Callan is by no means a typical TV hero

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32701, 2 September 1971, Page 4

Callan is by no means a typical TV hero

If it is escapism you are after, Callan’s your man. A series muchlauded before its presentation here began fairly well, but produced on Tuesday evening its best episode so far—a realistic, tense tale of Callan, the man whose preoccupation is survival.

There was nothing much to remark upon in the plot—it was old hat for us spy experts. The British wanted to put an agent into East Germany, but agreed to send a dupe in advance—someone to be caught and interrogated, as a distraction from the major operation. And who better fitted for this singularly unhealthy role than Callan, who is disliked intensely by his former colleagues in the service, and is none too popular with anyone else?

So Callan was duped into going to'West Berlin, where everything was organised for his capture and his disposal over that wall. Chief of the villains plotting this treachery was a German, Bauer, an old enemy of Callan. Bauer was splendidly played by Robert Lang, who made him

a very, hateful, vengeancebound fellow. Edward Woodward’s Callan is a cut above most television espionage agents. He is a very able one, cool and resourceful, and a great hand with a gun—Bauer got his, head and heart, with the only two rounds Callan had for a revolver which had not been used for very many years but he is very human and real. Most film heroes, under stress, say they are frightened and look like heroic people saying they are frightened. Callan really seems frightened. He has a strange habit, under pressure, of reverting to an intonation which makes him sound very like the younger Steptoe. But Harold was a dreamer, Callan very much a man of action. “Goodness Bums Too Bright” provided a very good part for Gladys Cooper, one of the great ladies of the British theatre. Callan is going to draw this viewer back to the screen on Tuesday, and in general popularity this show probably ranks high.

Hamish Keith had a look at newspaper coverage of the -container situation in “Column Comment." He is an eloquent speaker, and a lively personality, who must by now be attracting considerable attention. “Gallery” tackled two important subjects. It presented two points of view about the freezing workers and the antibrucellosis campaign, then moved on to a group of representatives of the youth congress now taking place. The four young people were all impressive. Their enthusiasm for the tasks they see ahead of them, and the sincerity of their beliefs, came through bright and clear, and Geoff

Walker while offering a gentle direction of the conversation, let them have their heads, to good effect. * # *

Of the regulars, "Doctor in The House" was better than usual. We find Professor Loftus a delightful character, ail erudition and austerity. The humour of “Doctor In The House” is never hard to follow, but it has seme very funny moments. Poor Upton fell madly in love—and who could blame him—with Valerie (Lynn Dalby) who turned out to be Miss Loftus. Not a game of happy families. The worst feature of “D.1.T.H.” is the synthetic laughter from the unseen audience. It seems that a specially selected choir of harsh cacklers has been brought together fot this show. * * *

There were lashings of sentiment and humour in “Those Were The Days,” with its emphasis this week on the music hall and wartime. No doubt if one looked eagerly enough, faults could be found with this New Zealand production, but there are some fine voices, excellently blended choral numbers, and a cheerful air about the whole business; to this viewer, it seems a very short programme indeed. Although not by any means a regular watcher -of “Coronation Street,” this viewer has been interested in the dominant part in recent episodes taken by Annie Walker. Doris Speed does an outstanding job with Annie —arch, vain, socially ambitious, and able to shift her ground whenever convenient. And could poor old Jack Walker have given her better advice than that contained in his eloquent phrase: “Never put your shovel in where there’s no muck”’— PANDOftA.