V (1983)

ITV had decided not to cover the 1984 Summer Olympic Games and, instead, decided to broadcast a brand new science fiction TV show created by KENNETH JOHNSON, V. The first episode was shown at 9.00pm on Monday, July 30, 1984. The two-part miniseries began the science-fiction franchise concerning reptilian aliens known as the "Visitors" trying to gain control of Earth, and of the ways the populace reacts.

V is a two-part miniseries but when it debuted in the UK in July 1984, it was billed as a five-part series, including V: The Final Battle (TV series, 1984), which comprised of three episodes. The episodes were broadcast over consecutive nights. The first episode was split into two sections: one hour shown before the News At Ten, and the final half hour at 10.30pm. Part 2 was shown at 10.30pm the following night.

Crazy credits

Each episode began with a parade of actors who would be appearing, introduced "The starring roles in this film are portrayed by". There were 10 actors billed in starring roles in the credits of both parts. The opening credits for part 1  also showed 10 guest stars. For the credits of Part 2, RICHARD HERD and RICHARD LAWSON were missing as they did not appear in it. At the beginning of Part 2, a further 12 co-stars (including ROBERT ENGLUND) and five featured actors were listed.

At the end of the opening credits for both parts is the dedication:

"To the heroism of the Resistance Fighters - past, present, and future - this work is respectively dedicated." 

V was written and directed by KENNETH JOHNSON, and the music was by JOE HARNELL. These credits were only given at the start of Part 2.

Dominique Dunne

At the end of the closing credits sequence were the words:

"In Loving Memory of Dominique Dunne. Her friends miss her."

Dunne was an American actress who played "Dana Freeling" in Poltergeist (1982) and, in the same year, she was cast as "Robin Maxwell". Sadly, she died during the filming of V and she was replaced by BLAIR TEFKIN. The previous year, Dunne met sous-chef John Thomas Sweeney; they began dating and soon moved into together. Sweeney was jealous, possessive and abusive, and the couple frequently fought. Sweeney made an attempt to strangle Dunne but she escaped. The couple broke up, he moved out, and she returned to the house and had the locks changed.

On October 30, 1982, she and DAVID PACKER were at the house rehearsing for V when Sweeney turned up. She agreed to speak to him on the porch while Packer was inside but the two began to argue and a fight began. Packer tried to call the police who said the house was out of their jurisdiction. He eventually went out to the front of the house where he found Sweeney kneeling over Dunne, who had just strangled. Sweeney told Packer to call the police, and he surrendered to officers. Dunne died a few days later when her parents agreed to have her removed life support.

Sweeney was eventually sentenced to six and a half years in prison for manslaughter and assault but he served just two and a half years. The judge criticised the jury believing Dunne's death was "A case, pure and simple, of murder. Murder with malice."

Footage of Dunne was used for a cameo appearance in V by creator Johnson.