Arthur Brownlow From Crossroads

[Angela Channing]

One of my favourite characters from the sadly missed soap opera Crossroads was Arthur Brownlow. He appeared in my favourite era of the show, the early 1980s and was the curmudgeonly husband of motel housekeeper Kath Brownlow. When they killed the character off (he was the victim of a hit and run while he was walking home after having a few drinks) it was big news and the episode topped the ratings that week.

During lockdown I finally had some time to sort out some of my junk and I came across this article about him leaving the series.

 

[Barbara Fan]

RIP Arthur Brownlow - he was a bit of a grump if i recall

I always remember watching Grange Hill and being surprised to see "his Wife" Kath aka Pam Vezey play Trisha (of the flicked hair fame) Yates mother

I have little recollection of Crossroads back then, My Nan was miffed that Noele Gordon was written out!!
but do remember daughter Glenda and she got married to someone called Kevin and didnt they have a test tube baby?

 

[Angela Channing]

RIP Arthur Brownlow - he was a bit of a grump if i recall

I always remember watching Grange Hill and being surprised to see "his Wife" Kath aka Pam Vezey play Trisha (of the flicked hair fame) Yates mother

I have little recollection of Crossroads back then, My Nan was miffed that Noele Gordon was written out!!
but do remember daughter Glenda and she got married to someone called Kevin and didnt they have a test tube baby?

Yes, that's right and Kevin had an affair with Glenda's cousin Iris Scott who was also one of my favourite characters.

 

[Julia's Gun]

I remember watching this at the time. I was only about 7. It really shocked me as I was very squeamish back then, and the site of blood coming out of his head was disturbing back then. Nowadays it looks so tame . How times have changed...

Dallas obviously copied this idea and used the same stunt man for Bobby being run down by Katherine.

 

[Pamela_E]

This is one of my earliest memories of any TV show, Arthur Brownlow's death. I remember being so shocked by it that I started to get paranoid about my dad's health.

Kath was one of my favs, she was just so nice and we had the same wallpaper as the Brownlows

What happened to that family? Did they all get written out? I have some vague recollection of Kath remarrying. Did that happen?

 

[Angela Channing]

This is one of my earliest memories of any TV show, Arthur Brownlow's death. I remember being so shocked by it that I started to get paranoid about my dad's health.

Kath was one of my favs, she was just so nice and we had the same wallpaper as the Brownlows

What happened to that family? Did they all get written out? I have some vague recollection of Kath remarrying. Did that happen?

Glenda married Kevin and struggled to conceive a child and they eventually had a test tube baby and left for a new life in either Canada or Australia, I can't remember exactly. Kath married a school teacher called Stephen Fellows who got a job as a headmaster of a boarding school. The school needed a housekeeper so he offered Kath that job and they both left King's Oak to run the school. Ron Brownlow just drifted in and out the the series and he just left to do some travelling and never returned. Iris Scott became involved with a character who turned out to be a drug addict and he went on to die of an overdose prompting Iris to leave the area to make a new start for herself.

 

[Pamela_E]

Glenda married Kevin and struggled to conceive a child and they eventually had a test tube baby and left for a new life in either Canada or Australia, I can't remember exactly. Kath married a school teacher called Stephen Fellows who got a job as a headmaster of a boarding school. The school needed a housekeeper so he offered Kath that job and they both left King's Oak to run the school. Ron Brownlow just drifted in and out the the series and he just left to do some travelling and never returned. Iris Scott became involved with a character who turned out to be a drug addict and he went on to die of an overdose prompting Iris to leave the area to make a new start for herself.

Wow completely forgot about Iris. I totally loved her, she was their answer to Kristin Shepherd. I think so anyway, if I am remembering the right person.

Were they all axed as part of the whole renovation of the show?

Crossroads made some weird decisions with their cast.

My favourite character was Miss Diane and husky voiced Barbara. Then later a woman who reminded me of a cat and lived on a boat.

 

[James from London]

later a woman who reminded me of a cat and lived on a boat.

Vera Downend! I used to think Vera was Rita from Coronation Street if Rita was a hairdresser who lived on a canal instead of a cabaret singing toffee shop proprietor.

 

[Pamela_E]

Vera Downend! I used to think Vera was Rita from Coronation Street if Rita was a hairdresser who lived on a canal instead of a cabaret singing toffee shop proprietor.

I don't think that was her, she kind of purred and was rich. She sounded like Moon Cat. A man was having a fling with her and would meet up on the boat and her husband was an older guy with a beard.

 

[James from London]

I don't think that was her, she kind of purred and was rich. She sounded like Moon Cat. A man was having a fling with her and would meet up on the boat and her husband was an older guy with a beard.

Oh yes, Valerie Pollard. (Not to be confused with Valerie Pollard on Emmerdale.) She later turned into Janine's rich grandmother on Enders.

 

[Angela Channing]

Wow completely forgot about Iris. I totally loved her, she was their answer to Kristin Shepherd. I think so anyway, if I am remembering the right person.

Were they all axed as part of the whole renovation of the show?

Crossroads made some weird decisions with their cast.

My favourite character was Miss Diane and husky voiced Barbara. Then later a woman who reminded me of a cat and lived on a boat.

I'm not sure why they left. I think once Arthur had been killed off and Glenda left the show there were limited things they could do with Kath so they just wrote her out.

Iris was a great character, I may be wrong but I think they kept her on the show even after Kath was written out. I remember her being close to Benny and also she was involved in some kind of dodgy dealings with J Henry Pollard.

 

[Pamela_E]

Oh yes, Valerie Pollard. (Not to be confused with Valerie Pollard on Emmerdale.) She later turned into Janine's rich grandmother on Enders.

I remember watching her on Enders and no idea it was Valerie Pollard. It's all coming back to me now, I recall her daughter was Miranada and she was raped at Chimneys, which I think was Jill's house.