The Chief (UK television series)
Encyclopedia
The Chief is a British television
crime
drama
series that aired on ITV
from 1990 to 1995, starring Martin Shaw
, Michael Cochrane
and Tim Pigott-Smith
. It was made by Anglia Television
.
, with "the Chief" in command of the fictitious Eastland Constabulary, a large police force covering all of it. The first Chief was John Stafford (Tim Pigott-Smith
), who was replaced in episode 3 of series 3 by Alan Cade (Martin Shaw
). Both were dynamic men who talked frankly. There is a lot of political content, in particular battles with the Home Office
and local politicians.
The show ran for five years, five seasons and a total of 35 episodes. Former Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police James Anderton
was an adviser on the show.
released the first two seasons of The Chief on DVD in the UK with a "12" certificate
. The content has not been modified from the original broadcasts and every episode contains the title cards for the commercial breaks. There are no special features. Season 3 (with Martin Shaw) was released by Network on April 18, 2011 and season 4 that was due to be released on 18 July 2011 was finally released in September 2011, the delay being due to Network DVD losing their stock when the Sony Distribution Centre was burned to the ground by rioters in London .
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
series that aired on 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...
from 1990 to 1995, starring Martin Shaw
Martin Shaw
Martin Shaw is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in shows such as The Professionals, The Chief, Judge John Deed and Inspector George Gently.-Theatrical background:...
, Michael Cochrane
Michael Cochrane
Michael Cochrane is an English actor who specialises in playing upper class characters, sometimes with a suaveness that hides their villainy....
and Tim Pigott-Smith
Tim Pigott-Smith
Tim Pigott-Smith is an English film and television actor.-Early life:Pigott-Smith was born in Rugby, Warwickshire, the son of Margaret Muriel and Harry Thomas Pigott-Smith, who was a journalist. He was educated at Wyggeston Boys' School, Leicester, King Edward VI School Stratford-upon-Avon, and...
. It was made by Anglia Television
Anglia Television
Anglia Television is the ITV franchise holder for the East Anglia franchise region. Although Anglia Television takes its name from East Anglia, its transmission coverage extends beyond the generally accepted boundaries of that region. The station is based at Anglia House in Norwich, with regional...
.
Summary
The series was set in East AngliaEast Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
, with "the Chief" in command of the fictitious Eastland Constabulary, a large police force covering all of it. The first Chief was John Stafford (Tim Pigott-Smith
Tim Pigott-Smith
Tim Pigott-Smith is an English film and television actor.-Early life:Pigott-Smith was born in Rugby, Warwickshire, the son of Margaret Muriel and Harry Thomas Pigott-Smith, who was a journalist. He was educated at Wyggeston Boys' School, Leicester, King Edward VI School Stratford-upon-Avon, and...
), who was replaced in episode 3 of series 3 by Alan Cade (Martin Shaw
Martin Shaw
Martin Shaw is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in shows such as The Professionals, The Chief, Judge John Deed and Inspector George Gently.-Theatrical background:...
). Both were dynamic men who talked frankly. There is a lot of political content, in particular battles with the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
and local politicians.
The show ran for five years, five seasons and a total of 35 episodes. Former Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police James Anderton
James Anderton
Sir Cyril James Anderton CBE is a British former police officer who served as Chief Constable of Greater Manchester from 1975 to 1991.-Career:...
was an adviser on the show.
Cast
Recurring cast:- Tim Pigott-SmithTim Pigott-SmithTim Pigott-Smith is an English film and television actor.-Early life:Pigott-Smith was born in Rugby, Warwickshire, the son of Margaret Muriel and Harry Thomas Pigott-Smith, who was a journalist. He was educated at Wyggeston Boys' School, Leicester, King Edward VI School Stratford-upon-Avon, and...
– Chief Constable John Stafford (1990–1993) - Martin ShawMartin ShawMartin Shaw is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in shows such as The Professionals, The Chief, Judge John Deed and Inspector George Gently.-Theatrical background:...
– Chief Constable Alan Cade (1993–1995) - Karen Archer – Assistant Chief Constable Anne Stewart (1990–1994)
- Michael CochraneMichael CochraneMichael Cochrane is an English actor who specialises in playing upper class characters, sometimes with a suaveness that hides their villainy....
– Nigel Crimmond (1990–1995) - Gillian Martell – Diane Lewis (1991–1995)
- Judy LoeJudy LoeJudith M. "Judy" Loe is an English actress. She was the widow of actor Richard Beckinsale and is now married to director Roy Battersby...
– Dr Elizabeth Stafford (1990–1993) - Stuart McGuganStuart McGuganStuart McGugan is a Scottish actor.Stuart was first seen on television as a presenter on BBC's Play School in 1964 , but he is best/well known for playing the roles of Bomba MacAteer in Tutti Frutti, and Gunner 'Atlas' Mackintosh in the BBC sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum.He...
– Detective Chief Superintendent Sean McCloud (1993–1994) - Tony CaunterTony CaunterAnthony Peter "Tony" Caunter is a British actor best known for his role as Jack Shepherd in the Yorkshire TV sitcom Queenie's Castle and also his portrayal of Roy Evans in EastEnders from 1994-2003....
– Deputy Chief Constable Arthur Quine (1990–1994) - Eamon BolandEamon BolandEamon Denis Boland is an English actor.He has played Tony Walker in Casualty, Frank O'Connor in Coronation Street, Gerry Hollis in Kinsey, Jim Gray in The Chief, Phil Fox in Fox...
– Detective Chief Superintendent Jim Gray (1990–1993) - Juliette MoleJuliette MoleJuliette Mole is an English actress and artist, now based in London. She is married to the actor Lloyd Owen.-Early life:She began her career with the Royal Shakespeare Company and later appeared on television and in film.-Career:...
- Marie-Pierre Arnoux (1993–1994) - T. P. McKennaT. P. McKennaThomas Patrick McKenna , known professionally as T. P. McKenna, was an Irish actor who worked on stage, in film and television in Ireland and the UK from the 1950s.- Film and television :...
- Colin Fowler (1991–1994) - Gillian BevanGillian BevanGillian Bevan is an English actress, best known for her roles in British television shows and West End theatre....
- Detective Superintendent Rose Penfold (1995) - Julian GloverJulian GloverJulian Wyatt Glover is a British actor best known for such roles as General Maximilian Veers in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the Bond villain Aristotle Kristatos in For Your Eyes Only, and Walter Donovan in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.-Personal life:Glover was born in...
- Andrew Blake (1995) - Bosco HoganBosco HoganBosco Hogan is an Irish actor of stage, screen and television.He is best known as Dr. Michael Ryan on Ballykissangel. He appeared in a minor role as convicted felon George Saden in John Boorman's film Zardoz , but his first major film role was as Stephen Dedalus in the 1977 Joseph Strick film...
- Deputy Chief Constable Wes Morton (1995)
DVD releases
In 2010, NetworkNetwork DVD
Network DVD is a DVD publishing company that specialises in classic British television. In particular, it has the rights to a number of well-known ITV programmes...
released the first two seasons of The Chief on DVD in the UK with a "12" certificate
British Board of Film Classification
The British Board of Film Classification , originally British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom...
. The content has not been modified from the original broadcasts and every episode contains the title cards for the commercial breaks. There are no special features. Season 3 (with Martin Shaw) was released by Network on April 18, 2011 and season 4 that was due to be released on 18 July 2011 was finally released in September 2011, the delay being due to Network DVD losing their stock when the Sony Distribution Centre was burned to the ground by rioters in London .