The first series to benefit from his training was the anthology drama series Tales From Soho (21st January – 3rd March 1956) with Nelson-Burton as the director on three episodes including the opening episode 'The Fiddle' (21st January 1956). The subsequent episodes were 'The Message' (28th January 1956) and 'Slippy Fives' (4th February 1956). These episodes were produced by Tony Richardson who would later direct the Nigel Kneale scripted film The Entertainer (1960). Only one episode of the series, 'The Fiddle', is currently preserved in the BBC archives. It’s worth noting that amongst the cast of the episode 'Slippy Fives' is Basil Dignam, the brother of Mark Dignam, who would later appear in Nelson’s Beasts episode 'Baby'. The series was written by Berkely Mather.
Still with the BBC Nelson then produced the half-hour play Flame in the Forest (22nd May 1956), which cast Honor Blackman in a tale a racial tensions written by the clergyman Cyril J Davey. This was then followed by another single play for the BBC in the shape of Romney (17th July 1956), a contemporary drama set in a large country home in Ireland. Nelson then reteamed with the writer Berkely Mather to produce and direct a six episode drama transmitted under the title of New Ramps for Old with Mervyn Johns and Harry H Corbett headlining the cast. The series of six dramas, billed as “self-contained studies of crime[2]” began with the instalment 'Hitched to a Star' (8th September 1956) which featured Alfie Bass as a financier involved in dodgy share dealing.
Nelson moved to the ITV franchise ABC in 1957 and his first project for the broadcaster was mystery thriller The Man Who Was Two (26th January – 23rd February 1957) which starred Ronald Howard as a man with amnesia who tries to unravel the truth behind his past. Nelson acted as the producer and director on the series. Nelson’s most notable early production for ITV was Hour of Mystery, an hour long anthology series which had each episode introduced by Donald Wolfit. Episodes include an adaptation of the Barre Lyndon play 'The Man in Half Moon Street' (22nd June), the tale of a scientist who has invented a way to prolong his life. However, to keep alive he must harvest a supply of glands. Then there was 'Confess, Killer' (13th July 1957) starring Alfred Burke as Detective Sergeant Wilson investigating a murder which set the tone for the remaining episodes which tended to be murder mysteries.
Nelson moved to the ITV franchise ABC in 1957 and his first project for the broadcaster was mystery thriller The Man Who Was Two (26th January – 23rd February 1957) which starred Ronald Howard as a man with amnesia who tries to unravel the truth behind his past. Nelson acted as the producer and director on the series. Nelson’s most notable early production for ITV was Hour of Mystery, an hour long anthology series which had each episode introduced by Donald Wolfit. Episodes include an adaptation of the Barre Lyndon play 'The Man in Half Moon Street' (22nd June), the tale of a scientist who has invented a way to prolong his life. However, to keep alive he must harvest a supply of glands. Then there was 'Confess, Killer' (13th July 1957) starring Alfred Burke as Detective Sergeant Wilson investigating a murder which set the tone for the remaining episodes which tended to be murder mysteries.
As a screenwriter Nelson was responsible for two episodes of Armchair Theatre; 'Night of the Ding-Dong' (2nd February 1958) and 'The One Who Came Back' (16th March 1958) which he also directed. He had also previously directed the Armchair Theatre episodes 'Three O’clock Deadline' (16th December 1956) and 'Hilda Morgan' (1957) and would oversee another three episodes in this capacity; 'Breach of Marriage' (4th May 1958), 'Wings of the Wind' (29th June 1958) and 'Murder in Slow Motion' (5th October 1958). Following this he then joined ATV in July 1959. Amongst his first work at ATV was Epilogue to Capricorn (31st October – 5th December 1959) starring Jean Kent, Peter Wyngarde and Adrienne Corri. Again Nelson handled the dual role of producer and director on the programme. During the year Nelson also directed five episodes of the medical soap Emergency Ward 10. The following year he was the producer of the anthology series Suspense (28th February -19th May 1960).
.jpg)
For the drama anthology series Theatre 70 Nelson produced the episode 'Chance Witness' (21st January 1961) with Harry H Corbett in the lead role, having worked closely with him on the series New Ramps for Old. Corbett also featured in the cast of the Deadline Midnight story 'An Eye for Detail' (23rd September 1961) which Nelson directed. Following this Nelson was also the producer on three episodes of the drama anthology series Drama 61 delivering the stories 'Edge of Truth' (14th May 1961), 'The Dinner Party' (9th July 1961) and 'The Morning Face' (3rd September 1961). When the series was retitled as Drama 62 Nelson toiled on another two episodes; 'A Question of Pride' (23rd September 1962) and 'The Pinedus Affair' (2nd December 1962).
For the drama anthology series ITV Television Playhouse he worked on two episodes during 1963 – 'The Cage' (11th January 1963) and 'There’s No Room for You Here for A Start' (8th February 1963). The same year Nelson oversaw three episodes of the series Ghost Squad; 'Interrupted Requiem' (2nd February 1963), 'Hot Money' (25th May 1963) and 'The Golden Silence' (8th June 1963). He rounded off the year by working as director on three episodes of the business drama The Plane Makers; 'You Can’t Beat the System' (25th February 1963), 'Has Anybody Seen Costigan?' (25th March 1963) and 'Costigan’s Rocket' (12th November 1963). Nelson later returned for a single episode of the programme’s third season to deliver 'Other People Own Our Jungles Now' (27th October 1964). He also tackled two episodes of anthology series Drama 63 – 'Andersen' (16th June 1963) and 'The Perfect Friday' (8th September 1963), a crime thriller starring Charles Gray. The Stage felt it was “a neat play and though the twist at the end was over-played in an attempt to make it more forceful[3]”. He later worked as the director of an episode of Drama 64 – 'A Menace to Decent People' (21st June 1964). This play was reviewed in The Stage which noted “with more subtlety and less sentimentality 'A Menace to Decent People' could have been a play of substance.[4]”
Earlier in 1966 Nelson-Burton had directed 'The First Day of Spring' (2nd July 1966), an episode of the drama anthology Knock on Any Door. For the anthology strand Drama 66 Nelson-Burton then directed the episode 'Conduct to the Prejudice' (10th December 1966). As a screenwriter he had three episodes of the ITV Play of the Week to his credit which he also directed; 'A Tot at the Local' (6th December 1966), 'A Drug on the Market' (14th February 1967) and 'A Brand New Scrubbing Brush' (14th August 1967). The Stage reviewed 'A Drug on the Market' and was not impressed with the production “the director of the play, John Nelson Burton, was also the author, and he seemed to be so enamoured of his own lines that everyone had to be over-emphasised or underlined. His play would have been served better by another director[5]”. He was the director on an additional two instalments; 'Thick as Old Timber' (12th April 1965) and a version of Terence Rattigan’s 'The Browning Version' (25th April 1966). 'A Brand New Scrubbing Brush' was about the problems of fifteen year old boy who has been brought up by his uncle and has to return to live with his unemployed, alcoholic father. More anthology drama directing work came with two episodes of Happy Ever After – 'Feeling the Pinch' (18th November 1969) and 'The Marriage Vow' (21st November 1970).
For the next few years Nelson-Burton concentrated on directing and in this role he was responsible for the Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre drama 'Never Mention Murder' (November 1964) which starred Dudley Foster as a doctor who kills his wife’s lover. Nelson-Burton oversaw his first episode of the long running anthology series Love Story with the episode 'The Apprentices' (4th August 1964) followed by two further instalments a year later; 'Give My Love to the Pilchards' (21st September 1965), which featured T P McKenna who he would later cast in 'Baby', and the story 'La Musica' (6th December 1965). Also during 1965 Nelson directed the single drama Sunday Out of Season which starred a fresh faced Ian McKellen and Lynn Redgrave. The same year he oversaw an episode of The Power Game – 'Lady for a Knight' (20th December 1965). The series featured Patrick Wymark, the father of actress Jane Wymark who would feature in the central role in Baby. The following year Nelson directed a further episode of the series, 'Safe Conduct' (21st November 1966).
His final credits as a producer was on the first season of the comedy series Albert and Victoria (13th June – 18th July 1970). Nelson also served as director on the series which was slated in reviews for being unfunny. The Stage commented “how was it that John Nelson Burton put his distinguished name on the production credits. Well, perhaps he needed the money.[6]” Nelson also wrote and directed an episode of the anthology series Happy Ever After – 'The Marriage Vow' (21st November 1970). The episode is worth noting as it featured the actor Mark Dignam in the cast who Nelson would later cast in the Beasts episode 'Baby'. During the early years of the 1970s Nelson-Burton also oversaw three episodes of the ITV Sunday Night Theatre series; 'Fade Out' (11th April 1970), 'Pleased to Meet You' (25th March 1973) and 'It Only Hurts for a Minute' (8th July 1973). 'Fade Out' dealt with the operations of a fictional TV company and was based on a play by David Watson. The production starred Stanley Baker. Further writer / director credits for anthology drama series included two instalments of the ITV Sunday Night Theatre series. 'The Midsummer Dream of Chief Inspector Blossom' (2nd January 1972) and 'Pleased to Meet You' (25th March 1973). During the 1970s Burton was also the chairman of the technicians union ACTT (Association of Cinematograph, Television and Allied Technicians).
In the years prior to Beasts Nelson-Burton directed the The ITV Play episode 'Mary, Mary' (8th April 1974) followed by episodes of Rooms during 1974 and 1975. He then worked on the Willis Hall scripted single drama Piano Smashers of the Golden Sun (1975) and three episodes of the ATV police series Hunter’s Walk; 'Intent' (1st June 1976) - which featured Simon MacCorkindale who Nelson-Burton would cast in 'Baby' - 'Not Me' (13th July 1976) and 'Interference' (20th July 1976). These episodes would mark him working with Nicholas Palmer who would also produce Beasts. Prior to recording Beasts Nelson had written and directed the single play Chicken (29th August 1976) with Nicholas Palmer in the producer’s seat. The play starred the sublime actor Ian Bannen as a man who has just axed 5000 jobs. He decides to relax by spending time in the country with his fiancée, but a humble chicken has other ideas… The production designer was Anthony Waller who would later contribute to the Beasts episodes 'During Barty’s Party' and 'Buddyboy'.
During 1977 Nelson-Burton wrote three consecutive episodes of the daytime drama series Rooms (28th April – 4th May 1977). His final directing credit was on the medical drama General Hospital and the episode 'Technical Hitch' (19th January 1979). His final screenwriting credit was the TV movie Drakes Venture (28th December 1980) which was directed and produced by Lawrence Gordon Clark ,who had overseen the BBC Christmas Ghost Story series of annual plays. This was a feature length drama from Westward Television depicting Francis Drake’s voyage of circumnavigation of the globe. John Thaw played Francis Drake.
Ted Scott, sound supervisor on many ATV programmes, recalls working with John in his memoir Cue Tape Please, Ted “I fondly remember the brilliant director, John Nelson-Burton ripping the telephone off the wall when someone had the audacity to ring during dress rehearsal. John took over the directorial responsibility for a long running series set in the newspaper world called Deadline Midnight. It had gotten tired until John came in. He revitalised the cast, injecting masses of enthusiasm into the crew as if it were the pilot for a sensational new series. After the live transmission, he came out of the control room on the gantry and addressed the floor; ‘Fantastic job everybody. I’m proud of you. Apart from a few cock-ups here, bloody marvellous…’[7]”
Ted Scott, sound supervisor on many ATV programmes, recalls working with John in his memoir Cue Tape Please, Ted “I fondly remember the brilliant director, John Nelson-Burton ripping the telephone off the wall when someone had the audacity to ring during dress rehearsal. John took over the directorial responsibility for a long running series set in the newspaper world called Deadline Midnight. It had gotten tired until John came in. He revitalised the cast, injecting masses of enthusiasm into the crew as if it were the pilot for a sensational new series. After the live transmission, he came out of the control room on the gantry and addressed the floor; ‘Fantastic job everybody. I’m proud of you. Apart from a few cock-ups here, bloody marvellous…’[7]”
Burton died on 19th August 1997, aged 73 years old.
[3] Review by Marcia Scott, The Stage, 12th September 1963, page 10
[4] Review by Brain de Salvo, The Stage, 25th June 1964, page 12
[5] “Should Have Given Play to Another Director” by S Alice Frick, The Stage, 23rd February 1967, page 12
[6] “Predictable, Corny and Unfunny Comedy Series” by James Preston, The Stage, 18th June 1970,
[7] Cue Tape Please, Ted by Ted Scott, self-published 2016
No comments:
Post a Comment