TX
: 5th April 1974
Script : Reginald Rose
Director : Sidney Hayers
Notes : Sidney Hayers also directed episodes of
The Avengers, The Professionals, Arthur of The Britons, Magnum
PI, TJ Hooker and Baywatch. His long career
also showed other production talents with roles writing, editing
and producing in film and TV. He died in 2000 and his last credit
was directing an episode of CI5: The New Professionals.
TX
: 12th April 1974
Script : Howard Dimsdale
Director : John Hough
Notes : Ingrid Pitt is one of the guest stars in this
episode. Howard Dimsdale began working as a scriptwriter in
the late 1930's. He wrote for Cannon and The
Fugitive TV series and he also scripted Abbott
and Costello Meet Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Abbott
and Costello Meet Captain Kidd. He died in 1991.
TX
: 19th April 1974
Script : Peter Yeldham
Director : Sidney Hayers
Notes : Born in Australia in 1921 Peter Yeldham had previously
written for The Persuaders! The theme tune to
the series was released as the B side to the single Band On
The Run.
TX
: 26th April 1974
Script : Sean Graham
Director : Sidney Hayers
Notes : Roger Delgado (the first incarnation of Doctor
Who nemesis The Master) has a role in this episode.
TX
: 3rd May 1974
Script : John Kruse
Director : John Hough
Notes : Peter Cushing, Jacqueline Pearce and Philip Madoc
are among the familiar faces in this episode. John Kruse also
wrote episodes of The Avengers, The Persuaders! and
The Professionals.
TX
: 10th May 1974
Script : William Fairchild
Director : John Hough
Notes : John Hough's TV work includes The Avengers,
The Protectors and Hammer House of Mystery and
Suspense. His film credits include Twins of Evil,
The Legend of Hell House, Watcher in the Woods and Biggles.
|
Regular
Characters
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Portrayed By
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The
Fox AKA Steven Halliday
|
Brian
Keith
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The
Elephant AKA Thomas Devon
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John
Mills
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The
Leopard AKA Manouche Roget
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Lilli
Palmer
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The
Tiger AKA Lieuntenant Alec Marlowe
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Barry
Morse
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Based on a novel by Paul Gallico and adapted by Reginald Rose
this Herbert Hirschman produced ITC series lasted only
six episodes despite (and largely because of) an international star
cast.
The series involved the reunion of four World War Two resistance fighters
known as The Zoo Gang because of their codenames. They reunite
to solve crime along the French Riveria and raise money via rewards
to build a children's hospital dedicated to the memory of their fallen
comrade The Wolf. Designed to appeal to an American audience
with high production values (including theme music supplied by Paul
and Linda McCartney) the series ultimately failed as simply not
enough episodes were made for a syndicated run.
Bringing together
the main cast for location shooting in the South of France and
then interiors at Pinewood Studios in England tied up
the busy stars who were committed to other jobs. The minimum run a show
needed to achieve some kind of syndication was sixteen episodes which
gave a chance for an audience to possibly pick up on the show and sadly
six episodes were simply not enough to achieve this. The first episode
of the series was given a TV Times cover and a short article.
Rarely repeated and little seen the show was a missed opportunity which
was retired too early.
The complete series was released on DVD by Network in 2007.
Text © Andrew Screen, 2002.
All episodes exist. Transmission dates are for
ATV Midlands. The series was transmitted on Friday nights.
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