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May I add (and I am about to) that it is an hono(u)r and exceedingly rare privilege to be able to communicate directly with the author of so many loved program(me)s AND to receive his spot-on comments that further clarify the whys and wherefores of television creation.<div><br></div><div>I don’t know any other living television writer who commands such affection. Gene Roddenberry (Star Trek) left the planet some time ago, and I’m not aware of any fan sites devoted to the adaptors of Masterpiece Theatre (e.g., Donald Wilson or Arthur Hopcraft).</div><div><br></div><div>Mr. Finch, you can’t “spend” our admiration, but then our admiration will never be spent!<br><br><br><br><p class="yahoo-quoted-begin" style="font-size: 15px; color: #715FFA; padding-top: 15px; margin-top: 0">On Friday, July 20, 2018, 12:08 PM, John Finch via Afamilyatwar-list <afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu> wrote:</p><blockquote class="iosymail"><div dir="ltr">On 20.07.2018 14:03, Alexander Maw via Afamilyatwar-list wrote:<br></div><div dir="ltr">> Talking about cast members leaving and having to amend the script<br></div><div dir="ltr">> accordingly, I seem to remember when Margaret Porter became pregnant<br></div><div dir="ltr">> it was reported that it was because she was pregnant in real life. I<br></div><div dir="ltr">> may have this wrong since I was 13 years old at the time. If it was<br></div><div dir="ltr">> the case, it worked well, because it was typical of the time and<br></div><div dir="ltr">> situation.<br></div><div dir="ltr">> <br></div><div dir="ltr">> Alec<br></div><div dir="ltr">> <br></div><div dir="ltr">> On 20/07/2018 13:53, Brian Renforth via Afamilyatwar-list wrote:<br></div><div dir="ltr">> <br></div><div dir="ltr">>> Hi,<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <br></div><div dir="ltr">>> Shelagh appeared in the Armchair Cinema episode, "In Sickness and<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> in Health" (1974).<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <a href="https://networkonair.com/drama/950-armchair-cinema-the-collection" target="_blank">https://networkonair.com/drama/950-armchair-cinema-the-collection</a><br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <br></div><div dir="ltr">>> Brian<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <br></div><div dir="ltr">>> Get Outlook for Android [1]<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <br></div><div dir="ltr">>> From: Christine Kendell via Afamilyatwar-list<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <br></div><div dir="ltr">>> Sent: Friday, 20 July, 10:02<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <br></div><div dir="ltr">>> Subject: Re: [Afamilyatwar-list] Cast Changes<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <br></div><div dir="ltr">>> To: <a ymailto="mailto:afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu" href="mailto:afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu">afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu</a>, <a ymailto="mailto:john@johnfinch.com" href="mailto:john@johnfinch.com">john@johnfinch.com</a>, 'Scott<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> Filderman'<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <br></div><div dir="ltr">>> George's death was genuinely upsetting. -----Original Message-----<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> From: <a ymailto="mailto:afamilyatwar-list-bounces@baylor.edu" href="mailto:afamilyatwar-list-bounces@baylor.edu">afamilyatwar-list-bounces@baylor.edu</a><br></div><div dir="ltr">>> [mailto:<a ymailto="mailto:afamilyatwar-list-bounces@baylor.edu" href="mailto:afamilyatwar-list-bounces@baylor.edu">afamilyatwar-list-bounces@baylor.edu</a>] On Behalf Of John<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> Finch via Afamilyatwar-list Sent: 19 July 2018 18:45 To:<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <a ymailto="mailto:afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu" href="mailto:afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu">afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu</a>; Scott Filderman Subject: Re:<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> [Afamilyatwar-list] Cast Changes On 19.07.2018 15:25, Scott<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> Filderman via Afamilyatwar-list wrote: > Given the enviable amount<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> of authority John Finch developed at > Granada, I ask the following<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> question: > > When actors depart a series (e.g., Ray Smith or Mona<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> Bruce in Sam or > Shelagh Delaney in AFAW), is it because the writer<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> (with unusual > influence, in Mr. Finch’s case) decides it is<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> dramatically > appropriate OR did the actors decide it was time to<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> move on, and Mr. > Finch accommodated them. Of course, it’s<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> routinely a combination of > both. As John’s production families<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> seemed (and I do emphasize > “seemed”) to be happy campers, I<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> wonder which factor tended to be > operative—“You go because<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> your usefulness will increase by your > absence!” or “Damn,<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> Shelagh wants to go be in Star Wars! I need to > kill her<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> character!” > _______________________________________________ ><br></div><div dir="ltr">>> Afamilyatwar-list mailing list > <a ymailto="mailto:Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu" href="mailto:Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu">Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu</a> ><br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <a href="https://mailman.baylor.edu/mailman/listinfo/afamilyatwar-list" target="_blank">https://mailman.baylor.edu/mailman/listinfo/afamilyatwar-list</a><br></div><div dir="ltr">>> Varies. Mostly dramatically appropriate. Ray Smith asked to leave as<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> he was afraid of becoming typecast. We would gladly have kept<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> him.Shelagh Fraser's departure was dramatically appropriate, as were<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> most of the departures. There were casting errors, but they were<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> few. JF _______________________________________________<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> Afamilyatwar-list mailing list <a ymailto="mailto:Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu" href="mailto:Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu">Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu</a><br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <a href="https://mailman.baylor.edu/mailman/listinfo/afamilyatwar-list" target="_blank">https://mailman.baylor.edu/mailman/listinfo/afamilyatwar-list</a><br></div><div dir="ltr">>> _______________________________________________ Afamilyatwar-list<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> mailing list <a ymailto="mailto:Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu" href="mailto:Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu">Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu</a><br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <a href="https://mailman.baylor.edu/mailman/listinfo/afamilyatwar-list" target="_blank">https://mailman.baylor.edu/mailman/listinfo/afamilyatwar-list</a><br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <br></div><div dir="ltr">>> _______________________________________________<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> Afamilyatwar-list mailing list<br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <a ymailto="mailto:Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu" href="mailto:Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu">Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu</a><br></div><div dir="ltr">>> <a href="https://mailman.baylor.edu/mailman/listinfo/afamilyatwar-list" target="_blank">https://mailman.baylor.edu/mailman/listinfo/afamilyatwar-list</a><br></div><div dir="ltr">> <br></div><div dir="ltr">> <br></div><div dir="ltr">> <br></div><div dir="ltr">> Links:<br></div><div dir="ltr">> ------<br></div><div dir="ltr">> [1] <a href="https://aka.ms/ghei36" target="_blank">https://aka.ms/ghei36</a><br></div><div dir="ltr">> _______________________________________________<br></div><div dir="ltr">> Afamilyatwar-list mailing list<br></div><div dir="ltr">> <a ymailto="mailto:Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu" href="mailto:Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu">Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu</a><br></div><div dir="ltr">> <a href="https://mailman.baylor.edu/mailman/listinfo/afamilyatwar-list" target="_blank">https://mailman.baylor.edu/mailman/listinfo/afamilyatwar-list</a><br></div><div dir="ltr">Hi Alec, You after absolutely right. In fact I had to rework the <br></div><div dir="ltr">story line right through the series, After proving to the company that <br></div><div dir="ltr">it was an accceptable reality. JF<br></div><div dir="ltr">_______________________________________________<br></div><div dir="ltr">Afamilyatwar-list mailing list<br></div><div dir="ltr"><a ymailto="mailto:Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu" href="mailto:Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu">Afamilyatwar-list@baylor.edu</a><br></div><div dir="ltr"><a href="https://mailman.baylor.edu/mailman/listinfo/afamilyatwar-list" target="_blank">https://mailman.baylor.edu/mailman/listinfo/afamilyatwar-list</a><br></div><blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></div>
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