Kessler
Encyclopedia
Kessler is a television
series produced by the BBC
in 1981, starring Clifford Rose
in the title role.
The six-part serial is a sequel to the Second World War drama series Secret Army
, set in the present day and following the progress of former SS
Sturmbannführer
Ludwig Kessler, now living under the alias of industrialist Manfred Dorf, and trying to avoid being discovered as a war criminal. Ranged against him are West German intelligence operative Richard Bauer (Alan Dobie
) and young Israeli vigilante Mical Rak (Nitza Saul
). Bauer and Rak's quest for justice moves from Europe
to Paraguay
, where other notorious real-life war criminals, Martin Bormann
and Josef Mengele
are featured.
Another prominently placed character is Kessler's daughter Ingrid (Alison Glennie
), an advocate of Nazism
who schemes for the young Nazis to take over from the old guard and tries to persuade her father to give financial backing to their organisation.
The premise for Kessler has its origins in the unscreened final episode of Secret Army - "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?" - in which the main characters are reunited in 1969 to participate in a documentary entitled "In Our Time" about their lives during the war. This element was revived in Kessler with former Secret Army cast members Bernard Hepton
(Albert Foiret), Angela Richards
(Monique Durnford, née Duchamps) and Juliet Hammond-Hill
(Natalie Chantrens) reprising their roles for the first episode, in which as minor characters in this drama they meet again and reminisce about their wartime activities running the resistance organisation Lifeline. Monique and Natalie are certain that Dorf is Kessler, but Albert claims to be less sure.
Many other former Secret Army production personnel were involved with Kessler, most notably producer Gerard Glaister
, writer John Brason
and directors Michael E. Briant
and Tristan DeVere Cole
.
Kessler was released on DVD
(Region 2, UK) by DD Home Entertainment, who had previously released the complete (barring "What Did You Do in the War Daddy?") series of Secret Army.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series produced 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...
in 1981, starring Clifford Rose
Clifford Rose
Clifford Rose is a British classical actor.He was born in Herefordshire. He was educated at the King's School, Worcester and King's College London, before appearing in rep and with the Royal Shakespeare Company....
in the title role.
The six-part serial is a sequel to the Second World War drama series Secret Army
Secret Army (TV series)
Secret Army is a television drama series made by the BBC and the Belgian national broadcaster BRT created by Gerard Glaister. The series chronicled the history of a Belgian resistance movement during the Second World War dedicated to returning Allied airmen, usually having been shot down by the...
, set in the present day and following the progress of former SS
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
Ludwig Kessler, now living under the alias of industrialist Manfred Dorf, and trying to avoid being discovered as a war criminal. Ranged against him are West German intelligence operative Richard Bauer (Alan Dobie
Alan Dobie
Alan Russell Dobie , is a British actor.Dobie was born in Wombwell, Yorkshire, England, to George Russell and Sarah Kate Dobie. His father was a mining engineer and his mother's family were farmers. He was married to actress Rachel Roberts from 1955-61 then married Maureen Scott in 1963...
) and young Israeli vigilante Mical Rak (Nitza Saul
Nitza Saul
Nitza Saul is an Israeli-born actress, best known for her appearances on British television during the 1980s....
). Bauer and Rak's quest for justice moves from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, where other notorious real-life war criminals, Martin Bormann
Martin Bormann
Martin Ludwig Bormann was a prominent Nazi official. He became head of the Party Chancellery and private secretary to Adolf Hitler...
and Josef Mengele
Josef Mengele
Josef Rudolf Mengele , also known as the Angel of Death was a German SS officer and a physician in the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. He earned doctorates in anthropology from Munich University and in medicine from Frankfurt University...
are featured.
Another prominently placed character is Kessler's daughter Ingrid (Alison Glennie
Alison Glennie
Alison Glennie is a British actress.She is best known for her role as Ingrid Dorf in the BBC thriller serial Kessler.She also appeared in Z Cars for the BBC, Thriller, Blake's 7, Cribb, Horse in the House and A Little Princess....
), an advocate of Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
who schemes for the young Nazis to take over from the old guard and tries to persuade her father to give financial backing to their organisation.
The premise for Kessler has its origins in the unscreened final episode of Secret Army - "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?" - in which the main characters are reunited in 1969 to participate in a documentary entitled "In Our Time" about their lives during the war. This element was revived in Kessler with former Secret Army cast members Bernard Hepton
Bernard Hepton
Bernard Hepton is a British actor of stage, film and television.Hepton is known as a particularly versatile character actor. He trained at Bradford Civic Theatre school under Esme Church along with actors such as Robert Stephens...
(Albert Foiret), Angela Richards
Angela Richards
Angela Richards is an English actress, best known to television viewers for her leading role in the BBC drama Secret Army , set during the Second World War in which she played Monique Duchamps....
(Monique Durnford, née Duchamps) and Juliet Hammond-Hill
Juliet Hammond-Hill
Juliet Hammond-Hill is an English actress, best known for her role as Natalie Chantrens in all three series of the BBC drama series Secret Army and its 1981 sequel Kessler....
(Natalie Chantrens) reprising their roles for the first episode, in which as minor characters in this drama they meet again and reminisce about their wartime activities running the resistance organisation Lifeline. Monique and Natalie are certain that Dorf is Kessler, but Albert claims to be less sure.
Many other former Secret Army production personnel were involved with Kessler, most notably producer Gerard Glaister
Gerard Glaister
John Leslie "Gerard" Glaister DFC, was a British television producer and director best known for his work with the BBC. Amongst his most notable successes as a TV producer were Colditz, The Brothers, Secret Army and Howards' Way.After studying at RADA, Glaister made his West End debut in 1939...
, writer John Brason
John Brason
John Brason is a British script writer and script editor, best known for the series made in collaboration with television producer Gerard Glaister, Colditz and Secret Army, both set during World War II....
and directors Michael E. Briant
Michael E. Briant
Michael E. Briant is best known as a British television director, but he is also a producer and actor....
and Tristan DeVere Cole
Tristan DeVere Cole
Tristan DeVere Cole is a British director born March 16, 1935 in Redruth, Cornwall, England.He is best known for Orion's Belt , the TV series Z-Cars , and Dykket...
.
Kessler was released on 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....
(Region 2, UK) by DD Home Entertainment, who had previously released the complete (barring "What Did You Do in the War Daddy?") series of Secret Army.
Cast
- Ludwig Kessler - Clifford RoseClifford RoseClifford Rose is a British classical actor.He was born in Herefordshire. He was educated at the King's School, Worcester and King's College London, before appearing in rep and with the Royal Shakespeare Company....
- Richard Bauer - Alan DobieAlan DobieAlan Russell Dobie , is a British actor.Dobie was born in Wombwell, Yorkshire, England, to George Russell and Sarah Kate Dobie. His father was a mining engineer and his mother's family were farmers. He was married to actress Rachel Roberts from 1955-61 then married Maureen Scott in 1963...
- Mical Rak - Nitza SaulNitza SaulNitza Saul is an Israeli-born actress, best known for her appearances on British television during the 1980s....
- Ingrid Dorf - Alison GlennieAlison GlennieAlison Glennie is a British actress.She is best known for her role as Ingrid Dorf in the BBC thriller serial Kessler.She also appeared in Z Cars for the BBC, Thriller, Blake's 7, Cribb, Horse in the House and A Little Princess....
- Franz Hoss - Nicholas Young
- Colonel Hans Ruckert - Ralph MichaelRalph MichaelRalph Michael was an English actor. He was born in London, United Kingdom.His film appearances include: A Night to Remember, Children of the Damned, Khartoum, Grand Prix, The Assassination Bureau, and Empire of the Sun.Television credits include: The Adventures of Robin Hood, Dixon of Dock Green,...
- Albert Foiret - Bernard HeptonBernard HeptonBernard Hepton is a British actor of stage, film and television.Hepton is known as a particularly versatile character actor. He trained at Bradford Civic Theatre school under Esme Church along with actors such as Robert Stephens...
- Monique Durnford - Angela RichardsAngela RichardsAngela Richards is an English actress, best known to television viewers for her leading role in the BBC drama Secret Army , set during the Second World War in which she played Monique Duchamps....
- Natalie Chantrens - Juliet Hammond-HillJuliet Hammond-HillJuliet Hammond-Hill is an English actress, best known for her role as Natalie Chantrens in all three series of the BBC drama series Secret Army and its 1981 sequel Kessler....
- Don Julian Yqueras - Guy RolfeGuy RolfeGuy Rolfe was an English actor born in London.He made his screen debut in 1937 with an uncredited appearance in Knight Without Armour. Notable roles include: Prince John in Ivanhoe , Ned Seymour in Young Bess , Caiaphas in King of Kings , and Prince Grigory in Taras Bulba...
- Josef Mengele - Oscar QuitakOscar QuitakOscar Quitak is a British film and television actor.His television credits include: Z-Cars, Man in a Suitcase, Doomwatch, Ace of Wands, Colditz, The Changes, The New Avengers, Open All Hours, Kessler as Josef Mengele, Chessgame, Howards' Way, A Very British Coup, Yes, Prime Minister and...
- Hugo van Eyck - Jerome WillisJerome WillisJerome Willis is a prominent British stage and screen actor with more than 100 screen credits to his name.Willis had a leading role in the ITV drama series The Sandbaggers as Matthew Peele. He also appeared in Z Cars as DCS Richards, Within These Walls as Charles Radley, and Doctor Who as...
- Jose Garriga - John MorenoJohn MorenoJohn Moreno a.k.a. Juan Moreno is a British actor, probably best known for his role as Luigi Ferrara in the 1981 James Bond feature film For Your Eyes Only....
- Karl Leider - Robert MorrisRobert Morris (actor)Robert Morris is a British actor.His film credits include: Frankenstein Created Woman and Quatermass and the Pit....
- Gidney - Jeremy WilkinJeremy WilkinJeremy Wilkin is a British actor, possibly best known for his contributions to the television productions of Gerry Anderson....
- Deakin - Harold InnocentHarold InnocentHarold Sidney Innocent was a British actor who appeared in many film and television roles.After attending Broad Street Secondary Modern School in Coventry, Innocent worked for a short time as an office clerk...
- Maurer - Royston TicknerRoyston TicknerRoyston Tickner was a British actor.He was born in Leicester and trained as an actor at Scarborough repertory theatre...
- Graun - John Dearth
- Ruth Lieberman - Ishia BennisonIshia BennisonIshia Bennison is a British actress, best known for her television appearances, although she is also a veteran stage actress. Bennison is originally from Hull in Yorkshire.- Career :...
- Heinrich Himmler - Robert EddisonRobert EddisonRobert Eddison was a British actor, who is probably most widely remembered in the role of the Grail Knight in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade...
- Muller - Gareth Milne