Quatermass Logo 'Quatermass'
(4 Parts)
by Nigel Kneal
Quatermass

It is the end of the Twentieth Century; the world has become sick, as anarchy and chaos are rife. Professor Bernard Quatermass has retired to the highlands of Scotland to live the life of a recluse, and to brood over the disappearance of his granddaughter. But when he is invited to appear on a television show in order to talk about the imminent American-Russian link-up in space, Quatermass finds himself forced to travel amongst the anarchic streets of London. Dismayed at the savagery that he finds in the city, Quatermass condemns both of the world’s super-powers on national television, but then as he and his fellow guest, radio-astronomer Joe Kapp, look on in horror the space-station is destroyed by a powerful, unknown force. Realising that the government will look for a scapegoat, Kapp offers Quatermass shelter at his home, a disused railway station which now houses a giant radio-telescope dish. Meanwhile, a group of young, hippie Planet People congregates on the nearby stone-age circle of Ringstone Round, believing that they will be taken to the nirvana of an alien planet. Quatermass, Kapp and Kapp's wife Clare witness a massive beam of light blast down from the sky and obliterate the Planet People at Ringstone Round; they discover an injured girl called Isabel, who has suffered injuries from the blast of the beam, leaving her deaf and blind. While Quatermass and district commissioner Annie Morgan take Isabel to London for treatment, Quatermass’ old friend Chuck Marshall in America contacts Kapp and reveals that there have been similar incidents to Ringstone Round elsewhere on the planet. In London, Quatermass and Annie are caught up in a fight between the vicious gangs of ‘Badders’ and ‘the Blue Brigade’; Annie escapes with Isabel, while Quatermass is given shelter by a group of old age pensioners who live in disused car scrapyard; he meets one of their number, who used to be a scientist working with perfumes. Meanwhile, Kapp returns home only to find that the small stone circle in the field next to his home has been hit - and his wife and children are dead. Annie takes Isabel to a hospital, but the child inexplicably levitates and shatters into crystal shards. As the gangs of youths join with the Planet People, thousands head towards Wembley Stadium, known as 'the Killing Ground'. Quatermass realises that the beam of light is a device used by an unknown alien race who are harvesting humanity. While Annie is killed in more rioting, Quatermass attempts to warn the authorities, but riot police called Pay Cops open fire on the gathered crowd at Wembley just as another beam strikes down killing everyone assembled. Having hidden in the underground car park, Quatermass emerges and surveys the devastation. The authorities finally listen to Quatermass’ warnings, and he allowed to work with Russian Academician Gurov, and the pensioners, as part of a plan to recreate a pheromone that will give the impression of a large gathering of human beings; by releasing the pheromone at the stone circle near Kapp's wrecked observatory, they plan to get the alien device to take up a massive bomb. Quatermass is reunited with the grief-ridden Kapp and together they wait alone for the blast. But at the last moment, a gang of Planet People and gang-members arrive; Kapp is shot by their leader, Kick-Along, while Quatermass sees his grand-daughter amongst the hippies. Reunited with her at last, Quatermass detonates the bomb, destroying the alien device, and saving humanity.

John Mills (Prof. Bernard Quatermass), Simon MacCorkindale (Joe Kapp), Barbara Kellerman (Clare Kapp), Brewster Mason (Gurov), Margaret Tyzack (Annie Morgan), Ralph Arliss (Kickalong), Paul Rosebury (Caraway), Jane Bertish (Bee), Rebecca Saire (Hettie), Annabelle Lanyon (Isabel), Toyah Wilcox (Sal), Bruce Purchase (Roach), David Yip (Chad), Brenda Fricker (Alison), Tony Sibbald (Marshall), Neil Stacy (Toby Gough), Larry Noble (Jack), Gretchen Franklin (Edna), Clare Ruane (Jane), Kathleen St. John (Winnie), Beatrice Shaw (Susie), James Ottaway (Arthur), David Ashford (Katherley), Donald Eccles (Chisholm), Ishaq Bux (Misru), Sophie Kind, Joanna Josephe (Kapp Children), Joy Harrington (T.V. Producer), Barbara Koegh (Make-up Lady), James Leith (First Pay Cop), Luke Hanson (Pay Police Captain), Charles Bolton (First Mugger), Chris Driscoll (Second Mugger), Stewart Harwood (Taxi Driver), Rita Webb (Charm Seller), Trevor Lawrence (Catskin Man), Tudor Davies (T.V. Director), Kevin Stoney (Prime Minister), Elsie Randolph (Woman Minister), Jan Murznowski (Russian Astronaut), Declan Mulholland (Security Guard), Ian Price (Torrance), Chris Quinten (Soldier), Lennox Milne (Woman Researcher), John Dunbar (Electronics Expert), John Richmond (Lt. General), Charles Lamb (Orderly), Brian Croucher (Pay Police Lt.), Claire Lewis, Paul Easom, Kevin Omard, Jackie Cowper, David Lynch, Alison Dowling, Cassie McFarlane (Planet People), Chris Blackwell, Caroline Haigh, Wendy Barrie, Bert Francis, Brian Kuhn, Domini Winter (Dancers)

Directed by Piers Haggard
Produced by Ted Childs
Executive Producer Verity Lambert for Euston Films Ltd.


TX - ITV:
‘Ringstone Round’ - 24th October, 1979 @ 9.00pm - 10.00pm
‘Lovely Lightning’ - 31st October, 1979 @ 9.10pm - 10.10pm
‘What Lies Beneath’ - 7th November, 1979 @ 9.10pm - 10.10pm
‘An Endangered Species’ - 14th November, 1979 9.00pm - 10.00pm

Notes:
*Featuring Professor Bernard Quatermass

* Also known as ‘The Quatermass Conclusion’

*Parts one and two were later rebroadcast as a compilation episode called ‘Ringstone Round’ on 9th May, 1984, although the ‘TVTimes’ noted the title as ‘Huffity, Puffity, Ringstone Round’

*Parts three and four were later rebroadcast as a compilation episode with no on-screen title, on 16th May, 1984, although the ‘TVTimes’ noted the title as ‘Huffity, Puffity, Ringstone Round’

*All four episodes still exist