Callan (1967 - 1972) - keine deutsche Ausstrahlung

Quelle: wikipedia.org

Callan is the title of a British television series set in the murky world of espionage. Originally produced by ABC Weekend Television and later Thames Television, it was aired on the ITV network over four seasons spread out between 1967 and 1972. The series starred British actor Edward Woodward as David Callan, a reluctant professional killer for a shadowy branch of the British Government's intelligence services known as 'the Section'.

Series evolution

The series pilot episode aired in February 1967, in a play entitled A Magnum for Schneider by James Mitchell. Mitchell also created the equally popular When the Boat Comes In (1976-81). Although the setting, characters and storylines of this series were very different, there is a resemblance between Callan and Jack Ford, the anti-hero of When the Boat Comes In. Both were driven men, both recognised and rued their own ruthlessness, and both possessed a core of decency which belied some of their actions. Callan was complex, and human, though not necessarily a nice human: he could kill in cold blood with the best of them, but preferred to do so in hot blood - raw conflict offered both motivation and excuse for his actions. The haunted character caught the public's imagination to such an extent that a six-episode series was commissioned, later in the same year. Building on the strengths and depth of the characters, the show's claustrophobic atmosphere was cleverly evoked by inventive directors shooting out of necessity on monochrome tape and largely in the confines of a studio set, with a few filmed exterior sequences for good measure. This may be read as a metaphor for the world in which Callan lived: closed, claustrophobic and emotionally incestuous, making occasional excursions into the real world, often with catastrophic results.

The series ran from 1967 to 1972, proving popular with audiences, and consolidated Edward Woodward's position as a bona-fide TV star. A cinema film followed in 1974, directed by Don Sharp and simply entitled Callan. The bigger budget allowing much more location work and action set-pieces, but at the expense of the atmospheric close-ups which were a big part of the original series. Perhaps because of this, the film achieved only modest success. Callan was last seen in the 1981 feature-length television story made by ATV, entitled Wet Job which while felt by some fans to not quite be up to the standard of the series, was nevertheless felt to be a welcome final appearance for both characters of Callan and his smelly helper Lonely who - ironically - was probably the most sympathetic character in the cast.

A Magnum for Schneider

Callan has been fired from an anonymous government agency known as "The Section," which is run by Colonel Hunter. ("Hunter" is a pseudonym for the current Section Chief, like the C of SIS.) The Section removes those who pose a danger to the "innocent" by persuasion, blackmail, extortion, or death.

David Callan had been the Section's top operator, but he had become too curious about his targets and the rationale for their removal. The Section considers him vulnerable, volatile, and dangerous, and had laid him off to a dead-end book-keeping job for an ungrateful employer. This set up is a good example of James Mitchell's economical and focused plotting style. Callan is where Hunter can keep an eye on him, and also in daily, if casual and unknowing contact, with his next intended victim. If he can kill Schneider after making his acquaintance as a fellow war games enthusiast then he can kill anyone: this is the question to which Hunter urgently requires an answer.

Hunter describes Callan as "a dead shot, with the cold nerve to kill" and considers him far too useful to be allowed to retire. In this screenplay, Hunter invites Callan back to the Section to remove Schneider as a favour. Schneider's nefarious activities are known to the authorities but he is too clever to be caught by normal methods. Hunter wants Scheider eliminated, but offers Callan no help from the Section—ostensibly to allow Callan to prove his loyalty and dedication. However, Hunter secretly sends Toby Meres to set Callan up to take the fall for the assassination, should this become necessary.

Callan's curiosity about his victims overwhelms him again, and he investigates Schneider, discovering a massive gun-running operation. Satisfied, Callan formulates his plan. He calls on his petty criminal contact Lonely, played by Russell Hunter. Lonely is unsure of Callan's identity and motives, but fearfully provides a "Noguchi .357 Magnum" plus 20 rounds. Callan arranges a "chance" meeting with Schneider, and finds common ground in their passion for model soldiers and war games.

At Schneider's house, where Callan and his host re-play a scenario from the Peninsular War, Meres breaks in, distracting Callan. Meanwhile, Hunter sends the police in order to ensure Callan is caught red-handed. Schneider, now suspicious, uncovers Meres and holds the two men at gunpoint. Schneider searches Callan but misses the Magnum, and Callan kills Schneider.

Meres attempts to finish the set-up, but Callan knocks Meres unconscious. Callan phones Hunter about Schneider, but states he will leave Meres to the police, quitting the Section. Hunter orders Callan's file to be changed to a red folder—targeting him for removal.

Thames series

By 1969, ABC Weekend Television had, via enforced merger, become Thames Television. A second season of fifteen episodes that had already been completed by ABC was therefore transmitted by its successor. This run ended with "Death Of A Hunter" in which the Section chief meets his demise, and Callan is shot - perhaps fatally. It had not been decided whether the show would return for a third series, so this device was used to leave open either the possibility of more stories in the future, or a way of winding-up the show. Two endings were taped, in which Callan either lived or died. In the end, Thames decided to bring the programme back for the 1970 series, this time in full colour.

A final set of thirteen episodes was broadcast in 1972. This saw Callan develop further than before. An unsuccessful mission meant Callan was exchanged with the Russians for one of their agents and now he was known, he was a liability. What to do with the Section's top agent was solved by promoting him into the role of Hunter - a post he disliked as much or even more that actually serving under a Hunter but which he was eventually relieved of by his predecessor when the danger had all but passed. The final three episodes were a trilogy based around the defector Richmond, played by T.P. McKenna, (and sub-titled "The Richmond Files"), at the end of which he pleads for Callan to kill him instead of capturing him - you know what they do to people like us. Having disobeyed orders to help A Man Like Me (Final episode title), Callan finally walks out of the Section.

A feature of the series was its ability to attract a good class of actors which helped its reputation no end: successive Hunters were played by Ronald Radd, Derek Bond, Michael Goodliffe and William Squire. The latter's steely exterior and ice-cold decisive nature was often the match for Callan and he is probably the best remembered of all the supporting actors. Toby Meres was brought to life by Anthony Valentine (Peter Bowles in the pilot) and when he departed for a posting in the US (in truth, to appear in the series Codename on the rival BBC network) in came the young, brash, and unpredictable Cross (played by Patrick Mower) who was just as arrogant and who needed teaching a lesson more than once in a while by his experienced teacher.

Cinema Film

The cinema fim was an expanded re-working of the original pilot, A Magnum For Schneider which was the basis of the novel Red File for Callan, also by James Mitchell. The film's credits claim that it is based on the novel, misquoting its title slightly as A Red File for Callan.

Meres was again re-cast, this time being played by Peter Egan (better known at the time as a trendy gangster from a controversial TV series Big Breadwinner Hog - now better known for sitcoms such as Ever Decreasing Circles). The only recurring actors from the TV series were Woodward as Callan and Russell Hunter as Lonely.
[edit] Reunion episode: Wet Job

In the 1981 feature-length television story Wet Job, Callan has become the proprietor of a military memorabilia shop when he is recruited by the new Hunter for one more job. Alas, he has to do this alone: Lonely has become a dapper gent, engaged to be married, and with enough self-confidence to defy Callan's request for help. In the (satisfying) end, Callan completes the task, survives, and even ends up with a girlfriend.