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The First Churchills(TV show/series, 1969)

50min per episode | Genre: Drama

Scripted Reality in 1 season with 12 episodes

The First ChurchillsRating: 3.2/5 (with 2 votes)
The First Churchills is a BBC serial from 1969 about the life of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and his wife, Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough. It stars John Neville as the duke and Susan Hampshire as the duchess, was written and produced by Donald Wilson, and was directed by David Giles. It is notable as being the first programme shown on PBS's long-running Masterpiece series in the United States. Wilson and Giles were fresh from their success in writing and directing The Forsyte Saga, which also starred Susan Hampshire and Margaret Tyzack. ()
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About The First Churchills

The lives of the Duke of Marlborough and his wife Sarah, from their meeting in 1673 to the duke's death in 1722.

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The First Churchills Seasons and Episodes

09/27/1969Season 1 - 12 episodes
#1 | 09/27/1969The Chaste Nymph
At the court of Charles II, young John Churchill advances his career by serving the king’s bastard son, Monmouth, in the field of battle, and by bedding the king’s mistress, the Duchess of Cleveland. Young Sarah Jennings is also advancing at court, by befriending the king’s sister-in-law, the Duchess of York, and teaching the York princesses, Mary and Anne, the art of gambling. At a court masque, the two meet, and sparks fly.
#2 | 10/04/1969Bridals
In 1675 a masque was performed at the Court of Charles II at Whitehall. There the young soldier John Churchill, Groom of the Bedchamber to the King's brother, fell in love with a pretty lady-in-waiting, Sarah Jennings.
#3 | 10/11/1969Plot Counter-Plot
John and Sarah have married. Lord Shaftesbury has threatened Charles with rebellion. To appease his Protestant Parliament, Charles has arranged a marriage between Mary and the Prince of Orange.
#4 | 10/18/1969The Lion and the Unicorn
The rage against Popery in England continues. James, Duke of Monmouth, has become the protégé of Shaftesbury who plans to make him King. But Churchill has refused to support Monmouth. Charles has resisted all pressure to disinherit his brother James.
#5 | 10/25/1969Rebellion
Charles has been forced to send James into exile and to dissolve his factious parliament at Oxford. The Princess Anne has married George, Prince of Denmark, and has chosen Sarah to be one of her Ladies of the Bedchamber.
#6 | 11/01/1969The Protestant Wind
Monmouth, the hope of the Protestant rebels, was defeated by John Churchill at Sedgemoor.
#7 | 11/08/1969Trial of Strength
John Churchill owed much to James II. But the King was clearly determined to destroy the Protestant religion and the laws of England, so John decided to support William of Orange and the Revolution of 1688.
#8 | 11/15/1969The Queens Command
William III, with Churchill's help, has defeated James' attempted invasion of Ireland. John has been suspected of treason and dismissed from Court. Princess Anne has refused to obey her sister Mary and part with Sarah.
#9 | 11/22/1969Reconciliation
In an atmosphere of national panic John, falsely accused of Jacobite treachery, has been imprisoned for a time in the Tower. After Mary's death, William receives Anne at Court.
#10 | 11/29/1969A Famous Victory
Before he died William III recognised Marlborough as his successor in the task of defeating France. With the accession of Anne, John and Sarah have risen to a position of pre-eminence.
#11 | 12/06/1969Breaking the Circle
To save the Holy Roman Empire from French invasion Marlborough led his allied troops into Germany and defeated the French at the Battle of Blenheim.
#12 | 12/13/1969Not Without Honour
Marlborough continues his success in the war against France, but his prestige at home and with Anne has been impaired by the devious backstairs intrigue of Robert Harley.

Additional Information

Production country: United Kingdom (UK)
Original language: English (EN)
Spoken languages: English (EN)
Translated into 2 languages: English (EN), Korean (KO)
Status: Ended
First episode released on: 09/27/1969
Last episode released on: 12/13/1969
Appearing Characters: John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, Charles II of England, James II of England, Mary of Modena, William III of England, Mary II of England, Anne of Great Britain, Prince George, Duke of Cumberland, Louis XIV of France, Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin, Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury, Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury, James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer, Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin, Henrietta Godolphin, 2nd Duchess of Marlborough, John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester, William Russell, Lord Russell, Louise de Keroual, Duchess of Portsmouth, Charles Churchill, Nell Gwyn, Charles de Batz-Castelmore d'Artagnan, D'Artagnan, Henrietta Wentworth, 6th Baroness Wentworth, Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester, Titus Oates, Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke, Abigail Masham, Baroness Masham, James Francis Edward Stuart, Prince of Wales, Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland, Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, Adam de Cardonnel, William Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan, John Churchill, Marquess of Blandford, Anthonie Heinsius, John Wenceslau Wratislaw von Mitrowitz, Eugene of Savoy, Camille d'Hostun, duc de Tallard, Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria, John Cutts, 1st Baron Cutts, Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden, John Vanbrugh, Samuel Masham, 1st Baron Masham, John Somers, 1st Baron Somers, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, marquis de Torcy, Elizabeth Seymour, Duchess of Somerset, Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax, Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland, Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland, William Sancroft, William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, Robert Young, Thomas Sprat, Thomas Tenison, Prince William, Duke of Gloucester
Cast: Susan Hampshire, John Neville, John Standing, Robert Robinson, James Villiers, John Westbrook, Sheila Gish, Alan Rowe, Lisa Daniely, Margaret Tyzack, Roger Mutton, Frederick Peisley, Job Stewart, James Kerry, Richard Pearson, Moira Redmond, Richard Warwick, Polly Adams, Graham Armitage, Colin Bean, Consuela Chapman, Michael Culver, Andria Lawrence, Michael Lynch, Kay Patrick, Arthur Pentelow, Bruce Purchase, John Ringham, Nicholas Smith, Michael Attwell, Jill Balcon, Freddie Wilson, Yvonne Antrobus, Robert Mill, William Job, Bernard Taylor, Francis Wallis, David King, Kenneth Ives, John Saunders, Edward Dentith, Guy Standeven, Donald Sumpter, Clive Cazes, John Carlin, Gordon Whiting, Charles West, Derek Cox, Rosina Stewart, Clifford Parrish, Austin Trevor, John Humphry, Lillias Walker, Kevin Stoney, Roger Booth, Davyd Harries, Julian D'Albie, Graham Leaman, Michael Reynolds
Director: David Giles

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WatchPlayStream ID: SHOWS:8524, Added: 05/12/2018, Last updated: 03/13/2024