Frank looks over his less than salubrious office in Don't Forget You're Mine

The first of the two series set in Birmingham. Only two episodes still exist - Don't Forget You're Mine and Works With Chess, Not With Life. Home audio recordings of the final five episodes have been recovered, although "Tell Me About the Crab" only exists in small part. "Twenty Pounds Of Heart And Muscle" was released as an extra on the Series 5 set and the others will hopefully emerge at some time.

Transmission details are for ABC and 9.10-10.05 pm unless otherwise stated. Details for other channels can be found down the page.

1. All the Black Dresses She Wants (2.7.66)

Joe Lodge is involved in a serious accident and sues the man he sees responsible - Steve Burrell. Lodge says he is paralyzed but Burrell believes he is lying and sets Frank to expose him. However Burrell and Lodge are linked in other ways...

Writer: Martin Worth  Director: Kim Mills.

Cast: John Carson (Steve Burrell); Richard Leech (Joe Lodge); Malcolm Taylor (Charlie Ridge); Basil Dignam (Beck); Reginald Barratt (Arthur Holt); Delena Kidd (Liz Lodge); Mary Chester (Mrs. Jarvis)

2. Don't Forget You're Mine (9.7.66) 

3. I Could Set It To Music (16.7.66, 9.25-10.20pm)

Company director Hugh Maitland is asked to resign after evidence of an affair with Ann Maitland emerges. Hugh admits his infidelity but what is less clear is when to took place - an issue that is far from academic.

Writer: Julian Bond  Director: Basil Coleman

Cast: Hugh Burden (Hugh Clayton); Ann Bell (Ann Maitland); Isabel Dean (Jean Clayton).

4. It's Terrible Way To Be (23.7.66)

The Gannons ask Frank to trace their missing son Michael. He catches up with him inadvertently with unpleasant results. Michael is later tracked down with a woman called Moira but he is not the only one with things to hide.

Cast: Frederick Danner (Mr. Tatlow); Marie Kean (Mrs. Gannon); Harold Goldblatt (Mr. Gannon); John McCarthy (Willie); Jim Norton (Michael); Richard Cuthbert (Mr. Arbuthnot); John Keenan (Pub singer); Carmen Dene (Barmaid); David Kelly (Con); James Kerry (Barney); Maire Hastings (Moira); Richard Curnock (Withers).

5. You Can Keep the Medal (30.7.66)

An inquest finds that Heather Bowen committed suicide but her mother is unconvinced and asks Frank to find the truth. Heather's involvement with a nightclub owner called Don may provide answers but they will not come easily.

Writer: Julian Bond  Director: Guy Verney

Cast: Miranda Connell (Vivien Green); Elizabeth Kentish (Ella Bowen); Barry Letts (David Bowen); William Lucas (Phil Lyons); Dermot Tuohy (Dan Tashin); Gillian Wray (Heather); Timothy West (Police Sergeant); Nina Baden-Semper (Barmaid); Christopher Sandford (Don); Alex Marshall (Nurse Dodge); Lloyd Lamble (Harper).

6. You're Not Cinderella, Are You? (6.8.66)

Frank is handling security for a hotel and has to investigate a theft from Gallo, friend of a Swiss photographer Kurt Heller. Matters take a rather more serious turn when a disturbing discovery is later made in Heller's room.

Writer: Roger Marshall  Director: Quentin Lawrence

Cast: William Franklyn (Kurt Heller); Gillian Lewis (Jane Edmonds); Neville Becker (Gallo); Bryan Pringle (Simpkins); Mela White (Waitress); John Steiner (Brian Graham); Peggy Ann Wood (Mrs. Edmonds); Dorothea Phillips (Mrs. Simpkins); Georgina Hale (Girl in nightclub); John Junkin (Mick); Frederick Hall (Inspector Grant); Colin Rix (Sergeant Jackson).

7. Works With Chess, Not With Life (13.8.66)

8. It Had To Be a Mouse (20.8.66)

Puritanical newspaper owner Minster refuses to take an ad for Frank's agency. However his own marital life is in difficulties and he has to recruit Frank to trace his missing wife. Mrs. Minster though is not the only person who is being investigated.

Writer: Robert Holmes   Director: Kim Mills

Cast: Leonard Minster); Dudley Foster (Gordon Ansell); Jane Bond (Valerie); Frank Littlewood (Tom Harrison); Veronica Hurst (Julia Ansell); Wendy Gifford (Mary Hollobread); Mary Kenton (Sheila); Philip Madoc (Robin); Anne Woodward (Mrs. Derby); Lynne Barton (Audrey); Raymond Mason (Supt. Buchanan); Arnold Bell (Radcliffe); John Savident (Clerk of the court); Cherry Morris (Rona Minster).

9. Tell Me About the Crab (27.8.66)

Catherine calls on her estranged husband Dick for help when a brick is thrown through her window. Dick asks Frank to investigate but other parties though become involved and before long matters get out of hand.

Writer: Jack Trevor Story   Director: Jonathan Alwyn

Cast: Gwen Cherrell (Catherine); Victor Platt (Toby); Sheila Ballantine (Angie); Roshan Seth (Soondra); Laurie Asprey (Roland); Jane Rossington (Jane); George Pensotti (Arkwright); Jacqueline Pearce (Jill); Robin Bailey (Dick Maddison); Lane Meddick (Porter).

10. No, No, Nothing Like That (3.9.66)

Country vicar Harris Munro suspects his restless wife of infidelity. He identifies her doctor as the likely culprit and Frank pursues his concerns. She is not being unfaithful with Dr. Pringle but she is hiding at least one secret from her husband.

Writer: Andrew Hall  Director: Quentin Lawrence

Cast: Glyn Houston (Rev. Harris Munro); Rona Anderson (Anna Munro); Geoffrey Palmer (Dr. Pringle); Gilbert Wynne (Bill Morton); Barrie Fletcher (Landlord); James Beck (Marty Cornwell); Sara Aimson (Joan Morton); Andre Morrell (Bishop); Anne Dyson (Miss Tolliver).

11. There Are More Things In Heaven and Earth (10.9.66)

Frank is asked by a solicitor to persuade Mrs. Barnes, an elderly woman and recently widowed, to sell her home. He is uneasy about what seems an insensitive task but soon there will be rather more unsettling reasons for concern.

Writer: Julian Bond   Director: Toby Robertson 

Cast: Helen Lindsay (Anita Barnes); Stephanie Bidmead (Stella Rouse); Bert Simms (Mr. Jones); Patrick Mower (Tony Hart); Trevor Baxter (Howells); Garrick Hagon (Douglas Tidy); Clive Swift (West).

12. Twenty Pounds Of Heart and Muscle (17.9.66)

Frank is employed by Pauline Garrity to search for her father's very valuable racing whippet which has gone missing. He has his own suspect and may take the law into his own hands unless Frank is successful and soon.

Writer: Robert Holmes   Director: Piers Hoggard

Cast: George A. Cooper (Enoch Garrity); Mary Webster (Pauline Garrity); Terry Scully (Dave Handy); Garfield Morgan (Charlie Knox); Alex Farrell (Paddie Farrell); John Collin (Yorky Thorpe); Barbara Keogh (Helen Courtney); George O'Gorman (Gerald Dawes); Lawrence James (Harmer); John Stratton (Dr. Lonsman); Bryan Stanion (Charles Nully).

13. What's Wrong? Can't You Take a Sick Joke? (24.9.66, 9.15-10.10pm)

Mrs. Wyncherley is furious when she is tricked into buying an already reserved burial spot. She asks Frank to trace the con-man but such a snobbish woman is not as powerful as she seems to think and there are people happy to see her fall. 

Writer: Hugh Leonard   Director: Guy Verney

Cast: Ernest Hare (Vicar); Sheila Keith (Mrs. Wyncherley); Clive Morton (Julian Brampton); Stacy Davies (Gravedigger); Peter Vaughan (FX Fowler); Jessica Claridge (Miss Brett); Donna Reading (Miss Ramsby); Sally Bazely (Lady Gatton); Joyce Barbour (Mrs. Starr).

Production order

According to the VTR numbers in the Kaleidscope Guide this was as follows:

Don't Forget You're Mine  
I Could Set It To Music
It's a Terrible Way To Be  
All the Black Dresses She Wants  
You Can Keep the Medal
Works With Chess, Not With Life  
It Had To Be a Mouse
You're Not Cinderella, Are You?
Tell Me About the Crab 
No, No, Nothing Like That
There Are More Things In Heaven And Earth  
Twenty Pounds Of Heart And Muscle  
What's Wrong? Can't You Take a Sick Joke?

Further broadcast details

Perhaps surprisingly the series returned a little earlier on some channels than its "home" region of ABC. Once again though screenings across the regions were not consistent, with TWW again failing to screen the whole series.

Anglia: Fri 1.7.66 (8.00-8.55pm); 8.7.66; 15.7.66; 22.7.66; 29.7.66; 5.8.66; 12.8.66; 19.8.66; 26.8.66; 2.9.66; 9.9.66; 16.9.66; 23.9.66.

Border: as per Anglia

Grampian: as per Anglia

Rediffusuion: Mon 27.6.66 (8.00-8.55pm); 4.7.66; 11.7.66 (9.30-10.25pm); 18.7.66 ("It's a Terrible Way To Be"); 25.7.66 (9.37-10.35pm); 5.8.66 (8.00-8.55pm); 12.8.66; 19.8.66; 26.8.66; 2.9.66; 9.9.66; 16.9.66; 23.9.66.

Scottish Television (11.05pm-12.00am unless stated): Sun 3.7.66; 10.7.66; 17.7.66; 24.7.66; 31.7.66; 7.8.66 (11.20pm-12.15am); 13.8.66; 21.8.66; 28.8.66; 4.9.66; 11.9.66; 18.9.66; 25.9.66.

Southern: as per Anglia.

TWW (Wales): Mon 25.7.66; Thu 18.8.66; 25.8.66; 22.9.66 (10.45-11.40pm); Wed 28.9.66; 5.10.66; 26.10.66; 2.11.66; 9.11.66. 

Tyne Tees: as per Anglia.

Ulster: as per ABC.

Westward and Channel: Fri 8.7.66, then as per Anglia until Wed 28.9.66.