This studio-bound early Sixties series - obviously inspired by "Casablanca", which was NOT a famous film in those days, being too old to be new and not yet old enough to be a classic (although one wonders how famous Bogart would BE now, had it not been for Woody's "revival" of him in "Play It Again Sam") - was very BIG In It's Day.
The lantern-jawed Patrick Allen had been in several low-budget movies - and after the success of "Crane", became Britain's top ad voice-over artist, before handing the crown to Bill Mitchell. In the Seventies, I briefly (separately) met Patrick Allen AND Bill Mitchell - oh, those VOICES!
But aside from Allen, the vivacious Laya Raki and smooth Gerald Flood, there was then-popular character actor Sam Kydd as "Croker", Crane's sidekick. And "Crane" almost proved to be his undoing...
The scene was one where Croker was bound and gagged, all ready to be rescued by the craggy Crane. He was SUPPOSED to be struggling to free himself, but what nobody realised was that his false teeth had become dislodged, were working their way down his throat and he was actually slowly CHOKING TO DEATH.
Luckily someone noticed that Sam appeared to be acting a little TOO convincingly, and he was brought round just as he was figuring the rushing in his ears was the last thing he'd ever hear...
All of which is why there are now SAFEGUARDS in place so that actors who are SUPPOSED to be in trouble can SIGNAL if they actually ARE!
The lantern-jawed Patrick Allen had been in several low-budget movies - and after the success of "Crane", became Britain's top ad voice-over artist, before handing the crown to Bill Mitchell. In the Seventies, I briefly (separately) met Patrick Allen AND Bill Mitchell - oh, those VOICES!
But aside from Allen, the vivacious Laya Raki and smooth Gerald Flood, there was then-popular character actor Sam Kydd as "Croker", Crane's sidekick. And "Crane" almost proved to be his undoing...
The scene was one where Croker was bound and gagged, all ready to be rescued by the craggy Crane. He was SUPPOSED to be struggling to free himself, but what nobody realised was that his false teeth had become dislodged, were working their way down his throat and he was actually slowly CHOKING TO DEATH.
Luckily someone noticed that Sam appeared to be acting a little TOO convincingly, and he was brought round just as he was figuring the rushing in his ears was the last thing he'd ever hear...
All of which is why there are now SAFEGUARDS in place so that actors who are SUPPOSED to be in trouble can SIGNAL if they actually ARE!