"Rumpole of the Bailey" (1978) TV series 1978-1992

User Rating:

8.9/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Release Date:

12 February 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

The cases of a portly and eccentric criminal law barrister.

Plot Keywords:

Barrister | Judge | Courtroom | Court | Private Prosecutor

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 8 nominations

Cast

Leo McKern	...	Horace Rumpole (42 episodes, 1978-1992)
Jonathan Coy	...	Henry (37 episodes, 1978-1992)
Julian Curry	...	Claude Erskine-Brown (35 episodes, 1978-1992)
Marion Mathie	...	Hilda Rumpole (24 episodes, 1987-1992)
Richard Murdoch	...	Uncle Tom (23 episodes, 1978-1991)
Maureen Derbyshire	...	Dianne - Secretary / ... (23 episodes, 1978-1991)
Peter Blythe	...	Samuel 'Soapy Sam' Ballard, Q.C. / ... (22 episodes, 1983-1992)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Temple, Holborn, London, England, UK

Company:

Thames Television

Trivia:

Originally, author John Mortimer had Alistair Sim in mind to play Rumpole - until he found out Sim was dead.

Quotes:

Horace Rumpole: She who must be obeyed!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Screenwipe: (#3.3)" (2007)

Delightful series from the UK...

I think everyone can identify with the lead character Horace Rumpole. That's because he's a crafty, witty barrister surrounded by a bunch of stuffed shirts and idiots. There's Claude Erskine-Brown, the close confidant of Rumpole's who seems to stumble from one disaster to another; Phylida "Portia" Erskine-Brown, Claude's wife and about a third of his source of problems; Judge Gutherie Featherstone, a rather hapless man who gets caught up in a sex scandal right as he's trying to decide on a case in that matter; junior clark Liz Probert, played wonderfully by Leo's daughter Abigail McKern; the hapless Timson clan, who Rumpole constantly rescues from trouble despite their antics, and most of all, we should not forget "She who must be obeyed" - Hilda Rumpole. The cast was a superb choice and the writing was excellent. What was sad about this series is its ending - it's the kind of thing you don't want to end.