Billed as the Welsh answer to Coronation Street and debuting on 24 September 1981, this 26-part soap from HTV told tales of the everyday lives and loves of the residents of the (fictional) South Wales mining village of Taff Acre – population 6,000.
The majority of episodes revolved around the turbulent Johnson family headed by father Max (former Please Sir! star Richard Davies), who was unemployed and finding it hard to get used to the fact that his wife, Beth (Rhoda Lewis), was now the breadwinner. Their son Gareth (Dewi Morris) was a PE teacher with a pushy wife, Cilla (Beth Morris).
Daughter Sian (Sue Jones-Davis) lived at home but worked as a nurse in Cardiff, where she led a double life.
Their youngest son Wayne (Steve Davis), was a problem boy with the added distinction of having been made redundant at 17.
Episodes aired on Wednesdays and Fridays at 6.30 pm on HTV Wales and Thursdays and Fridays at 1.30 pm on ITV throughout the rest of Britain.
Actor Michael Povey devised the series – recorded on OB tape at Llantrisant near Cardiff – and wrote 16 of the episodes. Seven episodes were written by Herbert Williams, with series producer Alan Clayton contributing three. The director was Sian Humphreys.
Max Johnson
Richard Davies Beth Johnson
Rhoda Lewis Sian Johnson
Sue Jones-Davies Gareth Johnson
Dewi Morris Cilla Johnson
Beth Morris Wayne Johnson
Steve Davis Jan Evans
Myfanwy Talog Harry Mainwaring
Ioan Meredith Danny Evans
Robert Blythe Dilys Mainwaring
Christine Pritchard Linda Beck
Eluned Jones Marilyn Beck
Louise Jervis Judy Morris
Sian Smith Johnny Owen
Dafydd Hywel Yvonne Jenkins
Gillian Elisa
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Daughter Sian (Sue Jones-Davis) lived at home but worked as a nurse in Cardiff, where she led a double life.
