Hole in the Wall, The

1 9 7 2 (UK)
7 x 25 minute episodes

Young Stephen Kemp was taken to live with his grandfather, Nathaniel, after the death of his mother.

Nat Kemp (Joseph O’Conor) – the publican of the ‘Hole in the Wall’ public house on the edge of the River Thames at Wapping – was determined to keep his grandson apart from the seamier side of the Docklands but Stephen had a natural inquisitiveness that would not be quelled.

The cast did their best but gave the impression that they weren’t sure it was really all worthwhile. Neil McCarthy did his Bill Sykes bit, Peter Bayliss overacted like mad as Blind George (though at least he did try to inject some life into the corpse), Joseph O’Conor looked distinctly uneasy as Nathaniel Kemp, and Mary Healey played the delightfully named Musky Mag (what a disappointment that character turned out to be) in best Hammer horror style. Queenie Watts played Mrs Grimes.

Blind George
Peter Bayliss
Nathaniel Kemp
Joseph O’Conor
Stephen Kemp
Nigel Rathbone
Swan
Edwin Finn
Musky Mag
Mary Healey
Joe
Richard Ireson
Cripps
Dudley Jones
Dan Ogle
Neil McCarthy
Mrs Grimes
Queenie Watts
Viney
Tony Melody
Bill Stagg
Glenn Williams
Marr
Alan Collins
Kidd
Anthony Langdon
Sgt. Beale
Richard Grant