Written by: James Mitchell Directed by: Guy Verney Caroline Fielding (Ann Bell) is the wife of a diplomat with good connections to the US President. She’s being blackmailed by Lord Lindale (Donald Hewlett), a gambler who is threatening to sell compromising photos of her husband to the Russians. Former Section operative Miller (Gerald Flood) has …
In the missing episode But He’s a Lord, Mr Callan, Callan hands over a portion of gambling winnings to his ex-colleague, who says there should be more. Callan tells him, “Fifty quid expenses. I’ve got to look smart when I stay with a lord, haven’t I?” Later, Lonely comes to collect Callan’s things for their …
Bauer (Robert Lang) is to help the Section plant an agent in East Germany. He comes to Hunter with a proposal to tip the East Germans off and send in a decoy – if they find a decoy first they won’t be looking for the real agent. Bauer had a previous run-in with Callan and …
The Death of Robert E Lee is Callan’s second missing episode and provides further insight into the early dynamics in the series. Callan remains ‘free’ of the Section but he can’t escape the world of espionage, even when it isn’t Hunter blackmailing him. The CIA request Hunter’s help to get hold of Li Pa Chao …
This article was originally published in Issue 1 of the Curious British Telly fanzine. The opening episode of Parkin’s Patch sets up its rural atmosphere as Police Constable Moss Parkin (John Flanagan) deals with a case of sheep rustling. In the fictional Yorkshire village of Fickley, Moss knows everyone, cares about his patch and seems respected …
10 out of Callan’s 21 black and white episodes are missing, and Goodbye Nobby Clarke is the earliest. As far as I’m aware, the only part of this episode that exists comes from a censor clip. As just two episodes exist from Callan’s first series, this made me savour the programme’s monochrome era during my …
As the first episode of Callan, The Good Ones Are All Dead emphasises a few key details for those who didn’t see A Magnum for Schneider or else need reminding – it was broadcast five months before. Callan has another similar meeting with Hunter that tells us what the Section is and how Callan came …
I will praise A Magnum for Schneider to whoever will listen and, as you’re reading this, I presume you fancy listening. It’s a wonderful introduction to the world of David Callan, who is persuaded to return to the distinctly dodgy secret government department he recently left on principle – the principle that he didn’t enjoy …
Someone joyfully stated to me that Die Hard is a Christmas film, then in the next breath insisted that the classic James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is not. I could not let this second statement lie, so here is why they are wrong. For those unfamiliar with the film’s plot, it sees …
First broadcast 11th October 1962 Plot On holiday in Rome, Simon is witness to the kidnap of a US diplomat’s daughter. A mafia man, Tony Unciello, is responsible. His brother is about the be executed in the US and Governor Inverest has the power to stop it. Guest stars Alexander Knox plays the governor and …
The prospect of watching all of The Saint is daunting – there are 118 episodes. In recent years I have discovered more ITC shows, but I have always had a fondness for The Saint and am looking forward to spending more time with him again. Simon Templar travels the world, either being called upon or simply stumbling into trouble as …
There is something lovely about looking at what was on telly 50 years ago today. It’s that nice round number – 49, or 51 just won’t do quite so nicely. I’ve been doing this for a couple of years now. Although I was already interested in a few programmes, an enormous influence on me delving …
My View… Keep drama out of the TV rut Producer and scriptwriter Philip Mackie enthuses about the continuation of the television play. Looking through schedules for this period, there are plays in abundance. There are one-offs and more so, there are those under what Mackie calls ‘omnibus titles‘. He names Love Story but there is also …
Callan Edward Woodward graces the cover this week as TV Times promotes Callan, which started last week. The second episode is now missing though. 007 Goes Back To Fairfield In 1967 Sean Connery worked for a month for free, directing and narrating a documentary on the Fairfield Shipyard in Glasgow. The Bowler and the Bunnet, referring …
This week, colour has arrived on British televisions! But alas, that means absolutely nothing here as it was only for BBC2. Independent Television would have to wait a while longer yet. The BIG news – from ITN The new arrival on Independent Television this week is News at Ten and this itself is quite a big …
A selection of articles and adverts for the week of 17th June 1967. The State of the Nation An article promoting The State of the Nation in which the Labour Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, will face tough questions on his economic policy. There will be questions from men from unions, men from industry, men from …
A selection of articles and adverts for the week of 27th May 1967. Miss Anglia Will Need Beauty Plus… This article sets out to find some hints on ‘How – To – Make – Yourself – Sparkle – Before – The – Judges‘ for Miss Anglia ’67. I must say I am baffled by the …
A selection of articles and adverts from TV Times for the week beginning 20th May 1967. Lanning at Large – Up With The Cup! It’s FA Cup Final week and ITV are covering it – Tottenham Hotspurs and Chelsea. The BBC will be broadcasting the match too. Not many club matches were broadcast on television …
A personal pick of articles and adverts from TV Times for the week of 13th May 1967. A Cathedral For Our Times Two pages are given over to an article by the Archbishop of Westminster on the opening of The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Liverpool’s new Roman Catholic cathedral. It had more glass than any …
In 2016 I discovered that the marvellous thing about being young is that there was already a lot of television before I was born. Although I felt I knew about enough of it, enough to be content with, enough that I would ever want to watch, it turned out I could not have been more …
Remember when I looked at Callan’s Armchair Theatre and said how nice it was to see a German on 1960s’ telly who didn’t turn out to be a Nazi? Well, it’s back to business as usual in The Good Ones Are All Dead. We’re told Strauss is a Nazi from the start and Callan’s task …
What I liked when I watched the episode of Callan in Network’s ITV 60 box set was that it seemed so different from the similar adventure series I had seen from that period. I have only seen a handful of the early Danger Man episodes and though there are similarities, in that both Callan and John …
Episode 13 – Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling First ITV broadcast: Friday 22nd December 1967, 7.30pm [ATV Midlands/Grampian] Estimated first run ratings: 7.3 million First CBS broadcast: Saturday 3rd August 1968, 7.30pm From the very beginning this episode is different as we have a pre-titles sequence, instead of going straight into the usual title …
There has been an unplanned extended break at Visual Mutterings. I was rather busy and then I got a new job so I have been even busier. But I was missing Number Six so I finally found the time to get back to the Village via a raft, a boat, a wooden box and a …
Episode 11 – It’s Your Funeral First ITV broadcast: Friday 8th December 1967, 7.30pm [ATV Midlands/Grampian] Estimated first run ratings: 9.3 million First CBS broadcast: Saturday 10th August 1968, 7.30pm The new Number Two looks like a Thunderbirds‘ character. He doesn’t look like a real person. I spent the entire episode doubting his ability to …
Episode 10: Hammer Into Anvil First ITV broadcast: Friday 1st December 1967, 7.30pm [ATV Midlands/Grampian] Estimated first run ratings: 9.1 million First CBS broadcast: Saturday 31st August 1968, 7.30pm This episode is a rare example of Number Six getting one over Number Two and the Village. I have written before about ‘little victories’, little acts …
Episode 9: Checkmate First ITV broadcast: Friday 24th November 1967, 7.30pm [ATV Midlands/Granada] Estimated first run ratings: 9.1 million First CBS broadcast: Saturday 17th August 1968, 7.30pm The episode begins with an aggressive roar from Rover as it rolls through the Village. Everyone stops completely still, apart from one man (George Coulouris). Number Six notices …
Episode 8: Dance of the Dead First ITV broadcast: Friday 17th November 1967, 7.30pm [ATV Midlands/Grampian] Estimated first run ratings: 9.1 million First CBS broadcast: Saturday 27th July 1968, 7.30pm For the first time, Number Two speaking in the title sequence is a woman. We have had a couple of female Number Two’s so far. …
Episode 7: Many Happy Returns First ITV broadcast: Friday 10th November 1967, 7.30pm [ATV Midlands/Grampian] Estimated first run ratings: 10.3 million First CBS broadcast: Saturday 20th July 1968, 7.30pm This episode goes for over 20 minutes without a single English word being spoken on screen. The episode is over half way through before we get …
So far I have not discussed what episode order The Prisoner should be viewed in. The most important thing to say about this is that it seems no one can agree on it. It should not be viewed in production order and it should not be viewed in broadcast order, apart from the first episode …
