KURTULUS (TURKISH TV MINI-SERIES, 1994)

'Kurtulus' was a major mini-series (6 hours) produced for Turkish television by the Turkish Radio Television Institutue and recounting the story of the Turkish battle for independence following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in the First World War.

Attaturk- founder of Turkey

Stretching across a four year period the drama covers events from the Allied invasion of the Ottoman Empire in the wake of the First World War up to the Turkish Nationalist Movement in Ankara against the invading Greek army in Western Anatolia.

'Kurtulus' (meaning 'Indepence') was Turkey's biggest ever tv/cinema production utilising all the leading theatre actors of the nation, whole divisions of the Turkish army and locations across Turkey, Greece, London and the Soviet Union.

TP as Lloyd George

TP leads the English segments of the drama which detail the involvement of the British Government throughout the crisis and with reliable authenticity depict the reactions and discussions of prime minister, David Lloyd George, his foreign Secretary, Lord Curzon, and the Secretary for the State of War, Winston Churchill.

TP stars as Lloyd George and Simon Ward is Churchill in a return to a role he first created was he was the Young Churchill.

TP with Simon Ward as Winston Churchill

Interspersed through the drama were a series of scenes depicting the cabinet of Prime Minister David Lloyd George in conference as they reacted to the Balkans Crisis.  These segments were produced in London by a separate production company working to an English language script.

Production stills from 'Kurtulus' taken on location at
a Gentleman's Club in Pall Mall which doubled as
the Cabinet Room of 10 Downing Street