The Small Intricate Life of Gerald C. Potter

Oct 7, 2024 4:18 AM

Author:Basil Boothroyd,Ian Carmichael,Charlotte Mitchell,Full Cast

The convoluted chronicle of an optimistic crime writer

'Basil Boothroyd's quietly comic classic' Gillian Reynolds, The Telegraph

Gerald C Potter is the proud author of Death in the Arboretum, described by the Bournemouth Echo as 'well-written'. He works hard on his books, and worries about every comma, adjective and unfortunate typo: but somehow, he never seems to get very much done. However, his wife and fellow novelist, Diana (aka Magnolia Badminton) is positively prolific - much to his chagrin.

These four series recount his daily activities and struggles for inspiration, as he tries to solve the mystery of his missing briefcase; goes up against his wife as they compete to publicise their new books; takes a holiday abroad that's far from relaxing; and receives a double-edged surprise on United Potter Day. And in special festive episode 'The Cousin', an unexpected message in a Christmas card leaves Gerald and Diana scrambling to prepare for a last-minute visitor...

Written by celebrated humorist Basil Boothroyd, this witty, quick, clever sitcom ran for five years on Radio 4 between 1976 and 1981. It stars Ian Carmichael (The World of Wooster, Lord Peter Wimsey) as Gerald C Potter, with Charlotte Mitchell (Waggoners' Walk, The Adventures of Black Beauty) as Diana.

Production credits

Written by Basil Boothroyd

Produced by Bobby Jaye

Cast

Gerald C Potter - Ian Carmichael

Diana, his wife - Charlotte Mitchell

With Michael McClain, James Thomason, Trader Faulkner, Robin Browne, Michael Deacon, Jo Manning Wilson, Margaret Robertson, Peter Craze, Anthony Smee, Michael Goldie, Penelope Reynolds, Geoffrey Matthews, Edward Kelsey, Betty Huntley-Wright, Fiona Mathieson, Garard Green, Brian Carroll, Danny Schiller, Douglas Blackwell, Patricia Hughes, Margot Boyd, Pauline Letts, Brian Haines, Lolly Cockerell, Jane Knowles, Michael Spice, Preston Lockwood, Charles Colville, Paddy O'Byrne, John Church, Judy Franklin and John McAndrew

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 22 March-26 April 1976 (Series 1), 9 November-14 December 1977 (Series 2), 26 December 1977 (Christmas Special, 'The Cousin'), 24 September-29 October 1979 (Series 3), 27 April-1 June 1981 (Series 4)

Reviews

Jarman's light illuminates the wilderness as brightly as ever

—— New Statesman

Jarman [is] the sort of troublemaking visionary who one day may be compared with Blake

—— Time Out

A wild ride

—— New York Times

Bracingly honest, vivid and compelling [...] how an average talent became the biggest movie star in the world

—— The Times

Brilliant

—— Telegraph

Eye-popping revelations [...] Will Smith bares all about his childhood and life

—— Sun

The book is awesome. So candid and considered...fascinating.

—— Chris Evans , Virgin Radio

Devastating, wise, hilarious and original

—— Róisín Ingle

A terrific book . . . absolutely brilliant

—— Brendan O'Connor

O'Connor gets you onside so completely with her direct narrative, you feel you could be in the same room as her

—— Sunday Times

Rememberings offers O'Connor's very personal version of events, a tale of maternal and institutional abuse that might be a misery memoir, if it weren't related with such eccentric charm and cheery fortitude

—— Daily Telegraph

From wild youth to troubled adulthood, this memoir is a blast of chaos

—— Times

Utterly brilliant

—— Paul Howard

Astonishing. Staggering

—— Rob Delaney

Superb . . . fantastic

—— Irish Daily Star

Beautifully written

—— VIP

Honest and illuminating

—— Irish Independent

Rememberings is an electrifying reminder of the importance of [O'Connor's] voice

—— Business Post

O'Connor brings everything to this memoir

—— Financial Times

Incendiary

—— i

Astonishingly good, wise and hilarious

—— Louise Nealon

Candid, open-hearted . . . a lot of self-deprecation, a lot of laughs, and a measure of honesty that would put most of us to shame

—— Anglo-Celt

Genuinely incredible . . . [Rememberings is] suffused with humour and forgiveness

—— Guardian

There's nothing conventional about Sinéad O'Connor and there's little conventional about her memoir either. . . She writes with searing honesty and plenty of wit

—— Independent

Her complicated life makes for riveting reading. From ripping up photographs of the Pope on prime time US television and her mental health struggles to a rollercoaster spiritual quest, she has never been afraid to be fearless

—— iNews

A deliciously decadent tale of sex, tragedy, celebrity, surfboards and tanned skin in 1980s Malibu.

—— The Times

I absolutely loved her book.... It's an absolute blast to read

—— Alice- Azania Jarvis

JACKIE COLLINS, BUT BETTER Sacrilege to say "better", I know, but there we are. Set in the 1980s, Taylor Jenkins Reid's Malibu Rising is wonderfully written, intensely evocative and concerns the model/ surfer children of a rock star. Tons of glamour, tons of sharply observed insights about sibling relationships, plus a massive party. Beach read par excellence. See also her brilliant Daisy Jones & the Six, which is heaven (more rock stars).

—— Anonymous

When we picked up Malibu Rising, the new novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, we could barely put it down

—— That's Life

You'll never want this book to end, it will suck you in and spit you out!

—— Muddy Stilettos

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