The
lowdown: 'The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder' is a British detective
show starring Hugh Burden as the title character,
an unassuming investigator
in the Public Prosecutor's Office who is often asked to personally look
into crimes due to
his unique understanding
of the criminal mind. Murder, theft, bank robbery and embezzlement are
among the crimes
that are assigned to Reeder
by his department head, Sir Jason Toovey (Willoughby Goddard), who
is always willing
to take credit for Reeder's
successes. The series is based on the character of the same name
who was created by
crime writer Edgar Wallace
in the 1920s. A total of 16 episodes were made and broadcast on ITV
over two seasons,
between 23 April 1969 and
7 June 1971. Only two episodes are known to exist in colour, but the whole
series exists.
By today's standards it
is very slow-paced, but it is a great example of how detective shows used
to be made.
The
episode: 'The
Shadow Man' was the third episode of the second season, and it was broadcast
on 3 May 1971.
Reeder is called in to investigate
when Hallaty, the manager of a branch of the L&O Bank, withdraws 72,000
pounds
from the bank and promptly
disappears. It is subsequently revealed that he was responsible for
embezzling about a
quarter of a million pounds,
and had a plane ready to make his getaway. However, the plane was sabotaged
and he
found another way to disappear.
The directors of the L&O Bank admit to Reeder that the banking system
has been
subject to widespread fraud,
and ask him to find the masterminds. The directors suggest that Reigate
(Colin Baker,
in one of his earliest television
appearances), the assistant branch manager at the bank's Hampstead branch,
may
be able to help. Reigate
is on remand in prison awaiting trial after certain "irregularities" were
found in his accounts.
Members of the organisation
responsible for the bank fraud arranges for Reigate to be released on bail,
as they are
concerned that he knows
too much and will talk to the police. He escapes and is shot outside Reeder's
house, and
promptly dies.
Reeder's investigations lead him to the Strangers Club and the man who
is behind the frauds, Jones
(Frederick Schrecker), as
well as his accomplice, Dr Jansen (John Stratton).
Who
connections: Hugh Burden starred as Channing in Spearhead
from Space, and John Stratton was Shockeye
in The Two Doctors
and Frederick Schrecker was in The Web of Fear. Other episodes featured
Michael Gooderson
(Davros in Destiny of
the Daleks), David Collings (The Robots of Death and Mawdryn
Undead), Harry Towb (Terror of
the Autons), Geoffrey
Hughes (Trial of a Time Lord), Milton Johns (The Android Invasion
and The Invasion of Time),
and Reg Pritchard (The
Crusade). Other famous actors in the series include Edward Fox,
Windsor Davies, Michael
Bates, John Le Mesurier
and Madeline Smith.
Video clips:
Mr Reigate 5.5mb
Released on bail
4.7mb
Reigate dies 7.0mb |
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