
The TV series Downton Abbey – written and created by Fellowes – was originally planned as a spin-off of Gosford Park, but instead was developed as a standalone property inspired by the film, and set earlier in the 20th century (from 1912 to the mid-1920s). [4]
Is Gosford Park the same as Downton Abbey?
Gosford Park. The TV series Downton Abbey – written and created by Fellowes – was originally planned as a spin-off of Gosford Park, but instead was developed as a stand-alone property inspired by the film, set decades earlier.
Is Downton Abbey based on a true story?
The TV series Downton Abbey – written and created by Fellowes – was originally planned as a spin-off of Gosford Park, but instead was developed as a standalone property inspired by the film, and set earlier in the 20th century (from 1912 to the mid-1920s).
What year is'Downton Abbey'set?
Written by Downton scribe Julian Fellowes and starring Maggie Smith, this British murder-mystery movie is set at a party in 1932 in England as the upstairs diners and downstairs servants sweat over the death of one of the guests.
Is Downton Abbey a home from home for Dame Maggie?
"Downton Abbey home from home for Dame Maggie". Get Surrey. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2013. ^ "National Trust: West Wycombe Park".

What actors were in Gosford Park and Downton Abbey?
Dame Maggie Smith, Richard E. Grant, and Jeremy Swift appeared in Downton Abbey (2010), which was also written by Julian Fellowes and inspired by this movie.
Is Gosford Park Agatha Christie?
“Gosford Park” (2001) is a classic British who-dunnit in the best Agatha Christie vein. The setting: A grand country estate in England 1932. The plot: A party of visiting aristocrats and their accompanying servants gather at Gosford Park for a shooting party.
How are the characters in Gosford Park related?
Elizabeth Croft (Eileen Atkins): Gosford Park Head Cook. Bitter rivals with Mrs. Wilson and is also her sister. She had an affair with Sir William when she was young and working in his factory, along with her sister.
Where is the house in Gosford Park?
Syon House, the Duke of Northumberland's 400-year-old home in West London, was the setting for an Agatha Christie–style murder mystery in the Robert Altman–directed Gosford Park(2001).
Was Gosford Park made before Downton Abbey?
The TV series Downton Abbey – written and created by Fellowes – was originally planned as a spin-off of Gosford Park, but instead was developed as a standalone property inspired by the film, and set earlier in the 20th century (from 1912 to the mid-1920s).
What should I watch after Poirot?
9 British Murder-Mystery Shows to Stream Right NowAgatha Christie's Poirot.What's it about? ... The Bletchley Circle.What's it about? ... Lewis (also known as Inspector Lewis)What's it about? ... Grantchester.What's it about?More items...•
Who is Mrs Croft in Gosford Park?
Eileen AtkinsGosford Park (2001) - Eileen Atkins as Mrs. Croft - IMDb.
Who was killer in Gosford Park?
During the evening of the second day at Gosford Park, the host Sir William McCordle was poisoned to death and then brutally stabbed from behind. So, whodunnit? Mrs Wilson, the head housekeeper, is the murderess.
What is the point of Gosford Park?
Set in the 1930's, "Gosford Park" brings a group of pretentious rich and famous together for a weekend of relaxation at a hunting resort. But when a murder occurs, each one of these interesting characters becomes a suspect.
Where is Gosforth Park filmed?
Filming was conducted at Wrotham Park for the exteriors, staircase, dining room and drawing room, and Syon House for the upstairs bedrooms. The opening sequence outside Lady Trentham's home was shot at Hall Barn, near Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, whose grounds were also used as the scene for lunch after the shoot.
What has been filmed at Wrotham Park?
Filming Location Matching "Wrotham Park, Barnet, Hertfordshire, England, UK" (Sorted by Popularity Ascending)The Crown (2016– ) ... Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014) ... Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) ... Gosford Park (2001) ... And Then There Were None (2015) ... Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) ... Jane Eyre (2011) ... Mortdecai (2015)More items...
Is Gosford Park worth watching?
Despite its intricacies and confusing moments, there is so much more to Gosford Park that makes it interesting and enchanting. While it is clearly a sophisticated piece of film work with impeccable acting, directing and design, don't stress about not keeping up with it all the time.
Who wrote Gosford Park?
Julian FellowesGosford Park / ScreenplayWritten by Julian Fellowes, whose 'Downton Abbey' was originally intended as a spin-off, Gosford Park's thirty five-strong ensemble cast is a Who's Who of UK actors, including Maggie Smith, Stephen Fry, Kristin Scott Thomas and Alan Bates.
Is Gosford Park worth watching?
Despite its intricacies and confusing moments, there is so much more to Gosford Park that makes it interesting and enchanting. While it is clearly a sophisticated piece of film work with impeccable acting, directing and design, don't stress about not keeping up with it all the time.
What is the story of Gosford Park?
Robert Altman, one of America's most distinctive filmmakers, journeys to England for the first time to create a unique film mosaic with an outstanding ensemble cast. Set in the 1930's, "Gosford Park" brings a group of pretentious rich and famous together for a weekend of relaxation at a hunting resort. But when a murder occurs, each one of these interesting characters becomes a suspect.Gosford Park / Film synopsis
Who produced Gosford Park?
Focus FeaturesCapitol FilmsShepperton StudiosMedusa FilmUK Film CouncilChicagofil...Gosford Park/Production companies
How much did Gosford Park grosse?
In its limited release opening weekend, the film grossed a mere $241,219, hitting No. 23 in the box office that weekend. In its wide release, it grossed $3,395,759; by the end of its run on 6 June 2002, Gosford Park grossed $41,308,615 in the domestic box office and a worldwide total of $87,754,044. With that final total, Gosford Park became Altman's second-most successful film at the box office after his 1970 film MASH.
How many Academy Awards did Gosford Park win?
Widely acclaimed by critics, Gosford Park was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Altman and Best Supporting Actress for both Mirren and Smith, and won Best Original Screenplay for Fellowes; it was also nominated for nine British Academy Film Awards .
What is Gosford Park?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Not to be confused with Gosforth Park. Gosford Park is a 2001 satirical black comedy mystery film directed by Robert Altman and written by Julian Fellowes. It was influenced by Jean Renoir's French classic, La Règle du jeu ( The Rules of the Game ).
How many critics have given Gosford Park a positive review?
The film received critical acclaim; review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 86% of 160 critics have given the film a positive review, with an average rating of 7.51/10. According to the site's critics consensus, "A mixture of Upstairs, Downstairs; Clue; and perceptive social commentary, Gosford Park ranks among director Altman's best." Metacritic, which assigns a score of 1–100 to individual film reviews, gives the film an averaged rating of 90 based on 34 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim."
Where did William McCordle and his wife host a shooting party?
In November 1932, wealthy English industrialist Sir William McCordle, his wife Lady Sylvia, and their daughter Isobel host a weekend shooting party at their country estate, Gosford Park.
Where was Gosford Park filmed?
The film went into production in March 2001, and began filming at Shepperton Studios with a production budget of $19.8 million. Gosford Park premiered on 7 November 2001 at the London Film Festival. It received a limited release across cinemas in the United States in December 2001, before being widely released in January 2002 by USA Films. It was released in February 2002 in the United Kingdom.
What does Lady Sylvia tell her aunt about Constance's allowance?
Lady Sylvia informs her aunt that Sir William may halt Constance's allowance, on which the grand lady is entirely dependent. During dinner, Lady Sylvia berates Sir William and Elsie comes to his defence, inadvertently exposing their affair; Elsie leaves the room disgraced while Sir William abruptly exits to the library. Mrs Wilson brings him coffee which he knocks away, demanding whisky, which she calmly serves him despite his typically surly manner. The guests gather in the drawing room as Novello plays the piano and sings, with the servants listening outside; Freddie, Anthony, Robert, and footman George each slip away. One of the men, seen only by his trousers, puts muddy big shoes—apparently waiting there to be cleaned after the shooting—over his own ones to pretend someone came from the outside, retrieves the missing knife and enters the library, where Sir William is slumped in his chair, and stabs him.
How many episodes are there in Downton Abbey?
The first series, comprising seven episodes, explores the lives of the fictional Crawley family, the hereditary Earls of Grantham, ...
What is the average rating of Downton Abbey?
At Metacritic, which assigns a rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the first series received an average score of 91, based on 16 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim". This result earned the show a Guinness World Record in 2011 for "Highest critical review ratings for a TV show", making Downton Abbey the critically best received TV show in the world. Season 4 of Breaking Bad surpassed Downton Abbey' s record later in the year, with a score of 96, making the first series of Downton Abbey the second highest rated show of 2011.
How many people watched Downton Abbey in 2012?
In January 2012, the PBS premiere attracted 4.2 million viewers, over double the network's average primetime audience of 2 million. The premiere audience was 18% higher than the first series premiere. The second series of Downton Abbey gave PBS its highest ratings since 2009.
What happened in Downton Abbey in 1925?
In series six, covering the year 1925, changes are once again afoot at Downton Abbey as the middle class rises and more bankrupted aristocrats are forced to sell off their large estates. Downton must do more to ensure its future survival; reductions in staff are considered, forcing Barrow to look for a job elsewhere. Lady Mary defies a blackmailer, who is thwarted by Lord Grantham. With Branson's departure to Boston, Lady Mary becomes the estate agent. Edith is more hands-on in running her magazine and hires a female editor. Lady Violet and Isobel once again draw battle lines as a government take-over of the local hospital is considered.
What happened to Mrs Hughes in Downton Abbey?
Back at Downton, Mrs Hughes finds out she may have breast cancer, which only some of the household hear about, causing deep concern, but the tumour turns out to be benign. Tom Branson and Lady Sybil, now pregnant, return to Downton after Tom is implicated in the burning of an Irish aristocrat's house.
Why is the equality bill called Downton Abbey?
It was nicknamed the " Downton Abbey law" because it addressed the same issue that affects Lady Mary Crawley, who cannot inherit the estate because it must pass to a male heir.
Where is the Crawley family?
Crawley family. The series is set in fictional Downton Abbey, a Yorkshire country house, which is the home and seat of the Earl and Countess of Grantham, along with their three daughters and distant family members.
What to watch
Gosford Park, a multi-Oscar-nominated 2001 drawing-room mystery, written by Julian Fellowes and directed by Robert Altman. A riff on the classic “murder at a sprawling country estate” story, the movie features a cast of accomplished UK and American actors — including Helen Mirren, Richard E.
Why watch now?
Because the feature film version of Downton Abbey arrives in theaters across the United States this weekend.
Where to see it
Gosford Park is airing on Showtime this month, so it’s available via the Showtime streaming service. To catch up with Downton Abbey, meanwhile, turn to Amazon Prime Video, which is also the home of Fellowes’ first post- Abbey television project, an entertaining miniseries adaptation of Anthony Trollope’s novel Doctor Thorne.
Is Downton Abbey based on a true story?
Nope. Downton Abbey isn’t based on a true story. Since it’s historic fiction it does, of course, pull in some real-life events from the time, but the characters and the storylines the show revolves around are all made up. The sinking of the Titanic impacts the characters, as does World War I.
Is Downton Abbey based on a book?
Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes drew from a bunch of sources of inspiration, just as many people who write complicated stories do. Author Carol Wallace says he mentioned in an interview that he’d just finished reading “To Marry an English Lord,” by her and Gail MacColl.
Any other sources of inspiration?
Actually, Downton Abbey was supposed to be a spin-off of the movie Gosford Park. In fact, Maggie Smith plays a dowager countess in both the movie and the series. Julian Fellowes wrote the movie years before he began work on Downton Abbey.
What to watch if you love the Downton Abbey show
If you’re obsessed with D.A., here are some other movies and shows you may love:
1. Gosford Park
Like I said above, it’s definitely worth watching to compare the two. Gosford Park is a black comedy set in November of 1932 in the English countryside at a stately manor – Gosford Park. A wealthy Englishman, Sir William McCordle, hosts a shooting party and weekend at his estate with his wife, Lady Sylvie, and their daughter Isobel.
2. The Downton Abbey movie
The movie came out in 2019 and picks up in 1927 with the King and Queen visiting Downton. Along with getting the house in order for a royal visit, the staff and family must contend with an assassin who wants to kill the King.
3. The Pride & Prejudice miniseries
Pride & Prejudice isn’t an upstairs/downstairs movie…you don’t really see the servants much in the book or any of the adaptations. But it does concern money – who has it, who doesn’t, how you can be a respectable family and still be just inches from complete poverty.
What is the movie Howard's End about?
Howard’s End (1992) This romantic drama is a story of class relations in turn-of-the-20th-century Britain, starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, about a businessman who thwarts his wife’s dying bequest of her country home to another woman, but then becomes romantically involved with her.
Why was Anthony Hopkins nominated for an Oscar?
Sir Anthony Hopkins was nominated for an Oscar for his role as a butler who sacrifices all (including Emma Thompson) to be of service to his employer, only realizing too late how misguided his loyalty was.
Who plays the Spanish Princess in Downton Abbey?
Related: Downton Abbey’s Laura Carmichael Takes on the Historical Costume Drama The Spanish Princess
Who played Baroness Masham in The Favourite?
The Favourite (2018) Set in early 18th-century England, this Oscar-winning black comedy is loosely based on the relationship between two cousins, Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough ( Rachel Weisz ), and Baroness Masham ( Emma Stone ), vying for the attention of Queen Anne ( Olivia Colman ).
Who played Anthony Andrews in Brideshead Revisited?
Brideshead Revisited (1981) The TV miniseries launched the careers in America of Jeremy Irons (Charles Ryder) and Anthony Andrews (Sebastian Flyte). The epic story follows the life and romances of Ryder, who meets Flyte, whose wealthy family live in a mansion called Brideshead, at Oxford, England.
Who wrote Gosford Park?
Gosford Park (2002) Written by Downton scribe Julian Fellowes and starring Maggie Smith, this British murder-mystery movie is set at a party in 1932 in England as the upstairs diners and downstairs servants sweat over the death of one of the guests. (courtesy Everett Collection)
Who played Abdul in Victoria and Abdul?
Victoria and Abdul (2017) Based on the book of same name, this film takes a deep look into the real-life relationship between Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) of the United Kingdom and her Indian Muslim servant Abdul Karim ( Ali Fazal ).

Overview
Reception
In its limited release opening weekend, the film grossed $241,219, hitting No. 23 in the box office that weekend. In its wide release, it grossed $3,395,759; by the end of its run on 6 June 2002, Gosford Park grossed $41,308,615 in the domestic box office and a worldwide total of $87,754,044. With that final total, Gosford Park became Altman's second-most successful film at the box office after his 1970 film MASH.
Plot
In November 1932, wealthy English industrialist Sir William McCordle, his wife Lady Sylvia, and their daughter Isobel host a weekend shooting party at their country estate, Gosford Park. The guests arrive: Sylvia's sisters Louisa and Lavinia, and their husbands Lord (Raymond) Stockbridge and Commander Anthony Meredith; her aunt Constance, Countess of Trentham; the Hon. Freddie and Mabel Nesbitt; actor Ivor Novello and American film producer Morris Weissman; and latecom…
Characters and cast
• Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon), a wealthy industrialist and baronet, who owned two factories in Isleworth and two in Twickenham; most of the employees were working class women.
• Lady Sylvia McCordle (Kristin Scott Thomas), Sir William's wife, daughter of the Earl of Carton, an old but impoverished family.
• Isobel McCordle (Camilla Rutherford), daughter of Sir William and Lady Sylvia.
Themes
The film is a study of the British class system during the 1930s; Stephen Fry, Inspector Thompson in the film, says that it shows the upper class's dependency on a servant class. A number of secondary themes are also explored. For example, the film takes a subtle look at sexual mores during the 1930s. As it is set in 1932, between the world wars, the impact of the First World War is explored in the film's screenplay. It mentions the decline of the British Empire and the peerage sys…
Production
In 1999, Bob Balaban asked Robert Altman if there were something they could develop together, and Altman suggested a whodunit. Altman wanted to create an Agatha Christie-like country house murder mystery that explored that way of life; he called the film a "classic situation: all suspects under one roof". Altman was also inspired by the 1930s films, The Rules of the Game and Charlie Chan i…
Release
Gosford Park premiered on 7 November 2001 at the London Film Festival. The film then received a limited release across cinemas in the United States on 26 December 2001, before being widely released in January 2002 by USA Films. It was released on 1 February 2002 in the United Kingdom.
The region 1 DVD of Gosford Park was released on 25 June 2002, with the region 2 release on 3 December 2002. The critic Ed Gonzalez reviewed the DVD negatively, calling the picture quality "…
External links
• Gosford Park at IMDb
• Gosford Park at Rotten Tomatoes
• Gosford Park at Metacritic
• Gosford Park at Box Office Mojo
Overview
Downton Abbey is a British historical drama television series set in the early 20th century, created and co-written by Julian Fellowes. The series first aired in the United Kingdom on ITV on 26 September 2010 and in the United States on PBS, which supported production of the series as part of its Masterpiece Classic anthology, on 9 January 2011.
Reception
At Metacritic, which assigns a rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the first series received an average score of 91, based on 16 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim". This result earned the show a Guinness World Record in 2011 for "Highest critical review ratings for a TV show", making Downton Abbey the critically best received TV show in the world. Season 4 of Breaking Bad surpassed Downton Abbey's record later in the year, with a score of 96, making th…
Plot overview
The first series, comprising seven episodes, explores the lives of the fictional Crawley family, the hereditary Earls of Grantham, and their domestic servants. The storyline centres on the fee tail or "entail" governing the titled elite, which endows title and estate exclusively to male heirs. As part of the backstory, the main character, Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham, had resolved his father's pa…
Cast and characters
The main cast of the Crawley family is led by Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham, and Elizabeth McGovern as his wife Cora Crawley, the Countess of Grantham. Their three daughters are depicted by Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley (Talbot), Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith Crawley (Pelham) and Jessica Brown Findlay as Lady Sybil Crawley (Branson). Maggie S…
Production
Gareth Neame of Carnival Films conceived the idea of an Edwardian-era TV drama set in a country house and approached Fellowes, who had won an Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) for Gosford Park. The TV series Downton Abbey – written and created by Fellowes – was originally planned as a spin-off of Gosford Park, but instead was developed as a stand-alone property …
Broadcasts
The rights to broadcast Downton Abbey have been acquired in over 220 countries and territories, and the series is viewed by a global audience of an estimated 120 million people.
The series first aired on the ITV network in the United Kingdom beginning on 26 September 2010, and received its first Britain-wide broadcast when shown on ITV3 beginning in February 2011.
STV, the ITV franchisee in central and northern Scotland (including the Orkney and Shetland island…
Home media
The series was made available in its entirety on Netflix in June 2021 after leaving in 2013. It is also available on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, the PBS app and PBS.org with a PBS Passport subscription.
On 16 September 2011, two days before the UK premiere of the second series, it was reported by Amazon.com that the first series of Downton Abbey had become the highest selling DVD boxset …
Cultural impact
Some of the fashion items worn by characters on the show have seen a strong revival of interest in the UK and elsewhere during the show's run, including starched collars, midi skirts, beaded gowns, and hunting plaids.
The Equality (Titles) Bill was an unsuccessful piece of legislation introduced in the UK Parliament in 2013 that would have allowed equal succession of female heirs to hereditary titles and peerages. …