Dempsey & Makepeace
Encyclopedia
Dempsey & Makepeace is a British
television crime drama made by London Weekend Television
for ITV
, created and produced by Ranald Graham
. The leading roles were played by Michael Brandon
(Dempsey) and Glynis Barber
(Makepeace), who later married each other on November 18, 1989.
The series combined elements of previous series such as the mis-matching of British and American crime-fighters from different classes as seen in The Persuaders!
and the action of The Professionals
.
noblewoman, Sgt (Lady) Harriet Makepeace, and a streetwise
working-class New Yorker, Lt James Dempsey, both working for an elite and armed unit of the London Metropolitan Police.
When his partner Joey dies in a botched drugs operation and he uncovers police corruption at the highest level, Dempsey is under threat of assassination. With the help of his colleagues, he hurriedly leaves New York for London, on the pretense of an undercover international police exchange programme.
Harriet "Harry" Makepeace is the daughter of Lord Winfield (Ralph Michael
), who owns one of the Stately Homes
of England. Reference is made to his having formerly been in the army or secret service. Harry's grandfather is mentioned as an eccentric Victorian collector of antiques and rare items. Harry's mother is mentioned only once, by Harry's maternal uncle, Duffy, and it would seem the mother had died some time ago. Harry has made her way up through the ranks of the police force despite sexism by her male counterparts and the physical demands of the job.
Although there is initial reluctance on both sides, Harry and Dempsey work as partners in a specialized task force, SI 10, and they make a good team. SI 10 is under the command of Gordon Spikings, played by Ray Smith
. A fourth regular role is that of Chas, played by Tony Osoba
. Chas provides useful research and communications in the SI 10 office and occasionally has a more active role.
There were two double length episodes produced. The first was the pilot, "Armed and Extremely Dangerous"; and the second was the leading episode of season three, "The Burning".
The series' three seasons attained great popularity in the United Kingdom, with ratings averaging between 14 to 20 million viewers. The programme was sold to many countries in Europe(even in ex-eastern bloc countries like Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary) and around the world, including the United States. Dempsey & Makepeace merchandise such as jigsaw puzzles, children's annuals and replica toy cars were produced. At the height of the series' popularity, and during season two particularly, the British tabloid press hounded the lead actors for off-screen stories regarding their then budding personal relationship.
Much of the show's draw came from the good natured "will they or won't they" interplay and a suspected slowly evolving romance between the main protagonists, made possible by the obvious chemistry between the two lead actors. The show ended with an episode directed by Michael Brandon himself where Dempsey and Makepeace are forced to confront at least some of their feelings for one another.
The show was syndicated to the U.S. airwaves in the fall of 1985, usually being shown on Saturday afternoons or early Saturday evenings. Only the first 20 hours of the show were run in the U.S. market (straight thru in 19 weeks), with the "third" series of 10 episodes never being aired in the U.S., and disappeared by mid January 1986. To hype interest, the show was marketed in the U.S. as sort of a re-make of The Avengers
, but, while well advertised, it never grew a following.
As of July 2009, the series was being repeated on ITV3
in the UK.
In Portugal
, all three series were released in 2004 by Prisvideo. There were no extras but the audio was in English with optional Portuguese subtitles. These episodes are the full uncut versions.
Starting with December 2004, DVDs and VCD
s with all the episodes of the series were gradually added in Poland
to a tv-guide magazine TV Okey!. They soon re-appeared in another collection series and finally, on the December 8 2008 a box with Season 1 episodes was released. So far, it has not been continued in this form, though.
In mid 2000´s a DVD was released in the Czech Republic
and in Slovakia
with original(80´s) Slovak dubbing .
A US DVD release (of all 30 hours), was announced for summer 2008, but has yet to materialize.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television crime drama made by London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, created and produced by Ranald Graham
Ranald Graham
Ranald Ian Mackenzie Graham was a Scottish writer, director and producer, best known for his writing work on the British television series The Sweeney, The Professionals and Dempsey & Makepeace.-Early life:...
. The leading roles were played by Michael Brandon
Michael Brandon
Michael Brandon is an American actor who resides in the United Kingdom and United States.-Life and career:Brandon was born Michael Feldman in Brooklyn, New York to Miriam and Sol Feldman...
(Dempsey) and Glynis Barber
Glynis Barber
Glynis Barber is a South African actress of Afrikaner descent, born and brought up in South Africa. She was born Glynis van der Riet. When she was five years old, her parents divorced, and she and her mother moved to Johannesburg. She is best known for her portrayal as Sgt...
(Makepeace), who later married each other on November 18, 1989.
The series combined elements of previous series such as the mis-matching of British and American crime-fighters from different classes as seen in The Persuaders!
The Persuaders!
The Persuaders! is a 1971 action/adventure series, produced by ITC Entertainment for initial broadcast on ITV and ABC. It has been called "the last major entry in the cycle of adventure series that had begun eleven years earlier with Danger Man in 1960", as well as "the most ambitious and most...
and the action of The Professionals
The Professionals (TV series)
The Professionals was a British crime-action television drama series produced by Avengers Mk1 Productions and London Weekend Television that aired on the ITV network from 1977 to 1983. In all, 57 episodes were produced, filmed between 1977 and 1981. It starred Martin Shaw, Lewis Collins and Gordon...
.
Premise
The premise of Dempsey & Makepeace is the oddball pairing of two police detectives: an elegant EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
noblewoman, Sgt (Lady) Harriet Makepeace, and a streetwise
Streetwise
Streetwise may refer to:*Rover Streetwise, a small hatchback made by the MG Rover Group*Possessing knowledge of youth culture, also called "street"...
working-class New Yorker, Lt James Dempsey, both working for an elite and armed unit of the London Metropolitan Police.
When his partner Joey dies in a botched drugs operation and he uncovers police corruption at the highest level, Dempsey is under threat of assassination. With the help of his colleagues, he hurriedly leaves New York for London, on the pretense of an undercover international police exchange programme.
Harriet "Harry" Makepeace is the daughter of Lord Winfield (Ralph Michael
Ralph Michael
Ralph Michael was an English actor. He was born in London, United Kingdom.His film appearances include: A Night to Remember, Children of the Damned, Khartoum, Grand Prix, The Assassination Bureau, and Empire of the Sun.Television credits include: The Adventures of Robin Hood, Dixon of Dock Green,...
), who owns one of the Stately Homes
Stately home
A stately home is a "great country house". It is thus a palatial great house or in some cases an updated castle, located in the British Isles, mostly built between the mid-16th century and the early part of the 20th century, as well as converted abbeys and other church property...
of England. Reference is made to his having formerly been in the army or secret service. Harry's grandfather is mentioned as an eccentric Victorian collector of antiques and rare items. Harry's mother is mentioned only once, by Harry's maternal uncle, Duffy, and it would seem the mother had died some time ago. Harry has made her way up through the ranks of the police force despite sexism by her male counterparts and the physical demands of the job.
Although there is initial reluctance on both sides, Harry and Dempsey work as partners in a specialized task force, SI 10, and they make a good team. SI 10 is under the command of Gordon Spikings, played by Ray Smith
Ray Smith (actor)
Ray Smith was a Welsh actor who notably played the tough-talking police chief, Detective Superintendent Gordon Spikings, in the television series, Dempsey & Makepeace.- Early life :...
. A fourth regular role is that of Chas, played by Tony Osoba
Tony Osoba
Tony Osoba is a Scottish actor best known for his role as Jim 'Jock' McClaren in the popular 70s British sitcom Porridge, and appeared in its sequel Going Straight. Osoba was the first black Scottish actor to appear on primetime television when he appeared in the series.His other roles include...
. Chas provides useful research and communications in the SI 10 office and occasionally has a more active role.
There were two double length episodes produced. The first was the pilot, "Armed and Extremely Dangerous"; and the second was the leading episode of season three, "The Burning".
The series' three seasons attained great popularity in the United Kingdom, with ratings averaging between 14 to 20 million viewers. The programme was sold to many countries in Europe(even in ex-eastern bloc countries like Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary) and around the world, including the United States. Dempsey & Makepeace merchandise such as jigsaw puzzles, children's annuals and replica toy cars were produced. At the height of the series' popularity, and during season two particularly, the British tabloid press hounded the lead actors for off-screen stories regarding their then budding personal relationship.
Much of the show's draw came from the good natured "will they or won't they" interplay and a suspected slowly evolving romance between the main protagonists, made possible by the obvious chemistry between the two lead actors. The show ended with an episode directed by Michael Brandon himself where Dempsey and Makepeace are forced to confront at least some of their feelings for one another.
The show was syndicated to the U.S. airwaves in the fall of 1985, usually being shown on Saturday afternoons or early Saturday evenings. Only the first 20 hours of the show were run in the U.S. market (straight thru in 19 weeks), with the "third" series of 10 episodes never being aired in the U.S., and disappeared by mid January 1986. To hype interest, the show was marketed in the U.S. as sort of a re-make of The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
, but, while well advertised, it never grew a following.
As of July 2009, the series was being repeated on ITV3
ITV3
ITV3 is an entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom that is owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. The channel was launched on 1 November 2004. ITV3 is the second largest UK multi-channel, second only to ITV2.-History:...
in the UK.
Main cast
- Ray SmithRay Smith (actor)Ray Smith was a Welsh actor who notably played the tough-talking police chief, Detective Superintendent Gordon Spikings, in the television series, Dempsey & Makepeace.- Early life :...
– Chief SuperintendentChief SuperintendentChief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces organised on the British model.- United Kingdom :In the British police, a chief superintendent is senior to a superintendent and junior to an assistant chief constable .The highest rank below Chief Officer level, chief...
Gordon Spikings - Michael BrandonMichael BrandonMichael Brandon is an American actor who resides in the United Kingdom and United States.-Life and career:Brandon was born Michael Feldman in Brooklyn, New York to Miriam and Sol Feldman...
– Lieutenant James Dempsey NYPDNew York City Police DepartmentThe New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City... - Glynis BarberGlynis BarberGlynis Barber is a South African actress of Afrikaner descent, born and brought up in South Africa. She was born Glynis van der Riet. When she was five years old, her parents divorced, and she and her mother moved to Johannesburg. She is best known for her portrayal as Sgt...
– Detective Sergeant Harriet Makepeace, Lady Makepeace - Tony OsobaTony OsobaTony Osoba is a Scottish actor best known for his role as Jim 'Jock' McClaren in the popular 70s British sitcom Porridge, and appeared in its sequel Going Straight. Osoba was the first black Scottish actor to appear on primetime television when he appeared in the series.His other roles include...
– Det Sgt Charles Jarvis
DVD release
In the UK, all three series of Dempsey & Makepeace were released on DVD in 2006 from Network DVD. They include interviews and audio commentaries on selected episodes with Michael Brandon and Glynis Barber. All are edited, heavily in some instances.In Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, all three series were released in 2004 by Prisvideo. There were no extras but the audio was in English with optional Portuguese subtitles. These episodes are the full uncut versions.
Starting with December 2004, DVDs and VCD
VCD
VCD is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, as described below:* VCD Athletic, semi-professional football team* Video CD* Voice command device* Value change dump * Vocal cord dysfunction* Visual Communication and Design...
s with all the episodes of the series were gradually added in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
to a tv-guide magazine TV Okey!. They soon re-appeared in another collection series and finally, on the December 8 2008 a box with Season 1 episodes was released. So far, it has not been continued in this form, though.
In mid 2000´s a DVD was released in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
and in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
with original(80´s) Slovak dubbing .
A US DVD release (of all 30 hours), was announced for summer 2008, but has yet to materialize.