The Adventures Of Black Beauty 1972

Director(s)
Charles Crichton
Peter Duffell
Freddie Francis
Alan Gibson
Gerry Poulson
John Reardon

Writers
David Butler  writer
Richard Carpenter  writer
Lindsay Galloway  writer
John Kane  writer
Victor Pemberton  writer
Anna Sewell  novel
Ted Willis  writer

Producers
Sidney Cole producer (1972-74)
Anthony S. Gruner associate producer
Paul Knight executive producer

Cast
Judi Bowker – Vicky Gordon (1972-1973)
Michael Culver – Squire Armstrong
Stacy Dorning – Jenny Gordon (1973-1974)
Stephen Garlick – Ned Lewis
Len Jones – Dan Collins
William Lucas – Dr. James Gordon
Tony Maiden – Albert Clifton
Alistair McKenzie – Robbie
Charlotte Mitchell – Amy Winthrop
John Nettleton – Collins, the livery stables owner
Roderick Shaw – Kevin Gordon

Review by CooperHMC
Oh the nostalgia!!!

This series was made the year I was born – 1972 – and so it must have been the reruns I used to watch but I do recall that it was an unmissable show for me. This series is timeless because it reflects a time that, even when it was made, had already passed. Sure, some of the hairstyles give it away at times for being from the 70’s but it’s something you could show your kids now and it wouldn’t be dated. I don’t have any kids but I have just purchased the ” Best of” DVD as I want, someday, for my kids to appreciate the innocence of growing up that this show reflects.

It does show good triumphing over bad, promotes good morals and, at times will tug at the heart strings, but its the kind of wholesome entertainment that you want your kids to watch as it always promotes “doing the right thing”.

I am not ashamed to say that, mentally, I joined Vicky, Kevin, Albert and then Jenny and Ned on ALL of their adventures and, even now that I am all grown up ( as are all the actors who played them) I am being transported back to those childhood days in a warm, fuzzy and nostalgic glow. Albert was always my favourite character and I would LOVE to know where Tony Maiden is today. To me, he was always the most endearing character – the one who added all the humour. My only criticism of the DVD release? It only contains 11 of the 54 episodes that were made over the 2 seasons. Please, let’s have Box set releases for both seasons. I suspect a lot of parents of my generation would far rather their kids watched shows like this than the violence that kids are subjected to nowadays.