Crown Court

[www.doyouremember.co.uk]

Produced by Granada television and ran between 1972 & 1984, this was always aired during lunchtimes, 3 days a week and was very popular. The storyline was set around the happenings of the courtroom, although the cases were fictional, the jurors were real people brought in from a Granada TV afternoon audience. Many actors who would become famous found themselves in the docks - Ben Kingsley, Bob Hoskins, Michael Elphick and Pauline Quirke, to name a few.

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[staffslad]

Re: Crown Court

A good series, which I usually only saw when off school. It was very well written and acted imo. Though not explicit, some of the cases were fairly adult in nay
ture and made you think. Remember that as this series was from the 70s, its target audience would have been mostly women. I think the story would end with the verdict but I can't remember if we would then hear the sentence from the judge for those who were guilty, though my gut reaction is that it wasn't shown.

[Twocky61]

Re: Crown Court

One memorable episode was when they were reconstructing a murder, where they all sat in a rowing boat in the court room lol

[angliaknight]

Re: Crown Court

Judge Rinder suggested bringing this back, ITV declined and offered him the chance to try out a new daytime show along the lines of Judge Judy, and the rest as they say is history.

[marc]

Re: Crown Court

One of the main reasons this series finished, they ran out of ideas for the court cases. The jury was like a real jury with members of the public chosen, generally most of them volunteered, from people living close to where it was filmed. The difference being from a real jury, they only had fifteen minutes to decide on a verdict. Apparently, although I don't know if it is true, a real judge could not be used due to legal complications. The closing theme music at the end of each programme was called Distant Hills.

[staffslad]

Re: Crown Court

Judge Rinder suggested bringing this back, ITV declined and offered him the chance to try out a new daytime show along the lines of Judge Judy, and the rest as they say is history.

I've watched a few episodes of Judge Judy and similar shows. They are curious in that she not only acts as judge, but also prosecuting barrister, defending barrister and jury. Correct me if I'm wrong but as her court is not official, do those appearing have to sign contracts agreeing to abide by her decisions and penalties? Otherwise, I can't see how when she "fines" someone, how it could be enforced.

Shame Crown Court was turned down, but given the nature of daytime TV I am not surprised.

[marc]

Re: Crown Court

I've watched a few episodes of Judge Judy and similar shows. They are curious in that she not only acts as judge, but also prosecuting barrister, defending barrister and jury. Correct me if I'm wrong but as her court is not official, do those appearing have to sign contracts agreeing to abide by her decisions and penalties? Otherwise, I can't see how when she "fines" someone, how it could be enforced.

Shame Crown Court was turned down, but given the nature of daytime TV I am not surprised.

Check it out on Wiki. It simulates a Small Claims Court, I think it's the same has a British County Court, there is no jury in one of these courts.

[George 1978]

Re: Crown Court

It was quite a "modern" thing for its time as real life Crown Courts were only established in 1971, one year before the TV series had started.

There was the Reality TV element to it when one thinks of the jury's verdict at the end. Of course, the jury foreman (or woman) had to be an actor (or actress) and had to be an Equity member, even though they just had to say "yes" or "no", and "guilty" or "not guilty" just like any Mr or Mrs Public. Some jury speakers included Bill Tarmey before he was a regular as Jack Duckworth in Coronation Street, and Nottingham Playhouse's own Kenneth-Alan Taylor (in men's clothes this time).

When Legal TV shown them circa 2007-2008 I got to see quite a few episodes that were first shown before I was born.

I could imagine a 2018 equivalent of Crown Court being ironically done with Jeremy Kyle guests in there. I hope not, mind you.

[angliaknight]

Re: Crown Court

The O.J.Simpson trial was compulsive viewing for me in the 90s on cnn, loved the lighter moments , got to know all the dream team and the whole thing became like a soap opera,was impressed by judge Lance Ito who to this day is the only one not to have written a book or appeared on talk shows.

[staffslad]

Re: Crown Court

It was quite a "modern" thing for its time as real life Crown Courts were only established in 1971, one year before the TV series had started.

There was the Reality TV element to it when one thinks of the jury's verdict at the end. Of course, the jury foreman (or woman) had to be an actor (or actress) and had to be an Equity member, even though they just had to say "yes" or "no", and "guilty" or "not guilty" just like any Mr or Mrs Public. Some jury speakers included Bill Tarmey before he was a regular as Jack Duckworth in Coronation Street, and Nottingham Playhouse's own Kenneth-Alan Taylor (in men's clothes this time).

When Legal TV shown them circa 2007-2008 I got to see quite a few episodes that were first shown before I was born.

I could imagine a 2018 equivalent of Crown Court being ironically done with Jeremy Kyle guests in there. I hope not, mind you.

I hadn't realised the jury foreman was an actor. I don't think I have seen the series since its original run. Perhaps it will turn up again on a digital channel.

[Richard1978]

Re: Crown Court

The Americans had a long running show called People's Court, with former judge Joseph Wapner presiding.

It's mentioned in Rainman, especially when Raymond keeps saying x minutes to Wapner.

For a time it wasn't on air, but was revived when Judge Judy started to become popular, I'm not sure if it's ever been shown in the UK.

[George 1978]

Re: Crown Court

I hadn't realised the jury foreman was an actor. I don't think I have seen the series since its original run. Perhaps it will turn up again on a digital channel.

The Jury Foreman was credited at the end of the episodes because he or she was an actor or actress - even at the end of the week's first and second episodes, even though they didn't get to speak until the end of the third one. No doubt that some famous names, quite often in their "before they were famous" setting were chosen to do the part.

It's a bit amusing when the Judge says to the jury to go to the room and deliberate, and then says "nominate a member as your foreman" or something like that. As if they had any choice as to who would be Foreman, unless there was more than one actor on the jury...

Peter Wheeler often said in his "court reporting" that the jury were ordinary members of the public who lived in the Granada TV region and were on the electoral register, and so would be allowed to do jury service if happened to be a real life court case.

[George 1978]

Re: Crown Court

I used to think of it as ironic when soaps and drama series would do court scenes as of course, TV cameras cannot film in courtrooms.

Now, of course, there will be changes in the law which will allow TV cameras film inside crown courts for the first time for the Judge's verdict - nearly 50 years after Granada did it fictitiously in the afternoons.

[Richard1978]

Re: Crown Court

I did see an opening clip of an episode on you Tube recently, which started with a shot of Stockport Town Hall, I'm not sure if it was supposed to be standing in for the court building though.