Armchair Theatre/Armchair Cinema

1 9 5 6 - 1 9 7 3 (UK)
1 9 7 4 (UK)
457 x 60 minute plays

Armchair Theatre was a long-running series of single episode self-contained plays and programs which gained a reputation for gritty down-to-earth 'kitchen sink' dramas'. For many years, Armchair Theatre was an essential part of Sunday night viewing in Britain. Several spin-offs were born from the series, including James Mitchell's Magnum for Schneider (February 2nd 1967) which eventually resurfaced as the pilot for Callan, and Vince Powell and Harry Driver's Never Mind The Quality, Feel The Width.

In spite of the general high standard, Armchair Theatre was a bit too realistic for some, and various seamy scenes led to it being dubbed 'Armpit Theatre'.

From 1960 onwards the series was alternatively called Armchair Summer Theatre and Armchair Mystery Theatre and when  ABC lost its franchise to Thames Television in the late 60s the series was dropped completely before being resurrected in 1974 as Armchair Cinema, which had the distinction of producing Ian Kennedy Martin's Regan (June 1974), which went on to become the quintessential British cop series The Sweeney. 

Many notable writers and playwrights contributed to the series, including; Robert Muller, Lynne Reid Banks, Donal Giltinan, Hugh Leonard, Robert Storey, Marc Brandel, John Hall, Robert Holles, and James Gibbins.

In 1978 Armchair Theatre was resurrected for the last time as Armchair Thriller, but by 1980 it was gone for good.