As Time Goes By
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"As Time Goes By" is a song written by Herman Hupfeld for the 1931 Broadway musical Everybody's Welcome, made famous by its inclusion in the film Casablanca. A snippet of the song is currently included in the opening logo sequence of Warner Bros. films.
As Time Goes By is a British comedy TV series that aired from 1992 to 2002; it used the song "As Time Goes By" as its theme. It was set in London's Holland Park, and occasionally in the British countryside (notably Hampshire), Paris, Los Angeles and Norwich. As Time Goes By was written by Bob Larbey and produced and directed by Sydney Lotterby. The theme song version was sung by Joe Fagin.
The main plot of the show follows a couple, accidentally separated for 38 years, who are brought back together again by chance. As a young man Lt. Lionel Hardcastle (played by Geoffrey Palmer) was sent to Korea in 1953 leaving behind Nurse Jean Pargetter (Judi Dench). He wrote her a letter which was lost in the postal system and never delivered (thus giving her no way to contact him). Having lost touch, they went their separate ways for nearly four decades — Jean married David, but he died and Lionel married Margaret, but they divorced. In 1992, when Lionel needs a secretary to assist in writing his book My Life in Kenya, he happens to choose a firm operated by Jean.
Judy (Moira Brooker), Jean's daughter, takes an interest in Lionel. Meanwhile, Lionel's young publisher Alistair (Philip Bretherton) takes an interest in Jean. These interests fade as Lionel and Jean fall in love with each other again. Sandy (Jenny Funnell), Jean's best secretary, began as a supporting character, but when she leaves her boyfriend and moves in with Judy, Jean, and Lionel, she became an integral part of the ensemble. In addition to following Jean and Lionel's relationship, the show often features the development of Lionel's book, the later development of a mini-series, the relationships of Judy and Sandy, and the peculiarities of Jean and Lionel's relatives.
Other notable characters:
- Penny (Moyra Fraser), Jean's sister-in-law, and her husband Stephen (Paul Chapman)
- Rocky Hardcastle (Frank Middlemass), Lionel's father, and his second wife, Madge (Joan Sims)
- Mrs Bale (Janet Henfrey), Rocky and Madge's (and later Lionel and Jean's) housekeeper/cook/major domo
Nine series with a total of 64 episodes were produced. The regular run for the show was completed with an hour-long final episode in 2002. Years later, two As Time Goes By specials were taped to be aired in late 2005. Broadcasts on PBS have made As Time Goes By popular in the United States as well. The entire series is available on Region 2 DVD, while the first seven series runs are available on Region 1 DVD, with the final two to be released later in the year.
External link
- As Time Goes By Fansite (http://atgbcentral.com/)