1 9 8 0 (UK)
13 x 60 minute episodes
A 13-part anthology of spine-shiverers produced for ITV by cult horror flick company, Hammer Films.
Those taking the helm included such Hammer veteran directors as Don Sharp – maker of the classic The Brides of Fu Manchu – and Peter Sasdy.
Production of the series was quick – the scripts were written in a shorter time than was desirable and each of the 13 episodes was shot in two weeks, totalling approximately six months filming.
Some of this took place in the grounds of Hampden House itself (Hammer’s new headquarters in Buckinghamshire), much of the rest of it was done in the local area, in particular, the nearby church and the village of Great Missenden.
Subject matter covered all the usual suspects – voodoo, cannibalism, witchcraft, devil worship, werewolves, body snatchers – with the overall result being decently shocking.
A follow-on collection of Hitchcock-style thrillers appeared in 1984 as Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense.
WITCHING TIME
Starred Jon Finch as soundtrack composer David Winter getting all hot under the collar for Lucinda, a 17th-century lusty witch played by Patricia Quinn (Magenta of Rocky Horror fame – In the nude no less).
David Winter
Jon Finch
Mary Winter
Prunella Gee
Lucinda Jessop
Patricia Quinn
Charles
Ian McCulloch
Rector
Lennard Pearce
Sister
Margaret Anderson
THE 13TH REUNION
Starred Kevin Stoney and was set in a ‘health clinic’.
Ruth
Julia Foster
Gwen Cox
Dinah Sheridan
Rothwell
Kevin Stoney
Andrew
Gerrard Kelly
Sir Humphrey Chesterton
Richard Pearson
Ben Faraday
Warren Clarke
Basil
George Innes
Cedric
Norman Bird
RUDE AWAKENING
Denholm Elliot is an estate agent slowly being driven mad by dreams and supernatural happenings which he believes are in his imagination but are actually being engineered by his secretary and her boyfriend.
Features some rather grisly deaths – “you shouldn’t have done it, Mr Shenley”.
Norman Shenley
Denholm Elliot
Lolly
Lucy Gutteridge
Mr Rayburn
James Laurenson
Emily Shenley
Pat Heywood
Lady Strudwick
Eleanor Summerfield
Dr Melbury
Gareth Armstrong
GROWING PAINS
A scientist’s son eats some of his scientist fathers new rabbit food supplement. The rest of the plot was about revenge from beyond the dead by the boy. With Barbara Kellerman.
Laurie Morton
Barbara Kellerman
Terence Morton
Gary Bond
Mr Ngenko
Norman Beaton
Charles Austin
Tariq Yunus
James
Matthew Blakstad
William
Christopher Reilly
Matron
Daphne Anderson
Mechanic
Michael Hughes
Nurse
Karin Scott
Grave Digger
Geoffrey Beevers
THE HOUSE THAT BLED TO DEATH
Starred Brian Croucher from Blakes 7. A cat gets sliced up.
William Peters
Nicholas Ball
Emma Peters
Rachael Davis
Sophie Peters
Emma Ridley
Jean Evans
Pat Maynard
George Evans
Brian Croucher
A. J. Powers
Milton Johns
CHARLIE BOY
Sarah (Angela Bruce) has a carved figure from Africa she calls Charlie Boy. But the statue is more than a wooden statue with a funny face.
Features a cameo role from Janet Fielding (Tegan in Doctor Who).
Graham
Leigh Lawson
Sarah
Angela Bruce
Heinz
Marius Goring
Gwen
Frances Cuka
Mark
Michael Culver
Phil
Michael Deeks
Peter
David Healey
Franks
Jeff Rawle
Secretary
Janet Clare Fielding
Armourer
Michael Stock
THE SILENT SCREAM
One of the best-remembered Hammer productions starred Peter Cushing as the man with a pet shop and a little steel-walled room where he had a woman trapped. Also with Brian Cox.
Martin Blueck
Peter Cushing
Chuck Spillers
Brian Cox
Annie Spillers
Elaine Donnelly
Detective Inspector Aldridge
Anthony Carrick
CHILDREN OF THE FULL MOON
Featured Diana Dors and Christopher Cazenove in a tale about werewolves.
Mrs Ardoy
Diana Dors
Tom Martin
Christopher Cazenove
Sarah Martin
Celia Gregory
Harry
Robert Urquhart
Woodcutter
Jacob Witkin
Tibor
Adrian Mann
Sophy
Victoria Wood
Eloise
Sophie Kind
Irenya
Natalie Payne
Andreas
Daniel Kipling
CARPATHIAN EAGLE
The tale of a beautiful countess from Carpathia whose pet eagle tore out her lovers’ hearts. Just an ancient myth? or is it?
Featured Suzanne Danielle and Sian Phillips, along with a then-unknown Pierce Brosnan (pictured above with Suzanne Danielle) credited as ‘Last Victim’.
Natalie
Suzanne Danielle
Inspector Clifford
Anthony Valentine
Mrs Henska
Sian Phillips
Tony
Barry Stanton
Tadek
Jonathan Kent
Andy
Matthew Long
Bacharach
Gary Waldhorn
Edgar
Jeffrey Wickham
GUARDIAN OF THE ABYSS
For centuries, evil men and women have tried to raise the archdemon Choronzon, Guardian of the Abyss. Many have died in the attempt. Others have lost their reason.
Then a chance purchase by antique dealer Michael Roberts (Ray Lonnen) brings him into terrifying contact with the Unknown.
Starred the posh woman from C.A.T.S Eyes (Rosalyn Landor) and Paul Darrow (Blakes 7).
Michael Roberts
Ray Lonnen
Allison
Rosalyn Landor
Charles Randolph
John Carson
Simon Andrews
Paul Darrow
Tina
Caroline Langrishe
Laura
Barbara Ewing
A VISITOR FROM THE GRAVE
Starred Simon McCorkindale and Gareth Thomas.
Penny
Kathryn Leigh Scott
Harry
Simon MacCorkindale
Margaret
Mia Nadasi
Charles Willoughby
Stanley Lebor
Richard/Gupta
Gareth Thomas
TWO FACES OF EVIL
A family’s car crashes after they pick up a hitchhiker in a yellow raincoat and he attacks the husband with a claw finger.
The husband returns home but seems to be a completely different person. He can’t talk and he rings a little bell for attention.
Janet
Anna Calder-Marshall
Martin
Gary Raymond
David
Paul Hawkins
Sister
Pauline Delany
Hargreaves
Philip Latham
Mrs Roberts
Jenny Laird
Mr Roberts
William Moore
Dr Cummings
Jeremy Longhurst
Nurse Davies
Brenda Cowling
PC Jenkins
Mike Savage
THE MARK OF SATAN
A man claiming to have been possessed by the devil dies trying to drill a hole into his head. Peter McEnery is the mortuary attendant.
Edwyn Rord
Peter McEnery
Stella
Georgina Hale
Dr Harris
Emrys James
Markham
Peter Birrel
Priest
Anthony Brown
Dr Manders
Conrad Phillips
Mrs Rord
Annie Dyson
Surgeon
Peter Cartwright
Sampson
James Duggan
Steve
Andrew Bradford
Pritchard
James Curran
