Contemporary viewers had quite a gap between the first and second series of Callan. You Should Have Got Here Sooner had been broadcast in August 1967 but Red Knight, White Knight didn’t appear on screens until January 1969 – despite recording having concluded 6 months earlier in July 1968. This was largely all down to …
To stick with the plot of You Should Have Got Here Sooner, we have to ignore the insane coincidence that Lonely just happened to burgle a flat during the handful of nights that Meres is using it as a safehouse with an escaped spy holed up there. If Lonely can get in, you do worry …
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 …
