The Cinema Museum, London

Misty Moon presents Dick Turpin The Reunion event cancelled

Sat 16 May 2020 @ 19:30 · Events

Dick TurpinMisty Moon is proud to be bringing cast and crew of Dick Turpin (1979-82) to the Cinema Museum for a special evening celebrating the 70s television series.

Dick Turpin is a British Television drama series starring Richard O’Sullivan and Michael Deeks. It was created by Richard Carpenter, Paul Knight and Sydney Cole and written by Richard Carpenter, John Cane, Charles Criton and Paul Wheeler. It was made by Gatetarn, Seacastle productions in-association with London Weekend Television between 1979 and 1982. 26 half-hour episodes and one feature-length episode were filmed on location at Maidenhead in Berkshire, England.

The series takes place in 18th century England. After Dick Turpin, the son of a farmer, returns to England after three years military service in the Mediterranean, he discovers that he and his parents have been cheated out of their farm and his inheritance by the unscrupulous Sir John Glutton, and that consequently his parents have died of starvation. Turpin, who is now bitter and poor, becomes a Highwayman.

Cleverly, Richard Carpenter has the series take place after the real life Dick Turpin has been hanged in 1739; the series is set between 1739 and 1740, leaving his fictional TV incarnation to be an anarchic freedom fighter who has been badly ripped off by the establishment and suffered the tragic loss of his parents, a good moral starting point. This also meant that the writers did not have to use any events from Turpin’s real life in the series.

The TV story begins after the presumed death by hanging of Dick Turpin at York. It is made clear at the beginning of the series that the man who was hanged merely claimed the famous name. Captain Nathan Spiker, working for Sir John Glutton, threatens to evict Mary Smith and her son Nick from their inn ‘The Black Swan’ if they do not hand over 20 guineas. Meanwhile, the real Dick Turpin, while disguised as a doctor, is accosted by a highwayman who claims to be Dick Turpin himself. The real Dick Turpin humorously, as it turns out, says “I thought you were dead.” He then outwits the fake and reveals himself to be the real Turpin. The fake turns out to be Nick Smith, trying to get the money to pay Spiker. Dick lends him and Mary, an old acquaintance of Dick’s, the money. However, a mix-up occurs when Turpin steals the money back from Sir John and Nick has to be saved from Glutton’s Dungeon by Dick. This makes Nick an outlaw and Turpin takes him under his wing, giving him the name “Swiftnick”.

Mary MaudeMary Maude played Sarah Clayton in the episode “The Hostages”. Swiftnick wants to get his name into songs and goes off on his own. He soon realises that Sir John Glutton is terrorising two children, Jem and Nan at Rookham Hall. Meanwhile their Mother Sarah, Glutton’s neice is being attacked by Foxy and Nabber but Dick Turpin comes to the rescue.

Mary Maude is an English actress who has starred in Crucible Of Terror (1971), The House That Screamed (1969), The Four Feathers (1978) and many more. Mary’s TV credits include The Bill (1990), Bread (1991) and Lovejoy (1991).

The guests will take part in a meet and greet with the audience and a paid signing after the Q&As.

More guests to be announced soon.

Doors open at 18.30, for a 19.30 start.

Refreshments will be available in our licensed cafe/bar.

TICKETS & PRICING

Tickets in advance £14 (£13 concessions). On the door £15 (£14 concessions).
Advance tickets may be purchased from Billetto, or direct from the Museum by calling 020 7840 2200 in office hours.
Dick Turpin