Gideon's Way
Encyclopedia
Gideon's Way is a British television crime series made by ITC Entertainment
in 1964/65, based on the novels by John Creasey
(as J. J. Marric). The series was made at Elstree in twin production with The Saint
TV series. It starred Liverpudlian John Gregson
in the title role as Commander George Gideon of Scotland Yard
, with Alexander Davion as his assistant, Detective Chief Inspector David Keen, Reginald Jessup as Det. Superintendent LeMaitre (nicknamed Lemmy), Ian Rossiter as Detective Chief Superintendent Joe Bell and Basil Dignam
as Commissioner Scott-Marle. The show did not acknowledge any help from Scotland Yard, any other police force or advisor.
Daphne Anderson
starred as his wife, Kate with Giles Watling
as young son, Malcolm, Richard James
as older son, Matthew who seemed to have a lot of new girlfriends and Andrea Allan
as daughter, Pru. Unusually for police stories, Gideon was shown as a family man at home though urgent phone calls from his bosses tend to disrupt family plans too often. However, he did admit in "State Visit" that his wife had walked out on him for a while years ago when he put the job first and her second. They live in an expensive detached house in Chelsea.
under the title Gideon CID. There were different starting titles for the American series, showing incidents of violent crime while the British titles just introduced the characters. The distinctive theme music was composed by Edwin Astley and some of the music in dramatic moments in the series were the same as that used in The Saint
TV series which Astley was scoring at the same time
Unlike many shows then and later, there was much location filming and the show gave an authentic view of London in 1964/65: whole streets with just 2-3 parked cars, children playing in the street and police walking their beats. In "The Rhyme and the Reason", there is a chase across a bomb site, an area of destruction left from WWII aerial bombing raids. A door key on a string which can be reached through a letter box. Many characters smoked in the shows, including the stars.
Many well-known British actors appear in guest roles, including Keith Baxter
, George Cole, Gordon Jackson
, Ronald Lacey
, Anton Rogers, Rosemary Leach
and John Hurt
. There was an early role for Donald Sutherland
in the episode The Millionaire's Daughter.
The series was released on Region 2 DVD
by Network Video.
.
Airdate is for ATV
Midlands. ITV
regions varied date and order.
ITC Entertainment
The Incorporated Television Company was a British television company largely involved in production and distribution. It was founded by Lew Grade.-History:...
in 1964/65, based on the novels by John Creasey
John Creasey
John Creasey MBE was an English crime and science fiction writer. The author of more than 600 novels, he published them using 28 different pseudonyms, including Anthony Morton, Michael Halliday, Kyle Hunt, J.J. Marric, Jeremy York, Richard Martin, Peter Manton, Norman Deane, Gordon Ashe, Henry St...
(as J. J. Marric). The series was made at Elstree in twin production with The Saint
The Saint (TV series)
The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
TV series. It starred Liverpudlian John Gregson
John Gregson
John Gregson was an English actor.He was born Harold Thomas Gregson, of Irish descent, and grew up in Wavertree, Liverpool, where he was educated at Greenbank Road primary school, later St Francis Xavier School...
in the title role as Commander George Gideon of Scotland Yard
Gideon of Scotland Yard
Commander George Gideon of London's Scotland Yard is a fictional policeman created by John Creasey under the pseudonym J.J. Marric. He appeared in the first of 26 police procedural novels by Creasey, Gideon's Day, in 1955.- The character :...
, with Alexander Davion as his assistant, Detective Chief Inspector David Keen, Reginald Jessup as Det. Superintendent LeMaitre (nicknamed Lemmy), Ian Rossiter as Detective Chief Superintendent Joe Bell and Basil Dignam
Basil Dignam
Basil Dignam was an English character actor.Basil Dignam, a native of Sheffield, acted on film and television between 1951 and 1975. He often appeared as an authority figure, such as a police officer, army general or peer....
as Commissioner Scott-Marle. The show did not acknowledge any help from Scotland Yard, any other police force or advisor.
Daphne Anderson
Daphne Anderson
-External links:...
starred as his wife, Kate with Giles Watling
Giles Watling
Giles Watling is an English actor.Giles is the son of actor Jack Watling and actress Patricia Watling, and the brother of actresses Dilys Watling and Deborah Watling...
as young son, Malcolm, Richard James
Richard James
Richard Thompson James was a naval engineer. He and his wife, Betty were the inventors of the Slinky. The Slinky was invented in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Education:...
as older son, Matthew who seemed to have a lot of new girlfriends and Andrea Allan
Andrea Allan
Andrea Allan is an actress who appeared in many British films of the 1960s and '70s.This included the Carry On films, Carry on Spying and Carry on Cowboy, as well as The Wrong Box with Dudley Moore, Spanish Fly with Leslie Phillips and Vampira with David Niven...
as daughter, Pru. Unusually for police stories, Gideon was shown as a family man at home though urgent phone calls from his bosses tend to disrupt family plans too often. However, he did admit in "State Visit" that his wife had walked out on him for a while years ago when he put the job first and her second. They live in an expensive detached house in Chelsea.
Production notes
There was extensive location shooting in early sixties London, with fast-paced action and strong story lines which made the series very popular in its day. The show was broadcast in the U.S.United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
under the title Gideon CID. There were different starting titles for the American series, showing incidents of violent crime while the British titles just introduced the characters. The distinctive theme music was composed by Edwin Astley and some of the music in dramatic moments in the series were the same as that used in The Saint
The Saint (TV series)
The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
TV series which Astley was scoring at the same time
Unlike many shows then and later, there was much location filming and the show gave an authentic view of London in 1964/65: whole streets with just 2-3 parked cars, children playing in the street and police walking their beats. In "The Rhyme and the Reason", there is a chase across a bomb site, an area of destruction left from WWII aerial bombing raids. A door key on a string which can be reached through a letter box. Many characters smoked in the shows, including the stars.
Many well-known British actors appear in guest roles, including Keith Baxter
Keith Baxter (actor)
Keith Baxter is a Welsh theatre, film and television actor.- Early years & RADA :Born in Newport, Wales in 1933. Baxter was educated at Newport High School and Barry Grammar School, Baxter studied at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, during which period he shared a flat with classmate Alan...
, George Cole, Gordon Jackson
Gordon Jackson (actor)
Gordon Cameron Jackson, OBE was a Scottish Emmy Award-winning actor best remembered for his roles as the butler Angus Hudson in Upstairs, Downstairs and George Cowley, the head of CI5, in The Professionals....
, Ronald Lacey
Ronald Lacey
Ronald Lacey was an English actor. He made numerous television and film appearances over a 30 year period and is perhaps best remembered for his villainous roles in Hollywood films, most famously Major Arnold Toht in Raiders of the Lost Ark.-Career:Lacey attended Harrow Weald Grammar School and...
, Anton Rogers, Rosemary Leach
Rosemary Leach
Rosemary Leach is a British stage, television and film actress.She was born at Much Wenlock, Shropshire. Her parents were teachers related to Edmund Leach. She attended grammar school and RADA...
and John Hurt
John Hurt
John Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor, known for his leading roles as John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in The Hit, Stephen Ward in Scandal, Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant and An Englishman in New York...
. There was an early role for Donald Sutherland
Donald Sutherland
Donald McNichol Sutherland, OC is a Canadian actor with a film career spanning nearly 50 years. Some of Sutherland's more notable movie roles included offbeat warriors in such war movies as The Dirty Dozen, , MASH , and Kelly's Heroes , as well as in such popular films as Klute, Invasion of the...
in the episode The Millionaire's Daughter.
The series was released on Region 2 DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
by Network Video.
Episode list
Filmed June 1964 - May 1965 on location and at Elstree StudiosElstree Studios
"Elstree Studios" refers to any of several film studios that were based in the towns of Borehamwood and Elstree in Hertfordshire, England, since film production begun in 1927.-Name:...
.
Airdate is for ATV
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
Midlands. ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
regions varied date and order.
| Episode # | Prod # | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original airdate | Filmed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|