ITV commissions Archie for ITVX
August 9, 2022
The life of one of Hollywood’s greatest leading men, Cary Grant, is to be depicted in a four-part drama, Archie, written by award winning screenwriter, Jeff Pope, and starring Jason Isaacs in the leading role.
The drama will be produced by ITV Studios, with BritBox International as co-production partners, and with the blessing of Cary Grant’s daughter, Jennifer Grant, and ex-wife Dyan Cannon.
Archie will premiere on ITV’s new, free streaming service, ITVX, which launches later this year. The drama will air on ITV months later.
Actor Jason Isaacs, who will take the lead role, commented: “There was only one Cary Grant and I’d never be foolish enough to try to step into his iconic shoes. Archie Leach, on the other hand, couldn’t be further from the character he invented to save himself. Jeff’s brilliant scripts bring to life his relentless struggle to escape the demons that plagued him, his obsessive need for control, his fears, his weaknesses, his loves and his losses. It’s the story of a man, not a legend, and those are shoes I can’t wait to walk in.”
Screenwriter, Jeff Pope. added: “As with many of my projects, I started at the end and worked backwards. I discovered that, at the height of his fame, Cary Grant retired to look after his young daughter. Intrigued, I started to dig into why he had become a single father. What had happened? My journey led me to Bristol, and a young boy called Archie Leach. Cary Grant became one of the most iconic figures of the twentieth century, beloved by presidents and paupers. The key to everything, lay in his childhood.”
Archie has been commissioned for ITV by Head of Drama, Polly Hill. Polly will oversee production of the drama for ITVX.