John Thaw
Our prayers and very best wishes go out to Inspector Morse star
John Thaw who, it was reported this week, is undergoing treatment
for Cancer of the esophagus.The 59 year old Thaw is confident that he'll beat the cancer
and he has reason to be hopeful - his wife Sheila Hancock contracted breast cancer a
decade ago and has been in remission for years.
Patricia Routledge
Patricia Routledge as steadily evolved into one of British Television's most
popular, and accomplished, actresses. First brought to the attention of American audiences
when various PBS stations began airing her class conscious sitcom Keeping
Up Appearances and then switching gears to portray the modern Miss Marple Hetty
Wainthropp she has been embraced by fans on both sides of the Atlantic.Routledge
has, naturally, been doing terrific work for years before Keeping Up Appearances broke -
primarily on stage, both on the West End and Broadway where she won a Tony in 1967 for her
work in Darling Of The Day. This week you can sample the many sides of Patricia Routledge
from accomplished actress to society wannabe to suburban sleuth as PBS
and BBC America present four programs, between them, featuring this most
versatile of actresses.
This Saturday, and throughout the week, you can catch Keeping Up Appearances
on BBC America plus there's every possibility that your local PBS station
is airing episodes of this classic britcom as well so check those local listings.
On Monday PBS's Masterpiece Theater premiers Alan Bennet's
Talking Heads 2: Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet - a monologue by Ms. Routledge who
portrays a spinster who finds love in the least likely of places - a podiatrist's office.
Miss Fozzard is followed, on NYC's WNET13 at least - check your local PBS
listings for times and dates in your area - by Funny Women: Patricia Routledge,
a half hour portrait of the actress and her work.
During the week PBS continues airing episodes of Hetty Wainthropp Investigates
as part of the Mystery anthology series. BBC America also airs episodes
of Hetty on Monday nights.
Traffik
A week after Masterpiece Theater presents Miss Fozzard
they bring the original mini-series Traffik back to American
airwaves.This complex crime melodrama, the inspiration for Steven Soderburgh's
recent Hollywood feature Traffic, traces the circuitous route drugs take
as they wend their way into every level of society. Farther reaching then the film this
harrowing tale of human addiction stars Bill Paterson, Lindsay Duncan, and Julia Ormond.
Celebrity Castaway
Now this is m kind of reality show. The BBC convinced three bona fide
celebrities to let themselves be stranded in the middle of nowhere for up to ten days with
