Callan - Series Four

This series of Callan first screened in 1972 on the UK ITV Channel. The show was produced by Thames Television

That'll Be the Day (1 March, 1972)
The king is dead. He must be - he threw his own ashes on the grave. Intriguing? But then every case is intriguing for Callan. Hunter, his boss, sees to that. In this new series he again moves Callen, pawn-like, into impossible situations. And with the smoothly uncompromising Cross every-ready to laugh at his downfall, Callan again plays espionage chess.
Story editor: George Markstein
Designer: Terry Pritchard
Producer: Reginald Collin
Director: Mike Vardy
Cast: Previous Hunter: Ronald Radd, Bishop: Geoffrey Chater, Hunter: William Squire, Lebidev: Michael Godfrey, Stafford: Paul Williamson, Callan: Edward Woodward, Karsky: Julian Glover, Parson: Jonathan Newth, Richmond: T. P. McKenna, Cross: Patrick Mower, Lonely's auntie: Queenie Watts, Liz: Lisa Langdon, Lonely: Russell Hunter, Snell: Clifford Rose, Milkman: John Joyce, Prison Guard: Terence Denville

Call Me Sir! (8 March, 1972)
The Section puts Lonely in a red file - that means he's totally expendable. And someone is using him as bait for Callan.
Writer: Bill Craig
Story editor: George Markstein
Producer: Reginald Collin
Director: Mike Vardy
Designer: Stan Woodward
Cast: Bishop: Geoffrey Chater, Hunter: William Squire, Flo Mayhew: Sarah Lawson, Stafford: Paul Williamson, Callan: Edward Woodward, Trowbridge: Glynn Edwards, Tramp: Alan Downer, Cross: Patrick Mower, Liz: Lisa Langdon, Lonely: Russell Hunter

First Refusal (15 March, 1972)
A list of 10 British agents leads Callan into a double, double-cross situation.
Writer: Bill Craig
Story editor: George Markstein
Producer: Reginald Collin
Designer: David Marshall
Director: Jim Goddard
Cast: Bishop: Geoffrey Chater, Kitzlinger: Martin Wyldeck, Meres: Anthony Valentine, Callan: Edward Woodward, Myra Kessler: Coral Atkins, Cross: Patrick Mower, Liz: Lisa Langdon, Lonely: Russell Hunter, Vopo Officer: Carl Bohun, Anton Bristac: Christopher Owen

Rules of the Game (22 March, 1972)
Callan, now acting as Hunter, is drawn into a grim game of tit-for-tat. But certain information is withheld from him.
Designer: Bernard Spencer
Story editor: George Markstein
Director: Voytek
Producer: Reginald Collin
Writer: Ray Jenkins
Cast: Bishop: Geoffrey Chater, Callan: Edward Woodward, Alevtina: Virginia Stride, Medov: Mike Pratt, Cross: Patrick Mower, Neville Dennis: James Cossins, Liz: Lisa Langdon, Lonely: Russell Hunter, Kane: Timothy Carlton, Danera: Verna Harvey, Vasyayev: Philip Brack, Matron: Sheelah Wilcocks, Hard-faced woman: Joan Ogden

If He Can, So Could I (29 March, 1972)
The instability of Cross becomes a grave problem to which only he can provide an answer. But Cross' solution precisely concerns Callan's future.
Director: Peter Duguid
Story editor: George Markstein
Designer: Mike Hall
Producer: Reginald Collin
Writer: Ray Jenkins
Cast: Bishop: Geoffrey Chater, Vadim: Morris Perry, Meres: Anthony Valentine, Cuthbertson: John Abineri, Callan: Edward Woodward, Cross: Patrick Mower, Trofimchuk: Peter Blythe, Liz: Lisa Langdon, Lonely: Russell Hunter, Snell: Clifford Rose, Harris: David Hargreaves, Sato: Alan Chuntz, Foster: Andrew Burt, Karen: Vicky Williams

None of Your Business (5 April, 1972)
How easy is it to get a false passport? Even Callan has difficulty, but when he solves the problem, he finds he has also broken a ring for getting enemy agents out of the country.
Story editor: George Markstein
Director: Voytek
Producer: Reginald Collin
Designer: Stan Woodward
Writer: Trevor Preston
Cast: Bishop: Geoffrey Chater, Hunter: William Squire, Stafford: Paul Williamson, Meres: Anthony Valentine, Callan: Edward Woodward, Dorman: Donald Webster, Reeves: Brian Murphy, Lucas: Tony Selby, Liz: Lisa Langdon, Lonely: Russell Hunter, West: Peter Eyre, Stella: Wendy Hamilton, Black: David Whitman

Charlie Says It's Goodbye (12 April, 1972)
Callan is as serious about his work as he is about falling in love. Unfortunately, these two pluses produce a negative result.
Director: Peter Duguid
Story editor: George Markstein
Writer: James Mitchell
Producer: Reginald Collin
Designer: David Marshall
Cast: Hunter: William Squire, James Palliser: Dennis Price, Komorowski: John G. Heller, Callan: Edward Woodward, Susan Morris: Beth Harris, Liz: Lisa Langdon, Lonely: Russell Hunter, Trent: Richard Morant, Shop assistant: Alison Hughes

I Never Wanted the Job (19 April, 1972)
After he has witnessed a murder, Lonely is wanted by police and killers. Can Callan save him from both sides of the law?
Story editor: George Markstein
Producer: Reginald Collin
Designer: Peter Le Page
Writer: John Kershaw
Director: Jim Goddard
Cast: Hunter: William Squire, Meres: Anthony Valentine, Callan: Edward Woodward, Sunshine: Michael Deacon, Det. Sgt.: Frank Coda, Abbott: William Marlowe, Det. Con.: Frank Jarvis, Tina: Cleo Sylvestre, Lonely: Russell Hunter, Fred: Robert Grange, Albert: Ron Pember, Driver: Peter Hutchins, Steve: Paul Angelis, Dollar: Val Musetti, Harold: John Levene

The Carrier (26 April, 1972)
When Callan finds himself once again out in the cold, he seeks a warmer climate. But he discovers that going abroad is sometimes easier for the other side - until he works out their secret!
Director: Jonathan Alwyn
Story editor: George Markstein
Producer: Reginald Collin
Designer: Neville Green
Writer: Peter Hill
Cast: Tamaresh: Ralph Nossek, Hunter: William Squire, Meres: Anthony Valentine, Sir Charles Braden: Jeffrey Segal, Callan: Edward Woodward, Peter Rose: Peter Copley, Immigration officer: Brian Vaughan, Allan: Roy Herrick, Mary: Jean Rogers, Liz Hunter's sec.: Lisa Langdon, Lonely: Russell Hunter, P.C. Ballantine: Terry Wright, Det.-Insp. Vanstone: Michael Turner, Chauffeur: Marc Boyle, Chief Supt. Brown: Winsor Davies, M.P. voice: Jay Neill

The Contract (3 May, 1972)
To stop an assassination plot, Callan poses as a hired gunman, knowing that the real assassin is close at hand.
Writer: Bill Craig
Story editor: George Markstein
Producer: Reginald Collin
Designer: Neville Green
Cast: Maj. Harcourt: Robert Urquhart, Hunter: William Squire, Meres: Anthony Valentine, Stepan: Hugh Morton, Callan: Edward Woodward, Vera: Bernadette Milnes, Lonely: Russell Hunter, Lafarge: Michael Pennington, Kristina: Jane Lapotaire

The Richmond File: Call Me Enemy (10 May, 1972)
The two top agents of the East and West - perhaps of the world - come face to face. And, like a game of chess, each move is considered and thought out.
Story editor: George Markstein
Producer: Reginald Collin
Designer: David Marshall
Director: Bill Bain
Cast: Engineer: Charles Rea, Bishop: Geoffrey Chater, Hunter: William Squire, Stafford: Paul Williamson, Meres: Anthony Valentine, Callan: Edward Woodward, Richmond: T. P. McKenna, Liz: Lisa Langdon, Lonely: Russell Hunter, Jarrow: Brian Croucher

The Richmond File: Do You Recognise the Woman? (17 May, 1972)
Richmond, on the run from the Section, fulfils his grim assignment and once again eludes Callan.
Director: Peter Duguid
Writer: Bill Craig
Story editor: George Markstein
Designer: Mike Hall
Producer: Reginald Collin
Cast: Bishop: Geoffrey Chater, Dowsett: John Moore, Hunter: William Squire, Flo: Sarah Lawson, Meres: Anthony Valentine, Callan: Edward Woodward, Technician: Harry Walker, Richmond: T. P. McKenna, Liz: Lisa Langdon, Lonely: Russell Hunter, Prison officer: Bella Emberg, Gladys: Cheryl Hall, Norah: Sheila Fay

The Richmond File: A Man Like Me (24 May, 1972)
The last episode in the present series brings a fitting climax to the running battle between Callan and Richmond. They meet face to face.
Story editor: George Markstein
Producer: Reginald Collin
Designer: Bill Palmer
Cast: Bishop: Geoffrey Chater, Routledge: Peter Sallis, Hunter: William Squire, Stafford: Paul Williamson, Meres: Anthony Valentine, Callan: Edward Woodward, Mrs. Glover: Gwen Nelson, Richmond: T. P. McKenna, Liz: Lisa Langdon, Lonely: Russell Hunter, Snell: Clifford Rose, Harris: Robin Ellis, Deane: Stephen Whittaker, Caroline: Belinda Carroll, Security man: Wally Thomas

On DVD

Released on DVD in regions:

1 as Set 2 by Acorn (US)
2 as part of Callan - The Colour Years: Network DVD (UK)
4 as Series 4 by Umbrella (Australia) and as part of the Ultimate Collection.

While we don't have any direct comparisions on the relative transfer quality of the different releases, the region 1 and 4 sets had the upper hand due to them featuring audio commentaries by Edward Woodward for the episodes If He Can, So Could I and The Richmond File: Call Me Enemy.

At one time Acorn offered the series for digital download, but they don't appear to be avalible anymore.

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Callan - Series Four

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