George Layton

Einstein's Big Idea

Over 100 years ago, Albert Einstein grappled with the implications of his revolutionary special theory of relativity and came to a startling conclusion: mass and energy are one, related by the formula E = mc2. In "Einstein's Big Idea," NOVA dramatizes the remarkable story behind this equation. E = mc2 was just one of several extraordinary breakthroughs that Einstein made in 1905, including the completion of his special theory of relativity, his identification of proof that atoms exist, and his explanation of the nature of light, which would win him the Nobel Prize in Physics. Among Einstein's ideas, E = mc2 is by far the most famous. Yet how many people know what it really means? In a thought-provoking and engrossing docudrama, NOVA illuminates this deceptively simple formula by unraveling the story of how it came to be.

Showdown at Spiggots Store

An entertaining short film about two women who are hitch-hiking with little to no luck until a kind truck driver helps them. The ride does not turn out to be as simple as it seemed.

Confessions of a Driving Instructor

Timothy Lea and his brother-in-law Sidney decide upon opening a driving school as their latest get-rich-quick scheme. Though he sincerely wants to teach, young Timmy finds that his female students are far more interested in keeping their eyes on him than on the road.

Shop Around

A comic drama about wise shopping. Following an argument with her boyfriend, Lynne goes put to buy a camera on her own and is soon pressured into signing a hire purchase agreement for an expensive camera. Her boyfriend Walter is aghast, but they are introduced to the magazine Which? and with sage advice put right their mistakes.

Twee handen op een buik

Carry On Behind

Professors Vooshka and Crump decide to visit an archaeological site to study the artifacts there. Lo and behold, it's right next to a caravan site where all manner of people are staying. With a randy Major owning the site, a snobbish mother, and the two professors' constant innuendos, the story ends with a sinking caravan site and a striptease performance as a replacement for the cabaret night.

Sling Your Hook

A group of coal miners from Nottingham go on their annual trip to Blackpool.

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush

Jamie McGregor is a virginal sixth-former in suburbia delivering groceries for the local supermarket, but he is more interested in other matters - Mary, Linda, Paula, and Caroline. He tries to seduce the girls of his dreams in the swinging sixties.

Einstein's Big Idea

Over 100 years ago, Albert Einstein grappled with the implications of his revolutionary special theory of relativity and came to a startling conclusion: mass and energy are one, related by the formula E = mc2. In "Einstein's Big Idea," NOVA dramatizes the remarkable story behind this equation. E = mc2 was just one of several extraordinary breakthroughs that Einstein made in 1905, including the completion of his special theory of relativity, his identification of proof that atoms exist, and his explanation of the nature of light, which would win him the Nobel Prize in Physics. Among Einstein's ideas, E = mc2 is by far the most famous. Yet how many people know what it really means? In a thought-provoking and engrossing docudrama, NOVA illuminates this deceptively simple formula by unraveling the story of how it came to be.

Showdown at Spiggots Store

An entertaining short film about two women who are hitch-hiking with little to no luck until a kind truck driver helps them. The ride does not turn out to be as simple as it seemed.

Confessions of a Driving Instructor

Timothy Lea and his brother-in-law Sidney decide upon opening a driving school as their latest get-rich-quick scheme. Though he sincerely wants to teach, young Timmy finds that his female students are far more interested in keeping their eyes on him than on the road.

Shop Around

A comic drama about wise shopping. Following an argument with her boyfriend, Lynne goes put to buy a camera on her own and is soon pressured into signing a hire purchase agreement for an expensive camera. Her boyfriend Walter is aghast, but they are introduced to the magazine Which? and with sage advice put right their mistakes.

Twee handen op een buik

Carry On Behind

Professors Vooshka and Crump decide to visit an archaeological site to study the artifacts there. Lo and behold, it's right next to a caravan site where all manner of people are staying. With a randy Major owning the site, a snobbish mother, and the two professors' constant innuendos, the story ends with a sinking caravan site and a striptease performance as a replacement for the cabaret night.

Sling Your Hook

A group of coal miners from Nottingham go on their annual trip to Blackpool.

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush

Jamie McGregor is a virginal sixth-former in suburbia delivering groceries for the local supermarket, but he is more interested in other matters - Mary, Linda, Paula, and Caroline. He tries to seduce the girls of his dreams in the swinging sixties.

Doctor Who: The Space Pirates

The TARDIS materialises in Earth's future on a space beacon just before it is attacked by pirates. The travellers find themselves trapped in a sealed section of the beacon. It is blown apart and flown to where the pirates will plunder it of the precious mineral argonite. They witness a conflict between the pirates and the Interstellar Space Corps, led by General Hermack and Major Warne. The ISC are convinced that the pirates' mastermind is an innocent yet eccentric space mining pioneer named Milo Clancey, while their true leader is a man named Caven. Caven has a secret base on the planet Ta. He is assisted by Madeleine Issigri, daughter of Clancey's ex-partner Dom, who - unknown to her - is now his captive. When Madeleine discovers Caven's full treachery, she helps to bring him to justice. The time travellers are given a lift back to the TARDIS by Clancey in his rickety old ship, the LIZ 79.

Don't Go Breaking My Heart

Well meaning friends try to persuade Suzanne, a beautiful widow, to remarry and the choice seems to be between Frank, a philandering dentist, and Tony, a sensitive, failing sports trainer who helps her son.

Lay Down Your Arms

Dennis Potter used his own background as a Russian language clerk in the War Office when writing this play for ITV's SATURDAY NIGHT THEATRE series. At the time of the 1956 Suez Crisis and the Russian invasion of Hungary, Private Bob Hawk reports to the London Intelligence Office where the strength of Soviet troops is under scrutiny.

Stand up, Virgin Soldiers

Some British soldiers in Singapore are more concerned with finding sex than finding Communists.

Doctor Who

The adventures of The Doctor, a time-traveling humanoid alien known as a Time Lord. He explores the universe in his TARDIS, a sentient time-traveling spaceship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, The Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilizations, help ordinary people, and right many wrongs.

Z-Cars

Z-Cars or Z Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978.

Minder

Roguish comedy drama following the misadventures of small-time crook Arthur Daley.

Heartbeat

Set during the 1960s in the fictional North Yorkshire village of Aidensfield, this enduringly popular series interweaves crime and medical storylines.

Theatre 625

Theatre 625 is a British television drama anthology series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC2 from 1964 to 1968. It was one of the first regular programmes in the line-up of the channel, and the title referred to its production and transmission being in the higher-definition 625-line format, which only BBC2 used at the time.

Thirty-Minute Theatre

An anthology of short plays shown on BBC Television between 1965 and 1973, used in part at least as a training ground for new writers, on account of its short length, and which therefore attracted many writers who later became well known.

The Sweeney

Jack Regan, an unethical officer of the Flying Squad, uses unorthodox methods to pursue criminals with the help of his partner, George Carter.

The Wednesday Play

An anthology series of television plays which aired on BBC1 from October 1964 to May 1970. The plays were usually written for television, although adaptations from other sources also featured.

That's Life!

A magazine-style television series on BBC1 which was broadcast from May 1973 to June 1994, presented by Esther Rantzen, with various changes of co-presenters. The show presented hard-hitting investigations alongside satire and occasional light entertainment.

Dixon of Dock Green

Dixon of Dock Green was a BBC television series following the activities of police officers at a fictional Metropolitan Police station in the East End of London from 1955 to 1976. Some episodes were later remade as a BBC radio series in 2005 and 2006.

Vicious

Freddie and Stuart are an old couple who have been together for decades and bicker constantly. Their lives are turned upside down by their new upstairs neighbor Ash, who is sure to cause trouble in their mundane lives.

The Kenny Everett Television Show

Sketch comedy show starring Kenny Everett.

Romany Jones

Romany Jones is a British sitcom created and written by Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe for LWT. Broadcast between 1973 and 1975, the programme follows the comic misadventures of two layabout families living on a caravan site. Originally designed as a starring vehicle for James Beck (Dad's Army), the 1972 pilot and 1973 first series centred on Bert and Betty Jones (Jo Rowbottom), newlywed after seven years, who spend their wedding night in their rickety caravan, natural to Bert but distinctly alien to Betty, born and bred in Streatham. Most of the humour focused on life in theirs and a neighbouring caravan housing Lily and Wally Briggs (Queenie Watts and Arthur Mullard, although Arthur English was cast in the pilot). Following Beck's death after completion on the second series, Bert and Betty were written out, and replaced with a city gentleman and his debutante wife, both of whom remain blissfully oblivious to the Briggs' antics.

Nearest and Dearest

Nearest and Dearest is a British television sitcom that ran from 1968 to 1973. A total of 46 episodes were made, 18 in monochrome and 28 in colour. The series, produced by Granada Television for ITV, was set in Colne, Lancashire, in the North West of England. Nellie and Eli Pledge may be siblings, but their personalities are polar opposites. If not for inheritance, they would never even think of becoming business partners for five years.

Me & My Girl

While running the advertising agency Eyecatchers, Simon Harrap explores his relationships with his daughter Samantha, his business partner Derek Yates, and a string of romantic liaisons. His mother-in-law, Nell, often interferes in his attempts to raise Samantha on his own, but usually haa her granddaughter's best interests at heart.

Cluedo

Cluedo was a UK television game show based on the board game of the same name. Each week, a reenactment of the murder at the stately home Arlington Grange of a visiting guest was played and, through a combination of interrogating the suspects and deduction, celebrity guests had to discover who committed the murder, which of six weapons and in which room it was committed, whilst viewers were invited to play along at home.

Robin's Nest

Robin's Nest is a British sitcom, a spin-off from Man About the House, focusing on Richard O'Sullivan as Robin Tripp. It aired for six series from 11 January 1977 to 31 March 1981, and co-starred Tessa Wyatt as Robin's girlfriend – and later wife – Vicky, and Tony Britton as her father.

Cilla

A mostly live weekly entertainment show starring Cilla Black and her special guests.

Doctor at Large

Doctor at Large is a British television comedy series based on a set of books by Richard Gordon about the misadventures of a group of newly qualified doctors. The series follows directly from its predecessor Doctor in the House, and was produced by London Weekend Television in 1971. Writers for the Doctor at Large episodes were Bill Oddie, Graeme Garden, John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Bernard McKenna, Geoff Rowley, Andy Baker, Jonathan Lynn and David Yallop, as well as George Layton.

Don't Wait Up

Doctor Tom Latimer splits from his wife Helen. Simultaneously, his father Toby, also a doctor, announces his intention to divorce his wife of 32 years, Angela. Father and son move in together and frequently quarrel about politics and medical practices, Toby being more of a 'Harley Street' type and well to the right of the more liberal Tom. The latter tries to get his parents back together, while beginning a romance with Toby's secretary Madeleine, whom he later marries.

It Ain't Half Hot Mum

In 1945, during the final months of the Second World War, a group of soldiers perform for the Royal Artillery concert party, with comic acts and musical numbers for others prior to their departure for the frontlines. The party avoids partaking in combat duty; thus, the soldiers love being part of the outfit. Some even daydream of becoming world-famous actors when they leave the army.

The Likely Lads

Terry Collier and Bob Ferris are good friends. Terry was working class and secure in his life, whereas Bob was more aspirational, determined to work his way to a better place. Both viewed the others' worldview with disdain, but they were united by events, generally revolving around the pursuit of women. Although 20 total episodes were filmed, only 10 are currently known to survive. There is one missing from the first season, three from the second, and six from the final run.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's non-Sherlock Holmes stories embodying the author's interest in boxing, the supernatural, and medical matters.

Sunburn

Sunburn is a British television series that followed the lives of a group of British holiday reps. It was broadcast on BBC One between 16 January 1999 and 1 May 2000, running for two series of six and eight episodes respectively. The first was set and filmed in Cyprus and the second in Algarve. The cast included Michelle Collins, Rebecca Callard, Sharon Small, George Layton and Sean Maguire, with Paul Nicholas joining later. The series was created by Mike Bullen, who was interested in the behind-the-scenes lives of holiday reps after watching the docusoap Holiday Reps. Bullen wrote most of the first series but scaled back his involvement in the second; most of that series' episodes were written by Lizzie Mickery and Sally Wainwright.