Danger UXB | |
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Created by | John Hawkesworth and John Whitney |
Based on | Stories by Major A B Hartley |
Starring | |
Composer(s) | Simon Park |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of series | 1 |
No. of episodes | 13 |
Production | |
Producer(s) | John Hawkesworth |
Cinematography |
|
Running time | 49-51 minutes |
Production company(s) | Euston Films |
Release | |
Original network | ITV |
Picture format | 16mm film 4:3 colour |
Original release | 8 January | – 2 April 1979
Danger UXB is a 1979 British ITV television series set during the Second World War developed by John Hawkesworth and starring Anthony Andrews as Lieutenant Brian Ash, an officer in the Royal Engineers.
The series chronicled the exploits of the fictional 97 Tunnelling Company. which has been made a bomb disposal unit, and specifically 347 Section of the company, to deal with the thousands of unexploded bombs ("UXBs") in London during the Blitz. As with all his fellow officers, Ash must for the most part learn the techniques and procedures of disarming and destroying the UXBs through experience, repeatedly confronted with more cunning and deadlier technological advances in aerial bomb fusing. The series primarily featured military story lines, with a romantic thread featuring an inventor's married daughter, Susan Mount (Judy Geeson), with whom Ash falls in love, and other human interest vignettes.
The programme was titled and partly based on the memoirs of Major A. B. Hartley, M.B.E, RE, Unexploded Bomb - The Story of Bomb Disposal, with episodes written by Hawkesworth and four screenwriters. The series was filmed in 1978 in and around the Clapham, Streatham and Tooting areas of South London. Lt. Col. E. E. Gooch, RE (AER), Rtd. was the technical adviser.
The programme appeared on the US PBS as a segment of Masterpiece Theatre from 4 January – 5 April 1981. It was also screened in Australia on the public broadcaster ABC Television and in New Zealand on Television New Zealand.