Three Richard Armitage Fan Projects I Support: Bring North and South to PBS, Armitage for Dawsey Adams, Armitage as Ross Poldark

Yes, I know, it doesn't really matter what I support - who am I to say!  I have nothing to do with initiating or maintaining any of the three projects below, other than my interest, and yes, my firm support. 

It is Richard Armitage's decision of course what his next project, and future projects will be. We don't know what he's auditioned for or has been offered, or is interested in pursuing. The most important thing for me is his satisfaction and happiness with his career. I will follow wherever he leads us. 

But if you are a Richard Armitage fan and happen to drop by this blog intentionally or accidentally, I did want to bring to your attention three Armitage related fan projects that may be worthwhile for fans to explore further and see if they want to join and support their fellow fan efforts. 

Bring North and South to PBS

Looks like there will be renewed efforts and a new campaign soon in the ongoing project to have PBS (US Public Television) show North and South with Richard Armitage nationwide, or make it available nationwide, on PBS stations. Click on the link below for more information and to join and show your support:

https://www.facebook.com/NorthSouthtoPBS

The new efforts, from what I'm reading on the FB page, will be directed towards the BBC and not just PBS. (Thanks to Me and Richard Armitage for the original info).

I posted about the original campaign in 2010- you can read about it at the link below:

http://whiterosewritings.blogspot.com/2010/09/bring-north-south-to-pbs-postcard.html

Richard Armitage for Dawsey Adams

This has been a long running fan campaign to have Richard Armitage cast as Dawsey Adams in the future film based on the book The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Richard-Armitage-for-Dawsey-Adams-Campaign/228951940486649

The campaign seems to have gained new momentum after Richard mentioned in an interview recently, during the Australia Hobbit DVD Promo I believe, that he's been auditioning or talking to producers in Los Angeles, and that one of the projects is based on a charming book that we (his fans) would like (I'm paraphrasing here).  Could the "charming book" be Guernsey?

I also posted about this fan campaign a while back, and you can read if interested at the link below:

http://whiterosewritings.blogspot.com/2012/04/guernsey-literary-and-potato-peel-pie.html

Now, some fans believe that Armitage should play another character from the book,  Markham V. Reynolds, rich and handsome American.  I agree that the physical description in the book matches Armitage, and I have no doubt that he could play this ultimately not always sympathetic character well.

I'm with the fans that think he would be perfect for Dawsey, and for me that has to do with the "inner RA" more than the outward physical beauty of the man.  On the Dawsey/Armitage side I offer the description of Dawsey when book heroine Juliet first sees him:

"Then Dawsey held out his hands. I had been expecting him to look like Charles Lamb, and he does, a little - he has the same even gaze... Dawsey is dark and wiry, and his face has a quiet, watchful look about it - until he smiles...he has the sweetest smiles I've ever seen..."

Portrait of Charles Lamb:

The Guernsey film project is currently "In Development" according to IMDB.

Poldark Fans Want Richard Armitage 

Robin Ellis as Ross Poldark

The BBC has announced they are producing a remake of the very popular 1970's series Poldark.  I was a great fan of the Poldark series in my teens thanks to PBS airing the entire series here in the US. I also read all the Poldark books at the time, and still own them. I agree that Richard Armitage would be the perfect Ross Poldark - the only actor I can think of that I would accept without reservations as playing the character other than the original, the wonderful Robin Ellis.

For those that have never heard of Poldark, below is a video of a documentary about the series that may answer some of your questions:

Below is a link to the original article saying that the Poldark Appreciation Society members voted for Richard Armitage as their favorite to play the lead, Ross Poldark, in the new BBC series in production:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/poldark-fans-want-richard-armitage-1962515

If you want to show your support below is the link to the Poldark Appreciation Society on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/18575480860/

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I hope Richard Armitage gives us more hints soon as to his future 

projects. I'm a believer that mention of fan interest in seeing him on stage, screen, or our TV sets, is a good thing. 

Image sources many and varied from various fan sites, Wikipedia, RichardArmitageNet.com

Roberta Janeta Velazquez - Cuban Woman was Secret Soldier in U.S. Civil War

I was fascinated to read this article and interview in Cuban Art News about a Cuban woman who disguised herself as a man and fought in the American Civil War.  Cubans started fighting for their independence from Spain in 1868, and she was also involved in the Cuban independence movement.

Whatever your politics today, or the politics of the Civil War, I hope you also find this a fascinating story of women at war, often ignored in our history books.

Loreta wrote her memoirs,  The Woman in Battle, in 1878.  She came from a wealthy Cuban family and was educated in New Orleans. There she met an American soldier, an officer, fell in love and married him, despite her family's objections. After the death of her soldier husband and her children she disguised herself as a man and joined the American Civil War as a Confederate soldier.  

Below is part of an interview with Maria Agui Carter,the director of Rebel, a PBS documentary about Loreta Velazquez

Today people may be surprised that there were Cubans, such as Loreta Velázquez, taking sides in the Civil War, particularly in the South. But to Latinos in the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War existed in relation to larger geopolitical forces intimately tied to Spain and her colonies in the Americas. The American Civil War was preceded by the U.S.-Mexican War of the 1840s. Cuba sought its liberation shortly after the American Civil War. The U.S.-Spanish war took place in the 1890s.

When the Civil War broke out, Velázquez sided with her home state of Louisiana  in the Confederacy. She grew up in a New Orleans with a rich Hispanic legacy, which the South shared. The South Central Gulf States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are known for their French heritage and are not usually associated with the Hispanic world. But the three states all fell under Spanish rule at points between 1762 and 1813, and saw heavy immigration from Spanish speakers.

A jewel in the Spanish empire’s crown, Cuba had intimate ties to the United States, particularly in the South. As Latin Americanist and Cuban expert Louis A. Pérez explains, in the 19th century North Americans regularly visited, and owned businesses in Cuba, and the Cuban upper classes did likewise in America, preferring to send their children to study in the United States, as Loreta Velázquez’ family chose to do. Indeed, Pérez writes, “In mid-century, Cuban trade accounted for as many U.S. merchant vessels as were engaged in the total trade with England and France.”

Cuban businessmen flourished in North America, particularly in New Orleans society. And ties to the South were strong. Prominent anti-abolitionist Southerners plotted to annex the slave-holding Spanish colony of Cuba and strongly supported Cuban independence in the 1850s. In fact, as Pérez explains, “Many Confederate officers, politicians, and planters fled to Cuba after Appomattox, from Generals John C. Breckenridge, Robert A. Toombs, to Jubal A. Early, and former Louisiana governor Thomas Overton Moore.”

For Cubans, the experience of being educated and/or living in the United States created a complex shift in their national identities during the 1800s. While Cuba was still a colony of Spain, America had gained self-rule. American technology and industry and politics represented progress. Yet the Cuban economy ran on the backs of slaves, and its closest social and economic ties were to the Southern states. As the daughter of a Spanish aristocrat who owned a plantation, it was natural for Loreta to embrace progressive ideals—such as those of women’s political and social freedom, the ideals of American democracy—and yet to endorse slavery, the source of her family’s subsistence and her country’s economy.

Loreta’s personal journey starting out as a Confederate soldier and ending as a double agent spying for the Union, and ultimately speaking out against slavery later in life, echoes a very fascinating personal growth of an immigrant who comes to embrace the American ideals of democracy. (From CubanArtNews.org) To read more click HERE.

For more information also check the PBS Website: http://video.pbs.org/video/2365009966

Images, graphics, and video from Cuban Art News

Latino Americans - New Documentary Series on PBS this Fall

More than 500 years of history

Watch Episode 6: Peril and Promise Trailer on PBS. See more from Latino Americans.

Mi Gente

UK Detective Series Worth Watching on WETA UK

 

Richard Armitage in the First Episode of George Gently

Richard Armitage - George Gently Series

British TV crime drama, detective, mystery, police procedurals, whatever you want to call them are some of the best in the world. They have some of the best actors in the world, high production values, and great locations to work with. Many of the great crime/mystery fiction novels in the world are also set in the UK, and not always written by British writers. WETA UK seems to be specializing in bringing these great series to viewers in the Washington DC area.

George Gently

Richard Armitage and Hobbit fans make sure to catch the first episode, really the pilot episode, of this series with guest star Richard Armitage.  According to the WETA UK schedule it starts this Monday, March 11, at 10:00pm.

The story is set in the 1960's in Northumberland and our two police detectives are seasoned and jaded Inspector Gently, played by Martin Shaw, and weaselly and ambitious young Detective Sergeant Bacchus, played by Lee Ingleby.  The 1960's setting is perfect, and fun to watch for those of us that remember that time, and the two leads and their interaction with each other are often as interesting, or more, than the crimes they are investigating. Tough and gritty stories, great cast and great guest stars as well.  

Check the WETA UK program schedule:

http://www.weta.org/tv/programsatoz/program/81970

Vera

A series about veteran Detective Chief Inspector Stanhope played by Brenda Blethyn. This series was new to me, had not seen it on PBS before, or BBCAmerica, or other cable channels. I really enjoyed seeing a woman detective who has been around for a while in life and is balancing her personal loneliness with dedication to her job.Vera is not always likeable and I do cringe a bit whenever she calls someone "pet", and she calls everyone, especially younger  suspects "pet". It is a clue to the character though, and Blethyn is not afraid to make Vera difficult to like at times. The Chief Inspector has a young and very handsome partner, DS Ashworth, played by David Leon. The series is set in Northumberland.

The series is not currently playing on WETA UK, but I'm sure it will be back:  http://www.weta.org/tv/programsatoz/program/83205

 

Dalziel and Pascoe

A show that has been on Cable TV in various channels, but hasn't been around for a while I think. It takes a well known premise, think of Morse and Lewis, one detective from the North, who came up through the ranks, and one university educated detective from the South join forces and hilarity and crime solving follows.  In this case Detective Superintendent Dalziel (pronounced Deal)  played by Warren Clarke is the up from the ranks senior officer, and Detective Inspector Pascoe, played by the perfectly groomed Colin Buchanan, is the intellectual college graduate.  The great fun in this series is watching veteran British character actor Warren Clarke take center stage in this series. 

The series is currently playing on Wednesdays at 10:00pm on WETA UK and also repeats at other times. Check link below:

 http://www.weta.org/tv/programsatoz/program/86722

DCI BANKS

I confess it took me a while to warm up to actor Stephen Tompkinson as DCI Banks, but once I did I became a loyal viewer of this series. This is another series that is new to me, and I watch lots of UK TV in addition to what is on PBS. Another gritty series, this one set in Yorkshire, that explores the process of solving crimes and the personal lives of the police who solve those crimes. Banks has an efficient team to support him, especially DS Annie Cabbot played by Andrea Lowe.  There's a possible romantic relationship between the older Banks and the younger Cabbot, a nice twist for the viewers as we wonder "will they, or won't they?".  Lowe was later replaced I think by Caroline Catz (Doc Martin) as DI Morton I believe, but I haven't seen those episodes yet, only the previews.

DCI Banks is now playing on Saturday nights at 8:00pm on WETA UK, and repeats at other times. Check schedule at the link:

 http://www.weta.org/tv/programsatoz/program/86258

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For those outside the Washington DC Metro Area, check your local PBS stations for these mystery/crime series. 

WETA UK still remains I believe the only PBS station in the US with all UK programming.  

US Public Television Station Launches All UK Channel: WETA UK

Washington DC Metropolitan Area Public Television WETA launches an All British programming TV station, WETA UK on June 2.  This is very exciting news for DC Area Anglophiles. 


What is even more exciting for this Anglophile is that in the preview videos, you can see one by clicking HERE  and the other  below. 






I caught glimpses of the Sharpe series starring Sean Bean, and MI5 (Spooks) and Robin Hood starring Richard Armitage.

In their press release and website WETA says it will be different from BBC America (BBCA) because it is not affiliated with just one UK Television provider but will show programming from all UK television networks. I also hope that WETA UK will show programming that BBCA has neglected because of their need to show growing ratings and attract the 18-35 year-old demographic in order to charge and attract advertisers. WETA is supported by audience donations, foundations, US Government funding, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (PBS) and not dependent on advertising dollars. I hope donations do come in to make it possible for WETA UK to purchase rights to new and exciting UK programming. 

MI5 (Spooks)

Right now looking at the  lineup for this 24- hour seven day a week channel the program lineup is made up of what PBS calls "classic" programming that we've all seen for years and years. Though I love my classic UK TV (see Sharpe, MI5, and Robin Hood note above), I really hope this new channel becomes what many of us hoped BBCA would be. 


I do wonder if this idea of an all UK TV channel will catch on with PBS (US Public TV) networks across the United States, or at least in major TV markets. Many of us pay a premium to our Cable TV stations or other providers so that we can watch BBCA, but the PBS stations are "free".    


Oh, and by the way WETA UK, how about showing North & South with Richard Armitage on the new channel! Richard Armitage will soon be starring in The Hobbit and featuring this great series may mean a new and growing audience for WETA. You may start another innovative trend across the PBS universe by doing so. 


I'll be watching WETA UK starting on June 2 and will report back from time to time on what I think about the new channel and on any exciting UK shows we may have the good fortune to see in the DC Area.  Thank you WETA and Happy 50th Birthday!


To read more about it, click HERE. 

Aurelio Zen Mysteries- Interview with Late Author Michael Dibdin

Masterpiece on US Public Television has been airing the BBC Aurelio Zen series starring Rufus Sewell, This coming Sunday July 30 they'll show the last episode of the series at 9:00pm EST.  

Below is a video interview with Michael Dibdin the late author of the Zen series of detective novels.  Though Mr. Dibdin was British, the novels are set in Italy and Zen is very much a Venetian.  In the interview below from The Guardian Dibdin talks about how losing his job led to writing the books and also his years and experience of living in Italy. He also talks about his relationship with his creation, Aurelio Zen.

Update:  Video of Rufus Sewell talking about Zen from PBS Masterpiece

Watch the full episode. See more Masterpiece.

Grijpstra and DeGier - The Amsterdam Cops

Imagine you're on the way to a business meeting at the other end of the USA from your home base. You've been  traveling since 6:00am to make a morning meeting in another time zone five hours away. But along the way bad weather and flight cancellations strand you halfway in an airport and now you're in line trying to book another flight.  You are trying to find a way to get there tonight for an evening dinner meeting, but find the only way to even get there late tonight  is to take two different flights and change planes somewhere closer, but not quite there. All this and you have to now wait at this airport for four hours for your first flight.

By now you've read over the meeting notes so many times you can't stand it anymore, and you've read the book you brought for the down times in between.  You roll your bag and your exhausted self to the airport bookstore, not holding out much hope of finding anything more than the current "bestseller".  Because you're tired and angry and hate the world at this point, you go to your one guaranteed escape, the Mystery section.  There you are attracted to the red and white and black, and rather surrealistic and atmospheric photos on the cover of a series of books from an author with a long name that you've never heard of: Janwillen van de Wetering.  You read the blurb on the back and see it's set in Amsterdam (love European mysteries), set in the 70's (my growing up years), and see it's a series with two cops (love the "Sherlock and Holmes" partnerings). Seems like your kind of book.  So you buy two of the novels, the first and second in the series (having checked this inside the book), and start feeling a bit better.

So there I am, having taken care of the most important business, procuring reading material. With books in hand, I call my office before everyone is gone home to tell them what's happened so they can call the meeting group and tell them what's happened to me (yes, before the days we all had cell phones attached to our ears), and go and get something to eat.  Once seated I open book #1 and instantly I'm plunged into the underground world of Amsterdam, prostitutes, drugs, murder,music, love, hate, Zen, and cats.  So started my love affair with Grijpstra and de Gier, their lives, and their world.

Now by now I've read all the novels and the short stories, and I still read my favorites off and on if I need a mental break.  I always wondered why a TV series was never made from the novels, and searching the Internet off and on finally found one day that indeed there was a TV series made for Dutch TV from 2004-2007.  I keep searching in hope that a US Public Television channel, or MHZ Networks,or cable channel, will pick it up and show it with English subtitles of course.  I have found clips of the series on YouTube,  but it would be wonderful to see the entire series.  OK, I can probably hunt down the DVD's, but I'm sure there's some cable or Public TV channel looking to fill up some time slots and keep those of us who love mysteries and international TV programs happy.


Any one out there listening?

I guess I should say a few things about the novels and the author and detectives, and I'll post a few links here for anyone that wants to know more.  I'll just say that Grijpstra is the older, middle-aged cop, the married one with family, who is burnt out and cynical about his job.  De Gier is the younger and handsome one, a beautiful man as a matter of fact, and rather Zen-like. Though legions of women fall for de Gier and we get a love affair or two or three, he is single, very much a loner, and lives with his cat. Both men are united by a love of music especially jazz. Grijpstra plays drums and de Gier the flute and often after a difficult case they get together and play. Oh, and they have a much older and mysterious boss called the commissaris.

Oh yes, I can't forget the Zen undertones of the stories. You see the author, Janwillem van de Wetering was a student of philosophy and Zen Buddhism.

Here' a clip of the opening from the Dutch TV series:




For more about the TV series click HERE
For more about the novels and the author click HERE.

I've also found there was a 1979 Dutch movie made of the Amsterdam Cops starring Rutger Hauer (playing deGier of course). I must find the film now and see it.

I'm not a fan of remakes or of remaking successful TV series, but reading the novels I often thought about who I would cast as the detectives if a movie or series was made in the UK or the US?  I know I have my choices, and they have changed through the years. Who would you cast for the two cops and their mysterious boss?