Frank Stubbs Promotes – Nostalgia Central

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1 9 9 3 – 1 9 9 4 (UK)
13 x 60 minute episodes

Timothy Spall played Frank Stubbs – a down-at-heel Soho ticket tout with grand ideas – in this ITV comedy/drama series.

His partner, Archie Nash (Trevor Cooper), regards touting as a noble profession that requires nothing more than a mobile phone and a seat at Luigi’s Cafe. But Frank wants more.

He aspires to become a high-class promoter of talented performers like his one-time colleague Dave Giddings (Nick Reding).

But in reality, Frank’s ambitions outstrip his capabilities and, while Dave is a ruthless individual, Frank is essentially decent – often to his own detriment.

Dave inadvertently kick-starts Frank’s new career by putting a thankless promotional job his way, setting up a concert for an unknown Australian country-and-western singer.

Against considerable odds, however, Frank makes a go of it and is thrilled by his accomplishment.

When his brother-in-law dies unexpectedly, Frank moves in with his sister, Petra (Lesley Sharp), and her daughter, Dawn (Daniella Westbrook, better known as Sam from EastEnders).

Having lived in dismal rented accommodation since his wife, Diane (Hazel Ellerby) threw him out six months earlier, Frank is happy with the new arrangement. Dawn is rather less enthusiastic about the plan.

Frank’s feckless son, Jason (Charlie Condou), lives with his mother but descends on Frank from time to time.

Frank and Archie move into an office in Dave’s building, and while Archie continues to make a living out of tickets, it isn’t long before Frank is exploring a whole range of promotional work, from the very serious to the downright foolhardy – including owners of plastic kit cars, footballers, and Bulgarian ice skaters.

Men Behaving Badly scriptwriter Simon Nye peopled the series with a rich mixture of Soho wide-boys and Frank’s complicated family

Frank Stubbs
Timothy Spall
Archie Nash
Trevor Cooper
Petra Dillon
Lesley Sharp
Dawn Dillon
Danniella Westbrook
Ron Rumsby
Gordon Winter
Dave Giddings
Nick Reding
Diane Stubbs
Hazel Ellerby
Grace Stubbs
Anne Jameson
Jason Stubbs
Charlie Condou