Follyfoot

Did You Know?

• The first three episodes were released on video in 1995, but no further video releases followed.
• Series 1 was released on DVD in 2007, Series 2 in April 2008, and Series 3 in October 2008.
• A complete boxset of the series was released in late 2008.

Background and production

The series was filmed on the Harewood family estate and set at a home of rest for horses. Although its appeal might seem limited to young girls interested in horses, Follyfoot was aimed at the teenage market and often addressed challenging topics regarding the treatment of horses and animals in British society. The ethos of the farm was to give a second chance to both horses and people rejected by society, with a pro-animal stance that portrayed negative archetypes from equestrian literature unfavourably.

Continuity was maintained by Tony Essex, who wrote 34 of the 39 episodes. The theme song, The Lightning Tree, was composed by Francis Essex, Tony's brother, and performed by The Settlers; it reached No. 36 in the UK charts in 1971, and an album of music from the series was released. The main cast included Gillian Blake as Dora, Steve Hodson as Steve, Christian Rodska as Ron Stryker, Desmond Llewelyn as the Colonel, and Arthur English as Slugger. Minor roles featured Pam St Clement, Gretchen Franklin as the Colonel's housekeeper, and Kathy Staff in two separate bit parts.

The series was characterised by a rotation of directors, many of whom later became revered in UK film, including Stephen Frears, Michael Apted, and Jack Cardiff, who took time from working with Kirk Douglas to direct two episodes. David Hemmings appeared in one episode, Uncle Joe, and directed two others: The Bridge Builder and the final episode, Walk In the Wood.

Characters

Dora Maddocks, played by Gillian Blake, is the central character and niece of the Colonel. The daughter of a diplomat, she endured a miserable childhood as her parents never understood her, showering her with material possessions instead of affection. In Series 2 episode 4, she recalls her 10th birthday when she received expensive dresses rather than the pony she wanted. Sent to live with the Colonel while her parents are in South America, Dora discovers Follyfoot farm and finds her idyll.

She is an idealist and dreamer who struggles with change and tries to ignore the existence of bad people. When the Colonel signs Follyfoot over to her, she desperately tries to maintain the farm as it always was, causing tension with her love interest, Steve. Steve Ross, played by Steve Hodson, is a miner's son and former reform school pupil who served prison time for attacking a man whipping a horse. A skilled horseman, he comes to Follyfoot after his previous employer, the Squire, disbelieves his innocence regarding an attack on horses.

Steve shares Dora's values but has a more realistic worldview due to his experiences, leading to increasing tension with her in the second and third series. He has an emotional attachment to Dora and wishes he could be more idealistic. Ron Stryker, played by Christian Rodska, is the third young worker at Follyfoot, known to the police and friends with Lewis Hammond of the Night Riders gang. His father persuaded the Colonel to give him a job to keep him out of trouble, but Ron is workshy and ignores warnings not to burst through the main gate on his Triumph Tiger motorbike.

Despite his rough exterior, he is warm-hearted and loves the horses. Ron is already at Follyfoot when Dora and Steve arrive.