"Callan" (1967) TV series 1967-1972

Creator:

James Mitchell
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

8 July 1967 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

David Callan is the top agent/assassin for the Security Service (British counterintelligence), but he...

Plot Keywords:

Spy | Espionage | Partially Lost TV Series | Gunman | Assassin

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Edward Woodward	...	David Callan (43 episodes, 1967-1972)
Russell Hunter	...	Lonely (41 episodes, 1967-1972)
Lisa Langdon	...	Liz March (31 episodes, 1967-1972)
Anthony Valentine	...	Toby Meres (30 episodes, 1967-1972)
William Squire	...	Hunter #4 (19 episodes, 1970-1972)

Series Directed by
Peter Duguid		(11 episodes, 1967-1972)
Jim Goddard		(6 episodes, 1969-1972)
Mike Vardy		(6 episodes, 1969-1972)
Bill Bain		(4 episodes, 1967-1972)
Reginald Collin		(4 episodes, 1969-1972)
Piers Haggard		(3 episodes, 1967-1970)
Robert Tronson		(3 episodes, 1967-1969)
Voytek		(3 episodes, 1970-1972)
Tony Robertson		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
James Mitchell		(30 episodes, 1967-1972)
Ray Jenkins		(5 episodes, 1969-1972)
Bill Craig		(5 episodes, 1970-1972)
Robert Banks Stewart		(3 episodes, 1967-1969)
Trevor Preston		(3 episodes, 1969-1972)
John Kershaw		(2 episodes, 1969-1972)
William Emms		(2 episodes, 1969-1970)
Michael Winder		(2 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Produced by
Reginald Collin	....	producer (35 episodes, 1969-1972)
John Kershaw	....	associate producer (14 episodes, 1969)
Lloyd Shirley	....	executive producer (8 episodes, 1967-1969)
Terence Feely	....	associate producer (7 episodes, 1967-1969)

Series Original Music by
Jack Trombey		(unknown episodes, 1970-1972)

Series Cinematography by
Michael Elphick		(1 episode, 1969)

Series Production Design by
David Marshall		(9 episodes, 1967-1972)
Peter Le Page		(6 episodes, 1967-1972)
Neville Green		(6 episodes, 1969-1972)
Stan Woodward		(5 episodes, 1969-1972)
Mike Hall		(4 episodes, 1969-1972)
Darrell Lass		(2 episodes, 1967)
Terry Gough		(2 episodes, 1969)
David Chandler		(unknown episodes)
John Kershaw		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Andy Armstrong	....	props (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Tony Dawe	....	sound designer (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Alan Chuntz	....	fight arranger (1 episode, 1972)

Series Other crew
George Markstein	....	story editor (22 episodes, 1970-1972)

Production Companies

• ABC Weekend Television (before July 1968)
• Thames Television (after July 1968)

Distributors

• Acorn Media Group (2009) (USA) (DVD) (set 1)
• Acorn Media Group (2010) (USA) (DVD) (set 2)
• Independent Television (ITV)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2002) (Australia) (DVD)

Runtime:

60 min (44 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (1967-1969) | Color (1970-1972)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M

Company:

ABC Weekend Television

Trivia:

Peter Bowles played Toby Meres in "Armchair Theatre: A Magnum for Schneider (#7.2)" (1967) - which was effectively the series pilot - but was unavailable to record the full first run. Jeremy Lloyd was an early choice to replace him, before Anthony Valentine was cast.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Are You Being Served?: Big Brother (#2.4)" (1974)

Very Dark Indeed

Callan was a very dark series which has never been given the credit it deserved. I'm glad to see the series on DVD here in England because it is a series I would recommend to anyone who wasn't born when it first aired.

A pre-Equalizer Edward Woodward played Callan who was an agent for British Intelligence. He was no James Bond however; Callan's was a dark world where everyone had their own agenda and no-one could be trusted. Things were not black and white; there were plenty of shades of grey. Unlike James Bond, Callan didn't have a posh car, plenty of beautiful women and he didn't get to jet off to sunny locations. Callan hated his job, he had no choice but to work for British Intelligence (watch the first episodes to see why that is). He was a good man deep down and cared about people but he was constantly required to lie and deceive people and cheat. He was given the dirty jobs no-one else wanted and whilst his superior (a man called Hunter, played by various actors)knew that Callan was good at his job, he also didn't care about Callan at all. Callan was a loner.

The premise was very interesting indeed. Callan was reluctantly doing a dirty job and his emotions came into conflict with his job at times. It was fascinating viewing.

Over the years there have been many dark series where you can never be sure who is good and who is bad. In a way, I guess it is indicative of the times we are living in. However, I think it is important to remember that Callan was the benchmark for many of the dark and pessimistic shows we see today and without Callan, many of them would not have arisen.