When the Boat Comes In

 When the Boat Comes In  is a British television period-drama produced by the BBC between 1976 and 1981.

The series stars James Bolam as Jack Ford, a First World War veteran who returns to his poverty-stricken (fictional) town of Gallowshield in the North East of England. The series dramatises the political struggles of the 1920s and 1930s and explores the impact of national and international politics upon Ford and the people around him.

The memorable traditional tune "When The Boat Comes In" was adapted by David Fanshawe and sung by Alex Glasgow for the title theme of the series. Fanshawe also composed the incidental music.

The BBC revived the series in 1981, with the fourth series telling the story of Jack Ford as he returns to Britain penniless, after six years spent bootlegging in theUnited States, and follows him as he sets up in London.

The series' creator James Mitchell also wrote three tie-in books to the T.V. show:When the Boat Comes In, When the Boat Comes In: The Hungry Years and When the Boat Comes In: Upwards and Onwards. The final book brings the reader up to date with the end of the second series of the TV show.

The majority of episodes were written by creator Mitchell, but in Season 1 north-eastern writers Tom Hadaway, Sid Chaplin andAlex Glasgow contributed episodes, and in Season 3 Jeremy Burnham and Colin Morris shared writing duties with Mitchell.

Series breakdown

 * Series 1: 8 January to 1 April 1976 (13 50 min episodes)
 * Series 2: 29 October 1976 to 4 February 1977 (13 50 min episodes)
 * Series 3: 8 September to 15 December 1977 (15 50 min episodes)
 * Series 4: 17 February to 21 April 1981 (10 50 min episodes)

Regular cast

 * James Bolam as Jack Ford (1976–77,81 / Series 1-4 / 48 episodes)
 * James Garbutt as Bill Seaton (1976–77 / Series 1-3 / 39 episodes)
 * Jean Heywood as Bella Seaton (1976–77 / Series 1-3 / 39 episodes)
 * John Nightingale as Tom Seaton (1976–77 / Series 1-3 / 39 episodes)
 * Edward Wilson as Billy Seaton (1976–77, 81 / Series 1-4 / 35 episodes)
 * Malcolm Terris as Matt Headley (1976–77 / Series 1-3 / 34 episodes)
 * Susan Jameson as Jessie Ashton née Seaton (1976–77, 81 / Series 1-4 / 30 episodes)
 * Madelaine Newton as Dolly (1976–77 / Series 1-3 / 30 episodes)
 * Basil Henson as Sir Horatio Manners (1976–77 / Series 1-3 / 25 episodes)
 * Geoffrey Rose as Arthur Ashton (1976–77 / Series 1-3 / 18 episodes)
 * Rosalind Bailey as Sarah Headley née Lytton (1977, 81 / Series 2-4 / 23 episodes)
 * William Fox as the Duke of Bedlington (1976–77 / Series 2-3 / 13 episodes)
 * Lois Baxter as Lady Caroline #2 (1977, 81 / Series 3-4 / 15 episodes)

Semi-regular cast

 * Michelle Newell as Mary Seaton née Routledge (1976 / Series 1 / 6 episodes)
 * Noel O'Connell as Young Tommy (1976–77 / Series 2-3 / 6 episodes)
 * Catherine Terris as Miss Laidlaw (1976–77 / Series 2-3 / 7 episodes)
 * Vernon Drake as Hotel Porter (1976–77 / Series 2-3 / 7 episodes)
 * Isla Blair as Lady Caroline #1 (1976–77 / Series 2 / 5 episodes)
 * Roger Avon as Stan Liddell (1977, 81 / Series 2-4 / 5 episodes)
 * Ian Cullen as Geordie Watson (1977, 81 / Series 2-4 / 4 episodes)
 * Bobby Pattinson as Eddy Morton (1976–77 / Series 2-3 / 4 episodes)
 * John Gabriel as Dr. Stoker (1976–77 / Series 2-3 / 3 episodes)
 * Ralph Michael as Father Courtnay (1976–77 / Series 2-3 / 3 episodes)
 * Sheri Shepstone as Nellie (1976–77 / Series 2-3 / 3 episodes)
 * John Malcolm as Poskett (1976–77 / Series 2-3 / 3 episodes)
 * Martin Duncan as Roddy (1977 / Series 2-3 / 3 episodes)
 * David Lawton as Tovey #1 (1976–77 / Series 2 / 3 episodes)
 * John Kidd as Tovey #2 (1977 / Series 3/ 5 episodes)
 * Christopher Benjamin as Channing (1977 / Series 3/ 3 episodes)
 * Colin Douglas as John Ryder (1977 / Series 3/ 3 episodes)
 * Murray Hayne as Norman Hodges (1977 / Series 3/ 3 episodes)
 * Peter McGowan as Len Laidlaw (1977 / Series 3/ 3 episodes)
 * Christine Anderson as Rosie Mason (1977 / Series 3/ 3 episodes)
 * W. Morgan Sheppard as Robert Joseph Dixon (1977 / Series 3/ 3 episodes)
 * Mary Larkin as Isobel Murcheson (1977 / Series 3/ 3 episodes)
 * Joby Blanshard as Milburn (1977 / Series 3 / 3 episodes)
 * Judy Loe as Tania Corley (1981 / Series 4 / 3 episodes)

DVD releases
All four series are available on DVD in the UK.