Compact

1962–1965 · Ended · 4 seasons · 374 episodes · Drama, Soap · United Kingdom

Creator Peter Ling · Channel BBC One · Starring Vincent Ball, Robert Desmond, Rachel Gurney

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.
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Episodes

105 episodes · January 1962 – September 1964
  1. Episode 1: 1. The First IssueJanuary 2, 1962 · 30 min
  2. Episode 2: 2. Advice To ReadersJanuary 4, 1962 · 30 min
  3. Episode 3: 3. Efficiency ExpertJanuary 9, 1962 · 30 min
  4. Episode 4: 4. Cover PhotographJanuary 11, 1962 · 30 min
  5. Episode 5: 5. Tea BreakJanuary 16, 1962 · 30 min
  6. Episode 6: 6. Personal ProblemJanuary 18, 1962 · 30 min
Show 99 more episodes
  1. Episode 7: 7. The New BroomJanuary 23, 1962 · 30 min
  2. Episode 8: 8. Sally Speaks UpJanuary 25, 1962 · 30 min
  3. Episode 9: 9. Question Of IdentityJanuary 30, 1962 · 30 min
  4. Episode 10: 10. Wedding GroveFebruary 1, 1962 · 30 min
  5. Episode 11: 11. Suspicion Of TheftFebruary 6, 1962 · 30 min
  6. Episode 12: 12. Happy BirthdayFebruary 8, 1962 · 30 min
  7. Episode 13: 13. Valentine's DayFebruary 13, 1962 · 30 min
  8. Episode 14: 14. Testing TimeFebruary 15, 1962 · 30 min
  9. Episode 15: 15. Something To CelebrateFebruary 20, 1962 · 30 min
  10. Episode 16: 16. Press ReceptionFebruary 22, 1962 · 30 min
  11. Episode 17: 17. A True StoryFebruary 27, 1962 · 30 min
  12. Episode 18: 18. Circulation FiguresMarch 1, 1962 · 30 min
  13. Episode 19: 19. News From New YorkMarch 6, 1962 · 30 min
  14. Episode 20: 20. A Breath Of AirMarch 8, 1962 · 30 min
  15. Episode 21: 21. The PartyMarch 13, 1962 · 30 min
  16. Episode 22: 22. After The BallMarch 15, 1962 · 30 min
  17. Episode 23: 23. Shocks And BruisesMarch 20, 1962 · 30 min
  18. Episode 24: 24. WeekendMarch 22, 1962 · 30 min
  19. Episode 25: 25. Action StationsMarch 27, 1962 · 30 min
  20. Episode 26: 26. The Ideal HusbandMarch 29, 1962 · 30 min
  21. Episode 27: 27. Future PlansApril 3, 1962 · 30 min
  22. Episode 28: 28. Facing The FactsApril 5, 1962 · 30 min
  23. Episode 29: 29. A Night OutApril 10, 1962 · 30 min
  24. Episode 30: 30. Point Of DepartureApril 12, 1962 · 30 min
  25. Episode 31: 31. Surprises By PostApril 17, 1962 · 30 min
  26. Episode 32: 32. A Piece Of CakeApril 19, 1962 · 30 min
  27. Episode 33: 33. Pets CornerApril 24, 1962 · 30 min
  28. Episode 34: 34. The Man For The JobApril 26, 1962 · 30 min
  29. Episode 35: 35. Down The HatchMay 1, 1962 · 30 min
  30. Episode 36: 36. Stormy WeatherMay 3, 1962 · 30 min
  31. Episode 37: 37. Musical EveningMay 8, 1962 · 30 min
  32. Episode 38: 38. Talent ContestMay 10, 1962 · 30 min
  33. Episode 39: 39. Visting HoursMay 15, 1962 · 30 min
  34. Episode 40: 40. Mixed ReceptionsMay 17, 1962 · 30 min
  35. Episode 41: 41. Home And AwayMay 22, 1962 · 30 min
  36. Episode 42: 42. Day Of FrenzyMay 24, 1962 · 30 min
  37. Episode 43: 43. Moment Of TruthMay 29, 1962 · 30 min
  38. Episode 44: 44. In A SpinMay 31, 1962 · 30 min
  39. Episode 45: 45. The Big ChanceJune 5, 1962 · 30 min
  40. Episode 46: 46. Garden PartyJune 7, 1962 · 30 min
  41. Episode 47: 47. Happy ReturnsJune 12, 1962 · 30 min
  42. Episode 48: 48. Man And WifeJune 14, 1962 · 30 min
  43. Episode 49: 49. BlackmailJune 19, 1962 · 30 min
  44. Episode 50: 50. Take-Over TimeJune 21, 1962 · 30 min
  45. Episode 51: 51. The ProposalJune 26, 1962 · 30 min
  46. Episode 52: 52. Faraway PlacesJune 28, 1962 · 30 min
  47. Episode 53: 53. BarbecueJuly 3, 1962 · 30 min
  48. Episode 54: 54. A Day Of ProblemsJuly 5, 1962 · 30 min
  49. Episode 55: 55. Comings And GoingsJuly 10, 1962 · 30 min
  50. Episode 56: 56. Looking AheadJuly 12, 1962 · 30 min
  51. Episode 57: 57. Weekend PlansJuly 17, 1962 · 30 min
  52. Episode 58: 58. Settlement DayJuly 19, 1962 · 30 min
  53. Episode 59: 59. Gone AstrayJuly 24, 1962 · 30 min
  54. Episode 60: 60. Evening DateJuly 26, 1962 · 30 min
  55. Episode 61: 61. A Night OutJuly 31, 1962 · 30 min
  56. Episode 62: 62. Pay OffAugust 2, 1962 · 30 min
  57. Episode 63: 63. Moving UpAugust 7, 1962 · 30 min
  58. Episode 64: 64. Surprise PartyAugust 9, 1962 · 30 min
  59. Episode 65: 65. Riding For A FallAugust 14, 1962 · 30 min
  60. Episode 66: 66. Unguarded MomentAugust 16, 1962 · 30 min
  61. Episode 67: 67. Skin DeepAugust 21, 1962 · 30 min
  62. Episode 68: 68. The ContestAugust 23, 1962 · 30 min
  63. Episode 69: 69. Ebb And FlowAugust 28, 1962 · 30 min
  64. Episode 70: 70. Budget LeakAugust 30, 1962 · 30 min
  65. Episode 71: 71. AndiamoSeptember 4, 1962 · 30 min
  66. Episode 72: 72. Out For The CountSeptember 6, 1962 · 30 min
  67. Episode 73: 73. Finger Of SuspicionSeptember 11, 1962 · 30 min
  68. Episode 74: 74. Detective WorkSeptember 13, 1962 · 30 min
  69. Episode 75: 75. The ElopementSeptember 18, 1962 · 30 min
  70. Episode 76: 76. HeartbeatSeptember 20, 1962 · 30 min
  71. Episode 77: 77. The First ClueSeptember 25, 1962 · 30 min
  72. Episode 78: 78. TrappedSeptember 27, 1962 · 30 min
  73. Episode 79: 79. The Morning AfterOctober 2, 1962 · 30 min
  74. Episode 80: 80. Facing The FactsOctober 4, 1962 · 30 min
  75. Episode 81: 81. Heart To HeartOctober 9, 1962 · 30 min
  76. Episode 82: 82. Day Of RevolutionsOctober 11, 1962 · 30 min
  77. Episode 83: 83. True To TypeOctober 16, 1962 · 30 min
  78. Episode 84: 84. Where There's SmokeOctober 18, 1962 · 30 min
  79. Episode 85: 85. Burns And ShockOctober 23, 1962 · 30 min
  80. Episode 86: 86. Who's Who?October 25, 1962 · 30 min
  81. Episode 87: 87. HoroscopeOctober 30, 1962 · 30 min
  82. Episode 88: 88. Point Of DepartureNovember 1, 1962 · 30 min
  83. Episode 89: 89. The Truth Of The MatterNovember 6, 1962 · 30 min
  84. Episode 90: 90. A Case Of IdentityNovember 8, 1962 · 30 min
  85. Episode 91: 91. Questions And AnswersNovember 13, 1962 · 30 min
  86. Episode 92: 92. French LeaveNovember 15, 1962 · 30 min
  87. Episode 93: 93. Lost And FoundNovember 20, 1962 · 30 min
  88. Episode 94: 94. Art And CraftNovember 22, 1962 · 30 min
  89. Episode 95: 95. The Best Laid PlansNovember 27, 1962 · 30 min
  90. Episode 96: 96. Profit And LossNovember 29, 1962 · 30 min
  91. Episode 97: 97. Setting A TrapDecember 4, 1962 · 30 min
  92. Episode 98: 98. Sparks FlyingDecember 6, 1962 · 30 min
  93. Episode 99: 99. The Bad PennyDecember 12, 1962 · 30 min
  94. Episode 100: 100. All That JazzDecember 14, 1962 · 30 min
  95. Episode 101: 101. Five More Shopping DaysDecember 18, 1962 · 30 min
  96. Episode 102: 102. Christmas SpiritDecember 20, 1962 · 30 min
  97. Episode 103: 103. Business As UsualDecember 27, 1962 · 30 min
  98. Episode 121: 121. Unofficial StrikeFebruary 28, 1963
  99. Episode 279: 279. Many questionsSeptember 7, 1964

Credits

Film and series details

EPISODE LENGTH
30 minutes
FIRST AIRED
January 2, 1962
LAST AIRED
July 30, 1965

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