Peter McDougall Collection, The

Synopsis

Peter McDougall has played a huge role in Scotland’s television history. His controversial and gritty dramas, written for the BBC, spawned a whole new era in regional programming and have been a profound influence on many modern playwrights and actors. Three of these plays (Just Another Saturday, The Elephants Graveyard and Just A Boy’s Game) were screened in the 1970s as part of the Play for Today series. Down Among The Big Boys is a more recent tale from the 90s Screen One series.

DVD EXTRA
Razor Sharp: an exclusive documentary presented by Scottish writer, Simon Farquhar, on the life and works of Peter McDougall - with an exclusive and rare interview with the man himself, and Jon Morrison - star of two of the included plays.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Year of release

2007

Year of production

1975-1993

Subjects

Drama; Media studies

Keywords

archive television; Glasgow; television drama; social issues

Credits

Director

Peter Mc Dougall

Cast

Jon Morrison

Distribution Formats

Type

DVD

Format

Region 2 PAL

Price

69.99

Availability

Sale

Duration/Size

342 minutes

Year

2017

Sections

Title

Just another Saturday

Synopsis

Written by Peter McDougall and broadcast as part of BBC’s Play for Today series in 1975, Just Another Saturday is a controversial, explosive tale set in Glasgow during the Orange Walk parade. Jon Morrison is the young star who is gradually coming to terms with the violent and unpleasant truth behind the marching and symbolic pageantry. With appearances by Eileen McCallum, Ken Hutchison and Billy Connolly, this play is a piece of television history.

Title

Elephants’ Graveyard

Synopsis

Written by Peter McDougall and broadcast as part of BBC’s Play for Today series in 1976, The Elephants’ Graveyard is a poignant story starring Jon Morrison and Billy Connolly. Bunny (Morrison) is supposedly gainfully employed as a postman, well, as far as his wife is concerned anyway. The reality is he wanders the Scottish hillside each day, wondering why he doesn’t want to work. He happens upon a fellow walker one day, Jody (Connolly), and the two strike up a rapport. They have much in common and a bittersweet tale ensues.

Title

Just a Boys’ Game

Synopsis

Written by Peter McDougall and broadcast as part of BBC’s Play for Today series in 1979, Just A Boys’ Game is a cult classic. Frankie Miller stars as Jake, living in the shadow of his dying grandfather (Hector Nichol), who was once the town’s toughest hard man. Despite their hatred of each other, Jake’s sole aim is to be as tough as the old man was. One day in Jake’s life, as he drifts, drinks and fights, leads to a bleak realisation. Ken Hutchison stars as Dancer Dunnihy, and Gregor Fisher also makes an early appearance in this, another piece of Scottish television history.

Title

Down among the Big Boys

Synopsis

Written by Peter McDougall and broadcast by the BBC in 1993, Down Among the Big Boys is a cult classic.
Set in Glasgow, Louie, the detective son of an upright police sergeant, is about to marry. His intended is the daughter of JoJo, a wealthy and compulsive thief who attempts a spectacular robbery. Louie is put in charge of the investigation of JoJo’s latest enterprise and when JoJo learns of his peril he begins an exercise in risk management. Starring Billy Connolly as JoJo Donnelly, Douglas Henshall as Louie Gibbons, Alex Norton as Dan Gibbons, and Ashley Jensen (Ricky Gervais’ Extras) as Claire Donnolly.

Production Company

Name

BBC Television

Distributor

Name

John Williams Productions

Phone

0141 633 5532

Address

SBL Ltd
Burnfield Road
Giffnock
Glasgow
G46 7TH

 

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