Longitude (TV series)

Longitude
Genre	Costume drama
Written by	Charles Sturridge, Dava Sobel (book)
Directed by	Charles Sturridge
Starring	Michael Gambon Jeremy Irons
Composer(s)	Geoffrey Burgon
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of episodes	4 (2 DVDs)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Pippa Cross, Delia Fine, Anthony Root
Producer(s)	Selwyn Roberts
Cinematography	Peter Hannan
Editor(s)	Peter Coulson
Running time	250 min (UK) 200 min (US)
Release
Original network	Channel 4
Original release	2 January 2000

Longitude is a 2000 TV drama produced by Granada Productions and the A&E Network for Channel 4, first broadcast in 2000 in the UK on Channel 4 and the US on A&E. It is a dramatisation of the 1997 book of the same title by Dava Sobel. It was written and directed by Charles Sturridge and stars Michael Gambon as clockmaker John Harrison (1693–1776) and Jeremy Irons as horologist Rupert Gould (1890–1948).

Plot

Longitude presents the story of Harrison's efforts to develop the marine chronometer and thereby win the Longitude prize in the 18th century. This is interwoven with the story of Gould, a retired naval officer, who is restoring Harrison's four chronometers and popularises his achievements in the early twentieth century.

Cast

18th Century

20th Century

Michael Gambon — John Harrison Jonathan Coy — Adm. Sir Cloudsley Shovell Christopher Hodsol — Capt. Ainsley Gemma Jones — Elizabeth Harrison John Nettleton — Minister for the Navy Nigel Davenport — Sir Charles Pelham Ian Hart — William Harrison Liam Jennings — Young William Harrison Frank Finlay — Admiral Sir Charles Wager Andrew Scott — John Campbell John Normington — Mr. Greene John Standing — Capt. Proctor John Wood — Sir Edmond Halley Ian McNeice — Dr Bliss David Wood — Ditton Mark Tandy — Whiston Stephen Fry — Sir Kenelm Digby Samuel West — Nevil Maskelyne Bill Nighy — Lord Sandwich Brian Cox — Lord Morton Peter Vaughan — George Graham Clive Francis — Capt. Digges Tim McInnerny — Christopher Irwin Stephen Simms — James Harrison Cliff Parisi — Lt. Draper Rupert Baker — Lt. Bertie Charles Gray — Adm. Balchen Trevor Cooper — Roger Willis William Scott-Masson — Lt. Knorvler William Thomas — Arthur Mason Ian Burfield — Jos Killick John Quentin — Dr. Bradley Alfred Burke — Rear Admiral Nick Reding — Capt. Campbell Charles Edwards — Lt. Seward Gary Waldhorn — Cmdre. Forrest Frederick Warder — Bosun Pip Torrens — Capt. Lindsay Frederick Treves — Governor Nicholas Rowe — King George Heike Makatsch — Queen Charlotte T. P. McKenna — Edmund Burke Kelvin Cook — Carpenter Peter-Hugo Daly — John Jefferys Eliza Darby — Portuguese child Duane Fierro — Naval captain Daniela Lavender — Courtesan Roger Lloyd-Pack — Capt. Man Gavin Molloy — Marine Daragh O'Malley — Capt. Bourke

Jeremy Irons — Rupert Gould Peter Cartwright — Army doctor Anna Chancellor — Muriel Gould Geoffrey Hutchings — Estate manager Robert Demeger — Observatory porter Sarah Badel — Society lady Alec McCowen — Sir Frank Watson Dyson Sophie Millett — Dyson's secretary Lucy Akhurst — Nurse Grace Ingram Michael Cochrane — Waddington, Gould's solicitor John Leeson — BBC radio producer Peter Penry-Jones — Surgeon Sasha Hails — BBC PA Rebecca Clay — Observatory assistant Richard Janes — Young assistant Faith Kent — Lady curator John Quayle — Dr. Demainbray James Bradshaw — Callboy Barbara Leigh-Hunt — Dodo Gould Clare Moody — Staff nurse Joe Williams - Cecil Gould

Awards

In 2001, Longitude was nominated for the British Academy Television Awards in ten categories, winning in five, including Best Actor (Michael Gambon) and Best Drama Serial.

External links

• Longitude at IMDb
• 2000 — The Year in Review (Channel 4)