The Mallens should have been drowned at birth, not made into two long series by Granada.
Based on Catherine Cookson’s bodice-ripper, this poor man’s Wuthering Heights portrayed life in High Banks Hall where an oversexed Victorian tyrant (John Hallam) had illegitimate children sprinkled all over the moors, a ruthless streak in his heart – and a white streak in his hair.
Hallam played the wicked hard-drinking Squire Thomas Mallen who raped and pillaged his way across the 19th-century Northumbrian moors, leaving a string of babies with the same white-streaked quiff (The ruthless squire’s distinguishing white streak through his black hair made him resemble a human badger).
When Mallen eventually went bankrupt he moved in with his nieces and promptly raped one of them, who got pregnant and died. In the end, realising his wickedness, he committed suicide.
A second series followed focusing on Mallen’s deaf illegitimate daughter Barbara (Juliet Stevenson), who had a doomed romance with Michael Radlet (Gerry Sundquist) – the illegitimate son of her ruthless half-brother Dick (David Rintoul).
Tragically Gerry Sundquist committed suicide in 1993, aged only 37.
Although set in Hexham, Northumberland, the series was filmed in and around the hamlet of Thorpe in Dovedale, Derbyshire, with Ilam Hall deputising as Mallens stately home, High Banks Hall.
Thomas Mallen
John Hallam Barbara Mallen
Juliet Stevenson Michael Radlet
Gerry Sundquist Donald Radlet
John Duttine Dick Mallen
David Rintoul Barbara Farrington
Pippa Guard Anna Brigmore
Caroline Blakiston Mary Peel
Mary Healey Jane Radlet
Gillian Lewis Harry Bensham
Matthew Long Matthew Radlet
Ian Saynor Constance Radlet (Farrington)
Julia Chambers Michael Radlet Sr.
John Southworth John Bensham
Neil Dickson Jim Waite
Jeremy Clay Sarah Waite
Julie Shipley Dan Bensham
Michael Thomas Kate Bensham
Victoria Williams Taggert
Dick Irwin Mathilda Bensham
Anne Reid Aggie Moorhead
Polly Hemingway Patrick Ferrier
Michael Elwyn Dunn
Geoffrey Wilkinson Waite
David Howey Cotton
Phil Corke Lennox
Richard Harradine Weir
Anthony Head Stevens
Michael Johnson Jenny Pearson
Caroline Goodman
Thomas Mallen
