Gangsters (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Gangsters is a British television
series made by the BBC
and shown from 1975 to 1978.
Created by Philip Martin
, and produced at the BBC's Pebble Mill Studios
in Birmingham by David Rose
, Gangsters began televisual life as an edition of Play for Today
in 1975, followed by two series transmitted in 1976 and 1978. The series, set in the multi-cultural criminal community of Birmingham
, has remained a cult favourite, memorable for its strong violence, multi-ethnic cast (and realistic - and now rather shocking - depiction of the racism of the time) and highly stylised, post-modern approach to storytelling.
Gangsters featured references to film noir
, gangster films, westerns, Bollywood
and kung fu movies, as well as increasingly surreal end-of-episode cliffhangers and a bizarre final scene where the characters not only “break the fourth wall
” but walk off the set.
The two series had quite different tones. The first was a gritty thriller whilst the second was more surreal, with more emphasis on the post-modern elements.
The theme music
was an instrumental performed by Greenslade
; in the last series it was adapted into a version sung by Chris Farlowe
.
) – a tough, shady former SAS
officer recently released from prison who becomes embroiled in the intrigues of the local underworld while attempting to go straight.
Khan (Ahmed Khalil) – Pakistan
i police detective who uses Kline as a pawn in his bid to nail the organised crime syndicates of Birmingham.
Anne Darracott (Elizabeth Cassidy
) – a young woman and former heroin addict who becomes Kline's live-in lover.
Aslam Rafiq (Saeed Jaffrey
) – the charismatic boss of a racket trafficking illegal immigrants.
Sarah Gant (Alibe Parsons
) – glamorous undercover CIA agent out to nail the drug trade in the city, with a private mission to avenge the murder of her sister.
Kuldip (Paul Satvendar) – Rafiq's murderous henchman.
Malleson (Paul Barber) – a former thug who takes over his boss’ underworld empire after he is killed and proves to be a formidable adversary of Kline and Khan.
Shen Tang (Robert Lee
) – the leader of a local Chinese
Triad gang.
Lily Li Tang (Chai Lee
) – the daughter of Shen Tang, who assists her father in the running of the Triad.
Rolf Day (Rolf Day) - The racist night club comedian who appears in the Rum Runner night club
The series' writer, Philip Martin, also appeared in multiple roles, playing the gangland boss Rawlinson in the original play, the hired assassin 'The White Devil' at the end of season two (though Martin was credited as Larson P Whipsnide, a reference to his WC Fields inspired performance as the character), and as himself, dictating the script to a typist, in cutaways throughout season two.
British television
Public television broadcasting started in the United Kingdom in 1936, and now has a collection of free and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are over 480 channelsTaking the base Sky EPG TV Channels. A breakdown is impossible due to a) the number of...
series made by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and shown from 1975 to 1978.
Created by Philip Martin
Philip Martin (screenwriter)
Philip Martin is an English television screenwriter.His early work included regular series such as Z-Cars in the late 1960s/early 70s, but his most famous work is the postmodern television series Gangsters. This was an examination of race seen through an increasingly surreal vision of...
, and produced at the BBC's Pebble Mill Studios
Pebble Mill Studios
The BBC 's Pebble Mill Studios were located in Edgbaston, a suburb of Birmingham, England. The views from the roof overlooked Cannon Hill Park, a nature centre, as well as Birmingham's city centre...
in Birmingham by David Rose
David Rose (producer)
David E. Rose is a retired television producer and commissioning editor.Following war service as a RAF pilot of Lancaster Bombers on 34 missions, he trained as an actor at the Guildhall School of Drama, but following graduation pursued a career in stage management...
, Gangsters began televisual life as an edition of Play for Today
Play for Today
Play for Today is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage plays and novels, were transmitted...
in 1975, followed by two series transmitted in 1976 and 1978. The series, set in the multi-cultural criminal community of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, has remained a cult favourite, memorable for its strong violence, multi-ethnic cast (and realistic - and now rather shocking - depiction of the racism of the time) and highly stylised, post-modern approach to storytelling.
Gangsters featured references to film noir
Film noir
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
, gangster films, westerns, Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
and kung fu movies, as well as increasingly surreal end-of-episode cliffhangers and a bizarre final scene where the characters not only “break the fourth wall
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
” but walk off the set.
The two series had quite different tones. The first was a gritty thriller whilst the second was more surreal, with more emphasis on the post-modern elements.
The theme music
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
was an instrumental performed by Greenslade
Greenslade
Greenslade is an English progressive rock band. It was originally formed in the autumn of 1972 with the following line-up:* Dave Greenslade - keyboards...
; in the last series it was adapted into a version sung by Chris Farlowe
Chris Farlowe
Chris Farlowe is an English rock, blues and soul singer. He is best known for his hit single "Out of Time", which rose to #1 in the UK Singles Chart in 1966, and his association with Colosseum and the Thunderbirds.Outside his music career, Farlowe collects war memorabilia.-Career:Inspired by Lonnie...
.
Cast
John Kline (Maurice ColbourneMaurice Colbourne
Maurice Colbourne was a British stage and television actor.He was born Roger Middleton in Sheffield at the outbreak of World War II, and studied acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama...
) – a tough, shady former SAS
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
officer recently released from prison who becomes embroiled in the intrigues of the local underworld while attempting to go straight.
Khan (Ahmed Khalil) – Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i police detective who uses Kline as a pawn in his bid to nail the organised crime syndicates of Birmingham.
Anne Darracott (Elizabeth Cassidy
Elizabeth Cassidy
Elizabeth Cassidy is a British actress best known for her role as Anne Darracott in the 1970s BBC television series Gangsters. She currently resides in Torrington, Devon, and is married to actor/director Paul Seed....
) – a young woman and former heroin addict who becomes Kline's live-in lover.
Aslam Rafiq (Saeed Jaffrey
Saeed Jaffrey
Saeed Jaffrey OBE is an Indian-born British actor, who has done numerous British movies. He was born in Malerkotla, Punjab...
) – the charismatic boss of a racket trafficking illegal immigrants.
Sarah Gant (Alibe Parsons
Alibe Parsons
Alibe Parsons is an actress who has worked extensively in both film and television.On television, she is best known for her regular role in the 1970s BBC drama Gangsters as Sarah Gant...
) – glamorous undercover CIA agent out to nail the drug trade in the city, with a private mission to avenge the murder of her sister.
Kuldip (Paul Satvendar) – Rafiq's murderous henchman.
Malleson (Paul Barber) – a former thug who takes over his boss’ underworld empire after he is killed and proves to be a formidable adversary of Kline and Khan.
Shen Tang (Robert Lee
Robert Lee (actor)
Robert Lee is a British actor of Asian ethnicity.-Filmography:-External links:...
) – the leader of a local Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
Triad gang.
Lily Li Tang (Chai Lee
Chai Lee
Chai Lee is an actress, born in Canton, China.She is best known for her appearances in British films and television, particularly her uncredited role as a Moonbase Alpha operative in the science fiction series Space 1999 and her performance in the crime drama Gangsters as Lily Li Tang.Her other TV...
) – the daughter of Shen Tang, who assists her father in the running of the Triad.
Rolf Day (Rolf Day) - The racist night club comedian who appears in the Rum Runner night club
The series' writer, Philip Martin, also appeared in multiple roles, playing the gangland boss Rawlinson in the original play, the hired assassin 'The White Devil' at the end of season two (though Martin was credited as Larson P Whipsnide, a reference to his WC Fields inspired performance as the character), and as himself, dictating the script to a typist, in cutaways throughout season two.