'All Creatures Great and Small': How a Long-Running TV Series Endeared Itself to the British Public
James Herriot’s short stories about his life as a veterinarian in rural Yorkshire are beloved worldwide and still remain immensely popular years after the death of the author, Alf Wight (1916-1995). His humor, deftly drawn characters of both the two- and four-legged variety, and thoughtful portrayal of a disappearing way of life in one of the most beautiful spots in England made his stories a natural fit for conversion to the big—or small—screen.
The first two attempts, both feature films, didn’t do very well. The original All Creatures Great and Small, a 1974 Hallmark presentation, disappeared into rightful obscurity, despite the presence of Anthony Hopkins as Siegfried Farnon. Two years later another attempt, It Shouldn’t Happen To A Vet, crashed and burned.
But Herriot’s compact storytelling seemed ideally suited to a television series, although it paired two then-unknown young actors with veteran Robert Hardy, a well-respected Shakespearean performer.
The following clip is from a documentary about the making of the series and the casting, with the perspectives of Hardy, and of Christopher Timothy (James Herriot) and Peter Davison (Tristan Farnon).
