Take Three Girls

Take Three Girls
Carolyn Seymour (left), Liza Goddard (centre) and Barra Grant – the leading players in series two – outside Holland Park tube station
GenreComedy
Drama
Written by
Directed by
Starring
Theme music composerPentangle
Opening theme"Light Flight"
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series2
No. of episodes24 (14 missing)
Production
Producer
Michael Hayes
Production locationsLondon, England, United Kingdom
Running time50 minutes
Production companyBBC
Original release
NetworkBBC1
Release17 November 1969 (1969-11-17) –
1 January 1971 (1971-01-01)
Related
Take Three Women (1982)

Take Three Girls was a television drama series broadcast by BBC1 between 1969 and 1971 that followed three young women sharing a flat in "Swinging London" (located at 17 Glazbury Road, West Kensington, W14). It was BBC1's first colour drama series.[1]

The first series featured cellist Victoria (Liza Goddard), single mother Kate (Susan Jameson), and Cockney art student Avril (Angela Down). For the second series, Kate and Avril were replaced by journalist Jenny (Carolyn Seymour) and American psychology graduate Lulie (Barra Grant).[2]

Two series, each of 12 episodes, were shown on BBC1 between 1969 and 1971, with selected repeats between the series. Only 10 episodes of the original 24 still exist.[3]

A four-episode sequel, Take Three Women, broadcast on BBC2 in 1982, shows the original three characters later in their lives. Victoria is a widow with a young daughter, and Avril an art gallery owner, while Kate is sharing her life with her son and his teacher.

The theme music – "Light Flight" by the British folk rock group Pentangle – was a British chart hit in February 1970. Pentangle also contributed music to Take Three Women.

A tie-in novel, Victoria, by scriptwriters Terence Brady and Charlotte Bingham, was published in 1972 by W. H. Allen Ltd.

Episodes

[edit]

All episodes were made on colour videotape, with the exception of Season 1, episode 10, which was shot entirely on 35mm film.

Take Three Girls - Season 1

[edit]
Ep Title Writer Director UK
Transmission
dates
Archive
1 Kate: Stop Acting Hugo Charteris Tristan de Vere Cole 17 November 1969, BBC1
3 June 1970, BBC2
Colour 625-line VT
2 Avril: Devon Violets Julia Jones John Matthews 24 November 1969, BBC1
15 September 1982, BBC2
Colour 625-line VT
3 Victoria: Requiem For Cello in SW3 Charlotte Bingham and Terence Brady Mark Cullingham 1 December 1969, BBC1 Lost
4 Kate: Start Working Hugo Charteris Tristan de Vere Cole 8 December 1969, BBC1 Colour 625-line VT
5 Avril: Heart's Ease Julia Jones John Matthews 15 December 1969, BBC1 Lost
6 Victoria: Rhapsody for Misplaced Persons Charlotte Bingham and Terence Brady Mark Cullingham 22 December 1969, BBC1 Lost
7 Kate: Try Loving Hugo Charteris Tristan de Vere Cole 29 December 1969, BBC1 Lost
8 Avril: Sweet Basil Julia Jones John Matthews 5 January 1970, BBC1 Lost
9 Victoria: Variations of May and September Charlotte Bingham and Terence Brady Mark Cullingham 12 January 1970, BBC1
10 June 1970, BBC2
Colour 625-line VT
10 Kate: Keep Hoping Hugo Charteris Tristan de Vere Cole 19 January 1970, BBC1
17 June 1970, BBC2
Colour 35mm film
11 Avril: Roses Round the Door Julia Jones John Matthews 26 January 1970, BBC1 Colour 625-line VT
12 Victoria: Gloria for First Offence Charlotte Bingham and Terence Brady Mark Cullingham 2 February 1970, BBC1 Lost

Take Three Girls - Season 2

[edit]
Ep Title Writer Director UK
Transmission
dates
Archive
1 Victoria: Coda and Resolution Charlotte Bingham and Terence Brady Mark Cullingham 24 March 1971, BBC1 Lost
2 Lulie: The Private Sector Carey Harrison Barry Davis 31 March 1971, BBC1 Colour 625-line VT
3 Jenny: Closed Circuit Robert Muller Michael Hayes 7 April 1971, BBC1 Lost
4 Victoria: Duet for Two Left Feet Charlotte Bingham and Terence Brady Mark Cullingham 14 April 1971, BBC1 Lost
5 Lulie: The Company of Madmen Carey Harrison Barry Davis 21 April 1971, BBC1 Lost
6 Jenny: Kitsch, or Protocols in a Chinese Laundry Robert Muller Michael Hayes 28 April 1971, BBC1 Colour 625-line VT
7 Victoria: Prelude to a New Arrangement Charlotte Bingham and Terence Brady Mark Cullingham 7 May 1971, BBC1 Lost
8 Lulie: A Little Blindness Carey Harrison Barry Davis 14 May 1971, BBC1 Lost
9 Jenny: Freelance Robert Muller Michael Hayes 21 May 1971, BBC1 Lost
10 Victoria: Composition Out of Discord Charlotte Bingham and Terence Brady Mark Cullingham 28 May 1971, BBC1 Lost
11 Lulie: A School for Grievances Carey Harrison Christopher Morahan 4 June 1971, BBC1 Colour 625-line VT
12 Jenny: Release Robert Muller Michael Hayes 11 June 1971, BBC1 Colour 625-line VT

Take Three Women

[edit]
Ep Title Writer Director UK
Transmission
dates
Archive
1 Kate Huy Meredith Richard Martin 21 September 1982, BBC2 Colour 625-line VT
2 Avril Julia Jones Roger Bamford 28 September 1982, BBC2 Colour 625-line VT
3 Victoria Charlotte Bingham and Terence Brady Les Chatfield 5 October 1982, BBC2 Colour 625-line VT
4 Victoria, Kate and Avril Lee Langley Julian Amyes 12 October 1982, BBC2 Colour 625-line VT

References

[edit]
  1. ^ The Pentangle, Basket of Light LP sleeve notes, Transatlantic Records 1969
  2. ^ IMDb - Take Three Girls (TV Series 1969–1971)
  3. ^ Take Three Girls, lostshows.com