''Dangerous Lady'' was a four-part British

mini-series A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format h ...

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

, which aired on

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

and was based on

Martina Cole Eilidh Martina Cole is a British crime writer. she has released twenty-six novels about crime, most of which examine London's gangster underworld. Four of her novels, ''Dangerous Lady'', '' The Jump'', '' The Take'' and '' The Runaway'' have be ...

's 1992 novel of the same name. The series premièred in 1995 and starred

Sheila Hancock Dame Sheila Cameron Hancock (born 22 February 1933) is an English actress, singer, and author. Hancock trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before starting her career in repertory theatre. Hancock went on to perform in plays and musica ...

Jason Isaacs Jason Isaacs (born 6 June 1963) is an English actor. Isaac's film roles include Col. Tavington in '' The Patriot'' (2000), Michael D. Steele in '' Black Hawk Down'' (2001), Lucius Malfoy in the ''Harry Potter'' film series (2002–2011), C ...

Susan Lynch Susan Lynch (born 5 June 1971) is a Northern Irish actress. three-times an IFTA Award winner, she also won the British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 2003 film '' 16 Years of Alcohol''. Her other film appearances in ...

and

Owen Teale Owen Teale (born 20 May 1961) is a Welsh character actor known for his role as Ser Alliser Thorne in the HBO fantasy TV series ''Game of Thrones''. Early life Owen Teale was born on 20 May 1961, in North Cornelly, south Wales, son of Roy and ...

. Each episode lasted 60 minutes and was a Warner Sisters production for the ITV network.

Plot

The story of a family of West End

gangsters A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and r ...

of Irish descent in 1960s

post-war In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period c ...

London, and the secret love affair between Maura, who rises to become one of the leading gangsters of her day, and Terry Patterson, a policeman. The story opens in May 1950, with the birth of Maura Ryan. The plot covers the exploits of the Ryan family up to the mid-1980s, culminating in the death of Michael Ryan and the arrest of Maura. The saga spans 30 years and contains all the elements of a typical

mobster A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...

family: Protection rackets, sleazy

Soho Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was develop ...

nightclubs, gold bullion heists, violent criminals and bloody and brutal exterminations.

Main cast

as Sarah Ryan *

as Michael Ryan *

as Maura Ryan *

as Terry Patterson * Cal Macaninch as Geoff Ryan * James Bowers as Roy Ryan * Philip Wright as Garry Ryan * John Thomson as Lee Ryan *

Frank Grimes Frank Grimes (born 1947) is an Irish stage and screen actor. Grimes was born in Dublin. He achieved his first major success as the young Brendan Behan in the 1967 stage adaptation of Behan's autobiography, ''Borstal Boy'', at the Abbey Theatre. ...

as Benjamin Ryan * Caroline Trowbridge as Janine

DVD release

The ''Dangerous Lady'' DVD was released 26 July 2005 by the Select O Hits Video studio

2012 stage adaptation

A stage version of ''Dangerous Lady'' opened at the

Theatre Royal Stratford East The Theatre Royal Stratford East is a 460 seat Victorian producing theatre in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham. Since 1953, it has been the home of the Theatre Workshop company, famously associated with director Joan Littlewood, whose ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, her third to be presented at the Royal Stratford, to positive reviews. The play ran from Friday 19 October 2012 - Saturday 17 November 2012.

References

External links

*{{IMDb title, id=0215693, title=Dangerous Lady 1990s British crime television series ITV television dramas Television series by ITV Studios 1995 British television series debuts 1995 British television series endings 1990s British drama television series 1990s British television miniseries English-language television shows Television shows produced by Central Independent Television Television shows based on British novels Television shows set in London