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You know, my dear Junior Edwardians, there was once a time --- I believe, if memory serves me correctly, that time was the short period during the late 1970's --- when, for some curious reason, I was probably the coolest dude on television! Oh, yes! When ITC Entertainment enlisted the services of Sir Cecil Clarke to executive produce this remarkable new series for Sir Lew Grade's ATV network, I suspect that Sir Cecil did not expect exactly how popular that series would become.
Having secured the rights to Sir Philip Magnus' immortal biography of myself, one of the first things that the producers decided was that the show should strictly have my name. Indeed, that's precisely what happened: the show would be called simply Edward the Seventh. And when these 13 delightful hours were first aired in Britain, almost overnight, I was a big hit once more, just as I was in life!
With Timothy West performing my Royal Personage as though he were my very spitting image, Edward the Seventh became one of ITC/ATV's all-time best blockbuster limited series --- indeed, as the critics here in London would suggest, the show was probably among the boldest and most romantic such miniseries ever produced for the airwaves. Within and beyond the confines of Elstree Television Centre at Borehamwood, Hertfordshire --- and I remind you, dear Junior Edwardians, that all this happened long, long before that ancient sage George Lucas took over the place --- that a bunch of wonderful artists and technical personnel utilized their combined talents and made magic happen for one glorious moment!
It did not take too long before our show found its way across the Pond, as you Americans sometimes say. On May 14th, 1974, the CBS Television Network announced that they had acquired U.S. broadcast rights to the show from Lord Grade and his team. They figured that presenting the show in the U.S. would be quite a prestigious event.
They did, alas, have one small problem: the show's title.
No doubt someone in the Publicity and Marketing Departments at CBS were concerned that you Americans would have no idea who I was; so they changed the show's title to The Royal Victorians (Christopher Hibbert having written a biography of me by that particular title a while previously), the idea being to sell the show as a depiction of the world of two Ages of England's Royal Family as seen through the eyes of myself and both my parents.
Just when it seemed that the show was about to hit the airwaves, ABC began challenging its rivals, giving the fools at CBS something of what you more modern Mortals would call 'cold feet.' In the end, our show was quietly shelved.....
...... and indeed would have gathered dust indefinitely were it not for the efforts of one man: Herbert Schmertz, the one-time executive of Mobil Corporation who, more than any other individual, was responsible for the overwhelming success and artistic merit of PBS' much-beloved Masterpiece Theatre. Here is Mr. Schmertz' recollection as to how he became, in a sense, my White Knight, as it were:
"We told CBS that if they were going to broadcast the series, we would like to have the opportunity of being the sole sponsor. But they neither scheduled nor put any kind of price tag on that show. As a result, we said, 'If you decide that you want to sell the series, we'd be very interested in buying it.'" And that's exactly what happened: at the time when CBS purchased the rights from ITC, the cost had been a then-record setting $2.5 million; when it ultimately became clear that Mobil was eager to take The Royal Victorians off the network's hands, CBS sold the 12 episodes that they'd bought for $1.8 million. Mr. Schmertz then secured the rights to the thirteenth and final episode (that would be the one where I take my leave of the Mortals' world) --- and then, he made one last alteration to the show's title.
It became known as Edward the King --- and that's the title by which many of its fans know it to this very day. Afterwards, Mr. Schmertz signed deals with executives from some 50 U.S. TV stations in such leading markets as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Denver, San Diego and Miami. Ironically, 13 of these 50 stations just happened to be CBS affiliates, meaning that, in 13 markets, we'd be preempting CBS' scheduled shows during our 8 PM [Eastern] time slot!
Interestingly, Timothy West tells this strange tale: as soon he found out that he had won the role of yours truly, the very first person with whom he shared this news reacted by saying he didn't like Shakespeare; and the second person he told this story to asked him who'd be playing Mrs. Wallis Simpson (later the Duchess of Windsor)! [That story, by the way, would be the source for our follow-up of sorts to our series, Thames Television's Edward and Mrs. Simpson.]
Regardless, our show proved to be just as popular in America as it did in Britain. Suddenly, I, Edward VII, King of Great Britain, was --- again, as you younger Americans say --- the hottest dude on TV! Why, I can't recall a time when I was this cool!
Subsequently, the Mobil folks, in partnership with the Exhibitions Division of Bermans & Nathans, the world's largest costume suppliers, created a traveling exhibition of some of the costumes that you would see on Edward the King. Anne Hollowood, our Head Costume Supervisor, would some two decades later be nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Costume Design, for her work on the NBC/Hallmark Entertainment miniseries, Merlin. Our other costumers were Susan Lecash and Chrisitne Wilson. The exhibit of our costumes also took up a brief residence at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.
Oh yes, I almost forgot: Here are our 13 episodes, just so you'll know them by name:
And do you know, no less a kind fellow than Sir Philip Magnus himself endorsed our show! Here's what he said:
"Edward VII was very great fun; and to a world less colourful now than it used to be, he does put on a splendid show. Those carefree days of the Edwardian Age, tawdry as it was in some ways, continue to hold a great deal of appeal for people oppressed by all sorts on anxieties. I think that there's no essential difference between English and American audiences on that score."
Eventually, my friends, this portion of my Royal Homepage will include extended synopses for all 13 episodes; a rundown of each show's major (and minor) players; and an extensive list of books about me that you might want to dig up next time you're in the mood for a bit of Royal Research!
Thus, I invite you, my online subjects, to check back often --- for if it's Edwardian, it will henceforth find a home in Edward VII: The Homepage! That, my dear Junior Edwardians, is a Royal Promise!
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