Compact poster

Compact

★ 6.8 29 votes 1962–1965 1 seasons · 372 episodes Ended BBC One
Starring
Frances BennettRobert DesmondRonald AllenLouise DunnLawrence JamesCarmen Silvera
Written by
Hazel AdairPeter Ling
Starring
Frances BennettRobert DesmondRonald AllenLouise DunnLawrence JamesCarmen Silvera
Written by
Hazel AdairPeter Ling
Ratings per Episode
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Votes per Episode
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S1

About

Compact was a British television soap opera shown by the BBC between 1962 and 1965. The series was created by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling, who together went on to devise Crossroads. In contrast to the kitchen sink realism of Coronation Street, Compact was a distinctly middle-class serial, set in the more "sophisticated" arena of magazine publishing. An early "avarice" soap, it took the viewer into the business workplace, and aligned the professional lives of the characters with more personal storylines. The show was scheduled for broadcast on Tuesdays and Thursdays, thus avoiding a clash with ITV's Coronation Street on Mondays and Wednesdays. When Compact began, the editor was a woman, Joanne Minster, yet it was not long before she was replaced by Ian Harmon, the son of the magazine's owner. Despite being largely criticised by reviewers, Compact was popular with the general public, and in 1964 a regular omnibus edition was introduced, broadcast on Sundays. Morris Barry, a some-time actor and BBC director – he directed several Doctor Who stories in the 1960s – took over as producer and was given a brief to spice the series up in view of the criticism it had received from the national press. But the BBC, never comfortable with the concept of soap opera, quietly dropped the series in 1965.

All Seasons

Season 11962
0372
EpTitleRatingVotesRuntime
1The First Issue
2Advice to Readers
3Efficiency Expert
4Cover Photograph
5Tea Break
6Personal Problem
7The New Broom
8Sally Speaks Up
9Question of Identity
10Wedding Group
11Suspicion of Theft
12Happy Birthday
13Valentine's Day
14Testing Time
15Something to Celebrate
16Press Reception
17A True Story
18Circulation Figures
19News from New York
20A Breath of Air
21The Party
22After the Ball
23Shocks and Bruises
24Weekend
25Action Stations
26The Ideal Husband
27Future Plans
28Facing the Facts
29A Night Out
30Point of Departure
31Surprises by Post
32A Piece of Cake
33Pets Corner
34The Man for the Job
35Down the Hatch
36Stormy Weather
37Musical Evening
38Talent Contest
39Visiting Hours
40Mixed Receptions
41Home and Away
42Day of Frenzy
43Moment of Truth
44In a Spin
45The Big Chance
46Garden Party
47Happy Returns?
48Man and Wife
49Blackmail
50Take-Over Time
51The Proposal
52Faraway Places
53Barbecue
54A Day of Problems
55Comings and Goings
56Looking Ahead
57Weekend Plans
58Settlement Day
59Gone Astray
60Evening Date
61A Night Out
62Pay Off
63Moving Up
64Surprise Party
65Riding for a Fall
66Unguarded Moment
67Skin Deep
68The Contest
69Ebb and Flow
70Budget Leak
71Andiamo
72Out for the Count
73Finger of Suspicion
74Detective Work
75The Elopement
76Heartbeat
77The First Clue
78Trapped
79The Morning After
80Facing the Facts
81Heart to Heart
82Day of Revelations
83True to Type
84Where There's Smoke
85Burns and Shock
86Who's Who?
87Horoscope
88Point of Departure
89The Truth of the Matter
90A Case of Identity
91Questions and Answers
92French Leave
93Lost and Found
94Art and Craft
95The Best Laid Plans
96Profit and Loss
97Setting a Trap
98Sparks Flying
99The Bad Penny
100All That Jazz
101Five More Shopping Days
102Christmas Spirit
103Business as Usual
104Happy Birthday
105Merely Players
106Picture Page
107Research Pays Off
108Waiting for News
109Staff Changes
110The New Editor
111To See Ourselves
112Changing Step
113Military Honours
114Vital Talks
115The Man for the Job
116Black Ice
117The Magpie's Hoard
118The Thief
119United We Stand
120Shrove Tuesday
121Unofficial Strike
122Emergency
123Normal Working
124On the Edge
125Shock Tactics
126The Winner
127Chicken and Champagne
128The Highway Man
129A List of Names
130The Wrong Idea
131Fire and Water
132A Question of Age
133Tangled Web
134Little Boy Lost
135Sent to Coventry
136Money Trouble
137Mr. Bruce Remembers
138Echo from the Past
139The Puffing Doctor
140A Novel Situation
141Bitter Wine
142Moments of Truth
143The New Understanding
144I'll Be in Scotland Before Ye
145Auld Acquaintance
146Family Crisis
147The McDee in London
148A Day at the Seaside
149Run Away
150Truth Will Out
151Living in the Past
152Big Brother
153Out in Limbo
154A Case of Desperation
155Welcome Home
156Missing Facts
157Artist Unknown
158Back to Work
159Where Is the Skeleton?
160A Mystery Solved
161Highland Fling
162The Ultimatum
163Power Play
164The Reluctant Heroine
165Principles Won't Stop James
166Who Pays for Leadership?
167Because of Alan
168Stolen - One Cigarette Case, Gold
169Man Proposes
170Investigations Proceed
171A Shower of Confetti
172On the Run
173The Gamblers
174Lost, Stolen, or Strayed
175A Ring for Iris
176Faith and Begorra
177A Touch of the Blarney
178Surprise Packet
179The Sound of Fury
180Aftermath
181The Party Member
182The Mighty Fallen
183The Reception
184Alarms and Excursions
185Two Faced
186Stranded
187Two Lovely Black Eyes
188Chain of Events
189Night Call
190Dinner at Eight
191Marmot James Again
192Fireworks All Round
193Wine and a Weekend
194You Have Talent - We Want It
195They Fell Among Thieves
196The News Breaks
197Happy Birthday
198The Tax Man Cometh
199Bottled on the Premises
200Celebration
201Afterthoughts
202No Promises - I'll Take Cash
203Wait for the Bang
204The New Editor
205A Job for the Boy
206Dress Rehearsal
207On Stage
208Happy New Year
209Weekend Guest
210A Place of Your Own
211A Question of Morals
212The Enquiry
213The Opening
214Hand in Marriage
215The Best Policy
216One of Us Must Go
217Love You and Leave You
218Battle of the Sexes
219Unexpected Guests
220Mutual Understanding
221Surprises
222Walls Have Ears
223In the Air
224The Poison Spreads
225The Fatal Call
226An End and a Beginning
227The Night Visitors
228Plots and Plans
229Secrets and Lies
230The Ides of March
231False Evidence
232A Difficult Assignment
233The Eve of the Wedding
234Just Married - Good Luck
235Honeymoon and Holidays
236Rush Job
237Moment of Truth
238Hot and Cold
239Home and Away
240Ian in Danger
241Investigations
242Guilty Conscience
243To Be Delivered by Hand
244Business Not Blackmail
245A Ray of Hope
246Success Story
247Wine, Women, and Song
248Delicate Negotiations
249Parties and Quarrels
250Who Is Eddie Pritchard?
251Crossed Swords
252A Question of Loyalties
253Picture Clue
254To Catch a Thief
255Play on Crime
256The Unexpected
257Encounter
258The Verdict Was Guilty
259Emergency Call
260The Kiss of Life
261Have You Got Anything to Say?
262Hide and Seek
263Find the Lady
264Responsibilities
265Time of Trial
266A Boy Comes Home
267Old Friends and Familiar Faces
268The Offer
269The Dilemma
270The Bowler Hat Trick
271A Game of Consequences
272Model Mystery
273Unexpected Temperament
274Paradise - My Island Home
275Departures
276Backfire
277Business with Pleasure
278Treasure Hunt
279Many Questions
280Blow the Wind - Westerly
281Dear Mister Bruce
282Unconditional Surrender
283Best Laid Plans
284Credit Where Credit's Due
285The Warning
286Departure and Return
287Friends and Relations
288Goodbye Forever
289The Shadow of Danger
290Between Life and Death
291A Spy in the Camp
292Smugglers Gold
293Kooky Christening
294Moving On
295To the Rescue
296Over the Wall
297Mistaken Identity
298Home and Dry
299Maiden Voyage
300Tangled Web
301Secrets All Round
302Lost Property
303The Truth Will Out
304Weekend Plans
305Accident - Presumed Drowned
306On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!
307Seven More Shopping Days
308Change Partners
309Do Me a Favour!
310A Surprise for Christmas
311A Partridge in a Pear Tree
312Ring in the New
313Day of Deliverance
314Fare Thee Well, for I Must Leave Thee
315Discoveries of the Day
316Togetherness
317Troublemaker
318The Last Straw
319Heart to Heart
320Late Call
321A Marriage Has Been Arranged...
322Many a Slip
323Thunder on the Left
324Tell It Not in Faith
325A Family Affair
326Change of Plan
327Kidnapped
328It Happens to Other People
329Where There's Smoke
330Patience on a Monument
331Blow Hot, Blow Cold
332Change of Heart
333Food for Thought
334The End of a Song
335The Man from Paris
336The Wrong Set
337The Egret Sings
338A Cigarette That Bears a Lipstick's Trace
339The Last Act
340A Tangled Web
341Who's Who?
342Never Trust a Woman
343Travellers Return
344Gone Away
345Publish and Be Damned
346Action for Libel
347Testing Time
348Plots, Plans, and a Party
349True or False?
350Hide and Seek
351Wild Goose Chase
352High Court, Low Court
353Hostilities Called Off
354Best Laid Schemes
355Trouble Brewing
356Any Other Business?
357Time Flies
358Friends and Enemies
359Day of Decision
360Hidden Depths
361Appearances Can Be Deceptive
362The Truth Will Out
363The Off-White Elephant
364Winners and Losers
365Engagements at Sea
366Storm Warning
367Change of Plans
368Trouble Across the Water
369Destination - Paris
370Paris Is for Lovers
371If the Shoe Fits...
372Journey's End

Full Cast & Crew

Cast

Frances Bennett Mary Augusta 'Gussie' Beatty, Mary Augusta 'Gussie' Brown
Robert Desmond Adrian Coombs
Ronald Allen Ian Harmon
Louise Dunn Iris Alcott, Iris Millet
Lawrence James Doug Beatty, Jack Houghton
Carmen Silvera Camilla Hope
Basil Moss Alan Drew
Vincent Ball David Rome
Gareth Davies Mark Viccars
Betty Cooper Alison Morley, Alison, Alison Gray

Crew

Hazel Adair
Peter Ling

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