''Mr Palfrey of Westminster'' is a British television drama produced by
Thames Television
Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992.
Thames Television broa ...
for
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 ...
which ran between 18 April 1984 and 11 June 1985.
Plot summary
Mr Palfrey is a mild, middle-aged man—the epitome of a middle-ranking British Civil Servant. He is also a
spook
Spook is a synonym for ghost. Spook or spooks may also refer to:
People
* Spook (nickname), shared by several notable people
* Per Spook (born 1939), Norwegian fashion designer
* a ghostwriter
* a racial slur referring to a black person
* an unde ...
.
Two series in total were made in addition to the pilot. The pilot, "The Traitor", by George Markstein, aired as part of
Thames Television
Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992.
Thames Television broa ...
's ''Storyboard'' anthology on 23 August 1983. Series 1 consisted of four one-hour episodes, and first aired on Wednesday evenings from 9.00 to 10.00pm, 18 April to 9 May 1984. Series 2 consisted of six one-hour episodes and aired on Tuesdays, again from 9.00 to 10.00pm, 7 May to 11 June 1985. A subsequent play featuring Blair, "A Question of Commitment", by Philip Broadley, was first transmitted in the ''Storyboard'' anthology on 23 May 1989.
Regular cast and characters
*
Alec McCowen
Alexander Duncan McCowen, (26 May 1925 – 6 February 2017) was an English actor. He was known for his work in numerous film and stage productions.
Early life
McCowen was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, the son of Mary (née Walkden), a dance ...
as Mr Palfrey, the lead character, a
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London. The road forms the first part of the A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea. It is the main thoroughfare running south from Trafalgar Square towards Parliament Sq ...
-based spycatcher
*
Briony McRoberts as Caroline, Mr Palfrey's secretary
*
Clive Wood
Clive Wood (born 8 May 1954) is an English actor, known for his television roles in ''Press Gang'' (1989–93), ''The Bill'' (1990), '' London's Burning'' (1996–99), and as King Henry I in ''The Pillars of the Earth'' (2010). His stage roles inc ...
as Blair, Mr Palfrey's more action-orientated assistant
*
Caroline Blakiston as Co-Ordinator, head of espionage activities for the British Government
Episode list
Series 1 (1984)
Series 2 (1985)
DVD release
The complete series, including the pilot episode ("The Traitor") and the 'postscript' play transmitted in 1989 and featuring Clive Wood as Blair, was released on a 3-DVD set by Network Distributing Ltd. on 16 August 2010.
RadioTimes DVDs
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Notes
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mister Palfrey of Westminster
1984 British television series debuts
1985 British television series endings
1980s British drama television series
ITV television dramas
English-language television shows
Television series by Fremantle (company)
Television shows produced by Thames Television
Television shows set in London