The Expert
Encyclopedia
The Expert is a British television
series produced by the BBC
between 1968 and 1976.
The series starred Marius Goring
as Dr. John Hardy, a pathologist working for the Home Office
and was essentially a police procedural drama, with Hardy bringing his forensic knowledge to solve various cases.
The Expert was created and produced by Gerard Glaister
. The series was also one of the first BBC dramas to be made in colour, and throughout its four series had numerous high quality guest appearances by actors such as John Carson
, Peter Copley
, Rachel Kempson
, Peter Vaughan
, Clive Swift
, Geoffrey Palmer
, Peter Barkworth
, Jean Marsh
, Ray Brooks, George Sewell
, Anthony Valentine, Bernard Lee
, Lee Montague
, Geoffrey Bayldon
, Mike Pratt, Edward Fox
, André Morell
, Brian Blessed
, Nigel Stock, Philip Madoc
and Warren Clarke
.
; although many episodes were later recovered on 16mm film, only one episode from the first series remains in the archives, the vast majority of series two and three also remain and series four is complete.
Others -
British television
Public television broadcasting started in the United Kingdom in 1936, and now has a collection of free and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are over 480 channelsTaking the base Sky EPG TV Channels. A breakdown is impossible due to a) the number of...
series produced by 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...
between 1968 and 1976.
The series starred Marius Goring
Marius Goring
Marius Goring CBE was an English stage and cinema actor. He is most often remembered for the four films he did with Powell & Pressburger, particularly as Conductor 71 in A Matter of Life and Death and as Julian Craster in The Red Shoes...
as Dr. John Hardy, a pathologist working for 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 was essentially a police procedural drama, with Hardy bringing his forensic knowledge to solve various cases.
The Expert was created and produced by Gerard Glaister
Gerard Glaister
John Leslie "Gerard" Glaister DFC, 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...
. The series was also one of the first BBC dramas to be made in colour, and throughout its four series had numerous high quality guest appearances by actors such as John Carson
John Carson (actor)
John Carson is a British actor noted for his appearances in film and television.Making his film debut in 1947, he carved out a career appearing in low budget British movies such as Seven Keys ; Smokescreen ; and Master Spy...
, Peter Copley
Peter Copley
Peter Copley was a British television, film and stage actor.-Biography:Copley was born in Bushey, Hertfordshire, son of the printmakers, John Copley and Ethel Gabain....
, Rachel Kempson
Rachel Kempson
Rachel, Lady Redgrave , known primarily by her birth name as Rachel Kempson, was an English actress. She married Sir Michael Redgrave, and was the matriarch of the famous acting dynasty.-Career:...
, Peter Vaughan
Peter Vaughan
Peter Vaughan is an English character actor, known for many supporting roles in a variety of British film and television productions. He has worked extensively on the stage, becoming known for roles such as police inspectors, Soviet agents and similar parts...
, Clive Swift
Clive Swift
Clive Walter Swift is an English character comedy actor and songwriter. He is best known for his role as character Richard Bucket in the British television series Keeping Up Appearances. He is less known for his role as character Roy in the British television series The Old Guys...
, Geoffrey Palmer
Geoffrey Palmer (actor)
Geoffrey Dyson Palmer, OBE is an English actor, best known for his roles in sitcoms such as Butterflies and As Time Goes By.-Career:...
, Peter Barkworth
Peter Barkworth
Peter Wynn Barkworth was an English actor.-Early life:Peter Barkworth was born at Margate, Kent. Soon after his birth, the family moved to Bramhall in Cheshire and Barkworth was educated at Stockport School. His headmaster wanted him to go to university but Barkworth had set his heart on a career...
, Jean Marsh
Jean Marsh
Jean Lyndsey Torren Marsh is an English actress, occasional screenwriter, and co-creator of the television series Upstairs, Downstairs and The House of Eliott....
, Ray Brooks, George Sewell
George Sewell
George Sewell was an English actor.-Early life and early career:The son of a Hoxton printer and a florist; Sewell left school at age 14 and worked briefly in the printing trade before switching to building work, specifically the repair of bomb-damaged houses...
, Anthony Valentine, Bernard Lee
Bernard Lee
John Bernard Lee was an English actor, best known for his role as M in the first eleven James Bond films.-Life and career:...
, Lee Montague
Lee Montague
Lee Montague is an English actor noted for his roles on film and television, usually playing tough guys.Film credits include: Moulin Rouge, The Camp on Blood Island, The Savage Innocents, Billy Budd, The Secret of Blood Island, Deadlier Than the Male, The Legacy and Brother Sun, Sister...
, Geoffrey Bayldon
Geoffrey Bayldon
Geoffrey Bayldon is a British actor. After playing roles in many dramas including Shakespeare, he became known for portraying the title role of the children's series Catweazle , after turning down the opportunity to play both the First and Second Doctors in the long-running BBC science fiction...
, Mike Pratt, Edward Fox
Edward Fox (actor)
Edward Charles Morice Fox, OBE is an English stage, film and television actor.He is generally associated with portraying the role of the upper-class Englishman, such as the title character in the film The Day of the Jackal and King Edward VIII in the serial Edward & Mrs...
, André Morell
André Morell
André Morell was a British actor. He appeared frequently in theatre, film and on television from the 1930s to the 1970s...
, Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed is an English actor, known for his sonorous voice and "hearty, king-sized portrayals".-Early life:The son of William Blessed, a socialist miner, and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born in the town of Goldthorpe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England...
, Nigel Stock, Philip Madoc
Philip Madoc
Philip Madoc is a Welsh actor who has had many television and film roles.One prominent role was the title character in the BBC Wales drama The Life and Times of David Lloyd George...
and Warren Clarke
Warren Clarke
-Biography:Clarke was born in Oldham, Lancashire. His first television appearance was in the long running Granada soap opera Coronation Street, initially as Kenny Pickup in 1966 and then as Gary Bailey in 1968. His first major film appearance was in Stanley Kubrick's controversial A Clockwork...
.
Archive status
Most of the original master tapes of this show were wiped by the BBCBBC
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...
; although many episodes were later recovered on 16mm film, only one episode from the first series remains in the archives, the vast majority of series two and three also remain and series four is complete.
Series Run Down
- 1/ 5 Jul - 19 Sept 1968, 13 50min Colour episodes
- 2/ 4 Apr - 26 Sept 1969, 26 50min Colour episodes
- 3/ 3 Jan - 28 Mar 1971, 13 50min Colour episodes
- 4/ 24 Sept - 26 Nov 1976, 10 50min Colour episodes
Cast
- Marius GoringMarius GoringMarius Goring CBE was an English stage and cinema actor. He is most often remembered for the four films he did with Powell & Pressburger, particularly as Conductor 71 in A Matter of Life and Death and as Julian Craster in The Red Shoes...
- Professor John Hardy /... (1968-1969, 1971, 1976 / Series 1-4 / 62 episodes) - Ann MorrishAnn MorrishAnn Morrish is a British actress. Her television appearances include The House of Eliott, Minder, Softly Softly . She appeared in the 2006 Midsomer Murders episode Four Funerals and a Wedding as Mildred Danvers. In 1996 she played Emily Arundell in Agatha Christie's Poirot - Dumb Witness...
- Jo Hardy /... (1968-1969, 1971 / Series 1-3 / 52 episodes) - Victor WindingVictor WindingVictor Winding is a British actor born in London on Winding was educated at Westminster Technical Institute and initially trained as a draughtsman but acted in amateur dramatics and taught drama at night school. In 1958, aged 29, he joined Farnham Repertory Theatre. The Castle Theatre was opened...
- DCI Fleming /... (1968-1969, 1971 / Series 1-3 / 51 episodes) - Michael Farnsworth - DS Frank Ashe /... (1968-1969, 1971 / Series 1-3 / 46 episodes)
- Valerie Murray - Sandra Hughes /... (1969, 1971 / Series 2-3 / 34 episodes)
- Virginia StrideVirginia StrideVirginia Stride is a British actress of stage and screen who first came to public attention on television in the 1960s...
- Susan Bartlett /... (1976 / Series 4 / 10 episodes)
Others -
- Sally Nesbitt - Jane Carter (1968 / Series 1 / 6 episodes)
- Cleo SylvestreCleo SylvestreCleo Syvestre is an actress who has made numerous appearances on United Kingdom television over a 40 year period....
- Vicky Hammond (1968 / Series 1 / 3 episodes) - John CollinJohn Collin (actor)John Collin was a British actor frequently seen on UK television during the 1960s and 1970s mainly in supporting roles. John Collin's best known role was as Detective Sergeant Haggar in the long running BBC police series Z-Cars...
- DCS Mowbray (1969 / Series 2 / 5 episodes) - Jeremy SindenJeremy SindenJeremy Sinden was an English actor who specialised in playing eccentric military men and overgrown schoolboys.-Early life:...
- Price (1976 / Series 4 / 8 episodes)