The Main Chance

The Main Chance is a British television series first aired on ITV in four series between 1969 and 1975. It is a drama series that depicts the sudden transformation in the life of a solicitor, David Main (played by John Stride), after he moves from London to Leeds.^[1] It was created by Edmund Ward and John Malcolm; the latter was a pseudonym for John Batt who was a practising solicitor. Batt also composed the theme music.^[2]

The Main Chance
Genre	Legal drama
Created by	Edmund Ward John Malcolm
Starring	John Stride Kate O'Mara Margaret Ashcroft John Wentworth Anna Palk
Composer	Anthony Isaac
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	4
No. of episodes	45 episodes (list of episodes)
Production
Producer	John Frankau
Production company	Yorkshire Television
Original release
Network	ITV
Release	18 June 1969 (1969-06-18) – 18 July 1975 (1975-07-18)

Episodes

Main article: List of The Main Chance episodes

In all, 45 episodes were aired, each around 45 to 50 minutes long and divided into three parts. The first series, shown in 1969, was in black and white. From then on the show went out in colour. The first series consisted of six episodes, while subsequent series contained thirteen episodes each. The three later series were transmitted in 1970, 1972 and 1975.

Cast

• John Stride – David Main
• Kate O'Mara – Julia Main (Series 1)
• Margaret Ashcroft – Margaret Castleton
• John Wentworth – Henry Castleton
• Anna Palk – Sarah Courtney (later Lady Radchester) (Series 1–3)
• Philip Bond – Peter Findon (Series 1–2,4)
• John Arnatt – Sidney Bulmer (Series 1–2)
• Gareth Forwood – Julian Webb (Series 2)
• Glynn Edwards – Walter Clegg (Series 3–4)
• Estelle Kohler – Hilary Nash (Series 3)
• Sharon Maughan – Inge Lindstrom (Series 4)
• Ingrid Hafner – Laura Granton (Series 4)
• Gary Bond – Andrew Retford (Series 4)

Home video

All four series have been released on DVD in the UK.^[3]