Typecasting

Most actors and actresses are afraid of being typecast. People who produce their programmes do not have the same worries. Fusion thought it might be interesting to explore the situation a little further. Perhaps there is more in typecasting than meets the eye? It will be appreciated that the author, JULIA HELPS, has researched her imagination as well as facts. We would, therefore, categorically state that the results should not be identified with any particular member of the staff. Should any member of the company think that they refer to him/her, then it really is pure coincidence.

 

THE EXCITABLE DIRECTOR

A product of a major public school and of Oxbridge, he tended always to mix with the intellectual crowd. On leaving University, didn’t know what to do and went into fashion designing, making contact with an atmosphere of flurry and expressionism. Mated into television when it started in a desire to be ‘one up’ on all his friends. Artistic, imaginative, and esoteric, he was soon involved in directing. The mystery is how he turns out such great productions while never having been seen to have the production fully rehearsed. Recognisable by his short, quick footsteps.

THE ENTHUSIASTIC WRITER

May be seen flitting round Television House all and every day, either to see if there is another instalment of ‘The Hidden Crane’ to be written or to see how much his last episode of ‘Double Your Paradise’ has been cut. Very publicity minded, he attends all press conferences – in the hope of picking up new ideas. Although a prolific writer, very little of his material is original. He carries a typewriter round with him and a brief-case containing a note-book and sharp pencils, with which he takes down notes in shorthand. (He has developed a neat trick of using his brief-case on his knee as a desk while standing up.) His notes and observations may well be included in his next (43rd) novel.

THE GLOOMY P.A.

Well-educated, intelligent, she often wears glasses and is usually a University graduate. Bored with industry, she drifted into television with a view to becoming a director. As her ideals become more remote, her face grows longer and her watches seem to tick slower. She finds it hard to believe that a programme can come out on time or that people could be faintly interested in how lesbianism caused the downfall of the Roman Empire (with or without Sophia Loren). As each programme her director directs wins new laurels, she predicts that he is finished and soon she will be looking for a new job.

THE EBULLIENT PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE

Once a professor of economics, he found life too dull and came into independent television as soon as it started, rising rapidly. His alert brain, always full of new and unusual ideas (not always practical) makes him n welcome member at any committee meeting. His mannerism of running his hand through his hair before any startling idea, has been copied by young up-and-coming executive producers. Full of life, his office chair is rarely sat in – he prefers to prowl round it, and is more likely to be found anywhere in the building, or, failing that, at Wembley. He spends his weekends and holidays motor racing in vintage Bentleys when he is not catching butterflies.

THE HARASSED PRESS OFFICE WORKER

Easily recognisable from the fact that he never walks, but always runs, and has one shoulder higher than the other due to answering phones all day and writing at the same time. At lunchtime can be found propping up a bar, reminiscing about the good old days as a reporter. He missed his calling, which was obviously to be a politician – for he knows how to evade questions politely. He is friendly with all the regular press boys, but is inclined to get his celebrities mixed up owing to having met too many of them. Has a fund of anecdotes – all unprintable.

THE DAZED FOURTH FLOOR EXECUTIVE

An ex-Army or R.A.F. officer, he likes to have everything on paper and filed in folders of varying urgency. He has never quite understood what the letters TAM stand for, but believes it is something like Television and Mathematics, for a large set of figures always come in with these reports, accompanied by nice graphs. Having accepted the wireless and the phonograph, he cannot quite see why people want pictures to look at. He intends to retire at the age of 65 to the day and write his memoirs of the war (he did not like or agree with either Churchill or ‘Monty’). He also plans a witty look at television, which promises to be very, very interesting.

THE ERUDITE TV REPORTER

A tall, sombre man, he has an Honours degree plus a published award-winning thesis in classical Creek on the chemical composition of Michelangelo’s early statues. He scorns the everyday routine reporting of earthquakes, national leaders, political upheavals, or thefts of Goya paintings and is happiest when covering ecclesiastical conferences, teachers’ congresses and archeological discoveries. While covering national news, he is inclined to quote in the vulgate, which to those intelligent enough to follow, is extremely witty. He originally made his name by advertising detergents in Greek on BBC 2.

THE FABULOUS CASTING DIRECTOR

She was brought up in the theatre and considers that she has lowered herself to television, but ‘After all, darlings, we must eat cake’. On Christian-name terms with most of the leading Hollywood and West End stars, she maintains she knew most of them before they were well known – probably true. Having tried at one time nearly all aspects of the stage, she admits that at the age of 38, she found herself not suited to the life as the draughts gave her lumbago. She is perennially 39.

THE SQUARE-EYED TELEVISION CRITIC

An acknowledged intellectual, his favourite programmes are ‘Coronation Street’ and ‘Take Your Pick’, though he admits to watching ‘Monitor’ and ‘Panorama’ once a year. Having served as a tea boy at Dagenham and a telegram boy for the G.P.O., he wanted a sedentary job and applied to the Daily Gurgle for the post of television critic. He watches every programme that is transmitted, having four sets in his study, the fourth one in anticipation of a second commercial channel. His phone is within reach of his easy chair, as is a drink cabinet and his crits are sharp, pointed and witty – if you can appreciate his unusual sense of humour.