"Public Eye" (1965) TV series 1965-1975

User Rating:

9.5/10   

Creators:

Anthony Marriott
Roger Marshall

Seasons:

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

Release Date:

23 January 1965 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

A long-running British TV series starring Alfred Burke as dour private-eye Frank Marker. Cynical and world-weary...

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Alfred Burke

...

Frank Marker (87 episodes, 1965-1975)

Runtime:

60 min (87 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

ABC Weekend Television

Trivia:

To keep the series fresh the producers would regularly move Frank Marker around the UK. The show began in London, moving to Birmingham, Brighton, Windsor, Walton-on-Thames and finally Chertsey.

Movie Connections:

Spin off "Armchair Theatre: Wednesday's Child (#10.15)" (1970)

An urban hero, Frank Marker

Alfred Burke deserves to be ranked with Sean Connery, Edward Woodward and Roger Moore for his portrayal of Frank Marker in Public Eye. This was the detective story from the council estate, and at the time in the UK, there were no better writers nor better actors. Burke plays the poor man's private eye, operating in an environment where there is neither money not glamour. He needs his fee to pay the rent and light, but often does not collect anything other than a beating. His cases are not the stuff of Sam Spade, but Marker is the right stuff nonetheless.

I missed the UK Gold reruns, but will not miss them again. If you watch no other '60s specials, watch this.