The Lotus Eaters is a BBC television drama first broadcast in 1972 and 1973.
The series, written by Michael J. Bird, deals with the lives of British expatriates living on the island of Crete, and their reasons for being there.
Plot
The central characters are a married couple, Erik (Ian Hendry) and Ann Shepherd (Wanda Ventham), who run a tavern called "Shepherd's Bar".
Ann is revealed in the first episode to be a sleeper agent of British Intelligence, Erik having been a broken-down drunk whom she was made to marry as part of her cover story. Other episodes deal with the other expatriates who frequented the bar. The most intriguing character in both series is the Greek police captain, Michael Krasakis (Stefan Gryff). In the second series the British Intelligence aspect is developed, until a clash with Soviet and Chinese agents results in both Ann and Erik having to leave Crete. In the final scene, about to board a plane leaving Heraklion airport, they have a partial reconciliation, since each is the only person the other can trust.
Cast
Main
Recurring cast (Season 1 only)
- James Kerry as Donald Culley (eps. 1, 3, 8–9)
- Thorley Walters as Major Edward Woolley (eps. 1–4)
- Sylvia Coleridge as Miriam Woolley (eps. 1–4)
- Julia Goodman as Kirsten McLuhan (eps. 1–2, 4–5, 7, 9)
- Martin Howells as Mark Potter (eps. 1–2, 4–5, 7, 9)
- Karan David as Katerina (eps. 1–6, 8–9)
- Carol Cleveland as Leigh Mervish (eps. 1–4, 7)
- Karl Held as Philip "Pip" Mervish (eps. 1–4, 7)
Recurring cast (Season 2 only)
Production
Location scenes in The Lotus Eaters were filmed in the Cretan resort of Aghios Nikolaos and derived its title from the lotus-eaters of Greek mythology, where those who ate the fruit of the lotus tree lost the desire to return home.
Ann Shepherd was originally meant to be played by Hendry's then-wife Janet Munro, but their marriage ended and she withdrew.[1]
The series was also the first of the Mediterranean-based dramas written by Michael J Bird for the BBC. The others included Who Pays the Ferryman?, also set in Crete; The Aphrodite Inheritance, set in Cyprus; and The Dark Side of the Sun, set in Rhodes.
The series' theme is "Ta Trena Pou Fyghan" (Τα Τραίνα Που Φύγαν" = "The Trains That Departed), from the album Hellespont, composed by Stavros Xarchakos.[2]
Episode details
- Series 1
| •
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1–1 Cold Wind from the North
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(23 Apr 1972)
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[3]
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To eat the fruit of the lotus is to lose the desire to return home. But everyone who does has a reason.
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| Writer / Creator
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Michael J. Bird
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| Associate Producer
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Michael Glynn
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| Director
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Cyril Coke
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| Studio lighting
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Nigel Wright
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| Studio sound
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Gordon Mackie
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| Designer
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Colin Shaw
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| Producer
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Anthony Read
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| Erik Shepherd
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Ian Hendry
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| Nikos
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Anthony Stamboulieh
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| Katerina
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Karan David
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| Franz Zimmermann
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John G. Heller
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| Ann Shepherd
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Wanda Ventham
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| Donald Culley
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James Kerry
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| Ruth Stewart
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Cyd Hayman
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| Leigh Mervish
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Carol Cleveland
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| Philip Mervish
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Karl Held
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| Kirsten McLuhan
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Julia Goodman
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| Mark Potter
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Martin Howells
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| Major Woolley
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Thorley Walters
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| Mrs Woolley
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Sylvia Coleridge
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| Nestor Turton
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Maurice Denham
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| Vassilakis
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Michael Zorba
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| First boy
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Ziggy Byfield
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| Second boy
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Charles Marriott
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| Girl
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Alison Griffin
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| Policeman
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Antonio Di Maggio
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| Controller
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Frank Duncan
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| Instructor
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Milos Kirek
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| •
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1–3 And Hera Had a Sister
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(7 May 1972)
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[5]
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Storm clouds gather over Aghios Nikolaos as Erik Shepherd and his customers await a stranger.
"We are all so vulnerable," says Captain Krasakis. "Conscience is every man's cross, as shame is his crown of thorns."
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| Writer / Creator
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Michael J. Bird
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| Producer
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Michael Glynn
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| Director
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Douglas Camfield
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| Designer
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Michael Young
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| Producer
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Anthony Read
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| Erik Shepherd
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Ian Hendry
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| Ann Shepherd
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Wanda Ventham
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Katerina
Carol Sadler
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Karan David
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| Nikos
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Anthony Stamboulieh
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| Postman
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Andrew Andreas
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| Clerk of the Court
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Neville Barber
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| Policeman
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Clive Roger
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| Major Woolley
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Thorley Walters
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| Mrs Woolley
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Sylvia Coleridge
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| Philip Mervish
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Karl Held
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| Leigh Mervish
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Carol Cleveland
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| Fisherman
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John Eastham
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| Nestor Turton
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Maurice Denham
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| Donald Culley
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James Kerry
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| Controller
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Frank Duncan
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| Captain Krasakis
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Stefan Gryff
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| Sheila Fleming
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Pamela Roland
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| Machin
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Derek Ware
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| •
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1–4 A Touch of Home
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(14 May 1972)
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[6]
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Major and Mrs Edward Woolley live a perfectly ordered existence on Crete. But when the calm routine is broken, their life explodes into a violent reaction.
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| Writer / Creator
|
Michael J. Bird
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| Producer
|
Michael Glynn
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| Director
|
Cyril Coke
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| Designer
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Michael Young
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| Producer
|
Anthony Read
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| Erik Shepherd
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Ian Hendry
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| Major Woolley
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Thorley Walters
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| Ann Shepherd
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Wanda Ventham
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| Nikos
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Anthony Stamboulieh
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| Mrs Woolley
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Sylvia Coleridge
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| Kirsten McLuhan
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Julia Goodman
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| Mark Potter
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Martin Howells
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| Katerina
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Karan David
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| Leigh Mervish
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Carol Cleveland
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| Philip Mervish
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Karl Held
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| Clerk
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Andreas Markos
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| Captain Krasakis
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Stefan Gryff
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| •
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1–5 Aphrodite
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(22 May 1972)
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[7]
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Like the goddess Aphrodite, Julie Johnson drifts into Aghios Nikolaos from the sea. And like Aphrodite she disrupts the lives of all she meets, particularly Ann and Erik Shepherd.
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| Creator
|
Michael J. Bird
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| Writer
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Jack Ronder
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| Associate Producer
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Michael Glynn
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| Director
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David Cunliffe
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| Designer
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Austin Ruddy
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| Producer
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Anthony Read
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| Erik Shepherd
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Ian Hendry
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| Mark Potter
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Martin Howells
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| Kirsten McLuhan
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Julia Goodman
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| Ann Shepherd
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Wanda Ventham
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| Julie
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Suzan Farmer
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| Nikos
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Anthony Stamboulieh
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| Katerina
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Karan David
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| Nestor Turton
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Maurice Denham
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| Police Sergeant
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Tony Boyd
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| Captain Krasakis
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Stefan Gryff
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| Val
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Ingrid Hafner
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| Nat
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Gary Waldhorn
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| Policeman
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Antonio Di Maggio
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| •
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1–6 A Tiger in Bristol Street
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(28 May 1972)
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[8]
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When the past catches up with Nestor Turton the results are both catastrophic and hilarious. For Nestor, it seems, has been dead for several years ...
|
| Creator
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Michael J. Bird
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| Writer
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David Fisher
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| Associate Producer
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Michael Glynn
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| Director
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Cyril Coke
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| Designer
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Colin Shaw
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| Producer
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Anthony Read
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| Erik Shepherd
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Ian Hendry
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| Jervis Duncan
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Peter Woodthorpe
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| Monica Turton
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Alethea Charlton
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| Nestor Turton
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Maurice Denham
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| American Husband
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Peter Carlisle
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| Nikos
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Anthony Stamboulieh
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| Katerina
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Karan David
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| Captain Krasakis
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Stefan Gryff
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| Controller
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Frank Duncan
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| Donald Culley
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James Kerry
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| •
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1–9 The Climbing Wave
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(18 Jun 1972)
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[11]
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As the town celebrates the festival of St Nicholas, the story of Erik and Ann Shepherd reaches a shattering climax.
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| Creator / Writer
|
Michael J. Bird
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| Designer
|
Colin Shaw
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| Associate Producer
|
Michael Glynn
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| Director
|
David Cunliffe
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| Producer
|
Anthony Read
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| Erik Shepherd
|
Ian Hendry
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| Katerina
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Karan David
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| Nikos
|
Anthony Stamboulieh
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| Ann Shepherd
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Wanda Ventham
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| Donald Culley
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James Kerry
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| Mark Potter
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Martin Howells
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| Nestor Turton
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Maurice Denham
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| Kirsten McLuhan
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Julia Goodman
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| Controller
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Frank Duncan
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| Captain Krasakis
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Stefan Gryff
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- Series 2
References
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (6 Jan 2024). "Girl-next-door or girl-gone-bad: The Janet Munro Story". Filmink. Retrieved 6 Jan 2024.
- ^ Columbia – 2j 054-70011 / SX.6135 / DNZ.10865
- ^ Radio Times (23 Apr 1972), "Cold Wind from the North", The Lotus Eaters (Ep 1), Series 1, vol. 195, BBC Two, pp. 23, 52–55
- ^ Radio Times (30 Apr 1972), "The Present Mrs Clive", The Lotus Eaters (Ep 2), Series 1, vol. 195, BBC Two, p. 25
- ^ Radio Times (7 May 1972), "And Hera Had a Sister", The Lotus Eaters (Ep 3), Series 1, vol. 195, BBC Two, p. 23
- ^ Radio Times (14 May 1972), "A Touch of Home", The Lotus Eaters (Ep 4), Series 1, vol. 195, BBC Two, p. 23
- ^ Radio Times (22 May 1972), "Aphrodite", The Lotus Eaters (Ep 5), Series 1, vol. 195, BBC Two, p. 23
- ^ Radio Times (28 May 1972), "A Tiger in Bristol Street", The Lotus Eaters (Ep 6), Series 1, vol. 195, BBC Two, p. 23
- ^ Radio Times (4 Jun 1972), "The Fascinating Couple", The Lotus Eaters (Ep 7), Series 1, vol. 195, BBC Two, p. 23
- ^ Radio Times (11 Jun 1972), "You Might Get Hurt, Jocasta", The Lotus Eaters (Ep 8), Series 1, vol. 195, BBC Two, pp. 23, 5
- ^ Radio Times (18 Jun 1972), "The Climbing Wave", The Lotus Eaters (Ep 9), Series 1, vol. 195, BBC Two, p. 25
- ^ Radio Times (8 Jul 1973), "There and Back by Candlelight", The Lotus Eaters (Ep 1), Series 2, vol. 200, BBC Two, pp. 21, 5
- ^ Radio Times (15 Jul 1973), "A Kind of Treason", The Lotus Eaters (Ep 2), Series 2, vol. 200, BBC Two, p. 23
- ^ Radio Times (22 Jul 1973), "A Very Long Spoon", The Lotus Eaters (Ep 3), Series 2, vol. 200, BBC Two, p. 23
- ^ Radio Times (29 Jul 1973), "Beside a Crooked Stile", The Lotus Eaters (Ep 4), Series 2, vol. 200, BBC Two, p. 23
- ^ Radio Times (5 Aug 1973), "The Well Diggers", The Lotus Eaters (Ep 5), Series 2, vol. 200, BBC Two, p. 23
- ^ Radio Times (12 Aug 1973), "And If You Have Time, Lord", The Lotus Eaters (Ep 6), Series 2, vol. 200, BBC Two, p. 21
External links