Year's delay for Ken's big dream

Jun 16 2003 By Ed Reed, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

More time to raise money for comedy film

SUMMER WINE actor Ken Kitson has given himself another year to amass the £2m budget for his big-screen comedy.

Tim Dowd, who directed the chilling scenes showing the demise of killer Richard Hillman in Coronation Street, was set to direct Ken's Fistful of Dreams this year.

But he cannot start until 2004.

So Ken has decided to keep raising the necessary cash with help from venture capital groups and small private investors.

Ken has played a policeman in Last of the Summer Wine for 23 years.

He wrote the script for Fistful of Dreams 10 years ago.

The story is a comedy set in the world of Yorkshire's western clubs.

A host of British soap stars have agreed to appear in the movie.

Former Coronation Street actors Jean Alexander and Geoffrey Hughes will take main roles. Claire King, who played Kim Tate in Emmerdale, is pencilled in as the love interest.

"I totally believe in it - and lots of other people do. I just think it's a film worth making," said Ken.

He is now waiting to hear from Yorkshire Bank Venture Capital. That company backed the smash hit The Full Monty.

"They said it wouldn't be as hard raising money on this film as The Full Monty," said Ken.

And the cash is slowly piling up.

"It is going up in dribs and drabs. I need that big investor to think it's not just a risk.

"I'm going to ring investors that have already put money in. If they want their money back, they can.

"It's going to be at least another year before we can start filming," he added.

Ken's website is kkpmovies.com