"Waterfront Beat" (1990) TV series

Creator:

Phil Redmond
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

6 January 1990 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

Police series set in the Liverpool docks.

Plot Keywords:

Dock | London England | Waterfront

Cast

John Ashton	...	Det. Chief Supt. Don Henderson / ... (16 episodes, 1990-1991)
Rupert Frazer	...	Supt. Peter Fallows / ... (16 episodes, 1990-1991)
Geoffrey Leesley	...	Det. Supt. Frank Mathews / ... (16 episodes, 1990-1991)
Denis Lill	...	Asst. Chief Constable (16 episodes, 1990-1991)
Brian McCardie	...	PC Ronnie Barker (16 episodes, 1990-1991)
Helena Little	...	WDC Jane Long (15 episodes, 1990-1991)
Stuart Golland	...	Sgt. Trevor Simon (13 episodes, 1990-1991)
Jane Hazlegrove	...	WPC Madeline Forrest / ... (12 episodes, 1990-1991)
Ray Polhill	...	PC 'Jacko' Jackbridge (10 episodes, 1990-1991)
Bruce Alexander	...	Chief Supt. Alan Briscoe (9 episodes, 1990-1991)
Mark Moraghan	...	Det. Sgt. 'Macker' McVay (9 episodes, 1990-1991)
Damien Walker	...	Tondy Henderson (9 episodes, 1990-1991)
Gordon Cameron	...	PC Jeff Morgan (8 episodes, 1990-1991)
Philip Middlemiss	...	PC Smith / ... (8 episodes, 1990)
Owen Teale	...	Det. Sgt. Mike McCarthy (8 episodes, 1990)
Tommy Boyle	...	Denny Hagland (7 episodes, 1990-1991)
Eve Bland	...	WDS Jackie Byrnes (7 episodes, 1991)
Roger Walker	...	Det. Insp. Cyril Jacobs (7 episodes, 1991)

Series Directed by
Ken Horn		(3 episodes, 1990)
A.J. Quinn		(3 episodes, 1991)
Richard Bramall		(2 episodes, 1990)
Richard Standeven		(2 episodes, 1990)
Robert Gabriel		(2 episodes, 1991)
Chris Lovett		(2 episodes, 1991)

Series Writing credits
Phil Redmond		(16 episodes, 1990-1991)
Andy Lynch		(3 episodes, 1991)

Series Produced by
Phil Redmond	....	producer (16 episodes, 1990-1991)

Series Original Music by
Steve Wright		(1 episode, 1990)

Series Cinematography by
Graham Brown		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Candida Boyes		(8 episodes, 1991)
Carol Sheeran		(unknown episodes)

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

Series Sound Department
Harry Fairbairn	....	boom operator (6 episodes, 1991)

Series Stunts
Tom Delmar	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Other Companies

• International Stunt Company, The  stunt services

Runtime:

UK:50 min (16 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Filming Locations:

Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Not a beat to dance to

The BBC had high hopes for this police series that was to be a gritty challenge to The Bill on ITV. They managed to lure Phil Redmond the writer/producer of Brookside to create and write for the show.

The result was a rather dull, tedious serial that somehow managed to get a second season. The stories had self contained episodes with a running story about a serial killer that was an arc.

The series had a young copper called 'Ronnie Barker' who always had his leg pulled because he had the same name of the more famous comedy actor, but they also had a another character called Don Henderson and nobody mentioned that there was a famous actor at the time who also shared the same name.

With plodding characters and boring stories many viewers left this beat quickly.