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

User Rating:

8.3/10   

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 (30 episodes, 1978-1983)
Ron Fry	....	associate producer (13 episodes, 1977-1978)
Sidney Hayers	....	producer (13 episodes, 1977-1978)
Roy Stevens	....	associate producer (5 episodes, 1980)

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

Series Cinematography by
Dusty Miller		(17 episodes, 1979-1983)
Ernest Steward		(11 episodes, 1977-1978)
Norman G. Langley		(9 episodes, 1979-1982)
Vernon Layton		(5 episodes, 1978)
Phil Meheux		(4 episodes, 1978)
Frank Watts		(3 episodes, 1982)
Graham Edgar		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Michael J. Davis		(2 episodes, 1980-1983)
Barry Noakes		(2 episodes, 1983)

Series Film Editing by
Alan Killick		(21 episodes, 1978-1983)
Robert C. Dearberg		(5 episodes, 1977-1983)
Mike Campbell		(5 episodes, 1977-1978)
Barry Peters		(5 episodes, 1978)
Brian Freemantle		(2 episodes, 1983)

Series Casting by
Maggie Cartier		(10 episodes, 1977-1978)
Esta Charkham		(2 episodes, 1980-1983)

Series Production Design by
Tony Curtis		(4 episodes, 1977-1978)

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

Series Makeup Department
Alan Brownie	....	makeup artist (10 episodes, 1977-1978)
Anne McFadyen	....	hair stylist / hairdresser (6 episodes, 1977-1978)
Barbara Ritchie	....	hair stylist (3 episodes, 1978)

Series Production Management
Nick Gillott	....	production manager (11 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)
David Bracknell	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1978-1979)
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)
Michael Pittel	....	assistant art director (3 episodes, 1978)

Series Sound Department
Peter Lennard	....	dubbing editor / sound editor (51 episodes, 1977-1983)
Hugh Strain	....	dubbing mixer (38 episodes, 1978-1983)
David Crozier	....	sound recordist (34 episodes, 1978-1983)
Paul B. Clay	....	post-production sound supervisor (11 episodes, 1977-1978)
Graham Harris	....	dubbing editor / sound editor (10 episodes, 1977-1978)
Chris Munro	....	sound recordist (10 episodes, 1979-1980)
Ken Scrivener	....	sound recordist (9 episodes, 1977-1978)
Michael Sale	....	sound recordist (5 episodes, 1978)
Derek Ball	....	sound recordist (4 episodes, 1978)
Paul Carr	....	sound recordist (4 episodes, 1978)
Trevor Pyke	....	dubbing mixer (4 episodes, 1980-1983)
Jeanne Henderson	....	dubbing editor (3 episodes, 1978)
Mike Hopkins	....	dubbing editor (3 episodes, 1978)
Gordon Everett	....	sound recordist (2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Paul Le Mare	....	sound recordist (2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Ted Spooner	....	dubbing mixer (2 episodes, 1978)
Doug Smith	....	sound mixer: second unit (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Alan Bryce	....	effects supervisor (2 episodes, 1978)

Series Stunts
Peter Brayham	....	stunt arranger (31 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)
Del Baker	....	stunt arranger / stunt performer (2 episodes, 1978-1980)
Paul Weston	....	stunt arranger (2 episodes, 1980)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
John Maskall	....	camera operator (32 episodes, 1978-1983)
Malcolm Vinson	....	camera operator (7 episodes, 1977-1983)
Brian Elvin	....	camera operator (6 episodes, 1977-1978)
Cecil R. Cooney	....	camera operator (5 episodes, 1978)
Michael Proudfoot	....	camera operator (3 episodes, 1979-1980)
Tony White	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1978)
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 (4 episodes, 1977-1978)
Don Mothersill	....	wardrobe supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
John S. Smith	....	supervising editor (36 episodes, 1978-1983)
Noel Rogers	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)
Michael R. Sloan	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Alan Willis	....	music editor (11 episodes, 1977-1978)

Series Other crew
Peter Cotton	....	location manager (8 episodes, 1977-1978)
Cheryl Leigh	....	continuity (6 episodes, 1977-1978)
Dennis Spooner	....	script editor (6 episodes, 1977-1978)
Kenneth Ware	....	script editor (5 episodes, 1978)
Pamela Mann	....	continuity (4 episodes, 1978)
Peter Crowhurst	....	location manager (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

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

Harefield Grove, Harefield, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

London Weekend Television (LWT)

Trivia:

Original choices for the lead roles were Clive Revill (Cowley), Jon Finch (Doyle) and Anthony Andrews (Bodie). Andrews had already completed three days filming when he was replaced.

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)

Excellent entertainment

This series was the forerunner for the Die Hard/Lethal Weapon series of movies that were so popular in the 1980s. The Professionals defined the genre with its realistic settings and totally unsympathetic villains (terrorists for the most part). The bad guys were so awful, so deranged, so cruel that the audience could forgive the ruthless violence used against them by the Professionals. After seeing The Professionals, James Bond films seemed too glamorous and fanciful.