Gerard Glaister
Encyclopedia
John Leslie "Gerard" Glaister DFC, (21 December 1915 – 5 February 2005) was a British
television producer
and director
best known for his work with the BBC
. Amongst his most notable successes as a TV producer were Colditz
, The Brothers, Secret Army
and Howards' Way
.
After studying at RADA, Glaister made his West End debut in 1939. With the outbreak of war, he joined the Royal Air Force
, initially flying a Blenheim
bomber and later serving as a photo reconnaissance pilot in the Western Desert. It was during these latter duties that he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
. Glaister later drew on his RAF experiences when, in 1963, he produced Moonstrike
, a drama about an RAF squadron which ferried agents in and out of occupied Europe.
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 producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
and director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
best known for his work with the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. Amongst his most notable successes as a TV producer were Colditz
Colditz (TV series)
Colditz is a British television series co-produced by the BBC and Universal Studios and screened between 1972 and 1974.The series deals with Allied prisoners of war imprisoned at the supposedly escape-proof Colditz Castle when designated Oflag IV-C during World War II, and their many attempts to...
, The Brothers, Secret Army
Secret Army (TV series)
Secret Army is a television drama series made by the BBC and the Belgian national broadcaster BRT created by Gerard Glaister. The series chronicled the history of a Belgian resistance movement during the Second World War dedicated to returning Allied airmen, usually having been shot down by the...
and Howards' Way
Howards' Way
Howards' Way is a television drama series produced by BBC Birmingham and transmitted on BBC One between 1 September 1985 and 25 November 1990. The series deals with the personal and professional lives of the yachting and business communities in the fictional town of Tarrant on the South Coast of...
.
After studying at RADA, Glaister made his West End debut in 1939. With the outbreak of war, he joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, initially flying a Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
bomber and later serving as a photo reconnaissance pilot in the Western Desert. It was during these latter duties that he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
. Glaister later drew on his RAF experiences when, in 1963, he produced Moonstrike
Moonstrike
Moonstrike is a British television series produced by the BBC in 1963.The series was an anthology programme: a collection of self-contained stories about acts of resistance in occupied Europe during the Second World War...
, a drama about an RAF squadron which ferried agents in and out of occupied Europe.
As producer
- 1958: Starr and Company
- 1959: The Men From Room 13
- 1962: The Dark IslandThe Dark IslandThe Dark Island is a six part British television miniseries, produced by Gerard Glaister for the BBC. It premièred on 8 July 1962. It was later adapted for radio, which was transmitted in 1969...
- 1962: Dr. Finlay's CasebookDr. Finlay's Casebook (TV & radio)Dr. Finlay's Casebook is a television series that was broadcast on the BBC from 1962 until 1971. Based on A. J. Cronin's novella entitled Country Doctor, the storylines centred on a general medical practice in the fictional Scottish town of Tannochbrae during the late 1920s...
- 1963: MoonstrikeMoonstrikeMoonstrike is a British television series produced by the BBC in 1963.The series was an anthology programme: a collection of self-contained stories about acts of resistance in occupied Europe during the Second World War...
- 1967: The Revenue MenThe Revenue MenThe Revenue Men is a British television series, produced and transmitted by the BBC between 1967 and 1968.The series dealt with cases handled by the Investigation Branch of Customs and Excise such as the illegal import of goods, illegal immigration and business transactions amongst travellers.The...
- 1968: The Expert
- 1970: CodenameCodename (TV series)Codename was a short-lived British television series produced by the BBC in 1970.An espionage thriller series, Codename was based around a secret organisation, MI17, being run from a residential hall at Cambridge University...
- 1971: The Passenger
- 1972: The Brothers
- 1972: ColditzColditz (TV series)Colditz is a British television series co-produced by the BBC and Universal Studios and screened between 1972 and 1974.The series deals with Allied prisoners of war imprisoned at the supposedly escape-proof Colditz Castle when designated Oflag IV-C during World War II, and their many attempts to...
- 1975: Oil Strike NorthOil Strike NorthOil Strike North is a BBC television drama series produced in 1975.The series was created and produced by Gerard Glaister and dealt with life on Nelson One, a North Sea oil rig owned by the fictional company Triumph Oil...
- 1977: The Mackinnons
- 1977: Secret ArmySecret Army (TV series)Secret Army is a television drama series made by the BBC and the Belgian national broadcaster BRT created by Gerard Glaister. The series chronicled the history of a Belgian resistance movement during the Second World War dedicated to returning Allied airmen, usually having been shot down by the...
- 1980: BuccaneerBuccaneer (TV series)Buccaneer is a short-lived television series, made by the BBC in 1979-80, and broadcast over 13 weeks in April-July 1980.The series, dealing with a developing air freight business, starred Bryan Marshall, Pamela Salem and Clifford Rose, and was produced by Gerard Glaister.The 13 episodes were: ...
- 1981: Blood MoneyBlood Money (TV series)Blood Money is a British television serial written by Arden Winch and produced by the BBC in 1981.The series starred Michael Denison as Captain Percival, an operative of British Special Intelligence, who works with Scotland Yard to solve the kidnapping of the young son of the Administrator General...
- 1981: Kessler
- 1983: The Fourth ArmThe Fourth Arm (TV series)The Fourth Arm is a British television series produced by the BBC in 1983.The twelve-part serial dealt with secret agents parachuted into occupied Europe during the Second World War, following their progress through initial recruitment and training, and finally their first mission in enemy...
- 1983: SkorpionBlood Money (TV series)Blood Money is a British television serial written by Arden Winch and produced by the BBC in 1981.The series starred Michael Denison as Captain Percival, an operative of British Special Intelligence, who works with Scotland Yard to solve the kidnapping of the young son of the Administrator General...
- 1984: Cold WarriorBlood Money (TV series)Blood Money is a British television serial written by Arden Winch and produced by the BBC in 1981.The series starred Michael Denison as Captain Percival, an operative of British Special Intelligence, who works with Scotland Yard to solve the kidnapping of the young son of the Administrator General...
- 1984: Morgan's Boy
- 1985: Howards' WayHowards' WayHowards' Way is a television drama series produced by BBC Birmingham and transmitted on BBC One between 1 September 1985 and 25 November 1990. The series deals with the personal and professional lives of the yachting and business communities in the fictional town of Tarrant on the South Coast of...
- 1991: TrainerTrainer (TV series)Trainer is a British television series transmitted by the BBC between 1991 and 1992.Filmed in and around the village of Compton near Newbury, the series is set in the world of horse racing. It starred Mark Greenstreet as Mike Hardy, an aspiring horse trainer keen to set up his own stables...
As writer
- 1968: The Expert
- 1972: The Brothers
- 1972: Colditz
- 1975: Oil Strike North
- 1975: You're On Your OwnYou're On Your OwnYou're On Your Own was an American game show that aired on CBS from December 22, 1956 to March 16, 1957. Actor Steve Dunne was the emcee, with Hal Simms as the announcer and Joann Jordan was the commercial spokesperson for sponsor Hazel Bishop....
- 1977: Secret Army
- 1983: The Fourth Arm
- 1985: Howards' Way
As director
- 1962: The Dark Island
- 1962: Dr. Finlay's Casebook
- 1966: King of the RiverKing of the RiverKing of the River is a British television series transmitted by the BBC between 1966 and 1967.The series centred around the King family and their efforts to maintain their sail-driven barge transport business. It starred Bernard Lee, otherwise known as M in the James Bond films....
- 1968: The Expert
- 1970: Codename
- 1975: Oil Strike North