"The Professionals" (1977)TV series 1977-1983

Creator:

Brian Clemens
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

30 December 1977 (UK)

Genre:

Action | Crime

Plot:

This series chronicled the lives of Bodie and Doyle, top agents for Britain's CI5 (Criminal Intelligence 5)...

Plot Keywords:

Secret Agent | Spy

Cast

Gordon Jackson	...	George Cowley (57 episodes, 1977-1983)
Martin Shaw	...	Doyle (57 episodes, 1977-1983)
Lewis Collins	...	Bodie (57 episodes, 1977-1983)

(more)

Series Directed by
William Brayne		(11 episodes, 1978-1983)
Martin Campbell		(5 episodes, 1978-1980)
Dennis C. Lewiston		(4 episodes, 1979-1980)
Anthony Simmons		(3 episodes, 1978-1982)
David Wickes		(3 episodes, 1978)
Dennis Abey		(3 episodes, 1979-1982)
Ian Sharp		(3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Douglas Camfield		(2 episodes, 1977-1980)
Ray Austin		(2 episodes, 1978)
Christopher King		(2 episodes, 1979-1983)
Chris Burt		(2 episodes, 1980-1983)
Phil Meheux		(2 episodes, 1980-1982)

Series Writing credits
Brian Clemens		(57 episodes, 1977-1983)
Ranald Graham		(5 episodes, 1978-1982)
Gerry O'Hara		(5 episodes, 1978-1982)
Anthony Read		(4 episodes, 1977-1980)
Roger Marshall		(4 episodes, 1980-1983)
Christopher Wicking		(3 episodes, 1979-1982)
Edmund Ward		(2 episodes, 1978-1980)
Don Houghton		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Dennis Spooner		(2 episodes, 1978)
Stephen Lister		(2 episodes, 1979-1980)
Tony Barwick		(2 episodes, 1982-1983)

Series Produced by
Brian Clemens	....	executive producer (57 episodes, 1977-1983)
Albert Fennell	....	executive producer (57 episodes, 1977-1983)
Raymond Menmuir	....	producer (44 episodes, 1978-1983)
Chris Burt	....	associate producer (19 episodes, 1978-1983)
Sidney Hayers	....	producer (13 episodes, 1977-1978)
Ron Fry	....	associate producer (10 episodes, 1977-1978)
Roy Stevens	....	associate producer (4 episodes, 1980)

Series Original Music by
Laurie Johnson		(57 episodes, 1977-1983)

Series Cinematography by
Dusty Miller		(13 episodes, 1979-1983)
Ernest Steward		(9 episodes, 1977-1978)
Norman G. Langley		(6 episodes, 1979-1980)
Vernon Layton		(4 episodes, 1978)
Frank Watts		(2 episodes, 1982)
Barry Noakes		(2 episodes, 1983)

Series Film Editing by
Alan Killick		(12 episodes, 1978-1982)
Mike Campbell		(4 episodes, 1977-1978)
Barry Peters		(4 episodes, 1978)
Robert C. Dearberg		(3 episodes, 1977-1983)
Brian Freemantle		(2 episodes, 1983)

Series Casting by
Maggie Cartier		(9 episodes, 1977-1978)
Esta Charkham		(2 episodes, 1980-1983)

Series Production Design by
Tony Curtis		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)

Series Art Direction by
Ken Court		(7 episodes, 1977-1978)
Kenneth Ryan		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Alan Brownie	....	makeup artist (8 episodes, 1977-1978)
Anne McFadyen	....	hair stylist / hairdresser (4 episodes, 1977-1978)
Barbara Ritchie	....	hair stylist (3 episodes, 1978)

Series Production Management
Nick Gillott	....	production manager (9 episodes, 1977-1978)
John S. Smith	....	post-production supervisor (5 episodes, 1980-1983)
Paul B. Clay	....	post-production supervisor (2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Ron Purdie	....	production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bill Westley	....	assistant director / first assistant director (4 episodes, 1977-1978)
Al Burgess	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1978)
Gordon Gilbert	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Ken Baker	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Chris Brock	....	third assistant director (unknown episodes)
David Cherrill	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Melvin Lind	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Gino Marotta	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
John Chisholm	....	props (38 episodes, 1977-1980)
Michael Seirton	....	assistant art director (7 episodes, 1977-1978)
Fred Walker	....	construction manager (7 episodes, 1977-1978)

Series Sound Department
Peter Lennard	....	dubbing editor / sound editor (35 episodes, 1977-1983)
David Crozier	....	sound recordist (25 episodes, 1978-1983)
Hugh Strain	....	dubbing mixer (24 episodes, 1978-1983)
Paul B. Clay	....	post-production sound supervisor (8 episodes, 1977-1978)
Graham Harris	....	dubbing editor / sound editor (8 episodes, 1977-1978)
Ken Schrivener	....	sound recordist (6 episodes, 1977-1978)
Derek Ball	....	sound recordist (4 episodes, 1978)
Paul Carr	....	sound recordist (4 episodes, 1978)
Chris Munro	....	sound recordist (4 episodes, 1979-1980)
Michael Sale	....	sound recordist (3 episodes, 1978)
Trevor Pyke	....	dubbing mixer (3 episodes, 1982-1983)
Gordon Everett	....	sound recordist (2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Jeanne Henderson	....	dubbing editor (2 episodes, 1978)
Mike Hopkins	....	dubbing editor (2 episodes, 1978)
Ted Spooner	....	dubbing mixer (2 episodes, 1978)
Doug Smith	....	sound mixer: second unit (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Arthur Beavis	....	special effects (1 episode, 1983)

Series Stunts
Peter Brayham	....	stunt arranger (17 episodes, 1978-1983)
Joe Dunne	....	fight arranger (5 episodes, 1977-1978)
Frank Henson	....	stunt arranger (4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Terry Yorke	....	stunt arranger (3 episodes, 1980)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
John Maskall	....	camera operator (20 episodes, 1978-1983)
Brian Elvin	....	camera operator (6 episodes, 1977-1978)
Malcolm Vinson	....	camera operator (5 episodes, 1977-1983)
Cecil R. Cooney	....	camera operator (3 episodes, 1978)
Michael Proudfoot	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1979)
Steve Birtles	....	gaffer (unknown episodes)
Martin Denning	....	video playback operator (unknown episodes)
Nigel Seal	....	second assistant camera (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Maggie Cartier	....	casting (1 episode, 1978)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
James Smith	....	wardrobe master (7 episodes, 1977-1978)
Jackie Cummins	....	wardrobe supervisor (2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Don Mothersill	....	wardrobe supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
John S. Smith	....	supervising editor (21 episodes, 1978-1982)
Noel Rogers	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)
Michael R. Sloan	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Alan Willis	....	music editor (9 episodes, 1977-1978)

Series Other crew
Peter Cotton	....	location manager (8 episodes, 1977-1978)
Cheryl Leigh	....	continuity (6 episodes, 1977-1978)
Kenneth Ware	....	script editor (5 episodes, 1978)
Dennis Spooner	....	script editor (4 episodes, 1977-1978)
Pamela Mann	....	continuity (2 episodes, 1978)
Ken Shane	....	set runner (unknown episodes, 1980)
Peter Brayham	....	fight arranger (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• London Weekend Television (LWT)
• Mark 1 Productions

Distributors

• Independent Television (ITV)
• Stingray (2005) (Japan) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2005-) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Lee Lighting  lighting

Runtime:

60 min (57 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Iceland:12 (some epiosodes) | Iceland:16 (some epiosodes)

Filming Locations:

Harefield Grove, Harefield, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

London Weekend Television (LWT)

Trivia:

Episode "The Professionals: Klansmen (#1.13)" (1977), in which black people are harassed by a group that has modelled itself on the Ku Klux Klan, was banned and never shown in the UK because of its racial content.

Quotes:

[scene-setting voiceover from Season 1 opening titles]
George Cowley: Anarchy, acts of terror, crimes against the public. To combat it I've got special men - experts from the army, the police, from every service - these are The Professionals.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Cult of...: Bergerac (#2.7)" (2008)

Anarchy, acts of terror, crimes against the public - yes, it's Martin Shaw's haircut!

On the surface the success of The Professionals is something of an enigma. Two characters with embarrassing haircuts, dreadful dress-sense, little respect for birds... err, women, in a show almost universally panned by the critics...

Yet the Professionals not only succeeded in its day but continues to do so in repeat runs almost 25 years on.

Bodie and Doyle's characteristics arguably had near-plagiaristic similarities to that of Starsky & Hutch. The action and (more particularly) violence depicted was essentially a continuation of the "rules" laid down by The Sweeney. Yet The Professionals still carved out a niche for itself. What sets it apart from the other shows is the firework chemistry between the two leads (as much down to the good fortune of casting Shaw and Collins together - two completely different actors) and the jibing, black humour they share and harangue each other with.

Gordon Jackson's searing performance as Cowley, meanwhile, proved to be a formidable boss for the two reprobates.

The humour also extended to the situations and the show was not afraid to make fun of itself occasionally.

In the early years the exciting, varied plots were a bonus, too (Contrary to other remarks, they were often quite complex). Action-wise, Collins and Shaw gamely tackled much of their own stuntwork.

Although characterisation was never the primary objective of the show, the characters were given a reasonable opportunity to add facets to their personae. Doyle, in particular, emerged as a surprisingly rounded, unpredictable and constantly surprising character - due mainly to Shaw's splendid acting skills.

Unlike other British action shows, the Professionals gained an immense female following - indeed its fandom is probably split 50:50 between the sexes.

In the meantime London Weekend Television exported the show massively to eager overseas broadcasters (and continues to do so to this day).

However the programme was not without faults. By the fourth season (1980) the writing team were struggling to find new ideas and the boys of CI5 often found themselves lumbered with jobs that more traditional law forces would normally take on.

By 1981 the show was clearly running out of steam and with Shaw and Collins keen to move on to other things, LWT decided to call it a day after a grand total of 57 episodes.

Today it's easy to say the whole reason it's such a success again is because of its refreshingly un-PC image. Yet there is more to it than that and, indeed, what were seen as the strengths of the show in 1977 are being appreciated by new audiences the world over.