Hugh In Hospital (1967)

[Mike of CAS]

Maria has been rummaging in a TV Times and is curious about a Hugh Mortimer comment.

Hugh to Nurse "To see me ?  The only visitors I want to see are Mrs Richardson and Mr Lockyer.

We're also curious to whom Mr Locker is? Anyone know more...

This is before the bomb at the motel, so he's not been hit on the head with a tray of macaroons and coffee.

[Maria No. 1.]

Thanks to Lucky who has been inside Edinburgh Library looking at old TVTimes for 1967 we know that Hugh was in hospital for some time needing a diagnosis.

We already know that Meg broke off their engagement in 1966 because of Louise Borelli.  But when she and Hugh both thought Hugh was very seriously ill Meg realised she loved him and their enagement was back on in 1967.  This info is in the Meg/Hugh Wedding Magazine.

So Hugh being in hospital ties in with this storyline.  Such a shame later in the year the scriptwriters were cruel and Meg was dumped for Jane Templeton.

[Lucky]

Hi Maria,

Here's a bit more of what I managed to find out:

In 1967 the following characters appeared between the dates given - the whole year was checked.

Hugh Mortimer - 9 January -29 March
 
The nurse who looked after him in hospital and who he was speaking to in the quote Maria gave was Sister Jackson (credited as Nurse Jackson in her first appearance) and was played by Elizabeth Burger - appeared 7 February to 3 March and then returned from 2-5 May (I think this was the time of the bomb storyline?).

Mr Lockyer's Christian name was John and he was played by Gerald Turner - 9 January to 7 March.

Gordon Amos seems to have been Hugh's mysterious visitor and he appeared 1 February to 14 April. From what Maria tells me he was a character who had previously appeared in 1965 as well. Anybody know anthing about this character? From what I read in the TV Times he seemed to be a bit dodgy.

After this storyline was finished Hugh didn't appear in Crossroads again until 28 February 1968 when he returned for only two episodes. I also noted the appearances of Jane Templeton - she first appeared from 7 February to 16 February 1968 so was never actually on screen with Hugh at the same time (at least at this stage). How did they run the Hugh and Jane storyline if they didn't appear on screen together? Anyone know if they reappeared together after this? I think they must have.

Oh and just to complete my list of appearances, Gerald Turner who played John Lockyer  returned to the show on 27 February 1968 in a one episode role as Sub-Officer Greene! And to complicate matters further he is credited on IMDB as playing PC Frampton!

[Maria No. 1.]

Thank You Lucky for this further information.  Most appreciated.

Because of the missing episodes I can only go from books, I think Jane turned up briefly at Crossroads to tell Meg the truth why Hugh married her, that she was dying, just in case she had any doubts.  I also believe Jane thanked Meg for her understanding, knowing of course Meg's happiness was shattered when she and Hugh married.  This was after Hugh had already told Meg in those couple of episodes previously.

I don't think Hugh did return after seeing Meg, he returned to Australia after Jane's death and stayed there till 1973.

[Mike of CAS]

Did Gordon Amos run the Night and Day car hire, then he played his twin brother? I know Charlie Forward was the troublemaker, who swindled poor Dick out of his share in the company. He also let someone die, which there is a photograph of because it was the first Xrds on-screen death.

[Maria No. 1.]

I know Gordon did have a twin because there are two Amo's on the CAS Cast List page.

[Lucky]

Thats very interesting about Gordon amos and Charlie Forward - haven't heard of Night and Day before.

To Maria:

Jane Templeton appeared BEFORE Hugh's return which is what I found strange. See the dates listed. Could Hugh have told Meg offscreen by phone or something?

[Maria No. 1.]

Yes Meg was told offscreen, she received a telegram I think.  Meg was in Tunisia the week of her wedding to Hugh when she received the bombshell he had married.

It was because of the viewers backlash that the Production Staff came up with the storyline that Jane was dying, Hugh did it out of compassion.  And so when Hugh returned and told Meg the truth, Meg cried.  It's in Noele Gordon's 1975 book, Noele's tears were real apparently, a very very touching scene between Meg and Hugh.

[Mike of CAS]

[Mike of CAS]

I guess that sums it up, Charlie must have got his hands on the business in the end, hence Amy's indignation when he returns in the 1970s on the DVD episodes.

[Lucky]

So did Jane die on screen then, at the motel?

[Maria No. 1.]

Lucky, I think Jane died off screen.  Jane was the daughter of one of Hugh's business friends.

We know Charlie was Sandra Gould's Dad.  He was a right con-man wasn't he.

[Mike of CAS]

Okay so its Victor who dies in 1965 and then the same actor appears as Gordon 'twin brother' to visit Hugh. It was all going on.

[Lucky]

Great photos! So as Gordon Amos was in it in 1967, this must have been the writers way of bringing the actor back after they had killed off his character Victor Amos two years earlier. As so many of the writers of the time also wrote Dr. Who, was this the Crossroads equivalent of regeneration?

[Maria No. 1.]

I'd love to know what Hugh was in hospital for, something really serious to need a diagnosis.  I was looking again at Meg's Wedding Mag today it said Meg & Hugh both thought he was "dying".  So whatever it was ?  

The only way we are going to find out is through the script archive, whenever circumstances will allow us.