DRAMA BASED ON GALLICO NOVEL

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33777, 25 February 1975, Page 4

DRAMA BASED ON GALLICO NOVEL

Paul Gallico’s novel “The Zoo Gang” comes to N.Z.B.C. television as a series of six episodes, and stars Brian Keith. John Mills, Lilli

Palmer and Barry Morse as four veterans of the French Resistance reunited nearly 30 years after the war.

Produced by Herbert Hirschman, whose TV successes include “Playhouse 90,” “Studio One,” “Goodyear Playhouse.” “Dr Kildare.” “The Bold Ones.” “Perry Mason” and “Twilight Zone,” this fast-moving series is set in the sophisticated glamorous millionaires’ playground of the French Riviera, where all the location scenes have been filmed. New dramas in the out-of-the-ordinary stories of the most unexpected dangertilted adventurers, no longer young but with the spirit and vitality of their earlier years together, have been scripted by Reginald Rose (who is also the consultant), Howard Dimsdale (also scenario editor), John Kruse, William Fairchild. Peter Yeldham and Sean Graham.

The episodes have been directed by Sidney Hayers and John Hough, and the theme music is by the talented LeAm of the former Beatles — Paul McCartney and his wife Linda.

They were dubbed “The Zoo Gang” during World WatIl because of the animal codenames they used as members of the same Resistance group, working underground against the Nazis in France. The Fox. The ■ Elephant. The Leopard. The Tiger. The Zoo Gang are reunited

! 30 years later, meeting ad- ■ ventures, danger and excite- ’ ment as perilous as anything ' they faced in the wartime 1 years. But the enemy is i different. THE PLAYERS 1 Brian Keith portrays the i American. Stephen Halliday, wartime codename The Fox. former O.S.S. agent and now an important business execu- ’ tive in New York, and ' widowed. John Mills is the former ■ British Commando officer. Captain Tommy Devon, code- ( name The Elephant, and now I living in Nice where he runs his own jewellery shop, assisted by his niece JillLilli Palmer, making her first English-speaking appearance .in four years and starring in a television series for the first time, plays the . French member of the group, I Manouche Roget, wartime , Resistance fighter with the I codename The Leopard, and . widow of another member of I the group. Claude Roget (The . Wolf) killed by the Gestapo ! and whose death the pack has I i sworn to avenge. The Canadian member of , the foursome is Alec Mar- . lowe, wartime Lieutenant in , the R.C.A.F., codename The i (Tiger. He is portrayed by .'Barry Morse, the brilliant , (London-born actor who became one of the leading . figures in Canadian television . and also in Hollywood where I (he gained particular attention ■as the pursuing, relentless . Lieut. Gerrard in the long- . j running “The Fugitive’’ i series. REWARDS ! The Gang comes into being once more through its ' trapping of the man who i betrayed them. To the memI bers’ surprise, there is a big ' reward for capturing him. The money, they decide, shall be used to build a Children’s Hospital as a memorial (to Manouche’s late husband | Claude. ! But more money is needed. ! From this need emerges the . I idea of raising money in the i ( same way that they pitted their wits against the Nazis. i There are several such pos- ■ (sible sources. Rewards for I (the return of stolen property. i Thefts from criminals, peri haps through being hired to ' do something daring. The Riviera is the ideal ; locale, they decide, where ( 1 there is wealth, pleasure and ! leisure there is also crime and vice in all possible forms. In waging their new war, they will not only be gaining their own objective but producing a service to the community. Noted guest players appear in the various episodes, among them Walter Gotell, (Ingrid Pitt, Kieron Moore, | Alex Scott and Peter Cush- j ing. Direction is shared by; j Sidney Hayers and John (Hough. Mr Hayers is lone of (the most experienced of British directors, who learned ( his craft as a film editor and; has directed numerous television productions as well as I cinema films. John Hough, regarded as one of the most; outstanding of Britain’s ( younger directors, has also made his way up through; practical experience, starting; (in the sound department and; I then on the studio floor as I la third assistant.