List of Upstairs, Downstairs episodes

Upstairs Downstairs.png

Upstairs, Downstairs is a British television drama series created by Jean Marsh and Eileen Atkins, and developed by Alfred Shaughnessy for London Weekend Television. The series consists of 68 hour-long episodes that aired in the United Kingdom on ITV from 1971 to 1975, in Ireland on RTÉ from 1972 to 1976 and in the United States as part of Masterpiece Theatre on PBS from 1974 to 1977. It was eventually broadcast in over 70 countries to an audience of over one billion viewers.

The series is set during the period 1903–1930 and takes place largely in the London town house of the Bellamy family. The "upstairs" and "downstairs" of the title refers to, respectively, the Bellamys and their servants. The first season introduced David Langton as Richard Bellamy, Rachel Gurney as his wife, Marjorie, Nicola Pagett as their daughter, Elizabeth, and Simon Williams as their son, James. The household servants were Gordon Jackson as Angus Hudson (the butler), Angela Baddeley as Mrs Bridges (the cook), Jean Marsh as Rose Buck (the head maid), Pauline Collins as Sarah Moffat (maid), Patsy Smart as Maude Roberts (Lady Marjorie Bellamy's personal maid), Christopher Beeny as Edward (first servant), and George Innes as Alfred (the footman). In the second series Jenny Tomasin was introduced as Ruby (a kitchen/scullery maid) and George Innes was replaced by John Alderton as Thomas Watkins. Alderton and Pauline Collins later played their characters in a spin-off series, Thomas and Sarah.

Rachel Gurney and Nicola Pagett both left the show after the second series. The third series introduced Meg Wynn Owen as Hazel Forrest, Lesley-Anne Down as Georgina Worsley (Richard Bellamy's "niece" – the stepdaughter of Lady Marjorie's late brother Hugo), and Jacqueline Tong as Daisy Peel (another maid). Owen was dropped from the cast after the fourth series and replaced in the fifth by Hannah Gordon as Virginia Hamilton, who becomes Richard Bellamy's second wife. Anthony Andrews also became a regular in the fifth series in the role of Lord Robert Stockbridge, as did Karen Dotrice as Lily Hawkins, another maid in the Bellamy household.

During its run Upstairs, Downstairs won two BAFTA Awards, seven Emmys, and a Peabody and Golden Globe Award. The complete series has been released on DVD in regions one, two, and four.

Series overview

SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
11310 October 1971 (1971-10-10)20 March 1972 (1972-03-20)
21321 October 1972 (1972-10-21)19 January 1973 (1973-01-19)
31327 October 1973 (1973-10-27)19 January 1974 (1974-01-19)
41314 September 1974 (1974-09-14)7 December 1974 (1974-12-07)
5167 September 1975 (1975-09-07)21 December 1975 (1975-12-21)

Episodes

A total of 68 hour-long episodes were produced and broadcast during the original run of Upstairs, Downstairs. They are listed in order of their original airing in the UK.

Series 1 (1971–72)

The first series is set from November 1903 to June 1908 and consists of 13 episodes that aired in two separate sections (October–November 1971 and January–March 1972). For this series the show won the BAFTA for Best Drama.

The first six episodes were made in black and white due to a strike at the ITV companies. When colour facilities became available again midway through production of the series, London Weekend Television remade the first episode in colour at the end of the first series block, thus making the series more marketable for overseas broadcasts. The original black-and-white version was subsequently destroyed. Two colour versions of the episode were edited, with the episode intended for overseas broadcast showing Sarah (Pauline Collins) leaving Eaton Place (as she does in "Board Wages") to maintain the series' continuity with the black-and-white episodes omitted.

For original showings in the United States three episodes from the first British series and ten from the second were merged into a single season of 13 episodes. The unused episodes from these two series were eventually shown in 1989 under the banner "The Missing Episodes".

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"On Trial"Raymond MenmuirFay Weldon10 October 1971 (1971-10-10)
22"The Mistress and the Maids"Derek BennettAlfred Shaughnessy17 October 1971 (1971-10-17)
33"Board Wages"Derek BennettTerence Brady & Charlotte Bingham24 October 1971 (1971-10-24)
44"The Path of Duty"Joan Kemp-WelchJohn Harrison31 October 1971 (1971-10-31)
55"A Suitable Marriage"Joan Kemp-WelchJeremy Paul7 November 1971 (1971-11-07)
66"A Cry for Help"Derek BennettJulian Bond14 November 1971 (1971-11-14)
77"Magic Casements"Joan Kemp-WelchJohn Hawkesworth23 January 1972 (1972-01-23)
88"I Dies from Love"Raymond MenmuirTerence Brady & Charlotte Bingham30 January 1972 (1972-01-30)
99"Why Is Her Door Locked?"Brian ParkerAlfred Shaughnessy6 February 1972 (1972-02-06)
1010"A Voice from the Past"Raymond MenmuirJeremy Paul13 February 1972 (1972-02-13)
1111"The Swedish Tiger"Brian ParkerRaymond Bowers20 February 1972 (1972-02-20)
1212"The Key of the Door"Raymond MenmuirJohn Hawkesworth & Alfred Shaughnessy27 February 1972 (1972-02-27)
1313"For Love of Love"Herbert WiseRosemary Anne Sisson20 March 1972 (1972-03-20)

Series 2 (1972–73)

For its second series Upstairs, Downstairs is set from 1908 to 1910. As with the first series a total of 13 episodes were produced. This time all were made in colour. As mentioned above, the first season broadcast in the United States was a conglomeration of three and ten episodes from, respectively, the first and second British series. For its first American season, Upstairs, Downstairs won the 1974 Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series while Jean Marsh was nominated for an Emmy as Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
141"The New Man"Raymond MenmuirRosemary Anne Sisson21 October 1972 (1972-10-21)
152"A Pair of Exiles"Cyril CokeAlfred Shaughnessy28 October 1972 (1972-10-28)
163"Married Love"Raymond MenmuirJohn Harrison4 November 1972 (1972-11-04)
174"Whom God Hath Joined..."Bill BainJeremy Paul10 November 1972 (1972-11-10)
185"Guest of Honour"Bill BainAlfred Shaughnessy17 November 1972 (1972-11-17)
196"The Property of a Lady"Derek BennettAlfred Shaughnessy24 November 1972 (1972-11-24)
207"Your Obedient Servant"Derek BennettFay Weldon1 December 1972 (1972-12-01)
218"Out of the Everywhere"Christopher HodsonTerence Brady & Charlotte Bingham8 December 1972 (1972-12-08)
229"An Object of Value"Raymond MenmuirJeremy Paul15 December 1972 (1972-12-15)
2310"A Special Mischief"Raymond MenmuirAnthony Skene29 December 1972 (1972-12-29)
2411"The Fruits of Love"Christopher HodsonJohn Hawkesworth5 January 1973 (1973-01-05)
2512"The Wages of Sin"Christopher HodsonAnthony Skene12 January 1973 (1973-01-12)
2613"A Family Gathering"Raymond MenmuirAlfred Shaughnessy19 January 1973 (1973-01-19)

Series 3 (1973–74)

The third series is set in the pre-World War I era of 1912–1914 and consists of 13 colour episodes. For this series Upstairs, Downstairs won the BAFTA for Best Drama Series and the Emmy and Golden Globe Awards for Outstanding Drama Series. Jean Marsh won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a drama. Angela Baddeley was nominated for Emmy for the Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress.

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
271"Miss Forrest"Bill BainAlfred Shaughnessy27 October 1973 (1973-10-27)
282"A House Divided"Christopher HodsonRosemary Anne Sisson3 November 1973 (1973-11-03)
293"A Change of Scene"Bill BainRosemary Anne Sisson10 November 1973 (1973-11-10)
304"A Family Secret"Derek BennettAlfred Shaughnessy17 November 1973 (1973-11-17)
315"Rose's Pigeon"Bill BainJeremy Paul24 November 1973 (1973-11-24)
326"Desirous of Change"Lionel HarrisFay Weldon1 December 1973 (1973-12-01)
337"Word of Honour"Christopher HodsonAnthony Skene8 December 1973 (1973-12-08)
348"The Bolter"Cyril CokeJohn Hawkesworth15 December 1973 (1973-12-15)
359"Goodwill to All Men"Christopher HodsonAlfred Shaughnessy & Deborah Mortimer22 December 1973 (1973-12-22)
3610"What the Footman Saw"Cyril CokeJeremy Paul29 December 1973 (1973-12-29)
3711"A Perfect Stranger"Christopher HodsonJeremy Paul5 January 1974 (1974-01-05)
3812"Distant Thunder"Bill BainAlfred Shaughnessy12 January 1974 (1974-01-12)
3913"The Sudden Storm"Bill BainJohn Hawkesworth19 January 1974 (1974-01-19)

Series 4 (1974)

Series Four of Upstairs, Downstairs is set during the period of World War I (1914–1918) and consists of 13 colour episodes. This series won an Emmy for Outstanding Limited Series, and Gordon Jackson won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. Jean Marsh, Angela Baddeley and Christopher Hodson received Emmy nominations for, respectively, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress, and Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series.

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
401"A Patriotic Offering"Derek BennettRosemary Anne Sisson14 September 1974 (1974-09-14)
412"News from the Front"Derek BennettJohn Hawkesworth21 September 1974 (1974-09-21)
423"The Beastly Hun"Bill BainJeremy Paul28 September 1974 (1974-09-28)
434"Women Shall Not Weep"Christopher HodsonAlfred Shaughnessy5 October 1974 (1974-10-05)
445"Tug of War"Derek BennettRosemary Anne Sisson12 October 1974 (1974-10-12)
456"Home Fires"Bill BainJeremy Paul19 October 1974 (1974-10-19)
467"If You Were the Only Girl in the World"Raymond MenmuirJohn Hawkesworth26 October 1974 (1974-10-26)
478"The Glorious Dead"Raymond MenmuirAlfred Shaughnessy & Elizabeth Jane Howard2 November 1974 (1974-11-02)
489"Another Year"Cyril CokeAlfred Shaughnessy9 November 1974 (1974-11-09)
4910"The Hero's Farewell"Bill BainRosemary Anne Sisson16 November 1974 (1974-11-16)
5011"Missing Believed Killed"Christopher HodsonJeremy Paul23 November 1974 (1974-11-23)
5112"Facing Fearful Odds"Raymond MenmuirJohn Hawkesworth30 November 1974 (1974-11-30)
5213"Peace out of Pain"Christopher HodsonAlfred Shaughnessy7 December 1974 (1974-12-07)

Series 5 (1975)

The final series is set in the post-war period of 1919–1930 and consists of 16 colour episodes. Once again Upstairs, Downstairs won an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series while Jacqueline Tong received a nomination for Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. The series also received a Peabody Award for this season.

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
531"On With the Dance"Bill BainAlfred Shaughnessy7 September 1975 (1975-09-07)
542"A Place in the World"Christopher HodsonJeremy Paul14 September 1975 (1975-09-14)
553"Laugh a Little Louder Please"Derek BennettRosemary Anne Sisson21 September 1975 (1975-09-21)
564"The Joy Ride"Bill BainAlfred Shaughnessy28 September 1975 (1975-09-28)
575"Wanted - A Good Home"Christopher HodsonJohn Hawkesworth5 October 1975 (1975-10-05)
586"An Old Flame"Derek BennettJohn Hawkesworth12 October 1975 (1975-10-12)
597"Disillusion"Bill BainAlfred Shaughnessy19 October 1975 (1975-10-19)
608"Such a Lovely Man"Christopher HodsonRosemary Anne Sisson26 October 1975 (1975-10-26)
619"The Nine Days Wonder"Simon LangtonJeremy Paul2 November 1975 (1975-11-02)
6210"The Understudy"James OrmerodJeremy Paul9 November 1975 (1975-11-09)
6311"Alberto"Christopher HodsonAlfred Shaughnessy16 November 1975 (1975-11-16)
6412"Will Ye No Come Back Again"Bill BainRosemary Anne Sisson23 November 1975 (1975-11-23)
6513"Joke Over"Bill BainRosemary Anne Sisson30 November 1975 (1975-11-30)
6614"Noblesse Oblige"Cyril CokeJohn Hawkesworth7 December 1975 (1975-12-07)
6715"All the King's Horses"Simon LangtonJeremy Paul14 December 1975 (1975-12-14)
6816"Whither Shall I Wander?"Bill BainJohn Hawkesworth21 December 1975 (1975-12-21)

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