Pick A Movie

The Singing Detective

Season: 1

Episode: 1

Skin

Air Date:16/11/1986

Pulp thriller writer Philip Marlow is in hospital with the skin complaint psoriasis, tormented by his past and threatened by his future. His memories, his 1930s-style gumshoe fiction and his disease weave him an altered reality.

Crew

Name: Dennis Potter

Role: Writer

Department: Writing

Name: Jon Amiel

Role: Director

Department: Directing

Name: Sue Wyatt

Role: Editor

Department: Editing

Show all crew

Guest Stars

Name: Leslie French

Character: Mr Tomkey

Department: Acting

Name: Lyndon Davies

Character: 10-Year-Old Philip

Department: Acting

Name: Geff Francis

Character: Porter

Department: Acting

Name: Patrick Malahide

Character: Mark Binney

Department: Acting

Name: Imelda Staunton

Character: Staff Nurse White

Department: Acting

Name: Simon Chandler

Character: Dr Finlay

Department: Acting

Name: Kate McKenzie

Character: Sonia

Department: Acting

Name: Mary MacLeod

Character: Sister Malone

Department: Acting

Show all stars

Episode: 2

Heat

Air Date:23/11/1986

Dennis Potter's drama about a patient struggling to keep his sanity, with the help of his alter ego, the singing private eye. Marlow faces a talking cure with a psychologist.

Crew

Name: Dennis Potter

Role: Writer

Department: Writing

Name: Jon Amiel

Role: Director

Department: Directing

Name: Bill Wright

Role: Editor

Department: Editing

Show all crew

Guest Stars

Name: Patrick Malahide

Character: Mark Binney / Raymond

Department: Acting

Name: Leslie French

Character: Mr Tomkey

Department: Acting

Name: Lyndon Davies

Character: 10-Year-Old Philip

Department: Acting

Name: Geff Francis

Character: Porter

Department: Acting

Name: Jim Carter

Character: Mr Marlow

Department: Acting

Name: Alison Steadman

Character: Mrs Marlow

Department: Acting

Name: Imelda Staunton

Character: Staff Nurse White

Department: Acting

Name: Janet Henfrey

Character: Schoolteacher

Department: Acting

Name: Simon Chandler

Character: Dr Finlay

Department: Acting

Name: Bill Paterson

Character: Dr Gibbon

Department: Acting

Name: William Speakman

Character: 10-Year-Old Mark

Department: Acting

Name: Charles Simon

Character: George Adams

Department: Acting

Name: Kate McKenzie

Character: Sonia

Department: Acting

Name: Mary MacLeod

Character: Sister Malone

Department: Acting

Name: Joan White

Character: Mrs Adams

Department: Acting

Show all stars

Episode: 3

Lovely Days

Air Date:30/11/1986

While in hospital with psoriasis, Marlow thinks back to the war when he was a little boy, and remembers seeing his mother having illicit sex in the Forest of Dean. His memories, his 30s style gumshoe fiction and his disease weave him an altered reality.

Crew

Name: Dennis Potter

Role: Writer

Department: Writing

Name: Jon Amiel

Role: Director

Department: Directing

Name: Sue Wyatt

Role: Editor

Department: Editing

Show all crew

Guest Stars

Name: Patrick Malahide

Character: Mark Binney / Raymond

Department: Acting

Name: Leslie French

Character: Mr Tomkey

Department: Acting

Name: Lyndon Davies

Character: 10-Year-Old Philip

Department: Acting

Name: Geff Francis

Character: Porter

Department: Acting

Name: Jim Carter

Character: Mr Marlow

Department: Acting

Name: Alison Steadman

Character: Mrs Marlow / Lili

Department: Acting

Name: Imelda Staunton

Character: Staff Nurse White

Department: Acting

Name: Janet Henfrey

Character: Schoolteacher

Department: Acting

Name: Simon Chandler

Character: Dr Finlay

Department: Acting

Name: Bill Paterson

Character: Dr Gibbon

Department: Acting

Name: Charles Simon

Character: George Adams

Department: Acting

Name: Wally Thomas

Character: Grandad Baxter

Department: Acting

Name: Ken Stott

Character: Uncle John

Department: Acting

Name: Jo Cameron Brown

Character: Aunt Emily

Department: Acting

Name: Niven Boyd

Character: Soldier

Department: Acting

Name: David Thewlis

Character: Soldier

Department: Acting

Show all stars

Episode: 4

Clues

Air Date:07/12/1986

Marlow as a child visits London, but is not impressed. A film option on Marlow's novel thickens the plot. His memories, his 30s style gumshoe fiction and his disease weave him an altered reality.

Crew

Name: Dennis Potter

Role: Writer

Department: Writing

Name: Jon Amiel

Role: Director

Department: Directing

Name: Bill Wright

Role: Editor

Department: Editing

Show all crew

Guest Stars

Name: Patrick Malahide

Character: Mark Binney / Mark Finney

Department: Acting

Name: Leslie French

Character: Mr Tomkey

Department: Acting

Name: Lyndon Davies

Character: 10-Year-Old Philip

Department: Acting

Name: Geff Francis

Character: Porter

Department: Acting

Name: Jim Carter

Character: Mr Marlow

Department: Acting

Name: Alison Steadman

Character: Mrs Marlow / Lili

Department: Acting

Name: Janet Henfrey

Character: Schoolteacher

Department: Acting

Name: Simon Chandler

Character: Dr Finlay

Department: Acting

Name: William Speakman

Character: 10-Year-Old Mark

Department: Acting

Name: Charles Simon

Character: George Adams

Department: Acting

Name: Wally Thomas

Character: Grandad Baxter

Department: Acting

Name: Ken Stott

Character: Uncle John

Department: Acting

Name: Jo Cameron Brown

Character: Aunt Emily

Department: Acting

Show all stars

Episode: 5

Pitter Patter

Air Date:14/12/1986

Marlow is getting better and the different strands of his fiction and reality begin to occupy the same time and place.

Crew

Name: Dennis Potter

Role: Writer

Department: Writing

Name: Jon Amiel

Role: Director

Department: Directing

Name: Sue Wyatt

Role: Editor

Department: Editing

Show all crew

Guest Stars

Name: Patrick Malahide

Character: Mark Binney / Raymond / Mark Finney

Department: Acting

Name: Leslie French

Character: Noddy Tomkey

Department: Acting

Name: Lyndon Davies

Character: 10-Year-Old Philip

Department: Acting

Name: Geff Francis

Character: Porter

Department: Acting

Name: Jim Carter

Character: Mr Marlow

Department: Acting

Name: Alison Steadman

Character: Mrs Marlow

Department: Acting

Name: Imelda Staunton

Character: Staff Nurse White

Department: Acting

Name: Janet Henfrey

Character: Schoolteacher

Department: Acting

Name: Bill Paterson

Character: Dr Gibbon

Department: Acting

Name: William Speakman

Character: 10-Year-Old Mark

Department: Acting

Name: Charles Simon

Character: George Adams

Department: Acting

Name: Kate McKenzie

Character: Sonia

Department: Acting

Show all stars

Episode: 6

Who Done It

Air Date:21/12/1986

The young Philip Marlow returns to the country railway station following his mother's death in London. Forty years on, Marlow the hospital patient still dreams about the homecoming and the frightening figure of the scarecrow that now erupts into the ward.

Crew

Name: Dennis Potter

Role: Writer

Department: Writing

Name: Jon Amiel

Role: Director

Department: Directing

Name: Bill Wright

Role: Editor

Department: Editing

Show all crew

Guest Stars

Name: Patrick Malahide

Character: Mark Binney / Raymond / Mark Finney

Department: Acting

Name: Leslie French

Character: Noddy Tomkey

Department: Acting

Name: Lyndon Davies

Character: 10-Year-Old Philip

Department: Acting

Name: Geff Francis

Character: Porter

Department: Acting

Name: Jim Carter

Character: Mr Marlow

Department: Acting

Name: Alison Steadman

Character: Mrs Marlow

Department: Acting

Name: Imelda Staunton

Character: Staff Nurse White

Department: Acting

Name: Janet Henfrey

Character: Schoolteacher

Department: Acting

Name: Bill Paterson

Character: Dr Gibbon

Department: Acting

Name: William Speakman

Character: 10-Year-Old Mark

Department: Acting

Name: Wally Thomas

Character: Grandad Baxter

Department: Acting

Name: Niven Boyd

Character: Soldier

Department: Acting

Name: David Thewlis

Character: Soldier

Department: Acting

Show all stars