Barry (later Finbar) Lynch starred as Persse McGarrigle, a postgraduate student who embarks on a globetrotting romantic pursuit of his elusive contemporary Angela, set against a background of eccentric academics and farcical conferences, not to mention identical twins starring in “adult” films.
Though it was ostensibly a drama, Granada astutely lobbied for Small World to go out in the Sunday night slot more normally associated with unconventional comedy shows like Hot Metal and Spitting Image – in fact, it ended up being aired alongside episodes of peculiar American Spitting Image rip-off DC Follies.
The move paid off and word of mouth recommendations resulted in dramatically climbing viewing figures by the end of the run.
Small World boasted extensive location filming and a heavyweight cast that included Sheila Gish, Stephen Moore, Rachel Kempson, Charles Gray, Frederick Jaeger, Peter Cellier and most impressively John Ratzenberger, better known as Cliff Clavin in Cheers.
Persse McGarrigle
Barry (Finbar) Lynch Morris Zapp
John Ratzenberger Philip Swallow
Stephen Moore Miss Maiden
Rachel Kempson Hilary Swallow
Sarah Badel Lily
Leonie Mellinger Fulvia Morgana
Sheila Gish Jacques Textel
Anthony Newlands Michel Tardieu
Marc de Jonge Rudyard Parkinson
Charles Gray Professor McCreedy
John Rogan Albert
David Milton-Jones Cheryl Summerbee
Julie Peasgood Seigfried von Turpitz
Frederick Jaeger Ronald Frobisher
Malcolm Storry Felix Skinner
Peter Cellier
Though it was ostensibly a drama, Granada astutely lobbied for Small World to go out in the Sunday night slot more normally associated with unconventional comedy shows like Hot Metal and Spitting Image – in fact, it ended up being aired alongside episodes of peculiar American Spitting Image rip-off DC Follies.
