Roger Allan (Production Designer for Special Offer)

Born as Roger Glenmor Allan on 26th May 1940 in London Allan was active as a television production designer from the late 1960s with work on the arts programme Tempo and the Thames Television comedy drama The Queen Street Gang (1968). He moved onto be the main designer for the first season of the Sid James and Victor Spinetti starring sitcom Two in Clover (1969) as well as contributing to episodes of Dear Mother…Love Albert (1969) and Best of Enemies (1969). As well as sitcoms Allan also worked on tough drama series such as Callan – 'Once A Big Man, Always A Big Man' (19th March 1969) and several episodes of Special Branch. He completed the year by working on the Christmas special Carry on Christmas (24th December 1969).

Allan entered the new decade with work on the comedy series A Present for Dickie (1970), a vehicle for the talents of Dickie Henderson. The titular present just happened to be an elephant called Mini who has to live inside Henderson’s house… Allan then applied his talents to the eight episode period drama Smith (March – April 1970) and returned to comedy with Carry on Again Christmas (24th December 1970) which was based on the story of Treasure Island. Allan also designed two episodes of Armchair Theatre during the year; 'The Dolly Scene' (3rd November 1970) and 'The Company Man' (6th November 1970).

1971 and1972 saw a run of work on high rated drama series including 'Sugar and Spice' (12th January 1971), an episode of the anthology thriller series Shadows of Fear, episodes of Public Eye, two Armchair Theatre instalments and an episode of Van der Valk. After this Allan had a run of credits on children’s or comedy series with credits on episodes of Rainbow, The Benny Hill Show, All Star Comedy Carnival and Father Dear Father. He also toiled on the afternoon drama series Harriet’s Back in Town during 1973.

He made his final Armchair Theatre contribution with the episode 'According to the Rules' (3rd September 1974) directed by Piers Haggard who would later helm the final Quatermass TV series. He also worked on an episode of police drama Hunter’s Walk – 'Villain' (6th May 1974). 1976 seems to be the final year that Allan worked on television. His credits included six episodes of ATV’s period drama Clayhanger and a further episode of Hunter’s Walk – 'Missing' (3rd August 1976) which was directed by Richard Bramall who had also directed the Beasts episode 'Special Offer'. The Beasts episode appears to be his last credit as a television production designer and it was certainly a high mark to end a career on.


TV Credits
1968 Tempo – “The Actor and the Role” ( and 5 more episodes), The Queen Street Gang
1969 Callan – “Once A Big Man Always A Big Man”, Two in Clover, Best of Enemies, Albert! – “The Interview”, Special Branch – “Troika” / “The Promised Land” / Care of Her Majesty”, Carry on Christmas , Dear Mother… Love Albert
1970 A Present for Dickie, Smith, Carry on Again Christmas, Armchair Theatre - “The Dolly Scene” / “The Company Man”
1970 – 1971 Never Mind the Quality Feel the Width
1971 Shadows of Fear – “Sugar and Spice”, Public Eye – “Slip Home in the Dark” / “Transatlantic Cousins”, Armchair Theatre – “Competition”
1972 Van der Valk – “Thicker Than Water”, Rainbow, The Benny Hill Show, All Star Comedy Carnival, Armchair Theatre – “A Touch of the Victorians”, Father Dear Father
1973 Father Dear Father, Harriet’s Back in Town
1974 Armchair Theatre – “According to the Rules”, Hunter’s Walk – “Villain”, Thriller - “One Deadly Owner”, Tonight With Danny La Rue
1975 Thriller – “Murder Motel” / “If It’s a Man Hang Up”
1976 Clayhanger, Hunter’s Walk – “Missing”, Beasts – “Special Offer”