THE SWEENEY
Review of Sweeney! The Official Companion by Robert Fairclough & Mike Kenwood.
The Sweeney (1975 -1978) is in more than one respect a milestone of English television history. The series title is inspired by the cockney rhyming slang compound "Sweeney Todd" (for Flying Squad). It all began with a series concept called "Regan" by BBC staff writer Ian Kennedy Martin who originally conceived this as a tape show, which was the rule in those days. Although Regan did become the pilot – like Euston's previous projects, Special Branch S 3 and 4, it was shot on 16mm - Kennedy Martin quit because of artistic differences with producer Ted Childs who wanted a more public-orientated series and therefore opted for escapist entertainment, i.e. for strange and grotesque behaviour, OTT characters, humour, car chases, and against more or less direct comments on topical political and social problems. Tom Clegg directed the pilot:
"When Euston Films decided to make Regan, they appointed Douglas Camfield as director, and my old mate Ted Childs as producer. I was still around editing Special Branch. Unfortunately for him but great for me, Douglas had a row with the writer (...) and Ted, and I was called in to direct."
(Waterman, Reminder, p. 175)
Kennedy Martin wrote Regan as a vehicle for John Thaw who had starred as Sergeant John Mann in the ABC series Redcap. Martin had been Redcap's Story Editor between 1965 and 1966. If we look at it with scrutiny differences between Regan and the series are noticeable. In comparison to the pilot Regan later becomes a relatively nice chap and less problematic as subject of viewer identification. We do not encounter unconcealed hostility towards foreigners and intolerance ("I don't like Krauts."/ "I've never met a German that I've liked." / "... sitting here listening to a young Adolf ...") any more - at least not in that intensity. Take, for example, the episode Visiting Fireman. The relationship between Regan and Turkish policeman Shebbeq (Nadim Sawalha) is one of mutual respect, if not friendship. This portrait is politically correct (!) and at least 10 years ahead of its time. According to Troy Kennedy Martin, who scripted Visiting Fireman, his brother and Childs also had different definitions of "realism". Due to cost reasons there was no night shooting although the real Flying Squad works almost exclusively at night.
Following in the footsteps of the groundbreaking police films French Connection and Dirty Harry (both came out in 1971) and before (!) that most popular US rough-and-tumble cop show Starsky & Hutch (which seems rather tame nowadays) rogue cops Regan and Carter (played by Dennis Waterman) entered the nation's living-rooms during prime time. What may seem to some like a collection of endless clichés today, 30 years later, was absolutely innovative at the time.
DI Jack Regan is a son of a bitch, but to quote Franklin D Roosevelt (and others), he's our son of a bitch. Bad language, drinking and womanizing (often to no avail) are only some of his trademarks. He is always on a collision course with colleagues and superiors, notably Chief Inspector Haskins (Garfield Morgan); he plays his opponents out against each other and is likely to be found in the middle of all kinds of violent mayhem - an arrest by a Regan-led mob always resembles a clash between hooligan gangs.
Directors, apart from former Carry On supporting actor Clegg, included the ex-documentary cameraman William Brayne, former Avengers designer Jim Goddard, and Doctor Who (and almost everything else) veteran Douglas Camfield (re-hired by Childs who wanted to ensure the series would benefit from the talents of one of Britain's most prolific and arguably best directors). The (then) new breed, represented by Chris Menaul, David Wickes, Ben Bolt and Graham Baker, was also brought in. Dennis Waterman reports he got on well with Brayne:
"[A] smashing man, if somewhat proper and correct. It confused him, not surprisingly, when he heard John and me adding lines which were not in the script. He hadn't been told that we were allowed to tinker with our dialogue, and for all our explanations and assurances, he insisted that we keep to the official words. Finally, but in light-hearted vein, we sent the offending pages with our additions to Ted Childs (...) who duly signed his authority for their use. Bill didn't object after that." (Waterman, Reminder, p. 194)
His relationship with Wickes was less cordial:
"[P]ersonally, I didn't have a great deal of time for Wickes, either as a man or as a director." (Waterman, Reminder, p. 200)
Needless to say the directors' realism was Childs' realism. The writers were in contact with each other and provided a consistent Sweeney universe, including an abundance of running gags. Thaw and Waterman commented on several writers' skills:
"Troy Kennedy Martin, as a writer, has a knack of seeing things from a quirky angle and can find humour in the most serious situation. Trevor Preston, a great admirer of Troy's, took the humour a bit further in the scripts, and so it snowballed, with Dennis and me looking for a joke even if it wasn't there on the page." (John Thaw interviewed by Jill Arlon; printed in Waterman, Reminder, p.196)
"Ranald [Graham] had written a couple of scripts in the second series and they were very good, but he certainly wasn't one of the guys who was responsible for the show's success."
(Waterman, Reminder, p. 200)
Significantly there was never a script editor credited: either the abovementioned communication helped to avoid stories which were all too similar or it was a deliberate practice in order to promote (repetitive) situations with cult status potential. According to Alvarado/Stewart it was Ted Childs who accepted Preston's Ringer script (S1) as the new Sweeney format. Both Sweeney crew and actors had appeared previously in related series such as Van der Valk, Callan, Public Eye, New Scotland Yard, and Special Branch.
Ted Childs (l), Peter Brayham
In the wake of the James Bond role model stunt arranger Peter Brayham provided for extended action scenes without direct dramatic value, even playing small roles occasionally, e.g. a gangster in Sweet Smell of Succession, or simply driving a police car (Down to You Brother). In the fourth season Thaw and Waterman chased him through the main credits. Not surprisingly another stunt man regularly drove Regan's Ford Granada - Tony Allen, who also was John Thaw's stand-in.
Tony Allen, John Thaw
If you look at them closely you'll find that action scenes in The Sweeney are spectacular occasionally, but more often (as a result of budget limitations) they are just efficiently and expertly choreographed fistfights. Due to tight shooting schedules some scenes were done in a rush, for example in Money, Money, Money where it is clearly not Edward Judd (as Eddie Monk) who performs the car stunt but a more or less similar-looking double.
Scenes like these also made sure that The Sweeney obtained the highly questionable reputation of "most censored series" on German television. German broadcaster ZDF cut out punch-ups as well as car chases and did not even shy away from shortening the main title music (a fate shared later on by The Professionals). Robbery and arrest scenes were cut to shreds in Payoff, Selected Target and Jack or Knave. Only a couple of scenes from the police raids in Ringer, Night Out, Trojan Bus remained intact. The climactic scenes from the car stunt in Drag Act are missing. Two stories which involved psychopath Tim Cook (played by George Sweeney), Taste of Fear and On the Run, did not find their way onto German screens at all.
Although all episodes managed to maintain a high level of storytelling there are differences. The Tomorrow Man and Night Out seem to me somewhat overrated (Troy Kennedy Martin has come up with better things than a gun in the dishwasher), and during their work on Latin Lady both writer Childs and director Smith seem to have been a bit tired. Slow-paced episodes such as Contact Breaker and Golden Boy may not be everyone's cup of tea. Supersnout and Messenger of the Gods are genuinely funny (more efficient comedies than Contact Breaker!), Bad Apple, Drag Act (similar in structure to Payoff ) are simply awesome and cult hits. There is Sweeney routine stuff such as Stay Lucky eh!, which is ok but suggests that we have seen it all before (and better!), and masterpieces such as Cover Story, in which Regan gets emotionally involved with journalist Sandy Williams, another three-dimensional female character like WPC Kingdom in Drag Act, orDown to You Brother, an intelligent script by Richard Harris, directed with utmost dedication by Chris Menaul, or numerous others.
As for content the focus is on "crime in the streets" - robbery and G.B.H. rule supreme, as opposed to espionage, bodyguard jobs or mass killings. Opposition from within the police camp is there, too, e.g. corrupt coppers Perraut and Huke in Bad Apple, "different" cops in Abduction and Hard Men, May, Country Boy, not forgetting Regan's superiors Haskins and Braithwaite (played by Benjamin Whitrow). There was one "reflexive" segment, Trevor Preston's Big Brother , imitated to great effect later by Brian Clemens with his Professionals-episode The Rack. Germans were welcome guests (Trojan Bus, Stoppo Driver, Supersnout) and made sure that viewers received their share of amusement. Often villains remained at large, as in Golden Fleece, The Tomorrow Man, Selected Target, and May.
Many episodes are written with excellence and exhibit a remarkable subtext, despite all physical action. A case in point is Money, Money, Money in which we are introduced to the fate of ex-convict and lottery winner Eddie Monk - easy come, easy go. This is paralleled by the detectives' bad experience who on the eve of a trial lose their key witness – and thus the case as a whole. Foreigners and elderly people are not, as in The Professionals, amusing elements or the rubble of society, as Loving Arms proves. In The Sweeney it is "legitimate" to sacrifice villains or give them a dig in an act of private vengeance (Queen's Pawn, Down to You Brother). Drag Act is absolutely outstanding: in this episode Carter faces a conflict of conscience: to remain honest or to save his own skin, at the expense of his ambitious young colleague Julie Kingdom. This episode is a multilayered study on the subject of women in the workforce, becoming even more relevant with the seemingly simple ending, which at first glance suggests that true friendship only exists between men. Allocation of sympathies is very problematic here - a brilliant piece of work by Childs!
Two feature films, Sweeney! and Sweeney 2, were made on 35mm. Although based on the series they are slightly disappointing in some respects. For instance, they are inspired by the strange spirit to 'top' the series and its depiction of violence in particular. A uniformed policeman is shot in the head in close-up. A prostitute is partially disrobed and killed by a lethal injection. Machine guns and a shotgun cause all kinds of bloody mayhem. The best possible results were certainly not achieved because directors Wickes and Clegg did not change their usual television working methods, shooting their material quickly, efficiently and without, in the broadest sense, experimental directorial touches. As is particularly visible in the scrapyard scene of Sweeney!, rehearsals were not common.
The success story of protagonists in front of and behind the camera continued after the series ran out. John Thaw, who regrettably died of cancer in February 2002, and Ted Childs produced one television hit after another, among them the immensely popular series Inspector Morse and Kavanagh QC. Dennis Waterman, who is less in the limelight today (although he appeared in New Tricks recently), played the title role of ex-boxer Terry McCann in the Euston Films production Minder for no less than nine years. 1993 he appeared in the exciting IRA Thriller Circle of Deceit, directed by Geoffrey Sax. Tom Clegg occasionally dabbled in big screen films; with modest success, however (although his direction of Any Man's Death is mature), and is still one of the busiest television directors in England, having directed the series Sharpe single-handedly and contributing to the SAS series Ultimate Force more recently.
EPISODE GUIDE
(Pilot) Regan Guest Stars Lee Montague David Daker Janet Key Maureen Lipman Writer Ian Kennedy Martin Editor Chris Burt Photography John Keeling Director Tom Clegg
(1.01) Ringer (Autodiebe) Guest Stars Ian Hendry Brain Blessed Alan Lake Writer Trevor Preston Editor Chris Burt Photography Dusty Miller Director Terry Green
(1.02.) Jackpot Guest Stars Ed Devereaux Morgan Shepard Writer Tony Marsh Director Tom Clegg
(1.03) Thin Ice Guest Stars Alfred Marks Peter Jeffrey Writer Troy Kennedy Martin Director Tom Clegg
(1.04) Queen's Pawn Guest Stars Tony Selby Julian Glover Christopher Ellison Writer Ranald Graham Editor Ian Toynton Photography Michael Davis Director Viktors Ritelis
(1.05) Jigsaw (Das Alibi) Guest Stars Del Henney Sheila Gish Stephanie Turner Writer Tudor Gates Editor Chris Burt Photography Dusty Miller Director William Brayne
(1.06.) Night Out (Eine lange Nacht) Guest Stars Mitzi Rogers T P McKenna Writer Troy Kennedy Martin Editor John S. Smith Photography Norman Langley Director David Wickes
(1.07) The Placer (Unter falschem Namen) Guest Stars Stanley Meadows John Forgeham Writer Trevor Preston Editor Chris Burt Photography Dusty Miller Director Ted Childs
(1.08) Cover Story (Die Titelgeschichte) Guest Stars Prunella Gee James Marcus Writer Ranald Graham Editor Chris Burt Photography Dusty Miller Director Douglas Camfield
(1.09) Golden Boy (Der Goldjunge) Guest Stars John Nolan Dudley Sutton Writer Martin Hall Editor Chris Burt Photography Dusty Miller Director Tom Clegg
(1.10) Stoppo Driver Guest Stars Nicola Pagett Billy Murray Writer Allan Prior Editor Chris Burt Photography Dusty Miller Director Terry Green
(1.11) Big Spender Guest Stars Catherine Schell Warren Mitchell Julian Holloway Writer Allan Prior Director Viktors Ritelis
(1.12) Contact Breaker (Unter Verdacht) Guest Stars Warren Clarke Coral Atkins Tony Anholt Jim Norton Writer Robert Banks Stewart Editor John S. Smith Photography Norman Langley Director William Brayne
(1.13) Abduction Guest Stars Janet Key Wanda Ventham Stuart Wilson Writer Trevor Preston Director Tom Clegg
(2.01) Chalk and Cheese Guest Stars Shane Briant Lesley Anne Down David Lodge Terence Sewards Stephan Bent Ivor Salter Writer Trevor Preston Photography Norman Langley Director Terry Green
"You rubbish!!" A Preston script which does not fail to impress but which will certainly not be popular with feminists.
(2.02) Faces Guest Stars Colin Welland Barry Stanton Keith Buckley Jeffry Wickham Writer Murray Smith Editor Chris Burt Photography Dusty Miller Director William Brayne
Never lets you out of its grip - terrific all-action direction by the very reliable WB. The Major, played by Jeffry Wickham and an instigator of all kinds of shenanigans behind Regan's, Haskins', not to mention Carter's, backs, is a cross between John Steed and Strand (Special Branch), and clearly a predecessor to Dugdale (played by Thorley Walters) in Strangers and Bulman.
Fairclough/Kenwood: "(...) one of the most exciting episodes of the series, featuring a stunning car chase and very well-directed fight sequences, an example of small-screen cinema that stands up well in comparison to big screen thrillers of the period like Magnum Force and The Gauntlet."
(2.03) Supersnout Guest Stars Bill Maynard John Tordoff Vernon Dobtcheff Carl Duering Vincent Wong Writer Ranald Graham Director Tom Clegg
When I saw this for the first time I thought Maynard and his figurines were responsible for the most hilarious moments - recently Carl Duering had all my attention. You may have to be German to value his input (who says we can't laugh at ourselves?!). The dialogue of this episode leaves no questions unanswered: "You've got no style, Jack, but you're a great scorer of goals. I'm glad you're on my team." / "He thinks you are arresting your own men."
(2.04) Big Brother (Der große Bruder) Guest Stars Maurice Roeves David Dixon Gwen Taylor Michael Robbins Guy Boyd Merdelle Jordine Writer Trevor Preston Editor Chris Burt Photography Dusty Miller Director Tom Clegg
Gwen Taylor is terrific (now & then) but I do have a problem with this kind of episode introduction.
(2.05) Hit and Run Guest Stars Stephanie Turner Sheila Ruskin Patrick Troughton Gary Waldhorn Michael Sheard Writer Roger Marshall Director Mike Vardy
Not one of my favourites, which does have nothing to do with its quality. The episode is simply hardly bearable to watch. Part three seems a bit rushed.
(2.06) Trap Guest Stars Kenneth Colley Elizabeth Begley Sydney Tafler Brian Hall Writer Ray Jenkins Director Jim Goddard
Fairclough/Kenwood: "(...) a complex story concerning obsession and, like Jenkins' work on Callan, needs more than one viewing for all the nuances to become clear." In some respects the Target episode Set Up, from the same writer/director team, covers similar ground. These two are also similar insofar as they are not immdiately likeable ...
(2.07) Golden Fleece Guest Stars Cheryl Kennedy Patrick Mower George Layton Writer Roger Marshall Director David Wickes
(2.08) Poppy (Heißes Geld) Guest Stars James Booth John Rhys-Davies Veronica Lang Helen Gill Writer Trevor Preston Editor John S. Smith Photography Norman Langley Director Tom Clegg
(2.09) Stay Lucky eh? Guest Stars Peter Vaughan Alun Armstrong Paul Moriarty Writer Trevor Preston Director Douglas Camfield
(2.10) Trojan Bus (Der Geisterbus) Guest Stars Patrick Mower George Layton Lynda Bellingham Writer Roger Marshall Editor Chris Burt Photography Dusty Miller Director Ted Childs
(2.11) I Want the Man Guest Stars Russell Hunter Roy Kinnear Michael Coles Writer Ray Jenkins Director Tom Clegg
(2.12) Country Boy (Ein Junge vom Lande) Guest Stars Robert Swan Leslie Schofield Shaun Curry Writer Andrew Wilson Editor Chris Burt Photography Dusty Miller Director Jim Goddard
(2.13) Thou Shalt Not Kill Guest Stars Ronald Lacey Barrie Cookson Writer Ranald Graham Director Douglas Camfield
(3.01) Selected Target (Die Herren aus Zelle 13) Guest Stars Lee Montague Ronald Fraser Peter Schofield Maureen Lipman Deirdre Costello Writer Troy Kennedy Martin Editor John S. Smith Photography Dusty Miller Director Tom Clegg
(3.02) In From the Cold Writer (Kalte Fracht) Guest Stars Anthony Heaton Lewis Fiander Maureen Sweeney Johnny Shannon Writer Tony Hoare Editor John S. Smith Photography Dusty Miller Director Terry Green
(3.03) The Visiting Fireman (Gefährliche Fracht) Guest Stars Nadim Sawalha Valentine Palmer Jim McManus Writer Troy Kennedy Martin Editor Chris Burt Photography Dusty Miller Director Tom Clegg
(3.04) The Tomorrow Man (Der Computerkönig) Guest Stars John Hurt George Cole Ann Curthoys Writer Andrew Wilson Editor John S. Smith Photography Norman Langley Director David Wickes
(3.05) Taste of Fear Guest Stars Norman Eshley George Sweeney Writer Roger Marshall Director David Wickes
(3.06) Bad Apple (Faule Äpfel) Guest Stars Norman Jones John Lyons Sheila Brennan Rod Culbertson Writer Roger Marshall Editor Ian Toynton Photography Norman Langley Director Douglas Camfield
Norman Jones, Dennis Waterman in Bad Apple
(3.07) May Guest Stars Marjorie Yates Karl Howman Brian Gwaspari Writer Trevor Preston Director Tom Clegg
(3.08) Sweet Smell of Succession (Die Erbschaft) Guest Stars Hywel Bennett Sue Lloyd Alan Tilvern Writer Peter Hill Editor John S. Smith Photography Norman Langley Director William Brayne
(3.09) Down to You Brother Guest Stars Derek Francis Terence Budd Writer Richard Harris Director Chris Menaul
(3.10) Payoff (Wo ist Eddie Glass?) Guest Stars Geraldine James Dave King Ken Kitson Writer Peter J Hammond Editor John S. Smith Photography Dusty Miller Director Douglas Camfield
(3.11) Loving Arms Guest Stars Roy Sone Alan David Writer Robert Wales Director Tom Clegg
(3.12) Lady Luck Guest Stars Moira Redmond Norman Rodway Writer Ranald Graham Director Mike Vardy
(3.13) On the Run Guest Stars George Sweeney Brendan Price Writer Roger Marshall Director David Wickes
The Sweeney crew filming Drag Act
(4.01) Messenger of the Gods Guest Stars Diana Dors Fanny Carby Michael Melia Writer Trevor Preston Director Terry Green
(4.02) Hard Men Guest Stars James Cosmo Stewart Pearson Writer Troy Kennedy Martin Director Graham Baker
(4.03) Drag Act (Dienst ist Dienst) Guest Stars Katherine Fahy Albert Welling Patrick Malahide Writer Ted Childs Editor Ian Toynton Photography Roy Pointer Director Tom Clegg
(4.04) Trust Red (Red zieht Bilanz) Guest Stars John Ronane John J. Carney Nigel Humphreys Writer Richard Harris Editor John S. Smith Photography Norman Langley Director Douglas Camfield
(4.05) Nightmare Guest Stars Paul Antrim Tony Rohr Writer Ranald Graham Director David Wickes
(4.06) Money Money Money (Der Hauptgewinn) Guest Stars Edward Judd Glyn Owen Michael Culver Writer Trevor Preston Editor Ian Toynton Photography Roy Pointer Director Sid Roberson
(4.07) Bait (Der Köder) Guest Stars George Sewell Di Trevis Barbara Ewing Writer Trevor Preston Editor Peter Delfgou Photography Roy Pointer Director Sid Roberson
(4.08) The Bigger They Are Guest Stars Colin Jeavons Donald Burton Tony Steedman Colin McCormack Writer Tony Hoare Editor Ian Toynton Photography Roy Pointer Director Mike Vardy
(4.09) Feet of Clay Guest Stars Joss Ackland Geoffrey Palmer Writer Roger Marshall Editor John S. Smith Photography Dusty Miller Director Chris Burt
(4.10) One of Your Own (...alias Charlie Mason) Guest Stars Michael Elphick Nick Stringer Rachel Davies Neil Hallett Writer Tony Hoare Editor Ian Toynton Photography Roy Pointer Director Chris Menaul
(4.11) Hearts and Minds (Zwei freundliche Herren) Guest Stars Eric Morecambe Ernie Wise Edward Hardwicke Edward De Souza Writers Donald Churchill Ted Childs Editor John S. Smith Photography Norman Langley Director Mike Vardy
(4.12) Latin Lady (Die Dame aus Südamerika) Guest Stars Meg Davies Stuart Wilson Writer Ted Childs Editor Ian Toynton Photography Roy Pointer Director Peter Smith
(4.13) Victims Guest Stars Sheila Reed Lynda Marchal Writer Roger Marshall Director Ben Bolt
(4.14) Jack or Knave (Regan in der Klemme) Guest Stars Barrie Ingham Richard Griffiths Writer Ted Childs Director Tom Clegg
CONTRIBUTORS
IAN KENNEDY MARTIN (*1936)
The Saint, The Protectors I (The Stamp Collection, 1964), Redcap (ste, 1965-6), Hadleigh, Letters From the Dead (1969, p James Gatward), Special Branch (Intercept), The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (The Looking of the Specie Room, 1973), Mitchell, Juliet Bravo, The Chinese Detective, The Fourth Floor, King and Castle (1986, cr + w), Madson
TROY KENNEDY MARTIN (*1932)
(5 scripts + Sweeney II)
Incident at Echo Six (1958), Z Cars, Redcap (Corporal McCann's Private War, Nightwatch, A Place of Refuge, The Patrol, Crime Passionel, The Killer, Buckingham Palace), The Italian Job, Kelly's Heroes, Out of the Unknown: The Midas Plague (1970), The Jerusalem File, Fall of Eagles (1974, shared w-credit), The Old Men at the Zoo (1983, Stuart Burge), Reilly: Ace of Spies, Edge of Darkness, Red Heat, Hostile Waters, Bravo Two Zero
(Modified scan from The Face Magazine, 1984)
TREVOR PRESTON (*194?)
(Ringer + 10 other eps)
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (1967), The Pilgrim's Progress (1967), Callan (Jack-on-top, Summoned to Appear, None of Your Business), Ace of Wands (cr, w), The Mind of Mr JD Reeder (The Shadow Man), Public Eye (And When You've Paid the Bill You're None the Wiser), Special Branch (The Promised Land, Inside, Inquisition, All the King's Men), The Protectors (Quin, Lena, The Tiger and the Goat, The Insider, Burning Bush), The Aweful Mr Goodall (Indiscretion, 1974), Hazell (... and the Big Sleep), Out, Fox, The Racing Game (Horsenap, 1980), Minder (The Car Lot Baggers), Master of the Moor (1994, Marc Evans, nach Ruth Rendell) Dalgliesh?
(Modified scan from Alvarado/Stewart, Made for Television, p. 92)
TONY HOARE (*19??)
Softly, Softly, Hunter's Walk, New Scotland Yard, Target, Hazell, Minder, Bergerac
ROY POINTER
Naked As Nature Intended (1961, Harrison Marks), The Benny Hill Show, Secret Rites (1972, Derek Ford; doc), Commuter Husbands/Sex Games (1973, Derek Ford), The Sexplorer/Diary of a Space Virgin/Girl From Starship Venus (1975, Derek Ford), Secrets of a Superstud (1976, Morton Lewis), Minder
JIM GODDARD (*c.1933)
(Country Boy, Trap)
The Avengers (pd), Out of this World (Dumb Martian, pd), Budgie (1970), The Guardians (1971), Callan (I Never Wanted the Job), Special Branch (Miss International, Warrant for a Phoenix, Sorry Is Just a Word), New Scotland Yard, Public Eye (The Bromsgrove Venus, It Must Be the Architecture – Couldn't Be the Climate, Well – There Was This Girl, You See, It's A Woman's Privilege), Van der Valk, Helen – A Woman of Today, The Aweful Mr Goodall (Indiscretion, Clara, Loyalty in My Honour, 1974), Raffles (Home Affairs, The Gift of the Emperor, An Old Flame), Target (Set-Up), Out, Hazell (1978), A Tale of two Cities (1980), Fox, Smuggler (Forced Run, Press Gang, Hogshead, Straw Man), Nicholas Nickleby (1982), Reilly: Ace of Spies, Kennedy (1983), Parker, Shanghai Surprise, Hitler's SS: Portrait in Evil (1985), The Impossible Spy (1987), Metamorphosis (1987), Inspector Morse (The Secret of Bay 5B), The Four Minute Mile (1988), The Free Frenchman (1989), Alleyn Mysteries (1993), Red Eagle, Space Precinct (1994), Simisola (1995), The Secret House of Death (1996), Gadgetman (1996), Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (A Minor Operation, Helping Hansi, 1996), The New Adventures of Robin Hood (1997), The House of Angelo (1997), Dangerfield, Holby City (Too Much Too Young, 1999).
In order to find out more about The Sweeney please try the following links:
http://www.thesweeney.com - by Peter Aston
...
http://www.thesweeney.tv - by John Hunter
Sources:
Robert Fairclough/Mike Kenwood: Sweeney! The Official Companion. London, Reynolds & Hearn Ltd., 2002
Manual Alvarado/John Stewart: Made for Television. Euston Films. London, BFI 1985
Dennis Waterman: Reminder, Arrow 2001
Martin Day/Keith Topping: Shut It! Virgin 1999
James Donald: "Anxious Moments: The Sweeney", in: Alvarado/Stewart; s. a.
Mike Kenwood/George Williams: Fags, Blags, Slags & Jags, 1998
Troy Kennedy Martin: "Four of a Kind", in: Crime Writers, ed. HRF Keating, 1978
Andrew Pixley: "The Sweeney: Compulsive Viewing", in: Prime Time Magazine
Ian Kennedy Martin: Regan, Regan and the Deal of the Century, Regan and the Manhattan File
Joe Balham: The Blag, The Human Pipeline, Regan and the High-Rollers, Regan and the Bent Stripper, Regan and the Snout Who Cried Wolf, Regan And The Venetian Virgin, Regan And The Lebanese Shipment.
Video/DVD:
Complete seasons 1-4 (Network DVDs)
Bank Jobs (Contact Breaker/Night Out), PT Video
Car Chases (Stoppo Driver/Faces), PT Video
Diamond Geezers (Poppy/I Want the Man/One of Your Own), PT Video
Regan
Sweeney!
Sweeney 2
Ringer (del)
Jackpot (del)
Trap/Poppy (del)
Supersnout/Hit and Run (del)
Big Brother/I Want the Man (del)
Queen's Pawn/Night Out (del)
The Tomorrow Man/Taste of Fear (del)
Golden Boy/Big Spender (del)
Thou Shalt Not Kill/Country Boy (del)
The Placer/Cover Story (del)
Selected Target/In From the Cold (del)
Contact Breaker/Abduction (del)
This is an unofficial and non-commercial website. The rights to The Sweeney are held by FremantleMedia. The sole purpose of this page is to promote the abovementioned series - no copyright infringement is intended. However, should the copyright holders be unhappy with my use of screenshots the material in question will be removed immediately.
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