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Sweeney!
''Sweeney!'' is a 1977 British action crime drama film and extension of the ITV television series ''The Sweeney'' which aired on ITV from 1975 to 1978. The film did well enough at the box office that a sequel, ''Sweeney 2'', was released in cinemas in 1978. Plot Detective Inspector Jack Regan (John Thaw) and Detective Sergeant George Carter (Dennis Waterman) become embroiled in a deadly political scandal. One of the leading members of the British government, Charles Baker (Ian Bannen), is about to secure a huge deal with OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries), stabilising the world oil market and boosting Britain's position within it. Baker is a rising star in the government, regarded as a future prime minister, and he is closely controlled by his urbane, manipulative American press secretary, Elliot McQueen (Barry Foster (actor)). That night, Regan is forced to drink alcohol, and completely intoxicated drives his car into a crowded market. The following day, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Sweeney
''The Sweeney'' is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London. It stars John Thaw as Detective Inspector Jack Regan and Dennis Waterman as his partner, Detective Sergeant George Carter. It was produced by the Thames Television subsidiary Euston Films for broadcast on the ITV network in the UK between 2 January 1975 and 28 December 1978. The programme's title comes from the real-world Cockney rhyming slang nickname "Sweeney Todd" used to refer to the Flying Squad by London's criminal fraternity in the mid 20th Century. The popularity of the series in the UK led to two feature films, '' Sweeney!'' (1977) and ''Sweeney 2'' (1978), both starring Thaw and Waterman, and a later film, '' The Sweeney'' (2012), starring Ray Winstone as Regan and Ben Drew as Carter. Background ''The Sweeney'' was developed from a one-off TV drama entitled ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ranald Graham
Ranald Ian Mackenzie Graham (3 January 1941 – 29 August 2010) was a Scottish writer, director and producer, best known for his writing work on the British television series ''The Sweeney'', '' The Professionals'' and ''Dempsey and Makepeace''. Early life Graham was born in Sandakan, North Borneo (now Sabah) on 3 January 1941 to Scottish parents. Just over a year later, on 19 January 1942, the Japanese landed at Sandakan as part of the invasion of Borneo that had commenced on 16 December 1941 when the Japanese took Miri and Seria in Sarawak. For the first few months the European civilians were interned in various private houses in Sandakan; in May 1942 they were transferred to the prison camp on Berhala Island in Sandakan Harbour. Here Graham, his older sister Sheena and their mother were separated from their father. After eight months, the women and children were sent from Berhala Island to Batu Lintang camp in Kuching, Sarawak arriving at the camp after a nine-day difficult s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sweeney 2
''Sweeney 2'' is a 1978 British action crime drama film. It was made as a sequel to the successful 1977 film '' Sweeney!.'' Both films are an extension of the popular British ITV television series '' The Sweeney'' (1975–78). Some of the action in the film is transferred from the usual London setting to Malta. The series and films depict a fictionalised version of the Flying Squad. The term ''The Sweeney'' is derived from Cockney rhyming slang, originating in the expression ''Sweeney Todd: Flying Squad'', and is a real term used by the London underworld to refer to the Squad, whose brief was to investigate armed robbery within the Metropolitan Police District (MPD), an area roughly corresponding to Greater London. The film centres on the investigations of the fictional Detective Inspector Jack Regan (John Thaw) and his partner Detective Sergeant George Carter (Dennis Waterman). Plot A group of particularly violent armed robbers, who are committing bank and payroll robberies ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Thaw
John Edward Thaw, (3 January 1942 – 21 February 2002) was an English actor who appeared in a range of television, stage, and cinema roles. He starred in the television series ''Inspector Morse'' as title character Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse, ''Redcap'' as Sergeant John Mann, ''The Sweeney'' as Detective Inspector Jack Regan, ''Home to Roost'' as Henry Willows, and '' Kavanagh QC'' as title character James Kavanagh. Early life Thaw was born in Gorton, Manchester, to working-class parents John Edward ("Jack") Thaw (died 1997), a tool-setter at the Fairey Aviation Company aircraft factory, later a long-distance lorry driver, and Dorothy (née Ablott). Thaw had a difficult childhood as his mother left when he was seven years old. His younger brother, Raymond Stuart "Ray" emigrated to Australia in the mid-1960s. Thaw grew up in Gorton and Burnage, attending the Ducie Technical High School for Boys. He entered the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) at the age of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nadim Sawalha
Nadim Joakim Sawalha ( ar, نديم صوالحة) (born 9 September 1935) is a Jordanian-British actor, the father of actresses Nadia and Julia Sawalha. He appeared in two Bond films, '' The Spy Who Loved Me'' (1977) and ''The Living Daylights'' (1987). Background Sawalha was born in Madaba, Jordan, in 1935 and moved to Britain in the 1950s, to study drama. His daughter Julia revealed on her episode of '' Who Do You Think You Are?'' that even he is uncertain of his birth date, but it is thought to be around 7 to 9 September. Acting career Nadim Sawalha has made over 100 appearances in film and television, in a career spanning more than 40 years. Personal life Sawalha is married to Roberta Mary Lane, and has three daughters, Nadia, Julia and Dina. His brother is comedian Nabil Sawalha. Filmography Film Television Other roles *He played the part of Omar Badri in BBC's 'CDX' computer game. *In the 2018 BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barry Foster (actor)
John Barry Foster (21 August 1927 – 11 February 2002) was an English actor who had an extensive career in film, radio, stage and television over almost 50 years. He was best known for portraying the title character in the British crime series ''Van der Valk'' (1972–1992) and Bob Rusk in Alfred Hitchcock's ''Frenzy'' (1972). Early life Foster was born on 21 August 1927 in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, the son of a toolsetter. His family moved to Hayes, Middlesex when he was a few months old. He received his formal education at Southall County School. After leaving school, Foster trained as a plastics organic chemist at the local EMI Central Research Laboratories, while unsuccessfully submitting ideas to advertising agencies. Having been "called to the Colours" under the National Service Act 1948, Foster served with the Royal Air Force. He subsequently trained as an actor, having won a scholarship to train at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. He arrived there ag ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Colin Welland
Colin Welland (born Colin Edward Williams; 4 July 1934 – 2 November 2015) was an English actor and screenwriter. He won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance as Mr Farthing in '' Kes'' (1969) and the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for writing ''Chariots of Fire'' (1981). Early life Welland was born Colin Edward WilliamsRoberts, Sam"Colin Welland, Oscar-Winning Writer of ''Chariots of Fire'', Dies at 81" ''The New York Times''. 3 November 2015. at the Maternity Hospital in Liverpool"Colin E Williams, 1934. England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008" Birth Registration, Liverpool, Lancashire, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England. From "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006" database, ''FindMyPast.co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diane Keen
Diane Keen (born 29 July 1946) is an English actress, known for her portrayal of Fliss Hawthorne in the Granada sitcom ''The Cuckoo Waltz'' and Julia Parsons on the BBC soap opera ''Doctors''. She also appeared in Nescafé advertisements from 1980 to 1989. Early life and education Born in London, Keen grew up in East Africa, principally Tanganyika and later Kenya, where her father was a civil engineer. She attended boarding school and returned to Britain at the age of 19, where she became a secretary for The Ivy League's fan club; this led to her releasing a 45 r.p.m. single of "Sally Go 'Round the Roses" (credited as Dee King) on the Piccadilly label in 1966. Career Keen was a regular on television during the 1970s and early 1980s, starring in long-running sitcoms such as ''The Cuckoo Waltz'', ''Rings on Their Fingers'', '' Shillingbury Tales'' and ''You Must Be the Husband'', and in two runs of the Thames Television children's historical costume drama '' The Feathered Serpen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Latimer
Michael James Latimer (6 September 1941 – 25 June 2011) was a British television stage and film actor who later in his career turned to writing, directing and producing. Early life Latimer was born in Calcutta, where his father had a business, and was educated at the Leys School in Cambridge from 1955 to 1959, where he was a middle-distance runner and played rugby for the English Schoolboys Team.Obituary theleys.net; accessed 27 August 2014. Upon leaving school, he trained at the (RADA) for two years, and on leaving began acting in cabaret revues. He stood in for |
Morris Perry
Frank Morris Perry (28 March 1925 – 19 September 2021) was a British actor, best known for his roles on television. Perry was born in Bromley, Kent, England. His TV credits include '' City Beneath the Sea'', '' The Avengers'', ''Z-Cars'', '' Champion House'', ''The Champions'', ''The Persuaders!'', ''Doctor Who'' (in the serial ''Colony in Space''), ''Doomwatch'', ''Special Branch'', ''The Sweeney'', '' Survivors'', '' The Professionals'', '' Secret Army'', ''Reilly, Ace of Spies'', ''The Bill'', ''Midsomer Murders'' and ''Not Going Out''. His film credits include '' Nothing But the Night'' (1973), ''One Hour to Zero'' (1976), ''Sweeney!'' (1977), '' The Human Factor'' (1979), ''Silver Dream Racer ''Silver Dream Racer'' is a 1980 motor-racing film starring British pop star David Essex and Beau Bridges. The film was produced, written and directed by David Wickes. It was the last film to be made by the Rank Organisation. Plot Nick Freeman ...'' (1980), '' The Bunker'' (1981 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joe Melia
Joe Melia ( Giovanni Philip William Melia; 23 January 1935, Camden Town, Camden, London - 20 October 2012, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire) was a UK, British actor. Educated at the City of Leicester College, City of Leicester Boys' Grammar School and Downing College, Cambridge, where he read English, he first came to notice in Peter Nichols (playwright), Peter Nichols’s ''A Day in the Death of Joe Egg'' (Glasgow Citizens, 1967). Filmography Film * ''Too Many Crooks'' (1959) - Whisper * ''Follow a Star'' (1959) - Stage Manager * ''The Intelligence Men'' (1965) - Conductor * ''Four in the Morning (film), Four in the Morning'' (1965) - Friend * ''Modesty Blaise'' (1966) - Crevier * ''Oh! What a Lovely War'' (1969) - The Photographer * ''A Talent for Loving (film), A Talent for Loving'' (1969) - Tortillaw * ''Antony and Cleopatra'' (1972) - Messenger No. 1 * ''Sweeney! (1977 film), Sweeney!'' (1977) - Ronnie Brent * ''Leonardo's Last Supper'' (1977) * ''The Odd Job'' (1978) - Hea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Johnny Shannon
Johnny Shannon (born 29 July 1932) is an English actor who appeared in numerous television and film productions over a 40-year period, often playing policemen or crooks in crime dramas. Shannon's most memorable roles include the crime lord Harry Flowers in the cult film ''Performance'' (1970), Jack in ''That'll Be the Day'' (1973), the Agent in '' Slade In Flame'' (1975), the caged music executive in ''The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle'' (1980), Peter Rachman in ''Scandal'' (1989), and as a landlord in '' Stoned'' (2005). He played ''"Roly-Poly Peter"'' in the ''Minder'' episode ''Second Hand Pose''. Other television appearances include; ''EastEnders, Z-Cars, Beryl's Lot'', ''Fawlty Towers'', ''The Sweeney,'' ''The Bill'' and as London Gangster Charlie Turkel in ''The Professionals'' episode ''Old Dog with New Tricks.'' Shannon's other interests include watching horse racing and boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two peop ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |