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Prisoner: (Cell Block H)

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Oh, I lived for Prisoner: Cell Block H!

Set in a women's prison in Australia, Bea Smith was the first "top dog" and the first character of the first episode. She was released from prison and promptly shot dead her husband for letting her daughter Debbie die of a drug dependency.

Straight back inside, Queen Bea settled down to rule her roost again. Bea had two firm friends, the slightly dotty Lizzie Birdsworth, who had a penchant for home made "grog" and Doreen Anderson who was very childlike and carried her teddy everywhere.

The prisoners were ruled by Saint Meg Morris who forgave anything and anyone, even Chrissie Latham (who murdered Meg's husband) and Joan "The Freak" Ferguson (as corrupt as they come)!

You always knew an inmate was in for a beating when Joan got her black leather gloves out!

Prisoner Cell Block H was a brilliant series and is sadly missed. If you can't remember it, then you will surely remember the haunting theme tune - "He used to give me roses, I wish he could again, But that was on the outside, and things were different then".

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Do You Remember Prisoner: (Cell Block H)?

Do You Remember Prisoner: (Cell Block H)?

  • Anonymous user
    on
    It was one of the first soaps to address issues such as lesbian love and drug abuse. 'Vinegar Tits' Vera wasn't anything like as bad as Ferguson, she did reform in the end. My favourite character was Spider Simpson's mate Vicky MacPherson, played by Rebecca Dines- she was GORGEOUS! She lives in the USA now, where she's a theatre director. Janet Andrewatha, who played Reb Kean, remains in her role as Lynn Scully in 'Neighbours'. Her husband is an artist. I took offence at the digs towards Wales that Rita Connor kept making in the later years of the series, and actually wrote to programme makers Grundy Australia about it, although by then it was too late- the series ended in '86. Did you know that Sammy Davis Jnr. was a fan?!! The theme song was sung by Linda Hamilton, and got into the Australian pop charts c.1980.
  • Anonymous user
    on
    Oh my God!! What a brilliant programme, I watched it faithfully. Mum used to ask if I was in my bed and i'd shout "Yes" then dive down the end of the bed to put the volume down when the big bars came across for the adverts lol. Loads of actors started out there, Cheryl from Neighbours, Harold Bishop aka Ian Smith wrote episodes and was also played a guy high up in the Prison Service, Vinegar Tits played Alfs angelic sister Celia in Home & Away, Meg Morris was in Neighbours, Reb Kean was Lynn Scully in Neighbours too, the Governer of the mens prison is none other than Alf Stewart, too many to mention. Loved it, loved it, loved it!!!
  • Anonymous user
    on
    I haven't seen Prisoner cell block H in years. Sadly my mum wouldn't let me stay up to watch it, only because I had school the next morning. My favourite charcters were vinegar titt, Lizzie and of course joan the freak ferguson. Please bring it back
  • Anonymous user
    on
    I was so hooked on this programme that I a guy I was dating dumped me! I invited him back to my house after a date and promptly turned on the TV, huddled up on my chair and sat and watched the whole prog, ignoring the fact that he was even there....lol!! Loved it and used to cry at the tune (how sad is that!!)
  • Anonymous user
    on
    I lived for Prisoner Cell Block H. It was on at midnight and would make sure was home from the pub so i wouldnt miss it. I favourite line from one episode where Queen Bea is p*ssed and called vera Vinegar T*ts.
  • cheshire rocky
    on
    We're in the Granada area but watched it on Central cos they started showing it about 3 years before Granada. It was on 3 times a week and we only missed a dozen or so episodes out of 800 or so. We were all really sad in our house, all belomging to the "Unofficial" Fan Club, I kept a scrapbook and an Australian friend sent me memorabilia, and we saw the stage show twice, once in Manchester with Meg Morris and Erica Davidson (got photos and autographs) and once in Hanley with Joan Ferguson and one of the later characters, playing Bea Smith for the tour. We did see Val Lehmann (Bea Smith) at Crewe Lyceum in Misery, that was fantastic too! Dont know if i could sit through it all again though, lifes too short! Who remembers Pixie, in for bigamy cos she liked weddings so kept getting married?
  • Anonymous user
    on
    Does anyone remember the really freaky episode when someone had drugged 'Ferguson'? She had a bad trip and when she came out of it, she had killed her dog? I was distraught!
  • Anonymous user
    on
    Can anyone remind me of the many female future stars first spotted in PCB H? Jackie Woodburn (Susan Kennedy from neighbours) is one of them, as is whoever played Marlene (also in neighbours). There must be more....
  • Anonymous user
    on
    i only ever saw about 3 years of PCBH as Yorkshire TV just stopped showing it ....like that!!! That was my one night of the week i stayed up past midnight...when i was a good little boy!!! Best memories......VINEGAR T*TS vs BEA SMITH Classic TV. Please show it at 8pm on a Friday night......let the masses see it
  • Anonymous user
    on
    FAB, FAB, FAB. THE BEST PROGRAMME EVER MADE AND IT WAS ALWAYS ON REALLY LATE AT NIGHT, AFTER MIDNIGHT. BEA WAS ONE OF 3 MEMORABILE TOP DOGS, ALTHOUGH ADMITEDLY THE BEST. THE OTHER 2 WERE MYRA DESMOND AND THE FANTASTIC RITA CONNOR, A BIKER CHICK WHO WAS THE ONE TO FINALLY BRING AN END TO THE FREAKS REIGN OF TERROR BY SETTING HER UP TO GET CAUGHT 4 A ROBBERY. SHE ENDED UP IN PRISON WHERE SHE BELONGED. BRING IT BACK PLEASE.

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