Grange hill

[80sChav]

They were never like that at my Comprehensive School - it was always the tomboy-ish girls that were interested in people like myself. Never mind - there was a stunner in another form in my year; she was a bit like Calley Donnington without the shyness, and she was also in my class in GCSE Drama, History, and I even played her at the local bowling alley when we went there on Friday in lieu of our regular PE lessons.

Nailed on George - it was similar for me, even though a fewof the Girls tried it on by chatting me up, but also a fair few of them was "Fiz-type" eg like Fiz on Corrie in her very early days Lol

[George 1978]

Re: Grange hill

thanks chav.
i love doing research on shows i love.

Here is a list of all headmasters

miss Monroe Dorothea Phillips 1978
Mr Llewellyn Sean Arnold 1979–80
Mrs Bridget McClusky Gwyneth Powell 1981–84 1986–91
Mr C. J. Humphries Dennis Edwards 1985–86
Mrs Angela Keele Jenny Howe 1992–94
Mr Alistair H. McNab Never seen 1995–97
Mr Peter Robson Stuart Organ 1998–2003
Mrs S. Bassinger Jacqueline Boatswain 2004–07
Miss Gayle Cathy Tyson 2007–08

Just browsing at earlier posts on here, and I have to say that Ms Munro in the first series (I remember her surname was spelt like that when I had the 888 subtitles on when a clip from the very episode was shown in the 1990s) was not the first Headteacher - that job went to Mr Starling played by Denys Hawthorne - Tucker and Benny were caned by him. Munro was their year head in 1978, I believe.

McClusky was not a "headmaster" as such, and neither was Keele, Bassinger or Gayle.

No headteacher appeared in series three (1980) because of Sean Arnold being unavailable - Llewellyn seemed to be at County Hall; probably where McNab was, and Staling and Humphries was as well most of the time. Keating was the most senior teacher in series three, almost stepping into the Head's shoes.

Did you know that Denys Hawthorne and Jenny Howe both guested in the same episode of The Bill in 1995? Series 11 episode 88 - Ritual: TX Date: Tuesday 8th August 1995. I think that it is the only programme where two Grange Hill Headteacher actors have appeared in the same episode!

[George 1978]

Series 13 was a fantastic time, dserving way better of the hard-hitting storylines at that time

I must admit though George how you said Chrissy and Justine looked like young Women, I adored their frizzy hair and Justine in-particular had nearly every haircut going between 1990 and 1993. If only Girls at my School's had looked so pretty

They were never like that at my Comprehensive School - it was always the tomboy-ish girls that were interested in people like myself. Never mind - there was a stunner in another form in my year; she was a bit like Calley Donnington without the shyness, and she was also in my class in GCSE Drama, History, and I even played her at the local bowling alley when we went there on Friday in lieu of our regular PE lessons.

[80sChav]

That's why younger females have relationships with older males, and older males go out with younger females. Rupert Murdoch is a fine example, but then again, there are more women who are younger than him in any case. "She's not my granddaughter - she's my wife!"

Justine's body language in series 13 in 1990 was akin to an adult woman's for example - sitting with crossed legs in a grey pencil skirt on a school bench when she is seen next to Tegs in a scene in Episode Seven - it's like comparing different planets when seeing how they have both developed at that point! Tegs is immature and Justine is already an adult in all but age either as character or actress it seems.

Series 13 was a fantastic time, dserving way better of the hard-hitting storylines at that time

I must admit though George how you said Chrissy and Justine looked like young Women, I adored their frizzy hair and Justine in-particular had nearly every haircut going between 1990 and 1993. If only Girls at my School's had looked so pretty

[culnara]

Pretty sure the whole "flippin' lot" are on Youtube }
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LF8cxI3_bk

[George 1978]

Usually girls mature faster than boys which would explain things, when I've watch the Junior Bake Off it's usually the older girls have been the most mature.

That's why younger females have relationships with older males, and older males go out with younger females. Rupert Murdoch is a fine example, but then again, there are more women who are younger than him in any case. "She's not my granddaughter - she's my wife!"

Justine's body language in series 13 in 1990 was akin to an adult woman's for example - sitting with crossed legs in a grey pencil skirt on a school bench when she is seen next to Tegs in a scene in Episode Seven - it's like comparing different planets when seeing how they have both developed at that point! Tegs is immature and Justine is already an adult in all but age either as character or actress it seems.

[Victoria O'Keefe]

Most "high school" TV shows cast 20-something because of child labour laws etc. And real teenagers have sex but teenage actors simulating it would constitute... yes.

[Richard1978]

Usually girls mature faster than boys which would explain things, when I've watch the Junior Bake Off it's usually the older girls have been the most mature.

[80sChav]

Would anyone agree with me that in around series 13 (1990), Justine and Chrissy already looked like adult women at that point, while Tegs and Matthew still looked like little kids? I am almost certain that Tegs ironically called Justine "Mum" at some point as well. Amazing how different youngsters of more or less the same age were back then.

Also, I found out that Sean Maguire had no Drama School experience and just attended a Comprehensive School during his stint at GH - and his real-life teachers disliked him so much being in the show as well as some his peers? I did read that he did get a bit bullied as a result around that time. Considering the pairing with Rachel Roberts, one might have assumed she would have definately had some experience, Drama-wise in prepariation for her role which seems quite apparent by her third series in 1990.

I agree Justine and Chrissy looked way older almost like Trev and Vince 3 years before in Series 10 in 1987 compared their counterparts.

Matthew looked about the correct age I'd say though as he really changed between Series 12 and 13 in many way's (including of course he started doing his Tie thin side out) from Series 12 onwards, but I think Tegs has got to be one of the youngest actors going joining in the First Year (= Year 7 today), though he was 10 I think in filming in 1987 for Series 11 in 1988, so the age is right really.

Hollo too was I thiink 10 or 11 in Series 8 from 1985 filmed in 1984. Janet St Clair was easily the youngest Girl though being in the 5th Year in 1986 filmed in 1985 but she was like 11/12 in real life

[George 1978]

Would anyone agree with me that in around series 13 (1990), Justine and Chrissy already looked like adult women at that point, while Tegs and Matthew still looked like little kids? I am almost certain that Tegs ironically called Justine "Mum" at some point as well. Amazing how different youngsters of more or less the same age were back then.

Also, I found out that Sean Maguire had no Drama School experience and just attended a Comprehensive School during his stint at GH - and his real-life teachers disliked him so much being in the show as well as some his peers? I did read that he did get a bit bullied as a result around that time. Considering the pairing with Rachel Roberts, one might have assumed she would have definately had some experience, Drama-wise in prepariation for her role which seems quite apparent by her third series in 1990.

[Victoria O'Keefe]

I believe that Rachel "Justine" Roberts did the same after she left (she seemed to be stereotyped as such women) - Paula Ann "Claire" Bland or whatever she was called certainly did for Penthouse.

It does make me think of the St Trinian's connection - schoolgirls and all that... Why do they do that, I wonder???? The acting work drying up, post GH, and the fact that they just happen to be female?

It's kind of irritating seeing "the kids today" complaining about women who pose for these magazines. Freedom for women must include the freedom to make poor choices or it is not freedom at all.

[George 1978]

You'd think the dream for an actor if they want to do tv would be a regular job/role? To be cast in a continuing series or soap in other words. The 'only suitable for similar roles' thing seems to say they can't... act well enough to pull off something very different? I always loved to see when a familiar face pulled off something quite different elsewhere myself! Seen people do well in various shows then leave for that type-casting scare, rarely to appear again (and possibly end up working at a Sainsburys or Tescos if not some panto or 'reality' thing).

I think that a lot of actors fear of being stereotyped - think of Derek Nimmo who was always playing vicars and the like for example. Also, I think that it is the hard work involved, keeping the character genuine and making sure that the effort and quality remains in tact. And there are those who do it part time and probably work in a bank or a supermarket to make ends meet, and so in many ways, those actors probably don't really complain about being short of offers than others do. Or as the late Victor Lewis-Smith would have said in response for their absences on screen: "I've been working abroad a lot".

[George 1978]

As a teenage boy I found myself strangely drawn to Cathy Hargreaves and Penny Cartwright

You should watch Series 4 Episode 11 with Cathy's performance of "The Black-Black Widow" or whatever it was called - she was, no pun intended, Brill by name and nature.

Funnily enough, when I was researching the "Hopwood catching Alan smoking in his desk" scene in the same episode as a tribute to the late George Armstrong who passed away earlier on this week (the obituary thread has been started today by 80sChav), I just happened to go through Cathy's singing performance a few minutes beforehand in that episode - I am sure you would love that, Duffer!

[beccabear67]

You'd think the dream for an actor if they want to do tv would be a regular job/role? To be cast in a continuing series or soap in other words. The 'only suitable for similar roles' thing seems to say they can't... act well enough to pull off something very different? I always loved to see when a familiar face pulled off something quite different elsewhere myself! Seen people do well in various shows then leave for that type-casting scare, rarely to appear again (and possibly end up working at a Sainsburys or Tescos if not some panto or 'reality' thing).

[duffer]

As a teenage boy I found myself strangely drawn to Cathy Hargreaves and Penny Cartwright