, Lucy and more...
2	Episode Two	Phil Redmond	Colin Cant	15 February 1978
When Benny Green kicks his football across the path of Mr. Mitchell's car, the teacher tells him off for being careless. Relenting a little, Mr. Mitchell asks if Benny will be trying for the team, but Benny tells him he has no football boots. In P.E, Mr. Foster makes it clear the correct gear must be worn, but Benny's still trying to find the right place – after embarrassingly getting undressed in what turns out to be the girls changing room, he does find the gym.
3	Episode Three	Phil Redmond	Colin Cant	22 February 1978
Judy is unhappy because she has no friends, but Trisha sticks up for her when Tucker playfully plays Piggy in the Middle with Judy's satchel. Outside, Jackie Heron and her cronies demand money with menaces, but find Judy's 20p insufficient. Jackie takes Judy's precious fountain pen as security against 75p to be brought the next day. The next day, Jackie finds Judy outside near the sweet shop, and insists she goes home to get the money – but Trisha is also watching with her sister Carol.
4	Episode Four	Phil Redmond	Colin Cant	1 March 1978
When Form One Alpha's boys go swimming, Tucker hides Justin's trousers. Mr. Mitchell appeals to the class for information about the missing apparel. "Are you sure you put them on this morning?" asks Benny innocently. There's another swimming lesson for the boys the next day, due to staff limitations. Early on, proceedings come to a halt when Winkle Graham cuts his toe on a loose tile, and the boys sent back to change. Benny goes back to the pool to recover his missing medal, but Tucker can't resist extending their stay. Tucker and Benny use the benches as improvised boats and race each other the length of the pool. First appearances: Mr Malcom
5	Episode Five	Phil Redmond	Colin Cant	8 March 1978
Trisha won't admit to her family that she has a crush on Mr. Rankin, nevertheless it's true that she helps the biology teacher out in the lab at lunchtimes cleaning the test tubes and cages. In the lunch hour, intent on doing a magazine article about the school animals, Judy visits the biology lab and finds Trisha there. Against her better judgement, Trisha lets Judy look at the grey school hamster, but it escapes when the bossy Miss Clark suddenly enters. Trisha earns a detention for her earrings. In trying to corner the creature, Trisha and Judy bring down a bookcase. Judy decides they can replace the animal, and Trisha remembers she has school holiday money. Judy runs to buy a hamster from the nearby pet shop while Trisha tidies up the lab.
6	Episode Six	Phil Redmond	Colin Cant	15 March 1978
Benny finally is able to go to school with the proper blazer. In woodwork, Tucker challenges Benny to go with him to visit an old ammunition dump; Justin, wanting to prove he is no chicken, agrees to go too. Tucker leads them through the site, but they are disappointed to find it's just a derelict house next to a junk yard. Wandering around, the trio get stuck in a room, with weird sounds nearby. They break down the door to find it was just a cat, which scarpers. Upstairs is a lifting trolley which Tucker uses to give Benny and Justin rides, but outside, a truck is heading in their direction with workmen inside. Tucker, Benny and Justin realize they will be seen leaving from the front, so scale the wall at the rear. It's no use – the workmen have seen them, but Justin is still climbing the ladder and has nowhere to go; he falls backwards with a yell.
7	Episode Seven	Phil Redmond	Colin Cant	22 March 1978
Judy and Trisha speculate that Miss Mather is seeing Mr. Mitchell. It's time to elect representatives to the school council, but to start with each form has to come up with likely candidates. Mr. Mitchell tells his form that the possibilities are Trisha, Tucker and Ann, although some unlikely other options are Snoopy, the Six Million Dollar Man and "our budgie". Trisha immediately wants to opt out, while Ann, with support from both Judy and Trisha, suggests that Tucker is an inappropriate choice, because he messes around. A fourth choice materializes in the form of new boy Doyle, whose credentials include having a father on the local council, but who has a history of bad behaviour. Form One Alpha easily votes in Ann to be their candidate, and then the campaigns get started. First appearances: Michael Doyle
8	Episode Eight	Phil Redmond	Colin Cant	29 March 1978
While chasing after Benny, Doyle knocks over some paint and gets into trouble. Trisha Yates' stripy socks earn her a detention. Doyle's eyes light up when he sees valuable flintlocks on loan to the school: he and his friend grab one of them, brushing past Tucker as they escape. With Form One Alpha under suspicion the head suspends the impending school festival unless the valuable object is returned. Tucker tells Doyle he knows it was him, but Doyle won't admit the truth – Trisha overhears and gets Mary and Ann involved, but the girls aren't entirely sure Tucker is trustworthy. Doyle is sent to Coventry: it's made clear that no-one wants to know him, and before long he's fighting Tucker. After a week, it's clear more action is needed – it's suggested that an amnesty is set up, allowing an anonymous return of the pistol. Ann tells Mr. Mitchell and the Head of First Year, Mrs Monroe, and the Headmaster agrees. Doyle gets beaten up by Tucker, Benny and Alan. Final appearance: Miss Munroe
9	Episode Nine	Phil Redmond	Colin Cant	5 April 1978
Both Benny and Trisha are disillusioned with Grange Hill – Benny, because he gets called names like "gollywog" by the likes of Doyle, and Trisha because the rules about uniform are, to her mind, very strict. When Trisha wears nail varnish, Mr. Mitchell won't take any more excuses, and tells her he's going to write to her mother. When the letter arrives, Trisha takes it herself, but she knows she is only delaying the inevitable. On Monday, neither Benny nor Trisha are present at registration, although Benny was seen before school began. Ann knocks on Trisha's door at lunchtime – her mother is unaware that Trisha is not at school. Mr. Mitchell overhears Ann and Mary talking, and with Miss Mather taking his tutorial, he goes out to try to find the lost sheep. Last appearances: Ann Wilson, David Lewis, Anthony Underwood, Mr Rankin, Mr "Frosty" Foster, Margaret Shaw, Mr Malcolm, and Miss Mavis

DVD release

The first series of Grange Hill was released on DVD in the UK in 2007. The set includes all nine episodes.

Notes

References