Missing Believed Killed

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“The Hero's Farewell”
'Upstairs, Downstairs' episode

James
Episode no. Season 4
Episode 11
Written by Jeremy Paul
Directed by Christopher Hodson
Production no. 11
Original airdate 23 November 1974
Episode chronology
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"The Hero's Farewell" "Facing Fearful Odds"
List of Upstairs, Downstairs episodes

Missing Believed Killed is the eleventh episode of the fourth series of the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It first aired on 23 November 1974 on ITV.

Contents

[edit] Background

Missing Believed Killed was recorded in the studio on 22 and 23 August 1974. The outside scenes at the hospital were filmed at Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire on 13 August. Waddesdon Manor had also been used for the French château scenes in the earlier episode If You Were The Only Girl In The World. [1] In this episode, Gareth Hunt made a what was then one off appearance as James's batman Trooper Norton. However, he impressed the programme makers and was offered a regular part and in series five returned to become the footman.[1]

[edit] Cast

[edit] Plot

It is October 1917, and it has been a week since James was reported "missing believed killed" and his batman, Trooper Norton, delivers his belongings to Eaton Place. However, days later he turns up at Georgina's hospital in France. A piece of shell is removed from just above his right knee, which went slightly gangreneous and the shell also grazed his forehead. Richard and Hazel travel out to France and intend to bring him home with a private ambulance hired by Lady Southwold, Lady Marjorie's mother. Georgina thinks James will not survive the journey and argues with Hazel and Richard, but they take him back anyway.

Once back at Eaton, James has private nurse to look after him. One night he feels hungry, having previously lost his appetite, and a delighted Hazel and Mrs Bridges make him a snack. To thank the servants for their hard work and support, Hazel treats them and pays for them to go and see a George Rowby show. On his father's birthday James makes it to the Morning Room to surprise him.[2] He then tells his father about his ten days missing; a German officer was about to shoot him when he was injured in a shell hole, but for some unknown reason, he didn't, so James shot him. James also says that he felt his mother's presence while in the shell hole.

[edit] Reception

Shaun Usher, who had previously given good reviews for the episode News from the Front, also reviewed this episode in The Daily Mail. His review was headed "Alas old friend, is it time to say farewell", and he said that Upstairs, Downstairs was "losing its grip". Usher said that it was becoming "victim to the television disease - familiarity" and criticised for "raising comic echoes".[1]

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c Marson, Richard. "Inside UpDown - The Story of Upstairs, Downstairs", Kaleidoscope Publishing, 2005. 
  2. ^ Later episodes set Missing Believed Killed in October 1917. However, in Mr Bellamy's Story, a book that accompanied the series, it is stated that Richard was born in August 1853, which would conflict with Richard celebrating his birthday in this episode.

[edit] References