Campion (1989 TV series)

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Campion
Campiondvd.jpg
Peter Davison as Campion with his Lagonda
Genre Mystery drama
Created byMargery Allingham
Developed by John Hawkesworth
Written by Margery Allingham Jeremy Paul
Starring Peter Davison
Brian Glover
Andrew Burt
Composer Nigel Hess
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series2
No. of episodes16 (list of episodes)
Production
Producers Ken Riddington
Jonathan Alwyn
CinematographyJohn Baker
Nigel Walters
Running time50 minutes
Production companiesConsolidated Productions
WGBH Boston
Original release
Network BBC1
Release22 January 1989 (1989-01-22) 
16 March 1990 (1990-03-16)

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.

Contents

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. [2]

Cast

Episodes

Series 1 (1989)

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1" Look to the Lady "Martyn Friend Alan Plater 22 January 1989 (1989-01-22)
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 and John Gill
2" Police at the Funeral "Ronald Wilson Jeremy Paul 5 February 1989 (1989-02-05)
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 (1989-02-19)
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 (1989-03-05)
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, Rosalie Crutchley and Milton Johns

Series 2 (1990)

Episode #TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1" Sweet Danger " Robert Tronson Jill Hyem12 January 1990 (1990-01-12)
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 Savanake.

Guest stars: Iain Cuthbertson, Lysette Anthony, David Haig, Richard Pearson, Frank Mills, Paul Brooke and Arthur Blake
2" Dancers in Mourning " Christopher Hodson Jeremy Paul9 February 1990 (1990-02-09)
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 MorrisBrian Thompson23 February 1990 (1990-02-23)
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, Roy Spencer and Christian Rodska
4" Mystery Mile " Ken Hannam John Hawkesworth9 March 1990 (1990-03-09)
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: Miles Anderson, Geoffrey Bayldon, Edward Kelsey, Roger Hammond, Donald Bisset and John Tordoff

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margery Allingham</span> English writer of detective fiction, editor

Margery Louise Allingham was an English novelist from the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", and considered one of its four "Queens of Crime", alongside Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers and Ngaio Marsh.

Albert Campion is a fictional character in a series of detective novels and short stories by Margery Allingham. He first appeared as a supporting character in The Crime at Black Dudley (1929), an adventure story involving a ring of criminals, and would go on to feature in another 18 novels and over 20 short stories.

Campion may refer to:

<i>Mystery Mile</i>

Mystery Mile is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in 1930, in the United Kingdom by Jarrolds Publishing, London, and in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York. Following his first, supporting appearance in The Crime at Black Dudley (1929), it is the first of many novels starring the mysterious Albert Campion, and introduces his butler/valet/bodyguard Magersfontein Lugg.

<i>Dancers in Mourning</i>

Dancers in Mourning is a crime novel by English writer Margery Allingham, first published in 1937, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in the United States by Doubleday Doran, New York City; later U.S. versions used the title Who Killed Chloe?.

<i>Flowers for the Judge</i> 1936 novel by Margery Allingham

Flowers for the Judge is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in February 1936, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London, and in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York. It is the seventh novel to feature the mysterious Albert Campion, aided by his grouchy manservant Magersfontein Lugg.

<i>Look to the Lady</i>

Look to the Lady is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in January 1931, in the United Kingdom by Jarrolds Publishing, London, and in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York, as The Gyrth Chalice Mystery. It is the third novel featuring the mysterious Albert Campion, accompanied by his butler/valet/bodyguard Magersfontein Lugg.

<i>Police at the Funeral</i> Novel by Margery Allingham

Police at the Funeral is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in October 1931, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in 1932 in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York. It is the fourth novel with the mysterious Albert Campion, aided as usual by his butler/valet/bodyguard Magersfontein Lugg and his policeman friend Stanislaus Oates.

Lugg may refer to:

<i>The Case of the Late Pig</i>

The Case of the Late Pig is a crime novel by English writer Margery Allingham, first published 1937, by Hodder & Stoughton. It is the ninth novel featuring the mysterious Albert Campion and his butler/valet/bodyguard Magersfontein Lugg.

<i>Death of a Ghost</i> 1934 novel by Margery Allingham

Death of a Ghost is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in February 1934, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York. It is the sixth novel with the mysterious Albert Campion, aided by his policeman friend Stanislaus Oates.

<i>Sweet Danger</i> Novel by Margery Allingham

Sweet Danger is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in October 1933, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in the United States by The Crime Club as Kingdom of Death; later US versions used the title The Fear Sign. It is the fifth adventure of the mysterious Albert Campion, aided as usual by his butler/valet/bodyguard Magersfontein Lugg, and introduces the recurring character of Amanda Fitton.

Magersfontein Lugg is a fictional character in the Albert Campion detective novels, written by Margery Allingham. Servant and factotum to Mr Campion, Lugg is a former burglar, with a gruff manner, who hinders Campion socially as much as he helps detection–wise.

<i>Traitors Purse</i>

Traitor's Purse is a crime novel written by Margery Allingham. It was originally published in 1941 in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in the United States by Doubleday, New York as The Sabotage Murder Mystery. It is the eleventh novel in the Albert Campion series and is set during the Second World War.

<i>The Fashion in Shrouds</i> 1938 novel by Margery Allingham

The Fashion in Shrouds is a crime novel by English writer Margery Allingham. It was originally published in 1938 in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in the United States by Doubleday, New York. It is the tenth novel in the Albert Campion series.

<i>Coroners Pidgin</i> 1945 novel by Margery Allingham

Coroner's Pidgin is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in 1945, in the United Kingdom by William Heinemann, London and in the United States by Doubleday Doran, New York as Pearls Before Swine. It is the twelfth novel in the Albert Campion series.

<i>The China Governess</i> Novel by Margery Allingham

The China Governess is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in 1963, in the United Kingdom by Chatto & Windus, London. It is the seventeenth novel in the Albert Campion series.

<i>The Mind Readers</i>

The Mind Readers is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in 1965, in the United Kingdom by Chatto & Windus, London. It is the eighteenth novel in the Albert Campion series.

Mike Ripley was born in 1952 and is the British author of the award-winning ‘Angel’ series of comedy thrillers as well as a critic and archaeologist.

References

  1. "Campion | Drama Channel".
  2. "Campion: The Complete Collection". UK: Amazon. 12 May 2008.