"Z Cars" (1962) TV series 1962-1978

Directors:

Paul Bernard
Gerald Blake
(more)

Writers:

John Foster (writer) (9 episodes)
Bob Baker (writer)
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

Release Date:

2 January 1962 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot Keywords:

Police | Partially Lost TV Series | British

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

James Ellis	...	Sgt. Lynch / ... (626 episodes, 1962-1978)
John Slater	...	Det. Sgt. Stone (420 episodes, 1967-1974)
Douglas Fielding	...	PC Quilley / ... (340 episodes, 1969-1978)
Bernard Holley	...	PC Newcombe / ... (277 episodes, 1967-1971)

Series Directed by
Christopher Barry		(7 episodes, 1971-1978)
Hugh David		(6 episodes, 1967-1969)
Douglas Camfield		(6 episodes, 1969)
Bill Hays		(5 episodes, 1963-1977)
John Glenister		(4 episodes, 1968)
Fiona Cumming		(4 episodes, 1974-1977)
Christopher Morahan		(3 episodes, 1962-1964)
John McGrath		(3 episodes, 1962)
John Llewellyn Moxey		(3 episodes, 1962)
Philip Dudley		(3 episodes, 1964)
Ken Loach		(3 episodes, 1964)
Geoffrey Nethercott		(3 episodes, 1964)
Rodney Bennett		(3 episodes, 1973-1974)
Shaun Sutton		(2 episodes, 1962-1964)
Michael Leeston-Smith		(2 episodes, 1963-1965)
Richmond Harding		(2 episodes, 1964)
Derek Martinus		(2 episodes, 1974-1978)
Paul Bernard		(unknown episodes)
Gerald Blake		(unknown episodes)
Michael E. Briant		(unknown episodes)
Tristan DeVere Cole		(unknown episodes)
Ron Craddock		(unknown episodes)
Joan Craft		(unknown episodes)
John Davies		(unknown episodes)
Michael Ferguson		(unknown episodes)
Roderick Graham		(unknown episodes)
Barry Letts		(unknown episodes)
James MacTaggart		(unknown episodes)
Brian McDuffie		(unknown episodes)
Mary Ridge		(unknown episodes)
Matthew Robinson		(unknown episodes)
Julia Smith		(unknown episodes)
Herbert Wise		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Troy Kennedy-Martin		(9 episodes, 1962-1978)
Ray Jenkins		(7 episodes, 1965-1967)
Allan Prior		(4 episodes, 1962-1970)
Robert Barr		(4 episodes, 1962-1964)
John Hopkins		(4 episodes, 1963-1964)
Alan Plater		(2 episodes, 1963-1965)
Cyril Abraham		(2 episodes, 1967)
Archie Hill		(2 episodes, 1968)
Jean Hart		(2 episodes, 1971)
Alan Janes		(unknown episodes, 1972-1975)
Bob Baker		(unknown episodes)
Jane Baker		(unknown episodes)
Pip Baker		(unknown episodes)
Bill Barron		(unknown episodes)
Ben Bassett		(unknown episodes)
Donald Bull		(unknown episodes)
Joan Clark		(unknown episodes)
Eddie Coltart		(unknown episodes)
Eric Colthart		(unknown episodes)
Ron Craddock		(unknown episodes)
Keith Dewhurst		(unknown episodes)
James Doran		(unknown episodes)
Ray Dunbobbin		(unknown episodes)
Leslie Duxbury		(unknown episodes)
David Ellis		(unknown episodes)
Derek Ford		(unknown episodes)
Donald Ford		(unknown episodes)
John Foster		(unknown episodes)
Jack Gerson		(unknown episodes)
Peter Grimwade		(unknown episodes)
Peter Hammond		(unknown episodes)
Brian Hayles		(unknown episodes)
Tony Holland		(unknown episodes)
Elwyn Jones		(unknown episodes)
Bill Lyons		(unknown episodes)
Dave Martin		(unknown episodes)
Philip Martin		(unknown episodes)
John McGrath		(unknown episodes)
James Mitchell		(unknown episodes)
Colin Morris		(unknown episodes)
Roger Parkes		(unknown episodes)
Anthony Read		(unknown episodes)
Adele Rose		(unknown episodes)
Len Rush		(unknown episodes)
Leslie Sands		(unknown episodes)
Christopher Tetlow		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Ron Craddock	....	producer (293 episodes, 1969-1978)
David Rose	....	producer (170 episodes, 1962-1965)
Richard Beynon	....	producer (164 episodes, 1968-1969)
Ronald Travers	....	producer (90 episodes, 1967-1968)
Roderick Graham	....	producer (54 episodes, 1974-1977)
Ian Strachan	....	associate producer (34 episodes, 1970)
Colin Morris	....	producer (28 episodes, 1967)

Series Cinematography by
Fred Hamilton		(unknown episodes)
Geoff Mulligan		(unknown episodes)
Ian Stone		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Christopher La Fontaine		(2 episodes, 1964)

Series Production Design by
Frederick Knapman		(1 episode, 1962)
Roy Oxley		(1 episode, 1962)
Daphne Shortman		(1 episode, 1970)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nigel Taylor	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1978)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Sargent	....	camera operator: film sequences / film camera (3 episodes, 1962-1963)

Series Editorial Department
Joseph Sterling	....	editor: film sequences (2 episodes, 1962)

Series Music Department
Bridget Fry	....	music arranger (2 episodes, 1962)
Fritz Spiegl	....	music arranger (2 episodes, 1962)

Series Other crew
Peter Hammond	....	script editor (182 episodes, 1968-1970)
Tony Holland	....	script editor (178 episodes, 1970-1973)
Barry Thomas	....	script editor (66 episodes, 1968-1969)
Douglas Watkinson	....	script editor (45 episodes, 1973-1975)
Geoffrey Tetlow	....	story editor (26 episodes, 1967)
Graham Williams	....	script editor (26 episodes, 1975-1977)
Simon Masters	....	script editor (22 episodes, 1977-1978)
Derek Ware	....	fight arranger (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (1962-1978) (UK) (TV) (original airing)

Other Companies

• Associated Displays Ltd.  sets
• Associated Displays Ltd.  vehicles

Runtime:

25 min (462 episodes) | 50 min (337 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White (1962-1970) | Colour (1970-1978)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

The Z-Cars theme proved to be so popular that Liverpool-based soccer side, Everton F.C, immortalized it as their theme tune as the teams enter onto the field, a tradition that is still very much alive today 45 years on. Elton John enjoyed the theme so much that he also adopted it at the club at which he presided as chairman, Watford.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Very Best of 'Have I Got News for You' (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

Z Cars Theme

ZZZZZzzzzzzzz cars

As an American who spent part of his childhood in England in the early 70's, I distinctly remember this show being a real snoozer, especially when compared to the much better American cop shows of the time (Hawaii Five O, Ironsides, etc.) For whatever reason, Brits just have never been much good at making crime and crime fighting interesting, whether on TV or the big screen, after all, I recently rented the DVD "Lock, Stock, & Two Smoking Barrels" and it sucked, mostly a lame rip-off of the far superior "Pulp Fiction". Maybe the problem is that we Americans just have much better criminals, more ruthless, greedy, and inventive and, as a result, American cops have to be much better as well to catch them, it sounds goofy but it's about the only theory I can think of that makes sense .......