The Shadow of the Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Shadow of the Tower |
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| Genre | Historical |
| Written by | Rosemary Anne Sisson Hugh Whitemore Julian Mitchell |
| Directed by | Prudence Fitzgerald Moira Armstrong Anthea Browne-Wilkinson Joan Kemp-Welch |
| Starring | James Maxwell Norma West |
| Composer(s) | Herbert Chappell |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Production company(s) | BBC |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC 2 |
| Original release | 6 January – 30 March 1972 |
The Shadow of the Tower is a historical TV show from 1972. It was shown on BBC2 in the United Kingdom. This drama tells the story of Henry VII of England. It shows how he started the famous Tudor family in England.
The show has thirteen episodes. It is a prequel to other popular BBC series. These include The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R. Some actors from those shows also appeared here in new roles.
Meet the Characters
This section lists the main actors and the historical figures they played. Many of these people were important in English history.
| Actor/Actress | Role |
|---|---|
| James Maxwell | King Henry VII |
| Norma West | Elizabeth of York (Henry VII's wife) |
| Marigold Sharman | Margaret Beaufort (Henry VII's mother) |
| Derek Anders | James IV (King of Scotland) |
| Adrienne Byrne | Catherine of Aragon (Spanish princess) |
| Denis Carey | Cardinal Morton (Henry VII's advisor) |
| John Franklyn-Robbins | Sir William Stanley |
| Gawn Grainger | Earl of Kildare |
| Colin Jeavons | Sir Robert Clifford |
| Michael Johnson | Lord Lovell |
| Jason Kemp | Prince Arthur (Henry VII's son) |
| Rachel Kempson | Margaret of York |
| James Laurenson | Earl of Lincoln |
| Hayward Morse | Thomas Atwood |
| Christopher Neame | Earl of Warwick (as adult) |
| Jake Robson | Earl of Warwick (as boy) |
| Maurice Roëves | Humphrey Stafford |
| John Hamill | Thomas Stafford |
| Nicholas Selby | Earl of Devon |
| Richard Warwick | Perkin Warbeck (a pretender to the throne) |
| Joanna Tope | Cicely |
| Gary Warren | Lambert Simnel (another pretender to the throne) |
| Brian Badcoe | Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke (Henry VII's uncle) |
| John Bennett | De Puebla |
| Peter Hawkins, Kevin Moody, Denis Cleary | Voices |
Episode Guide
Here is a list of all thirteen episodes. It includes their air dates and a short summary of what happens in each one.
| Episode | Air date | Title | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 Jan. 1972 | Crown in Jeopardy | Henry Tudor wins the Battle of Bosworth Field against King Richard III. He tries to unite different groups to start his new Tudor family rule. |
| 2 | 13 Jan. 1972 | Power in the Land | Henry becomes more powerful when his wife Elizabeth gives birth to Prince Arthur. This birth helps make Henry's claim to the throne stronger. |
| 3 | 20 Jan. 1972 | The Schooling of Apes | Henry's enemies claim that a commoner, Lambert Simnel, is actually the Earl of Warwick. The Earl of Lincoln goes to Ireland to gather an army against Henry. |
| 4 | 27 Jan. 1972 | The Crowning of Apes | Henry forms his own army to defend himself. He prepares to fight the Irish-German army coming from Ireland. |
| 5 | 3 Feb. 1972 | The Serpent and the Comforter | King Henry meets a preacher who is arrested for speaking against the Church. The preacher talks about simple faith, which impresses a young guard. |
| 6 | 10 Feb. 1972 | The White Hart | It is 1494. King Henry worries that a powerful knight, Sir William Stanley, might be involved in a plot against him. |
| 7 | 17 Feb. 1972 | A Fly in the Ointment | Two men, Sir John Kendall and his nephew, plan a silly way to harm the King. They use a fake astrologer's harmless ointment. |
| 8 | 24 Feb. 1972 | The Princely Gift | An Italian explorer named John Cabot tries to convince people in Bristol and the King. He wants them to believe his plan for a Western sea journey to China is a good idea. |
| 9 | 2 Mar. 1972 | Do the Sheep Sin? | High taxes cause farmers in Cornwall to march peacefully to London. But a nobleman wants to use their protest for his own gain. |
| 10 | 9 Mar. 1972 | The Man Who Never Was | Perkin Warbeck, who claims to be a prince and wants Henry's throne, starts losing support across Europe. |
| 11 | 16 Mar. 1972 | The Strange Shapes of Reality | Even though Henry shows mercy and keeps Perkin Warbeck under house arrest, Warbeck continues to plot against the King. |
| 12 | 23 Mar. 1972 | The Fledgling | Henry wants to make his family's rule stronger. He tries to arrange a marriage between his son and a Spanish princess, but there are conditions. |
| 13 | 30 Mar. 1972 | The King without a Face | It is 1501. Henry feels secure on his throne. His son Arthur is about to marry Catherine of Aragon. But sad events are waiting for the King. |
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