
Web series
Compact
Compact was a British television soap opera shown by the BBC between 1962 and 1965. The series was created by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling, who together went on to devise Crossroads. In contrast to the kitchen sink realism of Coronation Street, Compact was a distinctly middle-class serial, set in the more "sophisticated" arena of magazine publishing. An early "avarice" soap, it took the viewer into the business workplace, and aligned the professional lives of the characters with more personal storylines. The show was scheduled for broadcast on Tuesdays and Thursdays, thus avoiding a clash with ITV's Coronation Street on Mondays and Wednesdays. When Compact began, the editor was a woman, Joanne Minster, yet it was not long before she was replaced by Ian Harmon, the son of the magazine's owner. Despite being largely criticised by reviewers, Compact was popular with the general public, and in 1964 a regular omnibus edition was introduced, broadcast on Sundays. Morris Barry, a some-time actor and BBC director – he directed several Doctor Who stories in the 1960s – took over as producer and was given a brief to spice the series up in view of the criticism it had received from the national press. But the BBC, never comfortable with the concept of soap opera, quietly dropped the series in 1965.
- Status
- Ended
- Type
- Scripted
- Last aired
- 1965-07-30
- Language
- English
BBC One
Seasons
Top billed cast
Behind the camera
Videos
No extra videos are listed for this title yet.
Air dates
- First aired
- 1962-01-02
- Latest episode
- 1965-07-30
- Status
- Ended
- Next release
- Completed
- Season 12 Jan 1962
- Season 21 Jan 1963
- Season 32 Jan 1964
- Season 41 Jan 1965
Frequently asked questions
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