All Creatures Great and Small

The book dealt with Herriot's real-life experiences as a young veterinary surgeon[?] in a Yorkshire farming community before the Second World War, many of them comical. Along with the series that followed, it became highly popular and in 1974 was made into a feature film of the same title, starring Simon Ward[?] as James Herriot. Herriot's eccentric employer, Siegfried Farnon, was played by Anthony Hopkins.

In 1978, the BBC created a television series out of the books, again using the title, All Creatures Great and Small. The leading role was taken by an unknown actor, Christopher Timothy[?], and Siegfried Farnon was played by Robert Hardy. Siegfried's errant younger brother, Tristan Farnon, was played by Peter Davison, who became a household name as a result and went on take many other starring roles.

The series ran for several years, but broke off at the stage where the characters were drawn into the war. After a break of a few years, the series was revived, carrying on the story after the war with the same cast - except that James's wife, Helen, was now played by Lynda Bellingham[?].