TV SERIES · 1986– · UK
The Singing Detective
26 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (26)
- #001
Like Philip Marlow, Dennis Potter suffered from psoriatic arthropathy, a condition that attacks the skin and joints. Although the condition is depicted as horrifying here, the production actually understated it, since in reality it can be far worse, with bleeding skin and pustular sores.
- #002
The scene in which a delusional elderly patient climbs into bed with Philip Marlow believing him to be her husband had actually happened to Dennis Potter during one of his numerous hospital stays.
- #003
All the incidental music for the 1940s "spy thriller" segments was taken from royalty-free "clip music" collections.
- #004
The most controversial scene in the entire production was the one in which the young Philip witnesses his mother having sex with a local man in the bushes. It provoked howls of protest from puritanical quarters of the British press, partly because of the sensational nature of the scene (Patrick Malahide appears to be assaulting Alison Steadman) and partly because such a scene was performed in front of a child. In reality, of course, the latter was absolutely not the case. Child actor Lyndon Davies was never involved in the filming of this scene apart from his own close-ups, which were shot separately. In the close-ups, Davies was reacting to Jon Amiel. Even so, Amiel and Kenith Trodd had to convince Michael Grade that the scene should be broadcast uncut. Grade, for his part, agreed.
- #005
Filming had to be stopped for a scene in which Nurse Mills pulls down the bottom of Marlow's pyjamas and rubs soothing cream into his skin. Sir Michael Gambon was seen to have had stockings and suspenders painted on his legs without Joanne Whalley's knowledge, which reduced the entire cast and crew to laughter.
- #006
Three actresses appeared in the recurring image of a naked woman pulled from the River Thames and laid in the bottom of a boat: Kate McKenzie, Alison Steadman and Janet Suzman. The scene was shot in the middle of winter.
- #007
In Dennis Potter's original script, the hospital scenes and the noir scenes were to be shot on television (video) and film cameras respectively, while the period material (Marlow's childhood) was to be shot on black-and-white film. Following Potter's objections, all scenes were shot on film. Potter wanted the hospital scenes to preserve the sensitivity of the situation comedy tradition. Although this was softened in the final script, some character interactions retain the concept, for example Mr Hall and Reginald, who were intended to serve as a mock chorus for the main action taking place in the hospital.
- #008
BBC One Controller Michael Grade (1984-1987) later claimed that he commissioned the series while visiting the toilet at the BBC, and that he had heard the idea from BBC Head of Drama Jonathan Powell.
- #009
Dennis Potter initially planned to drop the noir thriller strand of the plot after the first episode, believing it would not hold the audience's attention.
- #010
The portrait of a naked woman in Mark Binney's house, commented on by the two thugs who visit him, actually belongs to Janet Suzman.
- #011
The original title was "Smoke Rings". The discarded title may refer to a particular monologue delivered by Marlow after he is admitted to hospital in the first episode, a monologue that includes the sense that, in spite of everything, what he really wants is a cigarette. Marlow's medical and mental progress is subtly measured by his ability to reach over to his bedside cabinet and get his cigarette.
- #012
Preparation and filming took almost exactly eleven months.
- #013
The illustrations in the opening titles were made by comic book artist Mark Thomas.
- #014
Marlow's psychiatrist tells him he is starting to look better and that his skin condition is improving. This meant that at this stage of the production Sir Michael Gambon spent only four hours in the make-up room instead of six.
- #015
Dennis Potter initially wanted the period film to be shot in black and white, but budget restrictions argued against it.
- #016
Because of the then Government's lack of funding and the scale of the cuts being made to the National Health Service at the time, the production team had the chance to choose from many different hospital wards, all of which were being closed. They preferred to use one in a hospital in Tottenham, London.
- #017
Charles Simon played the old man we see in the bed next to Marlow's, singing to him, which revealed his crooked teeth. Shortly after filming this, Simon had his teeth removed and replaced with perfect false ones.
- #018
Janet Henfrey, who played the terrifying teacher, had previously played a similar character in the earlier Dennis Potter play Stand Up, Nigel Barton (1965). Jon Amiel was not influenced by this when he cast her.
- #019
According to Janet Henfrey, Peggy Ashcroft was originally offered the role of the School Teacher.
- #020
Jon Amiel compiled and assembled the general tension music used throughout the series from 60 library cassettes he gathered together.
- #021
Alison Steadman recalled that the series was filmed in two parts.
- #022
Leslie French and Thomas Wheatley were to appear in The Living Daylights (1987).
- #023
The third episode, "Lovely Days", takes its title from the song "It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow", which appears several times throughout.
- #024
The contemporary character of Finney's flat is the same as Binney's fictional character. Both were played by Patrick Malahide.
- #025
Many actors appeared in Harry Potter: Michael Gambon as Dumbledore, David Thewlis as Remus Lupin, Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge and David Ryall as Elphias Doge.
- #026
Michael Gambon and Imelda Staunton would later voice Uncle Pastuzo and Aunt Lucy in Paddington (2014) and Paddington 2 (2017).
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