Info on Irish Adventures of Worzel Gummidge (cancelled TV series)

George White

Hi, I'm doing research for a new book about Worzel Gummidge, and I'm trying to find information about the 1983 planned TV series "The Irish Adventures of Worzel", to star as always Jon Pertwee and Una Stubbs, but to be shot in Kildare and Wicklow, by Little Bird who were behind the Irish RM and with Irish actors.

Now, sets were built in Naas, props were made, roles were cast, but days before shooting or so, it was cancelled due to HTV' and IIRC Ardmore closing temporily.
The scripts were novelised and then Worzel Gummidge Down Under was made in New Zealand, with the same scripts but rewritten to be set in New Zealand.

We have found Irish actors who did work on it, but we are trying to find who were cast in these roles -
The supporting cast in full – all unaccounted for:

Traveller
Rooney
Professor Haggerty (we're thinking someone like Noel Purcell)
Widow Mullins – 40s matriarch
Father O'Malley

English Milkman
Trudi Von Crotchit – steam organ carving (a character in the similar mould of Saucy Nancy, the character played by Barbara Windsor - we're thinking Twink, Brenda Fricker or Gemma Craven)
Two zombie scarecrows – non-speaking
Two English scarecrows – dancers, musical number
Dangnation Take-it - young scarecrow (perhaps Brian Murray)
Captain Fosdyke – blustering golf champion
Museum doorman – jobsworth
Mrs O'Rouke/Mrs O'Reilly – children's mothers, two gossiping housewives

Frank Kelly may have been cast.

I suggested the likes of Brendan Cauldwell, Jim Bartley, Tom Jordan, Aiden Grennell, Joe Lynch, Maureen Toal, Laurie Morton, David Kelly, Niall Toibin, Pat Daly, Anna Manahan, Alan Stanford, Brendan Grace, Maureen Potter, Rosaleen Linehan, Des Keogh, Harry Towb, the Cusacks, Pat Laffan, Eamon Morrissey, Barry Cassin, etc.

Does anyone know anyone who worked on this production, or could try to put the word out about it, because we're trying to find as much info about it.

The props were shipped from Britain to Ireland, and then went missing. And I'm sure I've seen some of them in a pub down the country.

24.12.6.3

Hi

I'm afraid I can't help with your research though I love the show. One of the best ever made I think.

I am terribly interested to know which pub has the props though...