Guy Jenkin – författare

Martin Jarvis stars in this BBC radio satire set in the competitive world of advertisingHappiness... is a career in advertising. Or is it? Activist turned ad writer Ken Handley isn''t so sure. Back in the day, he used to hitch-hike and attend peace protests. Now, he finds himself writing copy for the Conservative Party and extolling the virtues of products he hates - while also coping with a drunken boss, strait-laced colleagues and an overactive mind.Over three series, we follow his exploits and moral dilemmas as he grapples with the challenges of winning accounts, presenting to clients and dealing with the women in his life. A pitch for a motorway services chain drives him round the bend, a seven-foot squirrel nearly sends him nuts, and he faces his own emergency when he''s coerced into a Samaritans campaign. On the domestic front, Ken''s got a divorce and a new home to contend with - but things start looking up when leggy model April comes on the scene...Written by Guy Jenkin (Drop the Dead Donkey) and Jon Canter (Posh Nosh), this sardonic advertising sitcom stars Martin Jarvis as Ken, with a cast including Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville, Joss Ackland and Miriam Margolyes.Production creditsScript and commercial concepts by Guy JenkinCommercials by Jon CanterProduced by Geoffrey Perkins (Series 1) and Pete Atkin (Series 2 & 3)First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 January-22 February 1982 (Series 1), 7 February-13 March 1984 (Series 2), 7 October-11 November 1986 (Series 3)CastKen Handley - Martin JarvisSarah - Sheila SteafelSandy - Christopher GodwinFreddie - Lockwood WestHitchhiker - Vincent BrimblePortley - Richard BebbRuncie - Simon JonesJune - Wendy RichardJohnnie - Patrick BarrMurray - Gary CadyThe General - Bill FraserMr Sandell - John BlytheBarman - Geoffrey McGivernVirgil - Marc SmithMr Sandell:- John BlytheCindy- Heather BellKatie- Miranda ForbesDirector- David GoodersonRavi - Ahmed KhalilDeborah - Rosalind AyresAmbrose - Paul JessonJanet/Receptionist/Researcher - Stacey TendeterMr Cheater/Mr McCafferty - James GriffithsAngus - Michael JennerDerek - David PeartStella - Imelda StauntonStella''s Heavy - Jim CarterSubjects - David Peart & Michael JennerLeo Gale - Glyn OwenChristina - Jo Manning WilsonReceptionist - Maggie McCarthyGeorge - Peter TuddenhamCorners - Don HendersonBenny - Karl HowmanLesley - Pauline SiddleAndy - Chris EmmettFilm director - Scott CherryTone - Jeremy ClydeDoregan - Lesley ManvilleElvira - Moir LeslieKip - Joseph MarcellApril - Shelley ThompsonHedley - Robert LongdenArtiste - David LearnerLarry Childs - William HootkinsLoretta-Jane Duff - Toni CoyneDawn/Masseuse - Sally WattsSally/Choirboy - Jane LeonardLen - Roger SlomanVal/Veronica - Liz CrowtherAlf - Roger HammondTill lady - Avril ClarkDoorman - Richard DurdenBarman - James MacPhersonPoliceman - Graham BlockeyWith the voices of Joss Ackland, Miriam Margolyes, James Griffiths, John Shrapnel, David Tate, James Griffiths, Sally Grace, Enn Reitel and Anton Rodgers