Shine on Harvey Moon

Shine on, Harvey Moon is a British television series made by Witzend Productions and Central Television for ITV from 8 January 1982 to 23 August 1985 and briefly revived in 1995 by Meridian.

Shine on, Harvey Moon
Created byLaurence Marks
Maurice Gran
StarringSuzanne Bertish
Kenneth Cranham
Leonard Fenton
Nicky Henson
Nigel Planer
Pauline Quirke
Linda Robson
Colin Salmon
Elizabeth Spriggs
Maggie Steed
Fiona Victory
Lee Whitlock
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of series5
No. of episodes41 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producerAllan McKeown
ProducersCentral Television
(1982–1985)
Meridian Broadcasting
(1995)
Witzend Productions
(1982–1985, 1995)
Running time
  • 30 minutes (series 1 & 5)
  • 60 minutes (series 2 – 4)
Release
Original networkITV
Picture format4:3
Original release8 January 1982 (1982-01-08) –
18 August 1995 (1995-08-18)

This generally light-hearted series was created by comedy writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran. The series is set in the East End of London shortly after the Second World War. Upon being demobbed RAF serviceman Harvey Moon, played by Kenneth Cranham, returns home and finds his family involved in various troubles. His wife Rita, played by Maggie Steed, is not interested in resuming their relationship, and works in a seedy nightclub frequented by American servicemen. He becomes involved with the Labour Party and campaigns against the local Hackney branch of the far right Union Movement, after his mother expresses support for the UM albeit briefly.

The name of the series is a wordplay on the title of the popular 1908 song "Shine On, Harvest Moon!" The first series was commissioned and recorded by ATV (the forerunner to Central Television) at their Elstree studios, with the second series recorded in the same studios under the ownership of Central Television and with the remaining series filmed at Central's newly constructed facilities in Nottingham.

Regular cast

The series was revived by Meridian Television in 1995, this time set during the 1950s, with Nicky Henson taking over the role of Harvey. It also brought in a new regular character, Noah Hawksley, played by Colin Salmon, an old friend of Harvey's who was facing racial prejudice.

DVD releases

Three 3-disc DVD box sets have been released by Acorn Media UK. The first comprises all episodes from series 2 and selected episodes from series 1 and the other, released in 2007, contains all episodes of series 3. In 2012 a three disc set was released containing all episodes of series 4.[1][2]

References
  1. "Shine on, Harvey Moon! Series 1 & 2". Acorn Media. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  2. "Shine On Harvey Moon Series 3". Acorn Media. Retrieved 29 January 2012.

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