Rumpole of the Bailey drama series. Impressed with "Rumpole of the Bailey", Lambert offered Shubik the opportunity to bring the series to Thames. John Mortimer readily agreed, since it would mean more money, and Shubik (and "Rumpole") duly left the BBC in late 1976. "Rumpole of the Bailey" made its Thames Television debut on 3 April 1978 in a series of six episodes. These introduced and established the supporting characters including Guthrie Featherstone (Peter Bowles), Claude Erskine-Browne (Julian Curry) and Phyllida Trant (Patricia Hodge). The role of Hilda was recast, with Peggy Thorpe-Bates taking on the part. Other than McKern, David Yelland (who played
Julian Amyes Korea" (1956), and the Emeric Pressburger-written "Miracle in Soho" (1957). After 1977, he returned to directing predominantly in television directing (amongst other works) adaptations of "The Old Curiosity Shop" (1979), "Great Expectations" (1981) and "Jane Eyre" (1983) for the BBC. Amyes also worked on a number of independent productions, before acting as director on episodes of "The Bill" (1990) and "Rumpole of the Bailey" (1989–91) for Thames Television. He was married to the actress/writer Anne Allan. They had two children; Sebastian a Professor at the University of Edinburgh and Isabelle, an Actress. Julian Amyes died of a stroke in 1992.