The Day of The Triffids (1981)

A Quiet and Dreadful Terror

Death By Triffid

This much superior 1981 television adaptation of John Wyndham's novel has always been well remembered, and justifiably so. To start off with this version of Wyndham's 1951 classic sci-fi novel is far more faithful to the book than the absolutely terrible 1962 film version. The world wakes up blind, with a few sighted survivors left to work out a future for humanity, and see off the threat posed by the flesh devouring Triffids

John Wyndham's deeply humanistic stories were a popular choice for television in the 1980s. ITV developed Chockey in 1984, and three years earlier the BBC turned in this successful six-part adaptaion of The Day of the Triffids.
Wyndham's classic tale of evil plants taking over the world, as we have said had been filmed before, as a melodramatic mess of a film in 1962. The TV version was more low-key, almost sober in its approach, bringing out the author's main theme of mankind's response to a holocaust. So now you know, and we here at Timeslip recommend you read the book first and then track down the BBC production.

Emma Relph as Josella Playton

Production.

Production Companies:

Australian Broadcasting Complany/ BBC/ RCTV inc.

Producer:

David Maloney

Director:

Ken Hannam

Script:

Douglas Livingstone

adapted from the novel by John Wyndham

CAST

Episode One: 10 September 1981
John Duttine [Bill Masen]
Jonathan Newth [Dr Soames]
Ian Halliburton [Grant]
Steven Jonas [young Bill]
Edmund Pegge [Walter]
Robert Robertson [Palanguez]
Keith Alexander [newsreel voice]
Cleo Sylvestre [nurse]
Morgan Sheppard [Bill's father]

Episode Two: 17 September 1981
John Duttine [Bill Masen]
Jonathan Newth [Dr Soames]
Stephen Yardley [John]
Emma Relph [Jo Payton]
Chris Gannon [patient]
Bonita Beach [blind woman]
Alan Helm [blind man]
Max Faulkner [Jo's attacker]
Caroline Fabbri [Tina]
Christina Schofield [Shirley]
Albie Woodington [gang leader]
Andrew Paul, Mario Renzullo [gang members]
Susie Fenwick [blind girl]
Lindsey Moore [singer - uncredited]
Elizabeth Chambers, Morris Barry, Bernie Searle [car attackers]

Episode Three: 24 September 1981
John Duttine [Bill Masen]
Emma Relph [Jo Payton]
Maurice Colbourne [Jack Coker]
David Swift [Beadley]
Desmond Cullum-Jones [Tom]
Beryl Nesbitt [Tom's wife]
Donald Pelmear [university gateman]
Andrea Miller [Dr Vorless]
Elizabeth Chambers, Morris Barry, Bernie Searle [car attackers]
Denis De Marne [Major Anderson]

Episode Four: 1 October 1981
John Duttine [Bill Masen]
Maurice Colbourne [Jack Coker]
John Hollis [Alf]
John Benfield [Ted]
Eva Griffiths [teenage girl]
Jean Perkins [hotel manageress]
Jon Rumney [manager]
Terry Andrews [Frank - uncredited]
Gary Olsen [red-haired man]
Sally Lahee [woman in street]
Gordon Case [dying man]

Episode Five: 8 October 1981
John Duttine [Bill Masen]
Perlita Nielsen [Miss Durrant]
Christopher Owen [vicar]
Emma Relph [Jo Payton]
Jenny Lipman [Mary Brent]
Emily Dean [Susan]
Desmond Adams [Dennis Brent]
Maurice Colbourne [Jack Coker]

Season Six: 15 October 1981
John Duttine [Bill Masen]
Emma Relph [Jo Payton]
Lorna Charles [Susan]
Denis Gilmore [David]
Claire Ballard [Alice]
Jenny Lipman [Mary Brent]
Desmond Adams [Dennis Brent]
Gary Olsen [Torrence]

from The Day of The Triffids

by John Wyndham

" I whipped round to find a triffid towering only a few feet behind me. In one automatic movement I had my hands over my eyes. I heard the sting whistle as it slashed out at me -- but there was no knockout, no agonizing burning, even. One´s mind can move like lightning at such a moment; nevertheless, it was more instinct than reason which sent me leaping at it before it had time to strike again. I collided with it, overturning it, and even as I went down with it my hands were on the upper part of the stem, trying to pull off the cup and the sting. Triffid stems do not snap -- but they can be mangled. This one was mangled thoroughly before I stood up."

The Day of The Triffids. BBC. 1981

Number of Episodes: 6

Based on the novel by: John Wyndham
Date(s) of Broadcast:

10 September 1981 - 15 October 1981
TV Channel: BBC 1

John Duttine as Bill Masen