• Air date: 05 Jul '85 8 episodes
      Shine on Harvey Moon! is a British comedy-drama series made by Central Television for ITV from 8 January 1982 to 23 August 1985 and briefly revived in 1995 by Meridian. This generally light-hearted series was created by comedy writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran. The series is set in the East End of London shortly after the Second World War. Upon being demobbed RAF serviceman Harvey Moon, played by Kenneth Cranham, returns home and finds his family involved in various troubles. His wife Rita, played by Maggie Steed, is not interested in resuming their relationship, and works in a seedy nightclub frequented by American servicemen. He becomes involved with the Labour Party and the union movement. The name of the series is a wordplay on the title of the popular 1908 song 'Shine On, Harvest Moon'. The first series was commissioned and recorded by ATV at their Elstree studios with the remaining series filmed at newly constructed facilities in Nottingham.
  • List of Episodes (8)
    • 1. Kind Hearts and Coronets

      05 Jul '85
      The Moons get a scare when Stanley is rushed to hospital with suspected polio,though it proves to be a false alarm. The path of true love does not run smoothly for Nan when Geoff's objectionable son Albert makes it clear that he opposes their courtship. Harvey, however, is not only appointed as a magistrate, thanks to Dick, but gets to organize a dance to celebrate the marriage of Princess Elizabeth and to which Frieda accompanies him,having broken a date with Adrian Horowitz to do so.
    • 2. Anything Goes...

      12 Jul '85
      Stolen ration books are planted in Harvey's surgery and the police call after Tory councillor Baldock accuses Harvey of theft. When Harvey threatens to expose Baldock's extra-marital affair he confesses that he has been leaned on by vengeful Blackshirts to incriminate Harvey. After Erich's bakery has had an unwelcome visit from a food inspector Harvey comes to his rescue and the Moons and the Gottliebs sit down to Christmas dinner. Harvey, however, has to make a mercy dash to a suicidal
    • 3. Mud Sticks

      19 Jul '85
      1948 starts badly for Harvey when the local Labour Party, unsympathetic to his recent troubles, accuse him of bringing them bad publicity. Feeling that Dick has not supported him Harvey offers his recognition from the firm though he reconsiders when Leo, set up by jealous ex-boyfriend Joshua, is charged with importuning and Dick asks him to prepare a defence case. In court Rita gets Leo acquitted by claiming that they are lovers and, in so doing, provides Harvey with grounds for divorce on
    • 4. Love Is Blind

      26 Jul '85
      Already unhappy that her false admission in court might lose her custody of Stanley Rita gets more depressed as she loses handsome divorced Howard to Leo and has to accommodate Veronica, after she announces that she is pregnant and her father has thrown her out. To ease congestion Rita lets Stanley go to live with his father but finds Veronica a trying lodger. Fortunately, Leo agrees to take her on as his housekeeper. Harvey is also feeling distanced from Frieda when she goes to Paris alone to
    • 5. Lover, Come Back to Me

      02 Aug '85
      As news spreads of Harvey's night with Rita, Nan is disapproving, Frieda feels betrayed and Harvey himself feels used since it nullifies all charges of adultery against his wife. Maggie gets asked out by local stall-holder Alfie, who is also a talented boxer and there is a family outing to watch him win his fight. Unexpected drama follows as Veronica goes into early labour and Ian from work declares that he is the father of her baby.
    • 6. All, or Nothing at All

      09 Aug '85
      Erich dies suddenly and Frieda is amazed to get a visit from Joan Gottlieb, a Gentile who married Erich in Manchester before Frieda came to England, and has evidence that she lent him the money for his first bakery. As she is still his legal wife she is claiming her rights, including the house, but Harvey, using his professional contacts, learns from a Manchester lawyer that Erich separated from her and so she is entitled to nothing. Rita's supplier, Alistair, offers her a partnership making
    • 7. We're in the Money

      16 Aug '85
      Having inherited Erich's house and money Frieda is now a wealthy woman and Harvey feels financially inferior, considering taking on the bakery but Frieda decides to sell it. Nan marries Geoff and moves in with him and Veronica accepts Ian's marriage proposal, asking Rita to return the money she lent her for the salon. This means that Rita is now unable to put down the deposit on the house she wanted. Alfie continues to do well in the ring, to Maggie's disapproval.
    • 8. Love and Marriage

      23 Aug '85
      As Maggie proudly shows off the engagement ring Alfie bought her, Harvey travels to Margate with a professional co-respondent to facilitate his divorce. Nan, on the other hand, wonders if she has made a mistake in marrying Geoff and returns to Harvey's though, after a chat with Frieda, she and Geoff are reconciled. Rita gazumps Veronica when they both make an offer for the same house but, as Rita and Stanley move out of the prefab, Veronica and Ian move in.