1996 Famous Five series, Julian's plaster cast!

[Petermax]

I have recently viewed most episodes of the 1990s Famous Five series. Very good it is too, I absolutely love the period detail, although I remain a firm fan of the 1970s FF series.

However, I am somewhat puzzled that in a couple of episodes of the 90s series Julian has his leg in plaster, can anyone explain this? Did a calamity occur while the series was being filmed I wonder?

[Eljay]

I don't know how it happened, or if it happened during the actual filming, but Marco Williamson did indeed break his leg during the filming period, so it had to be written into the series for some episodes.

[Pippa-Stef]

*Bump*

Was looking for something else and decided to answer Petermax's original question!

According to a good source (None other than a certain Ms Rooper) Marco broke his leg playing football with a cousin during a break in filming where they were all at home. According to Jemima they had another two weeks in school because of it.

Also in an interview on the De Fem DVD's Wolfgang sent to me, Marco talks about his accident in which he describes how the break happened which was in fact that result of him falling over the football and twisting his leg as he fell.

I do feel that I should point that, (again, a titbit from Ms Rooper) that the boys were told not to play football while they were filming the episodes.

Naturally this break caused an extra two weeks of filming and Marco to spend three episodes in plaster, and the rest of the series limping everywhere- which is in fact a lot of the reason you can't see him in Hike, and he gets left behind at the end, when they've found the treasure because I'm assuming that he couldn't run.

Anyway, hope that answered your question, Petermax, five years later!

[Petermax]

*Bump*Anyway, hope that answered your question, Petermax, five years later!

Why thank you Stef, that was very interesting. One would imagine that the TV company were furious with Marcus as child actor contracts usually forbid certain types of activity before and during the filming period. The presence of the plaster cast in some of the episodes did jar somewhat.

[Pippa-Stef]

I can imagine they did, but Jemima didn't mention how annoyed the producers were, she only mentioned the fact that she had to go back to school for two weeks!

I suppose its easy to think that doing something won't cause you any damage but sometimes ends up quite dangerous! Maybe football seemed safe, and in regards to rugby I guess it was, but in the end it turned out not to be so safe afterall!

Well it certainly meant that there was some precautions that needed to be but into place!