"Bergerac" (1981)TV series 1981-1991

Creator:

Robert Banks Stewart
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

Release Date:

18 October 1981 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot Keywords:

Alcohol | Jersey | Police | Detective | Murder

Awards:

1 win

Cast

John Nettles	...	Det. Sgt. Jim Bergerac / ... (79 episodes, 1981-1991)
Terence Alexander	...	Charlie Hungerford (57 episodes, 1981-1991)
Sean Arnold	...	Chief Insp. Barney Crozier / ... (52 episodes, 1981-1990)
Mela White	...	Diamante Lil (37 episodes, 1981-1987)
John Telfer	...	DC Willy Pettit (36 episodes, 1988-1991)
David Kershaw	...	DC Ben Lomas (36 episodes, 1988-1991)
Louise Jameson	...	Susan Young (35 episodes, 1985-1990)

(more)

Series Directed by
Robert Tronson		(7 episodes, 1983-1988)
Michael Rolfe		(4 episodes, 1983-1991)
Robert Young		(4 episodes, 1983-1987)
Tristan DeVere Cole		(4 episodes, 1988-1991)
Geoffrey Sax		(4 episodes, 1988-1990)
Laurence Moody		(3 episodes, 1981-1984)
Ian Toynton		(3 episodes, 1981-1983)
Ben Bolt		(3 episodes, 1983-1985)
David Reynolds		(3 episodes, 1984-1985)
Richard Standeven		(3 episodes, 1989)
Henry Herbert		(2 episodes, 1981-1983)
Martin Campbell		(2 episodes, 1981)
Martyn Friend		(2 episodes, 1981)
Graeme Harper		(2 episodes, 1985-1987)
Brian Farnham		(2 episodes, 1985)
Richard Bramall		(2 episodes, 1987-1990)
Peter Ellis		(2 episodes, 1989)
Ken Grieve		(2 episodes, 1990)
Tony Dow		(2 episodes, 1991)
Terry Green		(2 episodes, 1991)
Colm Villa		(2 episodes, 1991)
Terry Marcel		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Robert Banks Stewart		(9 episodes, 1981-1989)
Rod Beacham		(8 episodes, 1983-1990)
Brian Finch		(6 episodes, 1984-1990)
John Fletcher		(6 episodes, 1985-1991)
John Milne		(6 episodes, 1989-1991)
Nick McCarty		(4 episodes, 1983-1987)
John Collee		(4 episodes, 1988-1990)
Alistair Bell		(3 episodes, 1981-1983)
Dennis Spooner		(3 episodes, 1981-1983)
Robert Holmes		(3 episodes, 1983-1987)
Paul Wheeler		(3 episodes, 1983-1984)
Edwin Pearce		(3 episodes, 1985-1989)
Edmund Ward		(3 episodes, 1988-1990)
Bob Baker		(2 episodes, 1981-1983)
Leslie Darbon		(2 episodes, 1981-1983)
Peter Miller		(2 episodes, 1981-1983)
Bill Craig		(2 episodes, 1983-1984)
Chris Boucher		(2 episodes, 1986-1987)
David Crane		(2 episodes, 1990-1991)
Cyril Williams		(2 episodes, 1990-1991)
Jeffrey Caine		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Robert Banks Stewart	....	producer (19 episodes, 1981-1983)
Juliet Grimm	....	associate producer (10 episodes, 1981)
Jonathan Alwyn	....	producer (1 episode, 1983)
George Gallaccio	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
George Fenton		(1 episode, 1981)

Series Cinematography by
Ian Hilton		(2 episodes, 1981)
Remi Adefarasin		(unknown episodes)
Mike Southon		(unknown episodes)
Nigel Walters		(unknown episodes)
Ken Westbury		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Paul Garrick		(12 episodes, 1985-1990)
Graham Walker		(4 episodes, 1981-1983)
Tariq Anwar		(2 episodes, 1981)
Bernard Ashby		(2 episodes, 1981)
Martin Sharpe		(2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Chris Wimble		(1 episode, 1981)
Ardan Fisher		(unknown episodes)
Masahiro Hirakubo		(unknown episodes)
John Stothart		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Phil Robertson		(3 episodes, 1981)
Antony Thorpe		(2 episodes, 1981)
Paul Allen		(unknown episodes)
John Hurst		(unknown episodes)
Eric Walmsley		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Pat Fisher		(2 episodes, 1981)
Phoebe De Gaye		(unknown episodes)
Nicholas Rocker		(unknown episodes)
George W. Ward		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Judy Cain	....	makeup artist (3 episodes, 1981)
Cheryl Wright	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1981)
Christine Walmesley-Cotham	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Ron Jones	....	production manager (2 episodes, 1981)
Hugh Boyle	....	production manager (unknown episodes)
Paul Munn	....	production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jim Capper	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Dez McCarthy	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Kevan Van Thompson	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Graham McCallum	....	graphics designer / graphic designer (5 episodes, 1981)

Series Sound Department
John Hale	....	dubbing mixer (65 episodes, 1981-1989)
Martin Sharpe	....	sound editor / dubbing editor (10 episodes, 1981)
Paul Garrick	....	dubbing editor (6 episodes, 1983)
Masahiro Hirakubo	....	dubbing editor (5 episodes, 1981)
Colin March	....	film sound recordist (2 episodes, 1981)
Richard Manton	....	sound recordist (2 episodes, 1983-1987)
Simon Holland	....	dubbing editor (1 episode, 1983)
Arthur Chesterman	....	sound recordist (unknown episodes)
Ken Hains	....	dubbing mixer (unknown episodes)
Gordon Lester	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)
John Strickland	....	dubbing editor (unknown episodes)
John Taylor	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)
Barrie Tharby	....	sound recordist (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
John Brace	....	visual effects (3 episodes, 1981)
Mickey Edwards	....	visual effects assistant (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Paul Weston	....	stunt arranger (3 episodes, 1981)
Roy Alon	....	stunts (1 episode, 1981)
Jim Dowdall	....	stunt arranger / stunts (1 episode, 1981)
Terry Forestal	....	stunts (1 episode, 1981)
Gareth Milne	....	fight arranger (1 episode, 1988)
Peter Brayham	....	stunt arranger (unknown episodes)
Tracey Eddon	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Richard Hammatt	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Paul Heasman	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Frank Henson	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Eddie Powell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Greg Powell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Colin Skeaping	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Stuart St. Paul	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Bill Weston	....	stunt arranger / stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Graham Banks	....	focus puller (4 episodes, 1985-1989)
Butch Calderwood	....	photographer (2 episodes, 1981)
Anthony Jacobs	....	photographer (2 episodes, 1981)
Adrian McCarthy	....	key grip (2 episodes, 1984-1985)
David Hall	....	clapper loader (unknown episodes)
Micky Reeves	....	electrician (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Bernard Ashby	....	chief film editor (4 episodes, 1981-1983)

Series Music Department
Ray Russell	....	musical associate (5 episodes, 1981)
George Fenton	....	composer: theme music (4 episodes, 1981)

Series Other crew
John Kershaw	....	script editor (10 episodes, 1981)
Dennis Spooner	....	script editor (8 episodes, 1983)
Brian Roberts	....	production associate (5 episodes, 1981)
John Watson	....	assistant floor manager / location manager (5 episodes, 1981)
Mary Hare	....	assistant floor manager (3 episodes, 1988-1989)
Charlotte Blair	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 1981)
John Dodds	....	assistant floor manager (2 episodes, 1981)
Dennis Firminger	....	location manager (2 episodes, 1981)
Charles Salmon	....	location manager (2 episodes, 1981)
Bryan Showell	....	film recordist (2 episodes, 1981)
Michael A. Treen	....	assistant floor manager (2 episodes, 1981)
Chris Boucher	....	script editor (1 episode, 1983)
Terence Banks	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Michael Bartley	....	production associate (unknown episodes)
Brian Denton	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Diana East	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Roselyn Parker	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Sid Sutton	....	title designer (unknown episodes)
Peter Woodward	....	fight arranger (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• 7 Network
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• Pan Vision Oy (2007) (Finland) (DVD)

Runtime:

50 min (87 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-11 (DVD) (2007)

Filming Locations:

Beach, St Brelade's Bay, Jersey, Channel Islands

Company:

7 Network

Trivia:

The car that Jim Bergerac drove was a 1947 Triumph Roadster. It was very temperamental and caused immense problems during filming when it refused to start -- or to stop if the brakes failed! The engine sounded so rough that the sound of a Jaguar was dubbed over the top. John Nettles loathed it because he kept scraping his knuckles or banging his knees on the dashboard. After filming on Bergerac had finished, by which time the car was in very poor condition due to its extensive usage, it was auctioned for £34,000 as part of the Children in Need appeal; the new owner later wrote an angry letter to John Nettles complaining about the state of the car.

Quotes:

Detective Sergeant Jim Bergerac: [Drunk] Let me tell you my good man. The whole world is a sandwich.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Just a Minute: (#3.9)" (1995)

The watchability of this show

Bergerac is one of the few shows which, on many occasions, had unique plots or plots that had unique twists. It resisted the temptation to jump on any particular bandwagon. The 'hero', Bergerac, was neither hero nor the still-popular anti-hero. The writers often back-referenced with regard to the ongoing arc which took Bergerac from recovering alcoholic to lucky in love, unlucky in love, lucky in his job, unlucky in his job, and eventually back to the bottle again, without twisting him out of character to do it.

In my opinion, this show still stands the test of time and is more watchable than too many of the newer shows on TV today.