This Granada Television series aired on Friday nights and featured an anthology of tall stories (four per episode) from Ian Ogilvy, William Mervyn, Nyree Dawn Porter and Isla Blair – with additional guest appearances.
Setting the outrageous tale-telling example was Sir Gerald (William Mervyn), baronet, clubman and boulevardier. Face him with a bore in a bar and he would demolish him with a tale-topper in no time.
He was the idol and inspiration of his pretty 21-year-old niece, Sarah (Isla Blair) and his 22-year-old nephew Rupert (Ian Ogilvy). Nyree Dawn Porter played the vampish Hermione.
The four would attempt to outdo each other with tall tales and embellished yarns, leaving the viewer to decide if the stories had any truth or were just a pack of lies.
It was an ingenious way of presenting short stories which would not individually stand up to the full dramatisation treatment.
Guests in the stories included Richard Wattis, Penelope Keith, Patrick Troughton, Wanda Ventham, Sheila Steafel, John Woodvine, John Sharp, Ivor Dean, Shirley Stelfox, Colin Jeavons, Frank Thornton, Freddie Jones, Ivor Salter and Paul Whitsun-Jones.
Sir Gerald
William Mervyn Hermione
Nyree Dawn Porter Sarah
Isla Blair Rupert
Ian Ogilvy
