Campion (TV series)
Campion is a British television mystery drama first broadcast on the BBC on 22 January 1989.[1] Each of the eight stories featured across the two series, broadcast in 1989 and 1990 respectively, are adapted from the Albert Campion mystery novels written by Margery Allingham. The series starred Peter Davison as Albert Campion, Brian Glover as his manservant Magersfontein Lugg and Andrew Burt as his policeman friend Stanislaus Oates.[2] Four novels were adapted for each series, each of which was originally broadcast as two separate hour-long episodes. Davison himself sang the title music for the first series; in the second series, it was replaced with an instrumental version. A Lagonda 16/80 featured extensively in the series. The car used in the series is now kept in Germany. The complete series was released on DVD on 12 May 2008, distributed by Acorn Media UK.[3]
| Campion | |
|---|---|
 Peter Davison as Campion with his Lagonda | |
| Genre | Mystery drama |
| Created by | Margery Allingham |
| Developed by | John Hawkesworth |
| Written by | Margery Allingham Jeremy Paul |
| Starring | Peter Davison Brian Glover Andrew Burt |
| Composer(s) | Nigel Hess |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 16 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Ken Riddington Jonathan Alwyn |
| Cinematography | John Baker Nigel Walters |
| Running time | 50 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Consolidated Productions WGBH Boston |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC1 |
| Picture format | 4:3 |
| Audio format | Mono |
| Original release | 22 January 1989 – 16 March 1990 |
Cast
- Peter Davison as Albert Campion
- Brian Glover as Magersfontein Lugg
- Andrew Burt as Stanislaus Oates
Episodes
Series 1 (1989)
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Look to the Lady" | Martyn Friend | Alan Plater | 22 January 1989 29 January 1989 | |
|
Campion learns that a mediaeval relic called the Gyrth Chalice, which for hundreds of years has been in the care of the Gyrth family at the village of Sanctuary, is threatened by an international gang of art thieves. For the Gyrths the stakes are high - if they lose the Chalice, their country estate will revert to the Crown. Campion travels to Sanctuary with Val Gyrth, and almost at once Val's aunt Lady Diana is found dead in the middle of a wood, apparently frightened to death... it seems the gang is already on the job. Guest stars: Gordon Jackson, Barbara Jefford, John Horsley, Martin Benson, Roy Evans Mona Bruce and John Gill | |||||
| 2 | "Police at the Funeral" | Ronald Wilson | Jeremy Paul | 5 February 1989 12 February 1989 | |
|
A murderer is on the loose at Cambridge, where the family of the late Professor John Faraday is being murdered. His niece's husband Andrew is found in the river with a bullet in his head, then his daughter Julia is poisoned and his son William is attacked. Campion is called in by a friend, and Caroline Faraday, the Professor's widow, retains him to protect her eccentric children William and Kitty and to find the murderer. Campion finds himself working on the case with Inspector Stanislaus Oates. Guest stars: Timothy West, Mary Morris, Tim Wylton and John Franklyn-Robbins | |||||
| 3 | "The Case of the Late Pig" | Robert Chetwyn | Jill Hyem | 19 February 1989 26 February 1989 | |
|
Campion investigates the murder of 'Pig' Peters, whose funeral he attended three months earlier. But after being buried, he turns up dead again. Guest stars: Michael Gough, Moray Watson, John Fortune, Dilys Laye, Rob Edwards, Amanda Elwes, Peter Tuddenham and Robert Eddison | |||||
| 4 | "Death of a Ghost" | Michael Owen Morris | Elaine Morgan | 5 March 1989 12 March 1989 | |
|
Campion, getting away from it all, visits his friend Belle Lafcadio, a rich art collector. Trouble begins with the murder of Claire Potter at an exhibition of works by a dead artist. Later, the inquest into her death reveals that she died from nicotine poisoning. Guest stars: Jean Anderson, Adrian Lukis, Carole Ruggier and Milton Johns | |||||
Series 2 (1990)
| Episode # | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Sweet Danger" | Robert Tronson | Jill Hyem | 12 January 1990 19 January 1990 | |
|
Campion is asked to find documents that will prove that the Fittons are the rightful owners of a tiny Dalmatian state where oil has been discovered. Campion returns to Pontisbright in disguise in order to track down Savanke. Guest stars: Iain Cuthbertson, Lysette Anthony, David Haig, Richard Pearson, Frank Mills and Paul Brooke | |||||
| 2 | "Dancers in Mourning" | Christopher Hodson | Jeremy Paul | 9 February 1990 16 February 1990 | |
|
Campion visits the country house of the famous dancer Jimmy Sutane to investigate a string of unpleasant practical jokes, and falls in love. On Campion's first night at White Walls, another guest, Chloe Pye dies - though whether by accident, murder or suicide remains to be seen. Influenced by his feelings for Linda Sutane, Campion refuses to believe the evidence against her husband Jimmy, and continues trying to clear his name. But when another murder occurs, Sutane's innocence becomes impossible to sustain. Guest stars: Ian Ogilvy, Pippa Guard, Michael Melia, Tony Steedman, Paddy Joyce, Patricia Brake and Stephen Churchett | |||||
| 3 | "Flowers for the Judge" | Michael Owen Morris | Brian Thompson | 23 February 1990 2 March 1990 | |
|
Campion is drawn into the family feuds besetting the Golden Quill publishing business. One of the Barnabas family, who own the company, is found dead, leaving Campion's friend, Mike Barnabas, as the chief suspect. Campion is determined to prove the innocence of his friend Mike Barnabas, arrested for the murder of Paul Brande, but in trying to do so he puts his own life in jeopardy. Guest stars: Robert Lang, Barrie Ingham, Christopher Benjamin, Patricia Maynard, John Bardon and Christian Rodska | |||||
| 4 | "Mystery Mile" | Ken Hannam | John Hawkesworth | 9 March 1990 16 March 1990 | |
|
American Judge Crowdy Lobbett has suffered several attempts on his life and has decided to leave the United States and travel to England in the hope of finding a safe haven. The Lobbett family meet Campion on board their transatlantic liner, and the Judge's son Marlowe asks him to help with their problems. Judge Lobbett mysteriously disappears, Biddy Pagett is kidnapped, and Lugg tries to warn Campion off the Simister mob investigation, but he refuses to give in. Guest stars: Lisa Orgolini, Miles Anderson, Geoffrey Bayldon, Edward Kelsey, Roger Hammond, Donald Bisset and John Tordoff | |||||
References
External links
- Campion on IMDb
- Comment on the adaptations at the Margery Allingham Archive
- The credit sequence for the first series, at the BBC's Cult TV site (no longer maintained).
- The credit sequence for series 2, as above.