One By One Series One (1984)
Series one first aired on BBC One on the 29th January 1984 and ran for ten episodes. Below you will find a brief synopsis of every episode, details of guest stars and some trivia. Also you will find details of where in the relevant books you can find the corresponding true life stories.
Main Cast:
Donald Turner played by Rob Heyland
Maurice "Spider" Webb played by Peter Jeffries
Ethel Leadbetter played by Sonia Graham
Paddy Reilly played by James Ellis
Maurice "Spider" Webb played by Peter Jeffries
Ethel Leadbetter played by Sonia Graham
Paddy Reilly played by James Ellis
Episodes:
Episode 1 "We Called In The Experts" first aired on the 29th January 1984.
Donald Turner returns home to his native Rochdale from London freshly qualified as a veterinary surgeon. Moving in with his gran he takes up a position with a local veterinary surgeon called Maurice Webb, well known locally for his ruthless demeanour to the many new veterinary surgeons he has employed. His first day doesn't go to well when he has an encounter with a run over cat and her young owner and he is later horrified to learn that the practice has the Great Northern Zoo as a patient..
Maurice enjoys a game of golf with his brother in law who happens to be the director of the Great Northern Zoo who is worried because the auditors are in. He tells Maurice he doesn't want the new chap dealing with his animals because the stock is valuable. Maurice tells him that family or not he can't turn up every time and Donald will need to attend sometimes.
Donalde meets an old friend called Shirley Hardblaster at the surgery who brings in one of her dads whippets. Shirley invites him to a dance later that week, which cheers him up. He finds that the dog has been lame for a while and she only brought him to get to speak to Donald. Donald is then horrified when Ethel tells him he has a visit to the zoo with Mr Webb who explains he needs to treat the animals like the nearest domestic equivalent and it is a best guess approach to unknown animals.
The head keeper Paddy Reilly and the director aren't very impressed by the new vet and Donald isn't very enthusiastic either when he examines the animals. Later, on one of Maurice's days off, an emergency call comes through to the surgery: one of the chimps has had a thumb bitten off in a fight. When Donald arrives he decides to knock out the chimp and stitch up the wound but is told it can't be done. When he asks what the point of him being called out was, he is told they have to say they "called in the experts" for insurance purposes in case the animal dies. Donald returns home depressed.
Being late he goes to pick up Shirley only to find that she has already left. Hoping to catch her up and asks where the dance is. Upon finding it is at the zoo he decides to give it a miss.
Notable Quotes: Donald (talking about the cat): "And who's piece of fluff is he?" Little girl "He's a she and she's mine!"
Guest Cast:
Real Life: David Taylor actually studied in Edinburgh. The incident with the chimp was actually a male chimp called Robert who bit off one of the thumbs of a female because she refused to hand over a sprig of asparagus. This story can be found in Zoovet.
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Donald Turner returns home to his native Rochdale from London freshly qualified as a veterinary surgeon. Moving in with his gran he takes up a position with a local veterinary surgeon called Maurice Webb, well known locally for his ruthless demeanour to the many new veterinary surgeons he has employed. His first day doesn't go to well when he has an encounter with a run over cat and her young owner and he is later horrified to learn that the practice has the Great Northern Zoo as a patient..
Maurice enjoys a game of golf with his brother in law who happens to be the director of the Great Northern Zoo who is worried because the auditors are in. He tells Maurice he doesn't want the new chap dealing with his animals because the stock is valuable. Maurice tells him that family or not he can't turn up every time and Donald will need to attend sometimes.
Donalde meets an old friend called Shirley Hardblaster at the surgery who brings in one of her dads whippets. Shirley invites him to a dance later that week, which cheers him up. He finds that the dog has been lame for a while and she only brought him to get to speak to Donald. Donald is then horrified when Ethel tells him he has a visit to the zoo with Mr Webb who explains he needs to treat the animals like the nearest domestic equivalent and it is a best guess approach to unknown animals.
The head keeper Paddy Reilly and the director aren't very impressed by the new vet and Donald isn't very enthusiastic either when he examines the animals. Later, on one of Maurice's days off, an emergency call comes through to the surgery: one of the chimps has had a thumb bitten off in a fight. When Donald arrives he decides to knock out the chimp and stitch up the wound but is told it can't be done. When he asks what the point of him being called out was, he is told they have to say they "called in the experts" for insurance purposes in case the animal dies. Donald returns home depressed.
Being late he goes to pick up Shirley only to find that she has already left. Hoping to catch her up and asks where the dance is. Upon finding it is at the zoo he decides to give it a miss.
Notable Quotes: Donald (talking about the cat): "And who's piece of fluff is he?" Little girl "He's a she and she's mine!"
Guest Cast:
Real Life: David Taylor actually studied in Edinburgh. The incident with the chimp was actually a male chimp called Robert who bit off one of the thumbs of a female because she refused to hand over a sprig of asparagus. This story can be found in Zoovet.
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Episode 2 "Nature's Great Masterpiece" first aired on the 5th February 1984.
Donald and Maurice have a troubling case at the Great Northern Zoo. One of the elephants has been suffering debilitating pain in her jaw. The bouts of pain are becoming more regular, and the normally docile and friendly elephant is becoming extremely dangerous.
Between them Donald and Maurice diagnose an abscess in the jaw and agree that the only option is to sedate her and operate. the operation commences smoothly and after a couple of hours they have removed the offending tooth. Then Donald notices that the elephants colour is changing and her reflexes are weakening. With increasing urgency Maurice and Donald finish the operation and try to relieve the pressure on her lungs but to no avail. The anaesthetic is irreversible and the pressure on her lungs too much. She dies.
Donald is left in a black mood as he realises that with the outdated methods they have to use and their limited knowledge of exotic species that if the same thing were to happen tomorrow he would have to do everything the same again.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life: The elephant in question was called Chota and was a family favourite at Belle Vue Zoo in Manchester. The pain from the abcess (the size of a pea!) was so bad that to relieve the pain she used to rock backwards and then forwards slamming her face into the wall of the elephant house which caused some relief to her but caused quite significant damage to the structure of the building. This story can be found in Zoovet.
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Donald and Maurice have a troubling case at the Great Northern Zoo. One of the elephants has been suffering debilitating pain in her jaw. The bouts of pain are becoming more regular, and the normally docile and friendly elephant is becoming extremely dangerous.
Between them Donald and Maurice diagnose an abscess in the jaw and agree that the only option is to sedate her and operate. the operation commences smoothly and after a couple of hours they have removed the offending tooth. Then Donald notices that the elephants colour is changing and her reflexes are weakening. With increasing urgency Maurice and Donald finish the operation and try to relieve the pressure on her lungs but to no avail. The anaesthetic is irreversible and the pressure on her lungs too much. She dies.
Donald is left in a black mood as he realises that with the outdated methods they have to use and their limited knowledge of exotic species that if the same thing were to happen tomorrow he would have to do everything the same again.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life: The elephant in question was called Chota and was a family favourite at Belle Vue Zoo in Manchester. The pain from the abcess (the size of a pea!) was so bad that to relieve the pain she used to rock backwards and then forwards slamming her face into the wall of the elephant house which caused some relief to her but caused quite significant damage to the structure of the building. This story can be found in Zoovet.
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Episode 3 "They Shoot Tigers In India" first aired on 12th February 1984.
The papers have a field day with the death of the elephant much to Maurice's displeasure. Donald goes to the zoo to clip the claws of the tigers partly as a publicity stunt for the beleaguered zoo, where he meets Jenny the local reporter. Elsewhere one of the tigers, Rajah, is suffering from a baffling illness.
Donald decides to delve deeper and at the same time expand his knowledge of big cats. Eventually he ascertains that Rajah has been poisoned by an ex-keeper.
The zoo is also struggling financially and there are some who would like to see the zoo closed and a shopping centre and hotel built on the site.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
The papers have a field day with the death of the elephant much to Maurice's displeasure. Donald goes to the zoo to clip the claws of the tigers partly as a publicity stunt for the beleaguered zoo, where he meets Jenny the local reporter. Elsewhere one of the tigers, Rajah, is suffering from a baffling illness.
Donald decides to delve deeper and at the same time expand his knowledge of big cats. Eventually he ascertains that Rajah has been poisoned by an ex-keeper.
The zoo is also struggling financially and there are some who would like to see the zoo closed and a shopping centre and hotel built on the site.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Episode 4 "Silver Linings" first aired on 19th February 1984.
Sick and tired of the zoo Donald applies for another job out of town.
A suspected case of anthrax breaks out in the zoo.
Jenny finds out about the plan to close the zoo and starts a newspaper campaign to keep it open.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Sick and tired of the zoo Donald applies for another job out of town.
A suspected case of anthrax breaks out in the zoo.
Jenny finds out about the plan to close the zoo and starts a newspaper campaign to keep it open.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Episode 5 "Pastures New" first aired 26th February 1984.
Donald is offered the job out of town and decides to accept it.
Jenny is offered a job on a national newspaper.
Donald has misgivings about leaving the zoo in Maurice's hands. He turns down the new job at the eleventh hour and asks Maurice if he can take over the zoo work.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Donald is offered the job out of town and decides to accept it.
Jenny is offered a job on a national newspaper.
Donald has misgivings about leaving the zoo in Maurice's hands. He turns down the new job at the eleventh hour and asks Maurice if he can take over the zoo work.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Episode 6 "Time and Motion" first aired 4th March 1984.
A circus asks Donald to give their animals the once over. While there he notices that the sealions who are owned and trained by the cantankerous Mrs Schmidt are very lethargic. A battle of wills ensues until Donald cures the sealions of worms with some medicine after Mrs Schmidt accidentally poisons her charges with a home remedy.
Elsewhere Donald and Paddy struggle to locate some monkeys who have escaped their enclosure into the zoo grounds.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
A circus asks Donald to give their animals the once over. While there he notices that the sealions who are owned and trained by the cantankerous Mrs Schmidt are very lethargic. A battle of wills ensues until Donald cures the sealions of worms with some medicine after Mrs Schmidt accidentally poisons her charges with a home remedy.
Elsewhere Donald and Paddy struggle to locate some monkeys who have escaped their enclosure into the zoo grounds.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Episode 7 "A Long Weekend" first aired 11th March 1984.
Donald is called to the home of an eccentric old lady along with a human doctor to treat her pet monkey Thoth. The old lady is very rich and very drunk and keeps mixing up the two men. Insisting the doctor treats Thoth and Donald treats her. After sorting out the mistake he looks at Thoth. Realising that he is dying from a simian version of rickets he insists that she changes his diet and he sees a remarkable change in such a short time.
Donald and Maggie travel to the continent to escort a young elephant back to the zoo on the ferry. Donald falls asleep and wakes to find some schoolchildren have fed her the entire supply of fruit resulting in a case of diaorrhoea of epic proportions.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Donald is called to the home of an eccentric old lady along with a human doctor to treat her pet monkey Thoth. The old lady is very rich and very drunk and keeps mixing up the two men. Insisting the doctor treats Thoth and Donald treats her. After sorting out the mistake he looks at Thoth. Realising that he is dying from a simian version of rickets he insists that she changes his diet and he sees a remarkable change in such a short time.
Donald and Maggie travel to the continent to escort a young elephant back to the zoo on the ferry. Donald falls asleep and wakes to find some schoolchildren have fed her the entire supply of fruit resulting in a case of diaorrhoea of epic proportions.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Episode 8 "Doctor's Orders" first aired 18th March 1984.
In the surgery Donald has an encounter with an obstreperous Macaw that needs his claws clipping. Having to subdue him with a towel he is horrified to find that the macaw has injured his owner and he has overclipped the claws, luckily they heal fine.
A lion cub called Simba is bitten by his father and loses the use of his back legs. Donald recruits Maggie to act as his nurse until he can be returned to the pride.
Donald is urgently called to a circus where an elephant is suspected to be suffering from foot and mouth disease. It transpires that a whole apple is lodged in the animals throat and Donald dislodges it to everyones relief.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
In the surgery Donald has an encounter with an obstreperous Macaw that needs his claws clipping. Having to subdue him with a towel he is horrified to find that the macaw has injured his owner and he has overclipped the claws, luckily they heal fine.
A lion cub called Simba is bitten by his father and loses the use of his back legs. Donald recruits Maggie to act as his nurse until he can be returned to the pride.
Donald is urgently called to a circus where an elephant is suspected to be suffering from foot and mouth disease. It transpires that a whole apple is lodged in the animals throat and Donald dislodges it to everyones relief.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Episode 9 "A Woman's Touch" first aired 25th March 1984.
Donald is keen to put his new toy, an anaesthetic dart gun, to the test. He and Paddy decide to use it on the pack of wolves that need relocating. Using a new drug they are horrified to witness that instead of sedating them it makes them go beserk.
Donald is called back to the zoo to find that an orang-utan has miscarried and is clearly suffering from post natal depression. She refuses to eat or drink or give up the baby's corpse. Donald decides to sedate her but Maggie argues to be allowed in despite everyone's concerns. She whispers sweet nothings into Jane's ear and gives her a cuddle. Jane responds and allows Maggie to feed her and take the baby.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Donald is keen to put his new toy, an anaesthetic dart gun, to the test. He and Paddy decide to use it on the pack of wolves that need relocating. Using a new drug they are horrified to witness that instead of sedating them it makes them go beserk.
Donald is called back to the zoo to find that an orang-utan has miscarried and is clearly suffering from post natal depression. She refuses to eat or drink or give up the baby's corpse. Donald decides to sedate her but Maggie argues to be allowed in despite everyone's concerns. She whispers sweet nothings into Jane's ear and gives her a cuddle. Jane responds and allows Maggie to feed her and take the baby.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Episode 10 "Ends and Beginnings" first aired 1st April 1984.
Donald and Paddy are called to Dartmoor to help the police catch an escaped puma. Things to wrong when the dartgun misfires and they are forced to chase the animal. They corner the animal in a farm and are amazed to find it isn't a puma but a leopard.
Donald is shocked to find that Maggie is leaving and devastated when his gran dies.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo:
Donald and Paddy are called to Dartmoor to help the police catch an escaped puma. Things to wrong when the dartgun misfires and they are forced to chase the animal. They corner the animal in a farm and are amazed to find it isn't a puma but a leopard.
Donald is shocked to find that Maggie is leaving and devastated when his gran dies.
Notable Quotes:
Guest Cast:
Real Life:
Dr. Taylor's cameo: