Connie (television programme)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Connie is a 1985 British television drama series. Made for ITV by Central Television, it starred Stephanie Beacham in the title role. 13 episodes were made and shown throughout the summer of 1985. Intended to be a soap opera type drama set in the fashion industry in the Midlands, it was a more modest and relatively low key affair in comparison to the high glamour of its nearest American contemporary "Paper Dolls".

Written by Ron Hutchinson as a dry commentary on Thatcherite values in the 1980s, the series tells the story of a woman returning to the UK from Greece after years in self-imposed exile. Determined to claw back control of her fashion house that was stolen by her stepsister in her absence, and which is now haemorrhaging money, Connie is determined to make a success of the business.

The series is chiefly memorable for the high octane performance of Stephanie Beacham as the eponymous Connie, chewing the scenery and snarling her way through such metaphorical (and campy) 80s big business dialogue such as "My spoon is going into the gravy, my snout is going into the trough."

It was largely on the strength of Connie that Beacham won the role of Sable in The Colbys, the spin-off series from the American supersoap Dynasty which led to a subsequent high profile career in American television.

Other notable cast members in the series included Pam Ferris as Connie's villainous stepsister Nesta, George Costigan as Arnie, Richard Morant as Jamieson, Brenda Bruce as Bea and Paul Rogers as "Hot Pants" Hector (Connie's father).

The theme song entitled "The Show" which made it to the top thirty in the UK pop charts in 1985, was written by Willy Russell and performed by Rebecca Storm.

[edit] External links