Archie starts on ITV1 tonight at 9pm.
Watch, record or stream it with a Humax set-top box.
This four-part drama, starring Jason Isaacs, explores the life of Hollywood icon Cary Grant. The series, written by award-winning screenwriter Jeff Pope and produced by Etta Pictures (Pope’s ITV Studios label), will premiere in November. BritBox International is co-producing the project.
The series is directed by BAFTA-winning Paul Andrew Williams, who also serves as an Executive Producer, with BAFTA-winning Rebecca Hodgson producing.
The drama traces the life of Archibald Alexander Leach, born in 1904 in Bristol, England. Narrated by Archie himself, the story delves into his troubled childhood, marked by extreme poverty, his father’s infidelity, and the tragic loss of his older brother, John, which shattered the family. The emotional toll on his mother, Elsie, is profound, sending her into a spiral of grief and depression.
Jeff Pope’s scripts reveal the web of deceit, cruelty, and a single, destructive lie that ultimately shaped Archie’s life.
At 14, Archie joined the Bob Pender Troupe, a group of acrobats, clowns, and comedians, after seeing their performance at the Bristol Hippodrome. Lean and athletic, he mastered stilt-walking, and when the troupe toured the U.S., Archie was captivated by the promise of opportunity there. Believing he was unwanted by his family, he decided to remain in the U.S. and pursue a career in showbusiness.
Initially, acting was not in his plans, but a chance encounter with comedian George Burns helped him find his first steps in the industry. A studio, sensing his potential, convinced him to change his name, and the world would come to know him as Cary Grant.
The drama also flashes forward to 1961, when Cary Grant, at the peak of his fame and living in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles, is breaking box-office records but struggling with personal unhappiness.
After two failed marriages, Cary began courting actress Dyan Cannon, whom he had seen on television. Despite their 33-year age difference, Dyan initially rebuffed him, not believing they could be a match. However, Cary’s persistence and charm won her over, leading to their marriage in Las Vegas in 1965.
The series also stars Laura Aikman (Not Going Out, Gavin and Stacey) as Dyan Cannon, Cary’s strong-willed ex-wife, and Harriet Walter (Succession, Ted Lasso, Killing Eve) as Cary’s mother, Elsie Leach.
The roles of young Archie Leach are played by Dainton Anderson (Patrick Melrose), Calam Lynch (Bridgerton), and Oaklee Pendergast (Home), while Kara Tointon (Mr Selfridge, The Halcyon, Sound of Music Live) portrays young Elsie.
Episode 2 airs straight after the first episode. You can also stream the series on ITVX.
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