''Barlow at Large'', later ''Barlow'', is a British

police procedural The police show, or police crime drama, is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasizes the investigative procedure of a police officer or department as the protagonist(s), as contrasted with other genres that focus on eith ...

television programme broadcast in the 1970s, starring

Stratford Johns Alan Edgar Stratford Johns (22 September 1925 – 29 January 2002), known as Stratford Johns, was a British stage, film and television actor who is best remembered for his starring role as Detective Inspector Charlie Barlow in the long-running ...

in the title role. Johns had previously played Barlow in the ''

Z-Cars ''Z-Cars'' or ''Z Cars'' (pronounced "zed cars") is a British television police procedural series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, near Liverpool. Produced by the BBC, it debuted ...

'', '' Softly, Softly'' and '' Softly, Softly: Taskforce'' series on BBC television during the 1960s and early 1970s. ''Barlow at Large'' began as a three-part self-contained spin-off from ''Softly, Softly: Taskforce'' in 1971 with Barlow co-opted by the Home Office to investigate

police corruption Police corruption is a form of police misconduct in which law enforcement officers end up breaking their political contract and abuse their power for personal gain. This type of corruption may involve one or a group of officers. Internal police ...

in Wales. Johns left ''Softly, Softly'' for good in 1972, but returned for a further series of ''Barlow at Large'' in the following year, Barlow having gone on full-time secondment to the Home Office. This second series, rather than telling one story in serial form, as the 1971 series had, was instead ten 50-minute episodes, each with a self-contained story (this would be the format of all subsequent series). In this series, Barlow was supported by Norman Comer as Detective Sergeant Rees, who had been helpful to him during the first series. He also had to deal with the political machinations of the senior civil servant Fenton (Neil Stacy). In 1974 the series was retitled ''Barlow'' and a further two series of eight episodes each followed, introducing the character of Detective Inspector Tucker, played by

Derek Newark Derek John Newark (8 June 1933 – 11 August 1998) was an English actor in television, film and theatre. Career Newark began his working life as a soldier in the Coldstream Guards before joining the Royal Artillery. However, he wanted to beco ...

. The final episode was transmitted in February 1975. The Barlow character was seen again in the series ''

Second Verdict ''Second Verdict'' is a six-part BBC television series from 1976. It combines the genres of police procedural and docudrama, with dramatised documentaries in which classic criminal cases and unsolved crimes from history were re-appraised by fict ...

'' in which he, along with his former colleague John Watt (

Frank Windsor Frank Windsor Higgins (12 July 1928 – 30 September 2020), known professionally as Frank Windsor, was an English actor, primarily known for his roles on television, especially policeman John Watt in ''Z-Cars'' and its spin-offs. Biography Win ...

), looked into unsolved cases and unsafe convictions from history. Episodes were 50 minutes in length and were filmed in colour: * Series 1: 15 September - 29 September 1971, 3 episodes * Series 2: 7 February - 11 April 1973, 10 episodes * Series 3: 23 January - 13 March 1974, 8 episodes * Series 4: 8 January - 26 February 1975, 8 episodes

Cast

- (DCS Charlie Barlow /... 1971, 1973-1975 / Series 1-4 / 29 episodes) *Norman Comer - (DS David Rees /... 1971, 1973-1974 / Series 1-3 / 13 episodes) *

Neil Stacy Neil Stacy (born 1941) is a British actor particularly known for his role in the 1980s television series ''Duty Free''.Vahimagi p.292 Selected television filmography * ''The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling'' (1964) * '' It's Dark Outside'' (1965 ...

- (A. G.(Anthony Gordon) Fenton /... 1973-1975 / Series 2-4 / 18 episodes) *

- (DI Eddie Tucker /... 1974-1975 / Series 3-4 / 15 episodes) Others: *

Tenniel Evans Walter Tenniel Evans (17 May 1926 – 10 June 2009) was a British actor and, latterly, clergyman. Family Walter Tenniel Evans was born in Nairobi, Kenya. His middle name derived from the illustrator Sir John Tenniel, a distant relation.

- (Chief Con. James 1971 / Series 1 / 2 episodes) *

Philip Madoc Philip Madoc (born Philip Arvon Jones; 5 July 1934 – 5 March 2012) was a Welsh actor. He performed many stage, television, radio and film roles, and was recognised for having a "rich, sonorous voice" and often playing villains and office ...

- (Rizzi 1973-1975 / Series 2-4 / 3 episodes) *

Noel Willman Noel Willman (4 August 1918 – 24 December 1988) was an Irish actor and theatre director. Born in Derry, Ireland, Willman died aged 70 in New York City, United States. Willman's films included '' The Man Who Knew Too Much'' (1956), '' Across ...

- (Sir Hugh Anderson 1973-1974 / Series 2-3 / 2 episodes) *

Ray McAnally Ray McAnally (30 March 1926 – 15 June 1989) was an Irish actor. He was the recipient of three BAFTA Awards in the late 1980s: two BAFTA Film Awards for Best Supporting Actor (for ''The Mission'' in 1986 and ''My Left Foot'' in 1989), and a ...

- (Commander Benson 1973-1974 / Series 2-3 / 2 episodes)

External links

* {{Z-Cars 1970s British police procedural television series 1971 British television series debuts 1975 British television series endings English-language television shows British television spin-offs