Remembering Beasts by Stephen McKenna (Editor, tpmckenna.co.uk)

 

T.P. McKenna was an actor well recognised for his diversity, but equally, his default was often as not men of intrigue and sinister purpose. For his appearance in 'Beasts' (Ep.6 Baby), though, he was cast as a garrulous country vet, overly fond of his whisky. His character, a likeable, but also buffoonish counterpoint to the encroaching fear and terror faced by mother-to-be, Jo (Jane Wymark).

He knew many such a character from his hometown of Mullagh in Co. Cavan, having observed his father eventually lever them out of the family pub long after closing time. When he bursts into song it is with an unpublished ditty by his father's father about a malingering employee who could only be relied on not to be where he was supposed to be. So much so, the townspeople all knew him as 'Micky [gone] Forever' (see below for the lyrics of the song).

His suggestion of the song was doubly useful. Firstly, there'd be no copyright or royalties issues from its use, and secondly, he was required to sustain the performance off-camera for almost five minutes as coverage for Jo's return to the kitchen, and a further encounter, or not, with her demon. At the end of the take he received a round of applause from the crew.

Only weeks before the recording of Baby, Jane Wymark had played T.P'.s daughter in the John Hopkins drama, Fathers and Families (BBC 1976), while in 1981, T.P. and Simon MacCorkindale would reunite, as father and son, in The Manions of America (1981) with Pierce Brosnan and Anthony Quayle.

© Stephen McKenna 2024

Micky Forever walked all over the land

He walked it all over, his stick in his hand

He walked it all night, and he walked it all day

Lookin' for the white cow that did go away

And when he came back, his master did say

'Where were you all night, where were you all day?'

I've been looking for the white cow that did go away.

'G'wan outta that and I'll give you your pay.'

T.P. and Elstree by Stephen McKenna (Editor, tpmckenna.co.uk)

 

For some thirteen years, T.P. had been making his way up to Elstree on a regular basis. Either turning left to Elstree Studios, for the likes of The Avengers, The Saint & Jason King, or right, to ATV, where'd he appear in about twelve productions including five Love Story's with Diana Coupland, Peter Bowles & Dennis Waterman, Father Brown with Kenneth More, and the Brian Clemens Thriller series.

That it was such busy and varied production centre ought to better celebrated. There was a hard working ethic, the staff taking their cue from the boss, Lew Grade. Although, he worked out of his London office he was known to be at his desk at eight every morning. His forte was commissioning and selling to America when he could. With a strong eye for talent, he employed the right people and left them to get on with the job.

T.P.'s association with Elstree, no matter a left or right turn, came to a dead end in 1977. No particular reason, but just how these things work out.  He did make one final visit, though, in 1988, but that was only to work in the car park of what had become BBC Elstree.

Fortunately, he hadn't fallen on hard times and been reduced to role of Attendant, peak cap, and all. Instead, the Doctor Who production The Greatest Show in the Galaxy which had been due to complete at BBC Television Centre was affected by an asbestos crisis when the required studios had to be shut down. The solution arrived at by the production managers was to re-erect the Big Top they'd used on location in Dorset at Elstree and that became their temporary studio. Its one drawback being the lack of sound proofing which meant frequent pauses as they were beneath the flightpath of the busy Elstree Aerodrome.

© Stephen McKenna 2024