Home > Quatermass II
Quatermass II is a British television science-fiction serial, the second in the popular and influential Quatermass series written by Nigel Kneale. It was first transmitted on BBC Television in the autumn of 1955, and is the first of the Quatermass serials to survive in its entirety in the BBC archives.1 Background
The first serial in the series, The Quatermass Experiment, had been an extremely popular and critically well-received hit for the BBC in the summer of 1953, and the Corporation were very keen for a sequel. 1955 was an important year for them as it saw the breaking of their broadcasting monopoly in the UK with the launch of the rival ITV television network, so they were determined to counter the new channel's arrival with as many popular shows as possible.
Thus Quatermass II was commissioned from writer Nigel Kneale, who since the previous serial had seen huge success with productions such as Nineteen Eighty-Four and The Creature for the BBC. Both of these were directed by Rudolph Cartier, who had directed The Quatermass Experiment and teamed up once again with Kneale to direct this serial.
As was usual at the time, Quatermass II was transmitted live from the BBC's Lime Grove Studios, with a certain amount of material pre-filmed on location and played into the live broadcasts as and when required. The serial was broadcast in six half-hour episodes on Saturday evenings from October 22 to November 26 1955. Episodes one, two, four, five and six (The Bolts, The Mark, The Coming, The Frenzy and The Destroyers) were all scheduled from 8.00-8.30pm, with episode three (The Food) scheduled from 9.15-9.45pm. As with the previous serial, the live nature of the production meant that most of the episodes overran slightly, although none by more than two minutes. In a new development, each of the episodes were successfully telerecordedTelerecording (known as kinescoping in the USA) is the British name for a process pioneered during the 1940s for the storing of electronically-shot television programmes on film, which was used for the preservation, re-broadcasting and sale of television onto 35mm film as they were broadcast in order for them to be repeated the Monday following transmission, with all of the repeats scheduled in a 10.15-10.45pm slot that night.
These telerecordings survive complete in the BBC archives, and episode three was repeated on Bank Holiday MondayA Bank Holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom and also in the Republic of Ireland. Although there is no legal right to time off on these days, the majority of the population not employed in essential services (e. utilities, fire, ambulance, pol, August 26August 26 is the 238th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (239th in leap years). There are 127 days remaining. Events Monday, August 26, 55 BC Julius Caesar invades Britain Saturday, August 26, 1071 Battle of Manzikert: The Seljuk Turks defeat the 19911991 like 2002, is a palindromic year. It also has the same calendar as 2002, including Easter on March 31. It is a common year starting on Tuesday. Events January January 2 Sharon Pratt Dixon is sworn in as mayor of Washington, DC becoming the first blac, as part of The Lime Grove Story on BBC 2BBC Two (or BBC2 as it was formerly styled) was the second UK television station to be aired by the BBC. History The channel was scheduled to begin at 7:30pm on April 20 1964 and show an evening of light entertainment, starting with the comedy show The Al. This was a full day of programming celebrating the history of the Lime Grove Studios, which were closing and due to be demolished. The full serial, however, has not been repeated or commercially released on VHSThe Video Home System better known by its acronym VHS is the recording and playing standard for video cassette recorders (VCRs), developed by JVC and launched in 1976. It became a standard format for consumer recording and viewing in the 1980s after compe or DVD: it is believed that this is because Nigel Kneale does not wish it to be released.
