It's a great thrill and privilege this episode to welcome multi-talented actor, writer and music artist, Andrew Mackintosh, who carved his own special niche in British television history as Detective Sergeant Alistair Greig, a key character in over 300 episodes of one of the most successful and influential television dramas of all time, The Bill.

But as we discover, there's so much more to his varied career, encompassing acting, music and writing. We learn about Andrew's current project, the hit fiction podcast, Letter From Helvetica, talk about his early life and how his professional journey in music and acting began, and he shares with us some of his creative influences.

We explore his continuing musical collaboration with Joe Dooley, and get to grips with some general acting and career matters, including authenticity in casting, accents, received pronunciation and the art of speech, and the mixed blessing of being in a long-running series. We also discuss opportunities for mature actors and, inspired by an unstoppable generation of rock and roll performers, if perceptions of age are evolving in a positive way within the arts and beyond.

Our companion webpage for this episode has some additional career details, images, links and recommendations for further reading, viewing and listening:

https://dec4podcast.com/2024/09/17/a-conversation-with-andrew-mackintosh/

Selected content guide for fans of The Bill:

(24:07) Casting – (29:39) DS Greig’s accent – (34:02) Main segment: Remembering Kevin Lloyd, script quality, cast and character dynamic, notable guest artists and production anecdotes – (57:30) Social and political awareness and activity – (1:21:18) Effect on career

Special thanks to Andrew, and to Oliver Crocker for making this episode possible.

In this clip from our 2022 episode, From Memphis to Vegas: A Vintage Leisure Tour, our leading contributor, Gary Wells (https://soulrideblog.com), talks about the serenity of an early morning visit to Graceland's Meditation Garden. He also takes us inside the mansion itself and to other significant areas including the racquetball court.

Find the full episode here (website embed with images, links, background and additional local information);

https://dec4podcast.com/2023/02/26/gary-wells-from-memphis-to-vegas-a-vintage-leisure-tour/

Oliver Crocker is a filmmaker, podcaster, publisher, and leading writer and historian on classic British television. In this clip from a two-part podcast recorded in 2021, prior to the passing of Frank Williams (Vicar Timothy Farthing), Oliver shares some personal encounters with Dad's Army legends.

Find the complete episode with some additional background, images and links, here:

https://dec4podcast.com/2023/01/29/in-conversation-with-author-filmmaker-and-podcaster-oliver-crocker-a-two-part-podcast/