samkydd

Big Deal was a very enjoyable comedy drama from 1984 from Geoff McQueen (didn't he create The Bill as well?) about Robbie Box (Ray Brooks) who always had 'the glass is half full' outlook on life. I remember at the time it was unmissable, and people would leave the pub to get home to watch it (this was in the days when VCRs were very expensive and not many people could afford one)!

This loveable rogue's gambling lead him one minute from the brink of bankruptcy to wealth and back again. He used to regularly pawn the diamond necklace he bought for his ex, played by Sharon Duce, to fund yet another card game or scam! Ray Brooks seemed made for the part and I've not seen much of him on the box since!

Very good actors in the series, and very enjoyable. It had that low budget Britishness about it that we all seem to love. I don't think it's on DVD yet, or if it ever will be, but I've put it on my Christmas and birthday list just in case. Some of the leading players were:

Ray Brooks
Sharon Duce
Lisa Geoghan
Deirdre Costello
Pamela Cundell

"...the chairman of Littlewoods stores made a Keynote speech!"

summerisle

This was a great series which was indeed unmissable. Why doesnt this sort of great TV get the repeats it deserves?? My god, havent we had enough of Only Fools and Horses!!!!

Geoffers

Yes, I think it did get a repeat at some point, maybe on UK Gold? I have one episode on a VHS tape and I'd be surprised if that was from the original screening.

Ray Brooks was perfect in the role. Good to see him acting on TV again in EastEnders, maybe that might prompt the BBC to issue Big Deal on DVD, assuming they own the rights.

lostintown

I recently picked up the series on dvdr and I must say, I'm almost as addicted to it as Robbie was to the geegees!

But where are they now... Robby Box has moved to Walford and the last time I saw his long suffering girlfriend she was Roger Daltrey's long suffering wife in Buddy's Song!

Still....it's no Big Deal.

Steve Crook

Geoff McQueen did create The Bill, and Stay Lucky with Dennis Waterman, so not everything he did was as good

Big Deal was wonderful. Ah those carefree days, we all wanted to live like Robbie - or some aspects of his life.

Ray Brooks was reasonably famous before Big Deal after playing Carol White's husband in Cathy Come Home.

Sharon Duce turned up in a few episodes of Press Gang as the British mother of Spike Thompson, the American lad (Dexter Fletcher).

Lisa Geoghan was WPC Polly Page in The Bill

Steve

rjd0309

And even more so for playing Tolen the womanizing lodger in The Knack, here having his way with our Rita...

[IMG]http://*****************/rjd0309a/tush/images/TheKnack_Tolen_240x193.jpg[/IMG]

Robert

Geoffers

He certainly was! Talking of which, the plot synopsis here includes "today The Knack appears sadly dated and embarrassingly misogynistic."

Misogynistic? That's obviously an opinion, but I really don't think it's very accurate.

Bobj

He played a cool knife-wielding character in Darleks Invasion of Earth 2150AD too. Knives - not very effective against Daleks though!

Incidentally did anyone see his appearance on This Morning last week? It was rather strange - he didn't seem to want to give a straight answer to any question and kept going off at tangents. Not sure if this was deliberate. Not sure if he was having a laugh or perhaps he didn't really want to be there? Phil & Fern were bemused to say the least.

bloodworm

I did see him on This Morning and fully agrre with what you say,It was not just Phil and Fern who were bemused, I was. I am sure I saw Sharonn Duce in an episode of The Royal Family some time ago..
Is it not strange how times change, Samkyd says that people left the pub to watch it as they could not afford video recorders, now we cant afford to go to the pub.

C/U The Worm

The one that gets away is always the biggest but not always the best !!

summerisle

i remember seeing him in a film a lot earlier than cathy come home about kids getting involved in the duke of edinburgh's award scheme (?)

Geoffers

Yes, Some People, currently being discussed in another thread.

His very first role (I think) was a BBC play called Girl on a Roof. Here's a rare photo of him in it with The John Barry Seven. Barry and Vic "James Bond Theme guitarist" Flick can be seen either side of him. Apologies for the quality of the photo which is a newspaper scan.

Geoffers

I've just watched the first series on DVD and very good it was, too. Good quality print considering its age. The only slight disappointment I had was that the DVD didn't come with any episode guide - not even a single sheet. It just has a brief synopsis and a few credits on the back. So you have to play each DVD if you want to find out any info. Over doing the cost-cutting, I think.

David Brent

I was really surprised on seeing Ray Brooks in an episode of Eastenders.
I recognised him but only just.
He seems to have really aged quickly with his receeding white hair and chubby features. A great change from the younger Ray Brooks who was seen as a television sex symbol in the sixties and seventies.
The same thing happened to Hywel Bennett who is nearly unrecognisable now from his younger leading man days.

Dave.

Capture King

The 1st series on Big Deal was released on DVD a couple of weeks ago as a 3 Disc Set. :)

Roy Galloway

I've bought it and this programme must have the best theme tune to any programme ever.