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Gideon's Way

1965

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1

EP1 The V Men Oct 17, 1964

Mirroring the anti-fascist marches of the time and based on a storyline in Gideon's Vote, this features Sir Arthur Vane's fascist V-Party who are opposed by the anything but peaceful Peace Party. Someone is trying to kill Vane (Roland Culver).

EP2 The Rhyme and the Reason Oct 24, 1964

Based on a storyline in Gideon's Week. A young couple row and the girl is later found dead. All the evidence points to her biker boyfriend. Gideon, as a friend of his sister, is asked to investigate.

EP3 To Catch a Tiger Oct 31, 1964

Based on a storyline in Gideon's Risk. An employee's theft gives Gideon a chance to reopen an old murder case but he finds himself up against a formidable lawyer, Sir Percy Richmond (Raymond Huntley).

EP4 The Tin God Nov 07, 1964

Based on storyline in Gideon's Week. Derren Nesbitt plays a violent gangster who has escaped from jail and who is idolised by his son, but hates his wife ,Ruby, for putting him in jail. Before he escapes the country, Nesbitt's character wants to kill Ruby. Also features John Hurt as his accomplice.

EP5 State Visit Nov 14, 1964

Based on a storyline in Gideon's March. Alfie Bass portrays an elderly German Jew who has suffered at the hands of the Nazis in WWII. There is a state visit by the German President and, as a chemist, he gets his hands on 10 oz of nitro-glycerine. Enough to kill his target and possibly hundreds more at the parade in Whitehall where Gideon's wife and son are also watching. Also features Gerald Flood as Deputy Commissioner Rae Cox.

EP6 The White Rat Nov 21, 1964

Based on a storyline in Gideon's Staff. Something of a love story. Sgt Sid Taylor who walked a beat with Gideon when they were PCs and taught him a lot is after an albino criminal (Ray McAnally) and his gang. A number of things go wrong and the criminal is cornered on a ship but threatens a massive explosion if they try to take him.

EP7 The Firebug Nov 28, 1964

Based on a storyline in Gideon's Fire. George Cole plays a man whose wife and young daughter died in a house fire. He starts setting fires to make people take notice of the danger of fire but after killing 4 people (including a PC), he goes onto bigger fires, setting fire to a paint warehouse. He then gets hold of four sticks of dynamite.

EP8 The Lady-Killer Apr 22, 1965

Based on a storyline in Gideon's Month. A man marries rich women who die apparently accidentally soon afterwards, so C.I. David Keen investigates. Gideon takes a back seat in this story. Stars Ray Barrett and Rosemary Leach.

EP9 The Big Fix Dec 12, 1964

Based on a storyline in Gideon's Risk. Gamblers pay big money to people to dope horses so they lose, and kill them if the horse wins. After a favourite has lost, Gideon tries to stop it happening again. Stars Michael Ripper, Penelope Horner and Maurice Hedley.

EP10 Big Fish, Little Fish Dec 19, 1964

Gideon's Risk. Gamblers pay big money to people to dope horses so they lose, and kill them if the horse wins. After a favourite has lost, Gideon tries to stop it happening again.

EP11 The Housekeeper Jan 02, 1965

Based on storyline in Gideon's Month. A housekeeper (Kay Walsh) looks after old men and murders them for their money. She has her new victim lined up after electrician and ex-con (Harry Fowler) finds her previous victim. Richard Davies has a small part as a postman.

EP12 The Nightlifers May 10, 1966

New storyline. Four teens are led into a life of violence by Anton Rodgers who has upper class pretensions and lives on a Chelsea houseboat with parties every night. Rodgers plays a contemptuous sadist whose idea of fun is hurting people, mirroring teen crime at the time. This was the last show and the series ended on a high note. Also starred Derek Fowlds and Annette Andre.

EP13 Fall High Fall Hard Jan 16, 1965

Based on storyline in Gideon's Fire. A big construction company is owned by two men. Honest Donald Houston finds out his crooked partner Victor Maddern has hired men to intimidate and kill people to further their business. Houston wants to do something about it so they decide to kill him. Also stars Glyn Houston, Mike Pratt and Michael Robbins.

EP14 The Wall Mar 27, 1965

From storyline in Gideon's Night. A number of stories but the main one is that greedy John Barrie accidentally kills Richard Carpenter and hides the body so he can steal his pools win. Carpenter's young wife (Ann Bell) is made to believe he has left her. Also stars Megs Jenkins.

EP15 Subway to Revenge Apr 03, 1965

Based on storyline in Gideon's Ride. On a crowded platform, Bryan Pringle tries to push Donald Churchill in front of a train but he is saved by co-worker Anne Lawson. He wants nothing to do with it but she takes it to the police. Another attempt is made to push him in front of a bus. Again he does not seem to be interested that someone is trying to murder him and though she is obviously in love with him, he gets angry with her over it and wants nothing to do with her. Then suddenly they are in love. Pringle it turns out lost a fiancée when she tried to steal £5,000 from a company and when caught, committed suicide by jumping in front of an Underground train so he is now busy killing those responsible. There is a background story about a wages snatch.

EP16 Gang War Apr 17, 1965

Based on storyline in Gideon's Night. Jerry Blake (Ronald Lacey) is moving in on Frank Romano's (Ray Brooks) small business protection racket. Both are leaders of gangs of young men and trouble is brewing. But Romano's wife is unhappy with their lifestyle and uses an old boyfriend to arrange the snatch of over £400,000 of old money meant for burning. Romano joins up with Blake to do the robbery while their gangs do a fake rumble to lure the police elsewhere.

EP17 The Alibi Man Jun 24, 1965

Based on storyline in Gideon's March. Famous racing driver Jack Hedley has been fiddling the books and is caught by his accountant Geoffrey Palmer, who he kills to keep him quiet. Mechanic James Culliford gives him an alibi because he owes his life to him. Gideon investigates and Hedley's mistress needs to die too. A rare case where the murderer gets away with it.

EP18 The Prowler May 01, 1965

Based on storyline in Gideon's Night. This occurs in the thick fogs of the time, due to most people using coal fires to keep warm, and the episode tries for a creepy atmosphere. The girlfriend of a young man (David Collings) has committed suicide causing him to become mentally unbalanced and he now attacks girls at night and cuts off some of their hair as a souvenir. One girl fights back and scratches him and as the police close in, he visits an unsuspecting girlfriend to hide at her place.

EP19 The Great Plane Robbery May 08, 1965

New Storyline. £1,000,000 worth of gold is stolen from a Russian Aeroflot plane at a small airfield. The brains behind it, Barley (George Baker) has an alibi which is just too good. There are complications when the driver of a decoy van is picked up and is obviously in on it. It all begins to fall apart when one of the men,Dobson (Edwin Richfield) is burned by molten gold being recast. Lured by the £100,000 reward, a bent doctor treating him phones the police who follow Barley and others to Tilbury where he plans to escape by boat.

EP20 The Thin Red Line Feb 03, 1966

New storyline. The famous Balaclava regimental silver is going missing pieces at a time from the Highlanders London HQ with fakes being put in their place. Gideon is called in by the elderly General (Finlay Currie) to find out who is doing it but comes up against regimental pride and secrecy. Keen goes to Amsterdam and Paris (library shots used) to find out where the silver is being copied and sold off. The result is a shock to Gideon. Also starred Allan Cuthbertson and Gordon Jackson.

EP21 Morna Feb 24, 1966

New storyline. Morna Copthorne's (Angela Douglas) body is found by a lake. Gideon is asked to go to the small village of Wendley (this case unusually did not feature London) to sort the matter out as her father is a big name at the M.O.D. She is the girl everyone loved so how did she die? As Gideon and Keen interview witnesses about her past, a new picture emerges of a young rich girl out of control. Norman Bowler plays a black man in this and reflected the racial tensions of the time. Also stars Kay Walsh.

EP22 Boy with Gun Feb 27, 1966

New storyline. A tale of boys gone wrong. Chris Kirk (Howard Knight) has been mothered too much but has an overbearing father, Police Surgeon, Doctor Kirk (Anthony Bate). Cornered by 3 leather coated, knife wielding yobs who want to steal the shotgun his father bought him, he shoots one. Believing he has murdered him, he goes on the run and meets a boy who has escaped from Borstal. They go to his brother's place so he can arrange their escape from the country but the shot boy's father (George Sewell) finds out and wants to kill the kid who shot his son. A powerful story filmed mainly around London's East End.

EP23 A Perfect Crime Mar 06, 1966

Based on storyline in Gideon's Fire. Patrick Allen plays someone who socially mixes with rich people and finds out when they are away so he and his accomplice (Patrick Bedford) can steal their jewels. Bedford is caught when a cop on a bike sees a car at a rich place where the owners have told him to keep a watch on it as they are away. His wife (Jean Marsh) tries to blackmail Allen so he kills her which leads to Gideon being publicly accused on attacking Bedford by a very nasty lawyer as they close in on Allen who is ready to flee the country. Also starred Alec Mango and Richard Davies.

EP24 The Reluctant Witness Apr 26, 1966

Based on storyline in Gideon's Risk. Red Carter (Mike Pratt) and brother Syd (David Gregory) buy wrecked cars then steal new cars of the same make and swap details and after a respray, sell them for lots of money. Tiny Bray who spent 4 years in prison because of them tries to get evidence of this but is seen and is beaten by Syd and dies, but there is a witness (Audrey Nicholson). The police trick Syd into confessing but then the harder job begins of getting brother Red who is trying to kill the witness. Trevor Bannister plays the constable who is assigned to keep her alive for the trial. The climax of the show is when the villains are cornered and pull guns, and the police are unarmed. Gideon says that the average burglary nets only £71 whereas a car theft (2,484 stolen one month in 1965) gets £500.

EP25 The Millionaire's Daughter Nov 20, 1966

Based on storyline in Gideon's Lot. A con man, Alan Blake (Don Borisenko), arrives on a ship from America with the millionaire Hendersons (David Bauer and Lois Maxwell) and their daughter who with confederates he kidnaps in London and they hold her for a million dollar ransom. The newspapers get hold of the story and Blake decides to get out while he can, tricking Mrs Henderson out of $500,000 worth of jewellery. This means that the daughter is now left with the homicidal Philip Guest (Donald Sutherland) who wants to kill her as she has seen their faces. Also starred Harold Goodwin.

EP26 How to Retire without Really Working Jul 09, 1967

Based on storyline in Gideon's Lot. Gideon defuses a gun siege where a small time crook went out of his league in the hope of a big robbery before retiring. Meanwhile, a couple in their fifties (Eric Barker and Joyce Grant) who have lived a life of petty crime try to do the same thing with a big wages snatch but Gideon has his eye on them. Gideon portrays the friendly cop in this episode, trying to help criminals who are obviously on the downwards path. Also starred William Mervyn.
8.1| 0h30m| en
Synopsis

Gideon's Way is a British television crime series made by ITC Entertainment in 1964/65, based on the novels by John Creasey. The series was made at Elstree in twin production with The Saint TV series. It starred Liverpudlian John Gregson in the title role as Commander George Gideon of Scotland Yard, with Alexander Davion as his assistant, Detective Chief Inspector David Keen, Reginald Jessup as Det. Superintendent LeMaitre, Ian Rossiter as Detective Chief Superintendent Joe Bell and Basil Dignam as Commissioner Scott-Marle. The show did not acknowledge any help from Scotland Yard, any other police force or advisor. Daphne Anderson starred as his wife, Kate with Giles Watling as young son, Malcolm, Richard James as older son, Matthew who seemed to have a lot of new girlfriends and Andrea Allan as daughter, Pru. Unusually for police stories, Gideon was shown as a family man at home though urgent phone calls from his bosses tend to disrupt family plans too often. However, he did admit in "State Visit" that his wife had walked out on him for a while years ago when he put the job first and her second. They live in an expensive detached house in Chelsea.

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Reviews

Linkshoch Wonderful Movie
FeistyUpper If you don't like this, we can't be friends.
CommentsXp Best movie ever!
Glucedee It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.
kidboots I can remember sitting in the lounge room with mum and dad watching "Gideon's Way" with it's familiar whistling theme and painting a picture of the bobby on the beat - you know, back in the days when parents always said "if you get lost, find a policeman"!! Watching the episodes over 45 years later the shows have not let me down and my husband thinks the series is fantastic. I also wonder whether Ruth Rendell got her idea for the Wexford and Burden books from these shows, her first book, "From Doon With Death" came out around 1964 I think. John Gregson is terrific as Commander Gideon, a down to earth copper who never takes things at face value and Alexander Davion is the younger Det. Chief Insp. Keene, full of ideas but often quick to judge. "The Rhyme and the Reason" was particularly good. It dealt with the new phenomena (for 1964) of the Mods and the Rockers. Keene is very dismissive, even the young murder suspect is convinced he won't be treated fairly due to his "Mod" outlook but Gideon believes in him and along with his sister helping, finds the real culprit.They weren't just "by the numbers" police shows but attempted to deal with psychological issues ie "The Tin God" was about a child who refused to believe his father, a desperate escapee, was anything but a hero. Another one "Big Fish, Little Fish" attempted to show what life was like for a little kid growing up in a family of hardened criminals - believe me it wasn't warm and cosy.I know it sounds simplistic but I just love all the episodes - a couple that stand out (apart from the ones I mentioned) are "The Lady Killer" - Keene always seemed to date models and this one took place among the beautiful people of the swinging sixties. "The Nightlifers" was about young people who live for kicks and Keene's girlfriend in this one is Jean Marsh (way before Rose in "Upstairs, Downstairs"). "Subway to Revenge" is about a girl who is very keen on her boss but she can tell he is in danger even if he can't and "The Wall", about a young couple who are very keen to move away from their pokey bedsit and their very creepy neighbour - a really super episode.As well, there were many parts played by actors just starting out who became huge stars - John Hurt, George Cole, Ray Barratt (in Australia), Donald Sutherland and a luminous Carol White who shot to fame the next year as the star of Ken Loach's "Cathy Come Home".Highly Recommended.
graduatedan For years, Edwin Astley's theme song from Gideon's Way stuck in my mind. I remembered it as well as John Gregson's splendid performance as the show's title character. Imagine my delight at finding Gideon's Way on DVD. Although produced over forty years ago, the show is as compelling as any recent TV offering. I think John Gregson captures the essence of the character he plays. He's surrounded by a solid supporting cast and guest stars like a very young John Hurt. The black and white photography is an asset to the programme; it gives Gideon's Way a gritty realism. Some of the prints used for the DVD seem a bit soft, but all are watchable. Movies and TV shows that survive as more than quaint time capsules do so because they are still relevant in some way. The human drama of Gideon's Way proves this.
steve powell With the arrival of the box set of Gideons Way, hopefully more people will get a view of the superb John Gregson. Jack Hawkins played Gideon in a very flaccid film directed by John Ford. As much as I love Jack Hawkins, John Gregson is the definitive George Gideon. The series really does evoke England of the sixties and there is a multitude of famous names cropping up in this series. John Gregson was a superb actor and he is largely forgotten now 30 years after his death in Porlock Weir. With this box set and his appearances in Genevieve and Rooney perhaps now people will realise how good he was. There is a web site showcasing the great man designed by his great nephew http://www.johngregson.org.uk/. John Gregson is George Gideon but George Gideon is the great John Gregson
post-235 Happily 'Gideons Way' was recently released on DVD in the UK in full. At 32, I obviously missed the series first time round, and some may suppose a B&W police series for 1965 may be somewhat old fashioned for a thirtysomething. However, its blend of well crafted story lines, an often shocking brutality for 1960s television, and the honest and natural acting make it unmissable. It represents now a lost London : of gangs and protection rackets, Soho coffee bars, undeveloped docklands and seedy rooming houses. Superb!John Gregson was hugely underrated as an actor. A biography on this talented man is highly overdue. Anyone know of one? Or shall I have to write one myself?!