The Beiderbecke Connection

The Beiderbecke Connection
Genre Comedy drama
Written by Alan Plater
Directed by Alan Bell
Starring James Bolam
Barbara Flynn
Terence Rigby
Danny Schiller
Dudley Sutton
Dominic Jephcott
Keith Smith
Patrick Drury
Judy Brooke
Thomas McGlinchey
George Costigan
Sean Scanlan
Theme music composer Frankie Trumbauer and Chauncey Morehouse
Opening theme “Cryin' All Day”
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of episodes 4
Production
Executive producer(s) Keith Richardson
Producer(s) Michael Glynn
Release
Original network ITV (Yorkshire Television)
Picture format Film PAL (576i)
Original release 27 November – 18 December 1988
Chronology
Preceded by The Beiderbecke Tapes

The Beiderbecke Connection is a four-part British television serial written by Alan Plater and broadcast in 1988. It is the third and final part of The Beiderbecke Trilogy and stars James Bolam and Barbara Flynn as schoolteachers Trevor Chaplin and Jill Swinburne. Now with a baby in tow, Jill and Trevor are asked by Big Al to look after a refugee called "Ivan".

Plot

Trevor Chaplin teaches woodwork and likes to listen to jazz. Jill Swinburne teaches English and wants to help save the planet. They live together and just want a quiet life. Since their last adventure in The Beiderbecke Tapes, Jill and Trevor have a child - Firstborn. Big Al asks them to put up a friend of his and, of course, they agree. But when Ivan arrives, they find he speaks no English but thinks that "Bix is cool". Meetings with criminals, smuggling people over the border, fighting for the right to education even when it's against the rules. These and other adventures are played out to a soundtrack of jazz music in the style of Bix Beiderbecke performed by Frank Ricotti with Kenny Baker as featured cornet soloist.

Episodes

As with The Beiderbecke Affair, the four episodes are titled by incipit, that is, the title is simply the first spoken words heard in each episode.

  • "Oh Look, It's Average-Sized Trevor Chaplin" - Jill & Trevor have produced Firstborn. They need a babysitter and get a refugee. Head for the border.
  • "Hello Sir, Hello Miss" - The refugee is back from the border. Life goes on. Big Al and Little Norm make other plans. Trevor makes a stand.
  • "Is He the Lodger?" - A face from the past. Criminals in the spare bed. The police take an interest. A day at the seaside.
  • "What Do We Have on Hockey Sticks?" - Rocking the world on its axis. But life goes on for those that hear the music.

Production

Filming locations

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