'The Professionals' TV Series - Other Sightings of Martin Shaw

Dave Matthews presents The Authorised Guide to THE PROFESSIONALS!

Last updated : 23rd December 2005

Go to Filmography or Theatre Roles

Go to Other Sightings of Lewis Collins or Gordon Jackson.

Many thanks to Karen Kaufmann, Sue Sandy, Cathy Madden, Katya Stevens and Kay Ferguson for notification of myriad sightings of Martin Shaw that I either wasn't previously aware of or had simply forgotten!

Martin Shaw was born on 21st January 1945 in Birmingham, England. He hated school and found the only subject he enjoyed was English Literature. With his first stage appearance at the age of three alongside his parents in an amateur production, it was unsurprising that he keenly tackled various parts in school plays. Spurred on to study Shakespeare and playing in a local amateur group The Pied Pipers ("We used to parade through the streets and attract children and perform on bomb-sites. The analogy with the original Pied Piper clearing the city of pests had some truth!") he subsequently won a scholarship for the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) where he was spotted by Alec Guinness during a performance of "Thunder Rock".

He excelled during his 'apprenticeship' here and soon moved into reperatory work. Theatre parts were quickly offered (including key roles in plays such as 'Look Back in Anger' and 'Streetcar Named Desire'). His first major television role came in 1967 as hippie student Robert Croft in the long-running soap Coronation Street. But he was still keen on Shakesperean roles, as Roman Polanski's 1970 adaptation of Macbeth reveals.... nevertheless he admitted to hankering after the Special Guest Villain spot in the crazy "Batman" TV series!

In September 1969, while enjoying a night out, he was viciously attacked by muggers and the resulting injuries led to the insertion of a plastic plate as a substitute for a smashed right cheek-bone. The attack prompted him to give up alcohol completely.

While filming Macbeth a fellow actor introduced him to Indian spiritual teachings and Martin immediately opted to take up a strict vegetarian lifestyle. In 1979 he gave up smoking.

Martin's first lead role in television was that of an abusive husband in the 1974 serial Helen - A Woman of Today. The programme courted controversy... just the sort of exposure a young actor thrived on!

A key role for Martin was that in the 1977 New Avengers episode 'Obsession' where even in this fantasy adventure series, he put in a tour-de-force performance as Purdey's ex-fiance seeking retribution for the execution of his father. This part led directly to his casting as Ray Doyle in The Professionals (though, admittedly, only because actor Jon Finch had turned it down).

He came to international stardom with The Professionals – a show which he didn't think would last more than two seasons! His antipathy towards the programme is, of course, well-known as he struggled to come to terms with a character that, in his own eyes, was little more than a violent puppet.

Martin has often complained that his career prior to The Professionals has been forgotten but the reality is that much of his TV work from the 1960s and early 1970s has either been wiped or remained locked in broadcaster's vaults.

During the 1980s he seemed to shy away from television but spent much time in various theatre roles, gaining praise from the critics. Perhaps his best - and certainly most strenuous! - stage role came in 1985 playing Elvis Presley in Alan Bleasdale's 'Are You Lonesome Tonight?' which examined The King's final twenty-four hours in August 1977.

The play toured and ran well into 1986. Shortly after he was asked to take a role (it's not clear which) in one of the most successful stage plays ever: 'Phantom of the Opera'. Unfortunately sheer exhaustion from Elvis meant he needed a long break and he turned down the new offer - a decision which, although unavoidable, he greatly regretted.

As the 1980s rolled on, The Professionals continued to cause problems. Martin claims that London Weekend Television tried to avoid obligatory negotiations over repeat fees in 1987. A revised offer was unsatsfactory to the actor and ensuing arguments ended in the law courts in April the following year. Martin won the case but found himself under attack from the tabloid press who claimed that he wanted to be regarded as a "Serious Actor" and thus simply did not want the series to be rescreened.

The 1990s have seen a return to high-profile television. In 1993 he appeared in the eponymous role of the police procedural series The Chief. Although this received a lukewarm reception in the UK, it seems to have done better in other countries.

In 1996 the BBC commissioned one of their most expensive series ever. Rhodes concerned the life of British diamond prospector and politician Cecil Rhodes, played by Martin (and his son Joe Shaw playing the young Cecil in the first episode). Unfortunately this series was deemed over-long (a total of eight hours) which rather dampened its dramatic effect and consequently failed to attract the high ratings the BBC were banking on. Interestingly when a six-hour version was screened in other countries, it was far more successful.

In early 1997 plans were formulated to revive The Professionals but Martin was not invited to reprise his role.

In the summer of 1998 Martin was in Prague to film a new version of The Scarlet Pimpernel (A & E of America, who co-produced the series, had insisted on his casting because Rhodes had faired so well in the US) where he played the character of secret policeman Chauvelin. After several unexplained delays, UK transmission started on 24th January 1999 and the series was welcomed by many. Stupidly, however, the BBC scheduled the show against two very popular ITV programmes (Heartbeat and London's Burning), so lost out on ratings again.

Medical dramas have provided a major source of programming since the 1950s and so the news that yet another, Always and Everyone, had been commissioned by ITV in 1999 was met with dismay by many quarters and Martin himself seemed unsure about taking a role he had been offered in it. However the series faired surprisingly well and got three seasons under its belt until Martin decided to leave the show.

In 2000 Martin took on the role of Judge John Deed, a drama series looking at topical issues and the injustice and absurdities in the legal system, with the sympathetic Deed gamely tackling his own colleagues. The show has proved a success for the BBC, which continues to produce the show.

Martin Shaw has been married and divorced twice, with three children by his first wife. He is currently married to TV presenter Vicky Kimm and they share a love of flying – both possessing Private Pilot Licenses and a vintage bi-plane which they regularly enter into competitions.

To contact Martin, you must go via his agent. Presently he is with Ken McReddie.

Filmography

All films and shows made in the United Kingdom except where stated

MARTIN SHAW
Year Film or TV Show title and country Character Comments DVD/Video

1966 Love on the Dole (TV play) Irish Communist A Granada Television adaptation of the early 1940's film, originally written by Walter Greenwood. This seems to have been a fairly minor role for Mr Shaw. Thanks to Nicola Wood for uncovering this one!

1967 Son of the City (TV) A Boxer

1967 Travelling Light (TV play) Arnold Champion Trevor Bannister and Martin play friends and co-lodgers in a bedsit. Martin's character attempts to his pal's girlfriend. Despite this apparent lack of plot, the play ran for 80 minutes! Tx: 11th September.

1967 Coronation Street (TV drama) Bobby Croft Martin appeared in several episodes as a headband-wearing student hippie!

1967 City '68 epsiode 'A Son of the City' (TV play) George Leese Martin plays swimming-pool attendant George who beats up a young girl. A welfare worker discovers that George had a troubled upbringing but before she can help him, he is arrested. Tx: 15th December

1968 City '68 epsiode 'Them Down There' (TV play) Andy Martin plays a labourer who starts an affair with the bored wife of a farmer when he is employed by the couple to renovate their buildings. Tx: 24th September

1968 Another Part of the Forest (TV play) ? Play produced by LWT but nothing else known. Perhaps another victim of mass erasings in the early 1970s...?

1968 Public Eye episode 'Strictly Private and Confidential (TV series) Ron Baker This was a popular long-running series (thirteen years, I think) starring Alfred Burke as downtrodden gumshoe Frank Marker. In contrast to the glitzy American shows of the era, Marker's life was far from glamorous as he struggled to eke out a living. One season ended with him being jailed after an investigation went wrong. Frustratingly the episode with Martin has, like many of the early vidotaped stories, been wiped and possibly lost forever. Coming soon

1969 Title unknown (TV docu-drama) Guy Fawkes

1969 Doctor in the House (TV comedy) Huw Evans Martin appeared in a few episodes of this. He played a permanently inebriated Welsh junior doctor - yes, the National Health Service was in trouble even back then!

1969 Fraud Squad in episode 'All Claims Paid For' (TV series) Marchmont

1969 Two Feet Off the Ground (TV play) Norman The daughter of a rich executive returns from University and causes chaos. Tx 16th August 1969 on ITV.

1969 The Strange Report episode 'Sniper: When is Your Cousin Not?' (TV) Savi Strange Report was a now forgotten series concerning ex-Scotland Yard Detective Adam Strange (played by Anthony Quayle) who took on cases that left the police baffled. Some episodes were released on video, though I don't know if this particular one was. Thanks to Eamon Rooney at The Professionals Appreciation Society for spotting that one! Click!

1970 The Mating Machine episode 'Who Sleeps on the Right?' (TV) Frank Comedy about a computerised dating service. Martin plays alongside Pauline Collins as a couple who meet through the service and, despite quickly marrying, discover they really know very little about each other, particularly their respective political stances. Tx: 8th October. (Many thanks to Lin Reid)

1971 Play For Today: The Pigeon Fancier (TV) ? Philip Jackson stars in the title role but no other info on this - did it surive the BBC's purges of the early seventies?? (Thanks to Lin Reid)

1971 Macbeth (Film) Banquo At school I always tried to enjoy Shakespeare but the overblown, incomprehensible dialogue comes across as so unnatural today, when performed it seems to cause some of the players – doubtless enthralled to have been cast in a Bard play – to overact at times. This Roman Polanski version (for Playboy Productions, amazingly! No wonder Francesca Annis had to get her kit off!) of the classic story is a suitably dark and gritty vision of those medieval times. It's a tad gory in places, though hardly the bloodbath the video packaging's hype would have you believe. At two hours and twenty minutes it is also far too long! Nevertheless Shaw fans should find it a fascinating early entry on his CV. Also interesting to note the title role played by Jon Finch – Brian Clemens' original choice for Doyle. (Watch out for a very young Keith Chegwin, too! This is an all-star cast, you know!) Click!

1971 Hamlet (TV movie, US/UK) Horatio Richard Chamberlain plays the title role.

1972 Achilles Heel (TV play) Dave Irwin Martin plays the lead in a play about a top football suffering an injury that threatens career. Tx 25th April 1972 on ITV.

1972 Villains (TV) ? A 13-part LWT series (shown between 22nd July and 14th October of '72), it centered around nine bank robbers who escape from custody. Beginning with the robbery itself, the series then followed their lives and the people around them in the aftermath. Martin sports long hair and moustache - a still of him can be seen in a book entitled simply 'British Television'. Many thanks to Richard Spurr for info!

1973 The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (Film) Rachid Aha! Even before The Professionals, Martin had a penchant for long, curly locks! Another 1970's permed superhero stars here, too – Tom Baker! Screenplay by Brian Clemens. But us lads are catered for, too, in the very lovely form of Caroline Munro!! Considering she took part in a number of Brian's projects (eg Captain Kronos, New Avengers) how come she never appeared in The Professionals??!! Missed opportunity, if you ask me! Click!

1974 Aquarius (TV) Orestes Long-running weekly arts review show, this time looking at Martin's Streetcar Named Desire. Still available in the archievs, apparently.

1974 Electra (TV play) Orestes Not even the BBC would wipe this from their archives... would they?

1974 Ford TV advert for the Mk 2 Capri Presumably some sort of screen-test for what was to come! This ad was recently shown on the BBC's Watchdog programme. Well done to Kenneth Alim for spotting this one!
According to Martin himself, the ad was about three minutes in length, making it the longest UK commercial at the time. The brief excerpt seen recently shows a young Capri driver (MS) picking up a young lady on a deserted country road. Inevitably a beautiful romance blossoms and it's clear the notion Ford was trying to convey for the car is very different to the thrusting, roaring, spitfire image it would soon achieve - partly via a certain Mr Shaw, of course!

1974 Helen, a Woman of Today (TV) Frank Tully According to the 'British Television' book (which also contains a photo of Martin for this series) this was another LWT 13-parter. Martin played an abusive husband and the series centres around whether Helen should stay with him or leave. A controversial topic in its day and was accompanied at some point by a talk show to discuss its implications. Many thanks indeed to Linda Gault and Richard Spurr!

1975 Operation: Daybreak (Film, UK/Czechoslovakia - aka The Price of Freedom and Seven Met at Daybreak) Karel Curda Fact-based wartime drama. Martin, unusually case in a rather subdued role, plays a member of a group sent to assassinate high-ranking German officer Reinhard Heydrich. But things become complicated when Curda realises the murder will put his family in danger from Nazi retaliation. Co-starring Bodie Mk I Anthony Andrews, Joss Ackland, Nicola Pagett and Anton Diffring. Filmed during the winter of 1975 in freezing Prague and well worth catching. Doesn't seem to be available...?

1975 The Explorers episode 'Burke and Wills', aka 'Ten Who Dared' (TV, UK/Australia) Robert Burke A documentary series produced by the BBC which used actors to portray the lives of various famous, er.... explorers! Burke was an Irishman born in 1820 who migrated to Melbourne and joined the police force. In 1860, with William Wills, he led an expedition across Australia. But accidents, poor team co-ordination and a lack of rapport with the Aborigines resulted in both men and almost all of their team dying of starvation at Cooper's Creek, central Australia. History lesson over! Bizarrely the American version uses a theme us Brits would more readily recognise as that from the seventies sports show Superstars and is introduced by a drunk-looking Anthony Quinn!

1975 Barlow episode 'Asylum ' (TV series) Stefan Borowski Barlow was a spin-off from Z-Cars. Martin plays a Polish sailor pleading with the authorities to allow him to start a new life in Britain. Although mostly studio-bound, this is quite a neat episode.

1976 On the Move (TV) see note Bob Hoskins and Donald Gee played removal men in little sketches in this adult literacy programme. It would appear that each episode included a guest artist and on at least one occasion this was Martin. Many thanks to Sue Curtis for info and some good detective work on this one! A clip from Martin's episode was recently screened on a show called Before They Were Famous, confirming that at least part of the episode survives. (Thanks to Carol Good)

1976 Love's Labours Lost (TV) The King of Navarre

1976 Spice Island Farewell (TV) ? According to The Times newspaper this was "A tale of mad traditions of duty crushing a young trooper in Portsmouth in the 1870s." Tx: May 1976.

1976 Beasts episode 'Buddyboy' (TV) Dave Beasts was a six-episode horror anthology series written by Quatermass creator Nigel Kneale and centred around humans' fear of animals. Martin's episode concerns a seaside aquarium that loses its star attraction, a dolphin named Buddyboy, in mysterious circumstances. The owner, Hubbard, is so upset that he decides to sell the place. Martin's character plans to turn it into a "theatre of erotic entertainment" (Why are dodgy types always called Dave?!) but he becomes suspicious about Hubbard's haste to get rid of the property. When Dave starts to make enquiries, the consequences prove horrifying. To be honest it's not that great (certainly not as good as my memory of it) and is one for Shaw completists only. But it does reveal one interesting fact: shot in the spring of 1976, Marty had adopted the infamous Doyle bubble-perm a good twelve months before working on The Professionals! Click!

1976 Sutherland's Law episode 'Blind Jump ' (TV series) Alan Forsyth Barely-remembered BBC series about a Scottish law firm and a Procurator Fiscal (Sutherland) played by Iain Cuthbertson. It was interesting in that it explained some of the differences between English and Scottish Law. Ran to 45 episodes over three years but apparently almost a third of them have been junked. Martin possibly only starred in this one instalment (which survives intact). Tx 13.07.1976 (Thanks to "Max" for info.)

1977 Jubilee: Our Kid (TV) ? No info on this at the moment. For the benefit of non-UK'ers 1977 was Queen Elizabeth's twenty-fifth anniversary to accession to the throne - hence we remember it as "jubilee" year. In fact if you watch the Wimbledon scenes from 'Killer With a Long Arm', you'll spot many references to it.

1977 Z-Cars episode 'Domestic' (TV series) Graham Moffat Popular long-running police show. Martin probably starred in just the one episode. Tx 28.06.1977

1977 The New Avengers episode 'Obsession' (TV) Larry Doomer Although rather "theatrical" at times, Martin excelled in this part as Purdey's ex-fiance hell-bent on revenge for the death of his father – with a little help from his friend Lew Collins, of course! Click!

1977 Exiles (TV) Michael J Arlen From the BBC's Play of the Week series, this is a dramatisation of the relationship between author Michael Arlen and his son, Michael J. Tx: September 1977.

1977 The Duchess of Duke Street episode 'Family Matters' (TV) Arthur The BBC's answer to Upstairs Downstairs, though neither as popular nor long-lasting. Click!

1978 The Freddie Starr Experience (TV) Lew and Martin appeared together (with Hazell star Nicholas Ball) on the comedian's show in a rather silly golfing sketch. Lewis doesn't get any dialogue and Martin just speaks a line or two of nonsense.
What strikes me as interesting about the lads' appearance here, though, is that as it was apparently filmed in February 1978 - a time when The Professionals would have only been halfway through transmission of the first season - it would seem to confirm that even by this early stage it was becoming a highly-recognised series.
To be honest the sketch (and, indeed, the entire show) are about as funny as a wet weekend in Wigan. However the "novelty" is that we see Martin and Lew outside of The Professionals, yet clearly in their Doyle & Bodie personae: they wear familiar clothes and Lewis shoots one of the other golfers!

1978(?) The Royal Variety Performance (TV)
I'm really not certain of the year here – the commentator mentions that actor Robert Powell (standing next to Martin, Lewis and Gordon) is involved in the remake of The Thirty-Nine Steps which was 1978.

1978 Jim'll Fix It (TV) Very popular long-running Saturday teatime show where ex-DJ Jimmy "Marathon Man" Saville fulfilled the dreams of young children - which usually involved meeting (and maybe even singing with) a pop star of the day...

Eleven-year-old Michelle Beckley longed to meet her heroes from The Professionals and Sir Jim obliged with the three stars coming to the studio. Michelle had just undergone a bone marrow transplant and as a follow-on from the programme she was soon to find herself back in hospital playing the part of Mickey Hamilton's terminally ill daughter. (Info courtesy of The Complete Professionals and the BBC's "I Love 1977" - and thanks to Liz Morgan for jogging my elbow over this one!)

Jim to Martin: "You're her favourite!"
Lewis: "Oh, right, that's it, I'm off then!"
Gordon, referring to Michelle and MS: "Well I hope you'll both be very happy together!"

1978 Brucie's Big Night Out (TV) Comic performer Bruce Forsyth attempted to revive the variety show, where members of the audience would get the chance to perform short sketches with stars of the day. As far as I can remember it only ran to a handful of shows. Martin's installment was transmitted on 25th December.

1980 Cream in My Coffee (TV) Jack Butcher Little-known play by the late Dennis Potter, filmed in April 1980, just prior to production of the fourth Professionals season. The piece centres around an elderly couple returning to a seaside hotel where they last stayed in 1934, evoking memories of an affair between the wife (Shelagh McLeod) and a well-known singer (Martin). Incidentally, contrary to popular belief, it is NOT Martin singing.
To be honest I found it all utterly boring. None of the usual Potter elements such as humour, grit, pathos or naked women. The most interesting element was trying to work out which accent Martin was attempting!

1980 ITV Awards (TV) The Professionals won ITV Programme of the Year and Martin and Lewis collected the award together. Some nice, funny banter, too.

1982 The Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (TV) More often known simply as "Swap Shop", this was a massively popular children's Saturday morning show. According to BBC documentation Martin was interviewed from an unnamed hospital - presumably he was recuperating from the leg nijury he suffered during "They're Playing Our Song". Tx: 13th March

1982 East Lynne (Film) Archibald Carlyle Victorian melodrama. Rather insipid tragi-romance. Give it a miss!

1982(?) Pebble Mill at One (?) Although I can't be sure of the source of this interview, it may have been Pebble Mill, one of the better daily lunch-time chat shows (and named after the Birmingham studios from which it was broadcast.) Martin mentions that he will be playing Richard III for a series of BBC television plays later in the year. I'm not sure whether it got much exposure in the UK but it's available on DVD (as part of an expensive box-set) from the USA. (Thanks to Graham Angell) US only

1983 Facelift (Film) Zax An absolutely bizarre sci-fi musical! In the year 2074 society is split into two distinct classes. The Numbers are a logical, emotionless race and involved in experiments to discover whether Man has a soul. The Names, on the other hand, are the downbeat remnants of traditional humankind. The two factions do not normally mix. Martin plays a magician whose nightly stage act (while wearing outlandish make-up and costumes) delights his fellow Names. One night a female Number attends the show and Zax becomes fascinated by her. He creates a cyborg in her image for use in his next show but his assistant becomes jealous. Well I started to lose it at that point! It is all very strange indeed. The whole thing was obviously done on a very tight budget - in fact it looked like a production by a bunch of students! The songs are awful and the dance troop decidedly amateurish. I actually found it very funny - for all the wrong reasons! One for Shaw fanatics only and this time I wouldn't blame him for stopping repeats! In fact of all the many TV interviews he did at the time, Facelift was never mentioned! Watch out for Clarke Peters, who played Colonel Ojuka in The Professionals.

1983 An Audience with Mel Brooks (TV) One-off show in which Mel interacted with members of a celebrity audience. Gordon Jackson was also present. MS to Mel: "What do you say to people who accuse you of bad taste?" / Mel: "I say 'Up yours!' "

1983 This is Your Life (TV) Lew was the 'victim'! The programme opens with Gordon Jackson jumping out of a car - driven by Peter Brayham - and bellowing "Bodie!!" - which gave Lew a huge shock! Martin doesn't actually appear in the studio but he reports in from Dartmoor where he was filming for The Hound of the Baskervilles.

1983 The Hound of the Baskervilles (Film) Sir Henry Baskerville And still he retains that wicked hairstyle! Something strange here: you think he is putting on an American accent, but I'm sure his lines are actually being dubbed by a different actor. Click!

1983 Persil Automatic (TV ad) A special tie-in promotion between Persil (a brand of washing powder) and British Rail. Two women are in a cafe chatting about one's companion – played by Martin. The first woman asks how the second got him to go to Paris with her, the second says that he came free with a packet of Persil. Eventually, the second admits that there's a catch: she's got to take him home with her, too. In fact this may well be the advert that I refer to in Lewis' filmography – I just got the actors mixed up. Incidentally the jacket MS wears in this commercial appears to be identical to the red, black and white one he wore in the 'Spy Probe' episode.

1983 The Kenny Everett Video Show (TV) A hugely popular show from the late madcap DJ with his crazy sketches and characters (and not forgetting Cleo Roccos and Hot Gossip!). Martin appeared in a short sketch in one episode involving a police officer, his prisoner and the irresistable Ms Roccos in a train compartment– it was quite funny, if a little predictable.

1983 6.55 Special (TV) Ex-Pebble Mill presenter Bob Langley and MS hike around the Lake District and chat about The Professionals and Martin's guru-inspired lifestyle. Interestingly MS also mentions that he likes to go gliding - a sport that he apparently didn't learn until 1984: see later entry for Sporting Chance. Hmmm.....

1983 Good Morning Britain (TV) Preview of Martin's 'A Country Girl' stageplay. Tx: September

1984 Good Morning Britain (TV) Another interview, this time featuring clips from Achilles Heel and 'Hunter/Hunted'. Tx 1st Feb 1984

1984 Saturday Superstore (TV) This was a two-an-a-half hour weekly kids show with guest celebrities, music, cartoons and all sorts. tx 10th March 1984, the last day MS starred in 'A Country Girl'

1984 The Last Place on Earth (TV mini-series) Robert Falcon Scott Fact-based drama concerning the race to the South Pole. Martin played the lead role but courted controversy with his portrayal of an egotistical, arrogant and foolish Scott who made mistakes all along the way. The Scott family themselves apparently tried to ban the show! You'll get a shock when you see MS' hairstyle in this one as he was required to shave his head! Check out Emily Slatten's splendid website. Click!

1984 Living Wheels (TV) This show, co-hosted by Martin, discussed motorcycle safety (like that exercised in 'Wild Justice' perhaps?! In fact this episode is mentioned a couple of times.)

1984 Sporting Chance (TV) This series challenged celebrities to master a particular sport. Martin chose to learn to fly a glider and seemed to enjoy it immensely!

1984 Sunday, Sunday (TV) Gloria Hunniford chats with MS about The Last Place on Earth and, of all things, The Bullshitters!!! He said he liked it but found it inaccurate because Peter "Foyle" Richardson's jockstrap had been red and not black!?!! Tx 18th November.

1984 Breakfast Television (TV) The Beeb's morning show. Martin was involved in the famine relief appeal for Ethiopia. tx 14th Nov 1984

1985 We Love TV (TV) Quiz show. Martin made a guest appearance in one episode (possibly more?) and won. tx: Jan 1985, possibly.

1985 Good Morning Britain (TV) Interview on the ITV breakfast show. MS talks about The Last Place on Earth and Are You Lonesome Tonight?. Tx 20th Feb 1985

1985 Off the Record (TV) A chat show that focused on music and celebrities' musical taste. Martin talked about various albums that he was fond of, including Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Phil Collins, Elvis Costello and Mozart. Recorded early March '85.

1985 Good Morning Britain (TV) Another interview, this time following the opening night of Are You Lonesome Tonight?. Tx: 16th Aug 1985

1985 The London Standard UK Drama Awards (TV) Worth tracking down for a taste of Martin's incredible performance as Elvis Presley in 'Are You Lonesome Tonight?' for the programme includes a lengthy scene from the play. I know I've had a few good-natured digs at Martin throughout the website but watching something like this brings home just what a versatile player he is. Tx November 1985

1985 The Royal Variety Performance (TV) Much-maligned annual romp with stars of the day. Tx 1st December

1986 Robin of Sherwood episode 'The Cross of St Ciricus' A Professional Beggar Well-known in-joke cameo appearance by Martin, who agreed to it because he enjoyed the programme so much. His character is accompanied by an assistant, played by his son, Luke. Neither of them actually have any dialogue and only appear on-screen for a few seconds! Many thanks to Sue Curtis for info! This episode directly followed the Sherriff of Nottingham story that had starred Lewis Collins. Click!

1986 Nightmares episode 'Oilman' (TV) Mr White (The Oilman) This may have been an anthology series of half-hour horror stories. If anyone can explain to me what is happening in this particular ep, I would be very grateful as it makes no sense at all! Martin and the remainder of the cast seldom speak (I don't think he has more than six lines in the whole piece!) He plays a mysterious man who, when we first see him, kills a black man and robs him of some photographs depicting what appear to be jungle villages. Oilman returns to England (with a severed human finger in his pocket for some reason) where he lives with his young son. Oilman Jr doesn't seem to approve of father's girlfriend for some reason. After a mysterious phonecall all three leave the house and head into the countryside where they run over a stray stag. They bundle it into the car but the boy sees the finger and photographs and runs away. Oilman and girlfriend chase after him but are both shot by a group of armed men who then flee in a minibus. End of story! BIZARRE!!!!

1986 Hey, Hey it's Saturday!(TV, Australia) A comedy/variety show on which Martin was interviewed about his Lonesome tour. The presenter asked him about the show that dare not speak its name, to which MS replied gruffly "I've done more than that in my career!!" (Many thanks to Vicki Lustig for info).

1987 The Six O'Clock Show(TV) Southern regional magazine show, as far as I can tell. I think Martin may have been interviewed about vegetarianism. Tx: 3rd April

1987 Vauxhall Cavalier advert(TV) It's a bit pretentious, to be honest - broadband users download it here and select the 'Cavalier LX - the car with the phone' link. (Many thanks to John Hammond)

1988 Run the Gauntlet (TV) An action-gameshow series where celebrity contestants (usually sports-stars) competed against each other in time-trials, racing around in various vehicles including speed-boats, Land Rovers, trucks, etc. Martin was presenter on three occasions and in a Christmas edition he was leader of the winning team (when he drove an aging, battered white Escort RS2000, if I remember rightly. No, only joking!).

1988 The Most Dangerous Man in the World (TV movie) Suleiman A BBC dramatisation of the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II in 1981. MS' character recruits Turkish student Ali Agcar to be groomed as the assassin. Slow-moving and the politics are a little unclear but quite interesting nonetheless. Not available?

1988 Ladder of Swords (Film) Don DeMarco Martin plays a circus performer (with a peculiarly varying Liverpool/Irish accent!) who owns a dancing bear – until it is poisoned to death with domestic bleach by a drunken wife! Yes it's all rather off-beat but mildly entertaining and at times verges on black comedy. With Juliet Stevenson (driving around in a fabulous, classic Citroen DS) and late Edge of Darkness star Bob Peck in an altogether different role. Although filmed in 1988, looks like this didn't get a cinematic release until January 1990. No longer available

1988 Intrigue (Film, US/UK) Roskov Slow-moving, bland-beyond-belief espionage involving Scott Glenn (who seems totally bored by the whole thing, too – despite a romantic interlude with the lovely Cherie Lunghi!) sent to Moscow to bring a treacherous American agent back to Uncle Sam. Martin plays the head of a Russian unit determined to prevent the two men escaping, though his role isn't that big. US VHS only

1988 Comic Relief (TV) Ray Doyle Comic Relief is an annual TV event (from the BBC) where celebs and members of the public do daft things to raise money for charity (eg sit in a bath of baked beans). Part of the programme is given over to comic sketches and in the 1988 programme one of them saw Martin bursting into a room where three 'villains' are poring over plans for a heist. He yells "Freeze!" but then realises "Damn, I've left me gun on the bus!" and makes a sharp exit! A voiceover and screen caption announces "They're back...The Unprofessionals!". Not wildly funny - few Comic Relief sketches are - but it's a huge eye-opener when one remembers that at the time MS seemed desperate to put The Professionals behind him and had, of course, thwarted plans for further repeat runs. Then again, perhaps Martin saw this ridiculing of the show as a way of exacting a little "revenge" on it?! Many thanks to Niki Walton for spotting that one!

1989(?) Wogan (TV) Another TV chat show but, for once, quite an intelligent, interesting and probing one. He complains about how poorly funded the UK film & TV industry is and that he is having to go to the US to find work (I assume he never did). He reveals that he considers the American industry to have a far greater appreciation for the need for quality. Two good quotes from him, which appear on the Testimonies page.

1990 Who Bombed Birmingham? (TV drama-documentary - aka 'The Investigation: Inside a Terrorist Bombing') Ian McBride Between 1985 and 1989 Granada Television's World in Action team examined the arrest, trial and conviction of the so-called 'Birmingham Six' alleged IRA bombers. This film documents the team's investigations, with Martin playing their television producer. Revelations of police brutality, mishandling of forensic evidence and admissions from the real bombers all come to light. It has been said that were it not for the persistence of the team and, more particularly, MP Chris Mullins (here portrayed by John Hurt), the Six may never have been freed. Long and slow-moving but good stuff!

1990 Cassidy (TV mini-series, Australia) James Griffin Thriller about a dead politician's daughter finding herself in trouble after her father leaves her some incriminating evidence. Griffin appears to want to help the girl, but it's never certain which side he is playing.

1991 For the Greater Good (Three-part TV drama) Peter Balliol MP This film concerned issues arising out of privatising the British prison system. Still a topical issue today, I'm sure most would agree.

1992 TVAM (TV) Short interview re the first run of 'An Ideal Husband'. Nothing of note to report - astonishingly "a certain programme" doesn't even get a mention!

1992 Black and Blue (TV) Chief Supt Mike Barclay Martin, in a background role, plays a high-ranking police officer who appears to have everyone's interests at heart when, in reality, he is a racist, narrow-minded man. Not one of his more likeable characters! This powerful, violent story - written by G F Newman - concerns police racism in extremis and a young coloured officer's search for the killers of a black councillor who posessed evidence against the police. Made for the BBC, the racist language and violence are graphic and seems to portray EVERY police officer as being a racist thug, which is perhaps the play's one false note. Incidently the fight arranger was Peter Brayham, who acted as stunt supervisor for The Professionals. If you thought 'Klansmen' was strong stuff....

1993 Vauxhall Credit Card (TV commercial) This was a rather short-lived commercial for the UK arm of General Motors. You know the sort of thing: "Spend twenty grand with our card and we'll give you a whopping twenty quid off your next Vauxhall."
Apparently Martin was to appear in a number of these but Vauxhall changed their minds for some reason and dropped him.

1993 to 1995 The Chief (TV police series) Chief Constable Alan Cade Moderately successful police politico-procedural series (though there is some action in it, too!). In fact the series was well-written and had some strong storylines. It should have done better but some thought Shaw's predecessor Tim Piggott-Smith played a more involving character. Personally I thought MS was excellent though Cade seemed rather laid-back for such a stressful job!

1994 This Morning (TV) TV interview talking about The Chief. Tx 26th May.

1994 The Big Breakfast (TV) This zany Channel 4 breakfast show had a section entitled "On the Bed with Paula" (Yates, that is) and MS clearly enjoyed this experience as I've never seen him so relaxed in an interview. Yates teases him over The Professionals and he actually finds it very funny! He talks about The Chief and how his personal views often resemble those of his character in that show. One belief he expresses is that soft drugs should be legalised "but nobody listens to a poncey actor!"

1994 Safe and Sound (Instructional video) This little gem has Martin discussing some simple steps towards crime prevention. Hmmm.... not sure about that beard, Martin! No longer available

1994 Truth or Dairy (Video) This is a 22 minute video documentary made by The Vegan Society which interviews several celebrities. Many thanks to Joyce Chumbley for info! No longer available

1996(?) Commando (TV) No, it's not another duff Italian action film! This was a five-part documentary series following the efforts of new recruits to the British Royal Marines. Martin narrates. Jesper Antvorskov writes (with some slight translation by me): "A very interesting and exciting series of programmes, where we learn a lot about how tough the Royal Marine really is. Martin Shaw is a great narrator but every aspect of the programme was so good, there really was no need for a narrator. But since there was one, Martin was terrific."

1996 GMTV (TV) A nice little interview with Martin and son Joe on the set of Rhodes, during the early stages of its production.

1996 Tony Awards Ceremony (TV, US) The Oscars for theatre, effectively. Martin's Broadway version of An Ideal Husband was nominated, though didn't win. He is seen briefly at the ceremony and there is a short video-taped clip of him performing in the play. Again, thanks to Joyce Chumbley!

1996 Rhodes (TV mini-series) Cecil Rhodes A little older, a little fatter. And what a splendid moustache! The story of the diamond prospector turned Cape Colony Prime Minister who strove to overthrow the Transvaal government. Also stars his son, Joe Shaw, as a younger version of Cecil. But the series was over-long, wordy and often slow-moving. In fact it was all a huge embarrassment for the BBC and Martin himself has quite publicly complained about the way the Beeb handled it. Subsequent screenings in the US (and other countries, too, I think) were of a cut-down version and rated much better. No longer available

1997 This Morning (TV) TV interview talking about the new Professionals series which Martin claims to know nothing about! See the Testimones page. Tx 12th September.

1998 The Scarlet Pimpernel (TV mini-series) Chauvelin Actually a series of three 90-minute TV films, with a total budget of 5 million GBP. A co-pro between the BBC and A&E of America (a partnership that seems to be doing rather well these days!), filmed during the summer of 1998, using Prague in the Czech Republic as its primary location for its resemblance to 18th Century Paris. Stupidly when the Beeb finally got round to transmitting it (after several unexplained delays) they pitched it against two highly popular ITV shows (London's Burning and Heartbeat). However Martin's performance outshone everybody else, despite electing to do his Serious Actor accent - which was all-too-briefly wickedly lampooned by Germaine Greer! Click!

1998 The Air Show (TV) Martin and wife Vicky Kimm talked about their vintage bi-plane, a Stearman, which they enter for a "Best Kept" competition every year - they won in 1995. Many thanks to Richard Spurr for info!

1999 Flying Legends (TV) Documentary about notable aircraft used in both World Wars. This programme may not have been shown outside of ITV's Anglia region. (Many thanks to Janice Fairfield.)

1999 GMTV (TV) Short interview on the set of Always and Everyone (see below). Nothing of note. Tx: 16th February.

1999 - 2001 Always and Everyone (TV) Robert Kingsford (Yet another) hospital drama series. The producers hoped to match the American series ER, with Martin touted as a rival to George Clooney!. Tx commenced in June, which seemed a ridiculous time to launch a major series. Amazingly, then, the series achieved 12 million viewers at its peak and a second season, shown in June 2000, appeared to do even better. However by the fourth season and a steady decline into soap territory, MS wisely jumped ship.

2000 This Morning (TV) Daytime chat show - MS is interviewed on the set of Always and Everyone. Tx: 28th March.

2000 This Morning (TV) Daytime chat show. Tx: 23rd May.

2000 Live Talk (TV) Daytime talk show. Martin guested on the show transmitted on 12th December and clearly enamoured his female interviewers!

2000 I Love the 1970s episodes for 1974 and 1977 (TV) This ten-part BBC series took a tongue-in-cheek look at the popular culture of each year of our fave decade. 1974 saw the launch of the Capri Mk II and Martin talks about the TV ad he did back then, describing it as an appalling car to drive! For the 1977 episode he naturally talks about The Professionals.

2000 onwards Judge John Deed (TV) Martin plays the title role in this series written and produced by G F Newman. After a promising pilot story in which a legal foul-up leads to a lorry driver being set free after mowing down a child but is consequently shot dead by child's aggrieved father, the subsequent first season was somewhat disappointing in comparison to Newman's thought-provoking, hard-hitting and, indeed, shocking material from years gone by (Law and Order and Black and Blue, for example). Perhaps the most controversial aspect of Deed is that he breaks the rules himself, wantonly committing subjudice and actually conniving with none other than the prosecuting counsel. The 2002 season, however, addressed some of these issues and the ensuing episodes were more believable. Later seasons continued to address worthy legal issues and the scripts were always top-notch.
However the series' credibility is strained somewhat with a cast of characters including Deed's lover, daughter, ex-wife and ex-father-in-law all regularly facing each other in the court-room. In defence of the series, though, it is entertaining - especially with Deed's legal tussles with the Establishment and how he usually outwits them. Donald Sinden's trademark overacting adds a much-needed light touch to proceedings and thankfully Martin (just about) avoids using his silly "Serious Actor" accent.

2001 Shampoo (TV) Martin narrated this series looking at the, ahem, "exciting" goings-on in a Liverpool hairdressers'. Unsurprisingly the show was axed after only two or three episodes. Quite why Martin decided to take on such low-brow stuff is a bit of a mystery!

2002 This is Your Life (TV) This installment was actually for actress Jenny Seagrove, who co-stars with Martin in Judge John Deed. (Thanks to Pat Burge)

2002 Horizon: Killer Lakes (TV) Horizon is long-running BBC documentary series. Martin narrated this particular instalment. (Thanks to Rick Soper)

2002 National Television Awards (TV) No gongs for Martin this time around - he is merely here to present the Best Actress Award. Tx: 15th October

2003 Watching the Detectives (TV) Martin adopts his Serious Narrator accent for this documentary series following the police investigate real-life crimes.

2003 GMTV (TV) Interview on the ITV breakfast show to publicise Death in Holy Orders (see next entry). No mention of The Professionals but Marty was decked out in a magnificently hideous Hawaiin-style shirt that even Bodie would have baulked at. tx 22nd August.

2003 Death in Holy Orders (TV) Commander Adam Dalgliesh In a transfer from ITV to the BBC, Martin takes over from Roy Marsden in the role of P D James' best-known character. Have to admit I preferred Marsden's intense portrayal as Shaw seemed to sleep through most of this, though given its soporific pacing, perhaps that's not too surprising. tx 23rd and 24th August (though had been filmed in late 2002.) Click!

2004 The Murder Room (TV) Commander Adam Dalgliesh Not much better than the first Dalgliesh story and if you watch the actual murder scene and the witness interview that follows it, the identity of the culprit is very obvious.

**MARTIN SHAW**
Year	Film or TV Show title and country	Character	Comments	DVD/Video
1966	Love on the Dole (TV play)	Irish Communist	A Granada Television adaptation of the early 1940's film, originally written by Walter Greenwood. This seems to have been a fairly minor role for Mr Shaw. Thanks to Nicola Wood for uncovering this one!
1967	Son of the City (TV)	A Boxer
1967	Travelling Light (TV play)	Arnold Champion	Trevor Bannister and Martin play friends and co-lodgers in a bedsit. Martin's character attempts to his pal's girlfriend. Despite this apparent lack of plot, the play ran for 80 minutes! Tx: 11th September.
1967	Coronation Street (TV drama)	Bobby Croft	Martin appeared in several episodes as a headband-wearing student hippie!
1967	City '68 epsiode 'A Son of the City' (TV play)	George Leese	Martin plays swimming-pool attendant George who beats up a young girl. A welfare worker discovers that George had a troubled upbringing but before she can help him, he is arrested. Tx: 15th December
1968	City '68 epsiode 'Them Down There' (TV play)	Andy	Martin plays a labourer who starts an affair with the bored wife of a farmer when he is employed by the couple to renovate their buildings. Tx: 24th September
1968	Another Part of the Forest (TV play)	?	Play produced by LWT but nothing else known. Perhaps another victim of mass erasings in the early 1970s...?
1968	Public Eye episode 'Strictly Private and Confidential (TV series)	Ron Baker	This was a popular long-running series (thirteen years, I think) starring Alfred Burke as downtrodden gumshoe Frank Marker. In contrast to the glitzy American shows of the era, Marker's life was far from glamorous as he struggled to eke out a living. One season ended with him being jailed after an investigation went wrong. Frustratingly the episode with Martin has, like many of the early vidotaped stories, been wiped and possibly lost forever.	Coming soon
1969	Title unknown (TV docu-drama)	Guy Fawkes
1969	Doctor in the House (TV comedy)	Huw Evans	Martin appeared in a few episodes of this. He played a permanently inebriated Welsh junior doctor - yes, the National Health Service was in trouble even back then!
1969	Fraud Squad in episode 'All Claims Paid For' (TV series)	Marchmont
1969	Two Feet Off the Ground (TV play)	Norman	The daughter of a rich executive returns from University and causes chaos. Tx 16th August 1969 on ITV.
1969	The Strange Report episode 'Sniper: When is Your Cousin Not?' (TV)	Savi	Strange Report was a now forgotten series concerning ex-Scotland Yard Detective Adam Strange (played by Anthony Quayle) who took on cases that left the police baffled. Some episodes were released on video, though I don't know if this particular one was. Thanks to Eamon Rooney at The Professionals Appreciation Society for spotting that one!	Click!
1970	The Mating Machine episode 'Who Sleeps on the Right?' (TV)	Frank	Comedy about a computerised dating service. Martin plays alongside Pauline Collins as a couple who meet through the service and, despite quickly marrying, discover they really know very little about each other, particularly their respective political stances. Tx: 8th October. (Many thanks to Lin Reid)
1971	Play For Today: The Pigeon Fancier (TV)	?	Philip Jackson stars in the title role but no other info on this - did it surive the BBC's purges of the early seventies?? (Thanks to Lin Reid)
1971	Macbeth (Film)	Banquo	At school I always tried to enjoy Shakespeare but the overblown, incomprehensible dialogue comes across as so unnatural today, when performed it seems to cause some of the players – doubtless enthralled to have been cast in a Bard play – to overact at times. This Roman Polanski version (for Playboy Productions, amazingly! No wonder Francesca Annis had to get her kit off!) of the classic story is a suitably dark and gritty vision of those medieval times. It's a tad gory in places, though hardly the bloodbath the video packaging's hype would have you believe. At two hours and twenty minutes it is also far too long! Nevertheless Shaw fans should find it a fascinating early entry on his CV. Also interesting to note the title role played by Jon Finch – Brian Clemens' original choice for Doyle. (Watch out for a very young Keith Chegwin, too! This is an all-star cast, you know!)	Click!
1971	Hamlet (TV movie, US/UK)	Horatio	Richard Chamberlain plays the title role.
1972	Achilles Heel (TV play)	Dave Irwin	Martin plays the lead in a play about a top football suffering an injury that threatens career. Tx 25th April 1972 on ITV.
1972	Villains (TV)	?	A 13-part LWT series (shown between 22nd July and 14th October of '72), it centered around nine bank robbers who escape from custody. Beginning with the robbery itself, the series then followed their lives and the people around them in the aftermath. Martin sports long hair and moustache - a still of him can be seen in a book entitled simply 'British Television'. Many thanks to Richard Spurr for info!
1973	The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (Film)	Rachid	Aha! Even before The Professionals, Martin had a penchant for long, curly locks! Another 1970's permed superhero stars here, too – Tom Baker! Screenplay by Brian Clemens. But us lads are catered for, too, in the very lovely form of Caroline Munro!! Considering she took part in a number of Brian's projects (eg Captain Kronos, New Avengers) how come she never appeared in The Professionals??!! Missed opportunity, if you ask me!	Click!
1974	Aquarius (TV)	Orestes	Long-running weekly arts review show, this time looking at Martin's Streetcar Named Desire. Still available in the archievs, apparently.
1974	Electra (TV play)	Orestes	Not even the BBC would wipe this from their archives... would they?
1974	Ford TV advert for the Mk 2 Capri		Presumably some sort of screen-test for what was to come! This ad was recently shown on the BBC's Watchdog programme. Well done to Kenneth Alim for spotting this one! According to Martin himself, the ad was about three minutes in length, making it the longest UK commercial at the time. The brief excerpt seen recently shows a young Capri driver (MS) picking up a young lady on a deserted country road. Inevitably a beautiful romance blossoms and it's clear the notion Ford was trying to convey for the car is very different to the thrusting, roaring, spitfire image it would soon achieve - partly via a certain Mr Shaw, of course!
1974	Helen, a Woman of Today (TV)	Frank Tully	According to the 'British Television' book (which also contains a photo of Martin for this series) this was another LWT 13-parter. Martin played an abusive husband and the series centres around whether Helen should stay with him or leave. A controversial topic in its day and was accompanied at some point by a talk show to discuss its implications. Many thanks indeed to Linda Gault and Richard Spurr!
1975	Operation: Daybreak (Film, UK/Czechoslovakia - aka The Price of Freedom and Seven Met at Daybreak)	Karel Curda	Fact-based wartime drama. Martin, unusually case in a rather subdued role, plays a member of a group sent to assassinate high-ranking German officer Reinhard Heydrich. But things become complicated when Curda realises the murder will put his family in danger from Nazi retaliation. Co-starring Bodie Mk I Anthony Andrews, Joss Ackland, Nicola Pagett and Anton Diffring. Filmed during the winter of 1975 in freezing Prague and well worth catching.	Doesn't seem to be available...?
1975	The Explorers episode 'Burke and Wills', aka 'Ten Who Dared' (TV, UK/Australia)	Robert Burke	A documentary series produced by the BBC which used actors to portray the lives of various famous, er.... explorers! Burke was an Irishman born in 1820 who migrated to Melbourne and joined the police force. In 1860, with William Wills, he led an expedition across Australia. But accidents, poor team co-ordination and a lack of rapport with the Aborigines resulted in both men and almost all of their team dying of starvation at Cooper's Creek, central Australia. History lesson over! Bizarrely the American version uses a theme us Brits would more readily recognise as that from the seventies sports show Superstars and is introduced by a drunk-looking Anthony Quinn!
1975	Barlow episode 'Asylum ' (TV series)	Stefan Borowski	Barlow was a spin-off from Z-Cars. Martin plays a Polish sailor pleading with the authorities to allow him to start a new life in Britain. Although mostly studio-bound, this is quite a neat episode.
1976	On the Move (TV)	see note	Bob Hoskins and Donald Gee played removal men in little sketches in this adult literacy programme. It would appear that each episode included a guest artist and on at least one occasion this was Martin. Many thanks to Sue Curtis for info and some good detective work on this one! A clip from Martin's episode was recently screened on a show called Before They Were Famous, confirming that at least part of the episode survives. (Thanks to Carol Good)
1976	Love's Labours Lost (TV)	The King of Navarre
1976	Spice Island Farewell (TV)	?	According to The Times newspaper this was "A tale of mad traditions of duty crushing a young trooper in Portsmouth in the 1870s." Tx: May 1976.
1976	Beasts episode 'Buddyboy' (TV)	Dave	Beasts was a six-episode horror anthology series written by Quatermass creator Nigel Kneale and centred around humans' fear of animals. Martin's episode concerns a seaside aquarium that loses its star attraction, a dolphin named Buddyboy, in mysterious circumstances. The owner, Hubbard, is so upset that he decides to sell the place. Martin's character plans to turn it into a "theatre of erotic entertainment" (Why are dodgy types always called Dave?!) but he becomes suspicious about Hubbard's haste to get rid of the property. When Dave starts to make enquiries, the consequences prove horrifying. To be honest it's not that great (certainly not as good as my memory of it) and is one for Shaw completists only. But it does reveal one interesting fact: shot in the spring of 1976, Marty had adopted the infamous Doyle bubble-perm a good twelve months before working on The Professionals!	Click!
1976	Sutherland's Law episode 'Blind Jump ' (TV series)	Alan Forsyth	Barely-remembered BBC series about a Scottish law firm and a Procurator Fiscal (Sutherland) played by Iain Cuthbertson. It was interesting in that it explained some of the differences between English and Scottish Law. Ran to 45 episodes over three years but apparently almost a third of them have been junked. Martin possibly only starred in this one instalment (which survives intact). Tx 13.07.1976 (Thanks to "Max" for info.)
1977	Jubilee: Our Kid (TV)	?	No info on this at the moment. For the benefit of non-UK'ers 1977 was Queen Elizabeth's twenty-fifth anniversary to accession to the throne - hence we remember it as "jubilee" year. In fact if you watch the Wimbledon scenes from 'Killer With a Long Arm', you'll spot many references to it.
1977	Z-Cars episode 'Domestic' (TV series)	Graham Moffat	Popular long-running police show. Martin probably starred in just the one episode. Tx 28.06.1977
1977	The New Avengers episode 'Obsession' (TV)	Larry Doomer	Although rather "theatrical" at times, Martin excelled in this part as Purdey's ex-fiance hell-bent on revenge for the death of his father – with a little help from his friend Lew Collins, of course!	Click!
1977	Exiles (TV)	Michael J Arlen	From the BBC's Play of the Week series, this is a dramatisation of the relationship between author Michael Arlen and his son, Michael J. Tx: September 1977.
1977	The Duchess of Duke Street episode 'Family Matters' (TV)	Arthur	The BBC's answer to Upstairs Downstairs, though neither as popular nor long-lasting.	Click!
1978	The Freddie Starr Experience (TV)		Lew and Martin appeared together (with Hazell star Nicholas Ball) on the comedian's show in a rather silly golfing sketch. Lewis doesn't get any dialogue and Martin just speaks a line or two of nonsense. What strikes me as interesting about the lads' appearance here, though, is that as it was apparently filmed in February 1978 - a time when The Professionals would have only been halfway through transmission of the first season - it would seem to confirm that even by this early stage it was becoming a highly-recognised series. To be honest the sketch (and, indeed, the entire show) are about as funny as a wet weekend in Wigan. However the "novelty" is that we see Martin and Lew outside of The Professionals, yet clearly in their Doyle & Bodie personae: they wear familiar clothes and Lewis shoots one of the other golfers!
1978(?)	The Royal Variety Performance (TV)		I'm really not certain of the year here – the commentator mentions that actor Robert Powell (standing next to Martin, Lewis and Gordon) is involved in the remake of The Thirty-Nine Steps which was 1978.
1978	Jim'll Fix It (TV)		Very popular long-running Saturday teatime show where ex-DJ Jimmy "Marathon Man" Saville fulfilled the dreams of young children - which usually involved meeting (and maybe even singing with) a pop star of the day... Eleven-year-old Michelle Beckley longed to meet her heroes from The Professionals and Sir Jim obliged with the three stars coming to the studio. Michelle had just undergone a bone marrow transplant and as a follow-on from the programme she was soon to find herself back in hospital playing the part of Mickey Hamilton's terminally ill daughter. (Info courtesy of The Complete Professionals and the BBC's "I Love 1977" - and thanks to Liz Morgan for jogging my elbow over this one!) Jim to Martin: "You're her favourite!" Lewis: "Oh, right, that's it, I'm off then!" Gordon, referring to Michelle and MS: "Well I hope you'll both be very happy together!"
1978	Brucie's Big Night Out (TV)		Comic performer Bruce Forsyth attempted to revive the variety show, where members of the audience would get the chance to perform short sketches with stars of the day. As far as I can remember it only ran to a handful of shows. Martin's installment was transmitted on 25th December.
1980	Cream in My Coffee (TV)	Jack Butcher	Little-known play by the late Dennis Potter, filmed in April 1980, just prior to production of the fourth Professionals season. The piece centres around an elderly couple returning to a seaside hotel where they last stayed in 1934, evoking memories of an affair between the wife (Shelagh McLeod) and a well-known singer (Martin). Incidentally, contrary to popular belief, it is NOT Martin singing. To be honest I found it all utterly boring. None of the usual Potter elements such as humour, grit, pathos or naked women. The most interesting element was trying to work out which accent Martin was attempting!
1980	ITV Awards (TV)		The Professionals won ITV Programme of the Year and Martin and Lewis collected the award together. Some nice, funny banter, too.
1982	The Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (TV)		More often known simply as "Swap Shop", this was a massively popular children's Saturday morning show. According to BBC documentation Martin was interviewed from an unnamed hospital - presumably he was recuperating from the leg nijury he suffered during "They're Playing Our Song". Tx: 13th March
1982	East Lynne (Film)	Archibald Carlyle	Victorian melodrama. Rather insipid tragi-romance. Give it a miss!
1982(?)	Pebble Mill at One (?)		Although I can't be sure of the source of this interview, it may have been Pebble Mill, one of the better daily lunch-time chat shows (and named after the Birmingham studios from which it was broadcast.) Martin mentions that he will be playing Richard III for a series of BBC television plays later in the year. I'm not sure whether it got much exposure in the UK but it's available on DVD (as part of an expensive box-set) from the USA. (Thanks to Graham Angell)	US only
1983	Facelift (Film)	Zax	An absolutely bizarre sci-fi musical! In the year 2074 society is split into two distinct classes. The Numbers are a logical, emotionless race and involved in experiments to discover whether Man has a soul. The Names, on the other hand, are the downbeat remnants of traditional humankind. The two factions do not normally mix. Martin plays a magician whose nightly stage act (while wearing outlandish make-up and costumes) delights his fellow Names. One night a female Number attends the show and Zax becomes fascinated by her. He creates a cyborg in her image for use in his next show but his assistant becomes jealous. Well I started to lose it at that point! It is all very strange indeed. The whole thing was obviously done on a very tight budget - in fact it looked like a production by a bunch of students! The songs are awful and the dance troop decidedly amateurish. I actually found it very funny - for all the wrong reasons! One for Shaw fanatics only and this time I wouldn't blame him for stopping repeats! In fact of all the many TV interviews he did at the time, Facelift was never mentioned! Watch out for Clarke Peters, who played Colonel Ojuka in The Professionals.
1983	An Audience with Mel Brooks (TV)		One-off show in which Mel interacted with members of a celebrity audience. Gordon Jackson was also present. MS to Mel: "What do you say to people who accuse you of bad taste?" / Mel: "I say 'Up yours!' "
1983	This is Your Life (TV)		Lew was the 'victim'! The programme opens with Gordon Jackson jumping out of a car - driven by Peter Brayham - and bellowing "Bodie!!" - which gave Lew a huge shock! Martin doesn't actually appear in the studio but he reports in from Dartmoor where he was filming for The Hound of the Baskervilles.
1983	The Hound of the Baskervilles (Film)	Sir Henry Baskerville	And still he retains that wicked hairstyle! Something strange here: you think he is putting on an American accent, but I'm sure his lines are actually being dubbed by a different actor.	Click!
1983	Persil Automatic (TV ad)		A special tie-in promotion between Persil (a brand of washing powder) and British Rail. Two women are in a cafe chatting about one's companion – played by Martin. The first woman asks how the second got him to go to Paris with her, the second says that he came free with a packet of Persil. Eventually, the second admits that there's a catch: she's got to take him home with her, too. In fact this may well be the advert that I refer to in Lewis' filmography – I just got the actors mixed up. Incidentally the jacket MS wears in this commercial appears to be identical to the red, black and white one he wore in the 'Spy Probe' episode.
1983	The Kenny Everett Video Show (TV)		A hugely popular show from the late madcap DJ with his crazy sketches and characters (and not forgetting Cleo Roccos and Hot Gossip!). Martin appeared in a short sketch in one episode involving a police officer, his prisoner and the irresistable Ms Roccos in a train compartment– it was quite funny, if a little predictable.
1983	6.55 Special (TV)		Ex-Pebble Mill presenter Bob Langley and MS hike around the Lake District and chat about The Professionals and Martin's guru-inspired lifestyle. Interestingly MS also mentions that he likes to go gliding - a sport that he apparently didn't learn until 1984: see later entry for Sporting Chance. Hmmm.....
1983	Good Morning Britain (TV)		Preview of Martin's 'A Country Girl' stageplay. Tx: September
1984	Good Morning Britain (TV)		Another interview, this time featuring clips from Achilles Heel and 'Hunter/Hunted'. Tx 1st Feb 1984
1984	Saturday Superstore (TV)		This was a two-an-a-half hour weekly kids show with guest celebrities, music, cartoons and all sorts. tx 10th March 1984, the last day MS starred in 'A Country Girl'
1984	The Last Place on Earth (TV mini-series)	Robert Falcon Scott	Fact-based drama concerning the race to the South Pole. Martin played the lead role but courted controversy with his portrayal of an egotistical, arrogant and foolish Scott who made mistakes all along the way. The Scott family themselves apparently tried to ban the show! You'll get a shock when you see MS' hairstyle in this one as he was required to shave his head! Check out Emily Slatten's splendid website.	Click!
1984	Living Wheels (TV)		This show, co-hosted by Martin, discussed motorcycle safety (like that exercised in 'Wild Justice' perhaps?! In fact this episode is mentioned a couple of times.)
1984	Sporting Chance (TV)		This series challenged celebrities to master a particular sport. Martin chose to learn to fly a glider and seemed to enjoy it immensely!
1984	Sunday, Sunday (TV)		Gloria Hunniford chats with MS about The Last Place on Earth and, of all things, The Bullshitters!!! He said he liked it but found it inaccurate because Peter "Foyle" Richardson's jockstrap had been red and not black!?!! Tx 18th November.
1984	Breakfast Television (TV)		The Beeb's morning show. Martin was involved in the famine relief appeal for Ethiopia. tx 14th Nov 1984
1985	We Love TV (TV)		Quiz show. Martin made a guest appearance in one episode (possibly more?) and won. tx: Jan 1985, possibly.
1985	Good Morning Britain (TV)		Interview on the ITV breakfast show. MS talks about The Last Place on Earth and Are You Lonesome Tonight?. Tx 20th Feb 1985
1985	Off the Record (TV)		A chat show that focused on music and celebrities' musical taste. Martin talked about various albums that he was fond of, including Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Phil Collins, Elvis Costello and Mozart. Recorded early March '85.
1985	Good Morning Britain (TV)		Another interview, this time following the opening night of Are You Lonesome Tonight?. Tx: 16th Aug 1985
1985	The London Standard UK Drama Awards (TV)		Worth tracking down for a taste of Martin's incredible performance as Elvis Presley in 'Are You Lonesome Tonight?' for the programme includes a lengthy scene from the play. I know I've had a few good-natured digs at Martin throughout the website but watching something like this brings home just what a versatile player he is. Tx November 1985
1985	The Royal Variety Performance (TV)		Much-maligned annual romp with stars of the day. Tx 1st December
1986	Robin of Sherwood episode 'The Cross of St Ciricus'	A Professional Beggar	Well-known in-joke cameo appearance by Martin, who agreed to it because he enjoyed the programme so much. His character is accompanied by an assistant, played by his son, Luke. Neither of them actually have any dialogue and only appear on-screen for a few seconds! Many thanks to Sue Curtis for info! This episode directly followed the Sherriff of Nottingham story that had starred Lewis Collins.	Click!
1986	Nightmares episode 'Oilman' (TV)	Mr White (The Oilman)	This may have been an anthology series of half-hour horror stories. If anyone can explain to me what is happening in this particular ep, I would be very grateful as it makes no sense at all! Martin and the remainder of the cast seldom speak (I don't think he has more than six lines in the whole piece!) He plays a mysterious man who, when we first see him, kills a black man and robs him of some photographs depicting what appear to be jungle villages. Oilman returns to England (with a severed human finger in his pocket for some reason) where he lives with his young son. Oilman Jr doesn't seem to approve of father's girlfriend for some reason. After a mysterious phonecall all three leave the house and head into the countryside where they run over a stray stag. They bundle it into the car but the boy sees the finger and photographs and runs away. Oilman and girlfriend chase after him but are both shot by a group of armed men who then flee in a minibus. End of story! BIZARRE!!!!
1986	Hey, Hey it's Saturday!(TV, Australia)		A comedy/variety show on which Martin was interviewed about his Lonesome tour. The presenter asked him about the show that dare not speak its name, to which MS replied gruffly "I've done more than that in my career!!" (Many thanks to Vicki Lustig for info).
1987	The Six O'Clock Show(TV)		Southern regional magazine show, as far as I can tell. I think Martin may have been interviewed about vegetarianism. Tx: 3rd April
1987	Vauxhall Cavalier advert(TV)		It's a bit pretentious, to be honest - broadband users download it here and select the 'Cavalier LX - the car with the phone' link. (Many thanks to John Hammond)
1988	Run the Gauntlet (TV)		An action-gameshow series where celebrity contestants (usually sports-stars) competed against each other in time-trials, racing around in various vehicles including speed-boats, Land Rovers, trucks, etc. Martin was presenter on three occasions and in a Christmas edition he was leader of the winning team (when he drove an aging, battered white Escort RS2000, if I remember rightly. No, only joking!).
1988	The Most Dangerous Man in the World (TV movie)	Suleiman	A BBC dramatisation of the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II in 1981. MS' character recruits Turkish student Ali Agcar to be groomed as the assassin. Slow-moving and the politics are a little unclear but quite interesting nonetheless.	Not available?
1988	Ladder of Swords (Film)	Don DeMarco	Martin plays a circus performer (with a peculiarly varying Liverpool/Irish accent!) who owns a dancing bear – until it is poisoned to death with domestic bleach by a drunken wife! Yes it's all rather off-beat but mildly entertaining and at times verges on black comedy. With Juliet Stevenson (driving around in a fabulous, classic Citroen DS) and late Edge of Darkness star Bob Peck in an altogether different role. Although filmed in 1988, looks like this didn't get a cinematic release until January 1990.	No longer available
1988	Intrigue (Film, US/UK)	Roskov	Slow-moving, bland-beyond-belief espionage involving Scott Glenn (who seems totally bored by the whole thing, too – despite a romantic interlude with the lovely Cherie Lunghi!) sent to Moscow to bring a treacherous American agent back to Uncle Sam. Martin plays the head of a Russian unit determined to prevent the two men escaping, though his role isn't that big.	US VHS only
1988	Comic Relief (TV)	Ray Doyle	Comic Relief is an annual TV event (from the BBC) where celebs and members of the public do daft things to raise money for charity (eg sit in a bath of baked beans). Part of the programme is given over to comic sketches and in the 1988 programme one of them saw Martin bursting into a room where three 'villains' are poring over plans for a heist. He yells "Freeze!" but then realises "Damn, I've left me gun on the bus!" and makes a sharp exit! A voiceover and screen caption announces "They're back...The Unprofessionals!". Not wildly funny - few Comic Relief sketches are - but it's a huge eye-opener when one remembers that at the time MS seemed desperate to put The Professionals behind him and had, of course, thwarted plans for further repeat runs. Then again, perhaps Martin saw this ridiculing of the show as a way of exacting a little "revenge" on it?! Many thanks to Niki Walton for spotting that one!
1989(?)	Wogan (TV)		Another TV chat show but, for once, quite an intelligent, interesting and probing one. He complains about how poorly funded the UK film & TV industry is and that he is having to go to the US to find work (I assume he never did). He reveals that he considers the American industry to have a far greater appreciation for the need for quality. Two good quotes from him, which appear on the Testimonies page.
1990	Who Bombed Birmingham? (TV drama-documentary - aka 'The Investigation: Inside a Terrorist Bombing')	Ian McBride	Between 1985 and 1989 Granada Television's World in Action team examined the arrest, trial and conviction of the so-called 'Birmingham Six' alleged IRA bombers. This film documents the team's investigations, with Martin playing their television producer. Revelations of police brutality, mishandling of forensic evidence and admissions from the real bombers all come to light. It has been said that were it not for the persistence of the team and, more particularly, MP Chris Mullins (here portrayed by John Hurt), the Six may never have been freed. Long and slow-moving but good stuff!
1990	Cassidy (TV mini-series, Australia)	James Griffin	Thriller about a dead politician's daughter finding herself in trouble after her father leaves her some incriminating evidence. Griffin appears to want to help the girl, but it's never certain which side he is playing.
1991	For the Greater Good (Three-part TV drama)	Peter Balliol MP	This film concerned issues arising out of privatising the British prison system. Still a topical issue today, I'm sure most would agree.
1992	TVAM (TV)		Short interview re the first run of 'An Ideal Husband'. Nothing of note to report - astonishingly "a certain programme" doesn't even get a mention!
1992	Black and Blue (TV)	Chief Supt Mike Barclay	Martin, in a background role, plays a high-ranking police officer who appears to have everyone's interests at heart when, in reality, he is a racist, narrow-minded man. Not one of his more likeable characters! This powerful, violent story - written by G F Newman - concerns police racism in extremis and a young coloured officer's search for the killers of a black councillor who posessed evidence against the police. Made for the BBC, the racist language and violence are graphic and seems to portray EVERY police officer as being a racist thug, which is perhaps the play's one false note. Incidently the fight arranger was Peter Brayham, who acted as stunt supervisor for The Professionals. If you thought 'Klansmen' was strong stuff....
1993	Vauxhall Credit Card (TV commercial)		This was a rather short-lived commercial for the UK arm of General Motors. You know the sort of thing: "Spend twenty grand with our card and we'll give you a whopping twenty quid off your next Vauxhall." Apparently Martin was to appear in a number of these but Vauxhall changed their minds for some reason and dropped him.
1993 to 1995	The Chief (TV police series)	Chief Constable Alan Cade	Moderately successful police politico-procedural series (though there is some action in it, too!). In fact the series was well-written and had some strong storylines. It should have done better but some thought Shaw's predecessor Tim Piggott-Smith played a more involving character. Personally I thought MS was excellent though Cade seemed rather laid-back for such a stressful job!
1994	This Morning (TV)		TV interview talking about The Chief. Tx 26th May.
1994	The Big Breakfast (TV)		This zany Channel 4 breakfast show had a section entitled "On the Bed with Paula" (Yates, that is) and MS clearly enjoyed this experience as I've never seen him so relaxed in an interview. Yates teases him over The Professionals and he actually finds it very funny! He talks about The Chief and how his personal views often resemble those of his character in that show. One belief he expresses is that soft drugs should be legalised "but nobody listens to a poncey actor!"
1994	Safe and Sound (Instructional video)		This little gem has Martin discussing some simple steps towards crime prevention. Hmmm.... not sure about that beard, Martin!	No longer available
1994	Truth or Dairy (Video)		This is a 22 minute video documentary made by The Vegan Society which interviews several celebrities. Many thanks to Joyce Chumbley for info!	No longer available
1996(?)	Commando (TV)		No, it's not another duff Italian action film! This was a five-part documentary series following the efforts of new recruits to the British Royal Marines. Martin narrates. Jesper Antvorskov writes (with some slight translation by me): "A very interesting and exciting series of programmes, where we learn a lot about how tough the Royal Marine really is. Martin Shaw is a great narrator but every aspect of the programme was so good, there really was no need for a narrator. But since there was one, Martin was terrific."
1996	GMTV (TV)		A nice little interview with Martin and son Joe on the set of Rhodes, during the early stages of its production.
1996	Tony Awards Ceremony (TV, US)		The Oscars for theatre, effectively. Martin's Broadway version of An Ideal Husband was nominated, though didn't win. He is seen briefly at the ceremony and there is a short video-taped clip of him performing in the play. Again, thanks to Joyce Chumbley!
1996	Rhodes (TV mini-series)	Cecil Rhodes	A little older, a little fatter. And what a splendid moustache! The story of the diamond prospector turned Cape Colony Prime Minister who strove to overthrow the Transvaal government. Also stars his son, Joe Shaw, as a younger version of Cecil. But the series was over-long, wordy and often slow-moving. In fact it was all a huge embarrassment for the BBC and Martin himself has quite publicly complained about the way the Beeb handled it. Subsequent screenings in the US (and other countries, too, I think) were of a cut-down version and rated much better.	No longer available
1997	This Morning (TV)		TV interview talking about the new Professionals series which Martin claims to know nothing about! See the Testimones page. Tx 12th September.
1998	The Scarlet Pimpernel (TV mini-series)	Chauvelin	Actually a series of three 90-minute TV films, with a total budget of 5 million GBP. A co-pro between the BBC and A&E of America (a partnership that seems to be doing rather well these days!), filmed during the summer of 1998, using Prague in the Czech Republic as its primary location for its resemblance to 18th Century Paris. Stupidly when the Beeb finally got round to transmitting it (after several unexplained delays) they pitched it against two highly popular ITV shows (London's Burning and Heartbeat). However Martin's performance outshone everybody else, despite electing to do his Serious Actor accent - which was all-too-briefly wickedly lampooned by Germaine Greer!	Click!
1998	The Air Show (TV)		Martin and wife Vicky Kimm talked about their vintage bi-plane, a Stearman, which they enter for a "Best Kept" competition every year - they won in 1995. Many thanks to Richard Spurr for info!
1999	Flying Legends (TV)		Documentary about notable aircraft used in both World Wars. This programme may not have been shown outside of ITV's Anglia region. (Many thanks to Janice Fairfield.)
1999	GMTV (TV)		Short interview on the set of Always and Everyone (see below). Nothing of note. Tx: 16th February.
1999 - 2001	Always and Everyone (TV)	Robert Kingsford	(Yet another) hospital drama series. The producers hoped to match the American series ER, with Martin touted as a rival to George Clooney!. Tx commenced in June, which seemed a ridiculous time to launch a major series. Amazingly, then, the series achieved 12 million viewers at its peak and a second season, shown in June 2000, appeared to do even better. However by the fourth season and a steady decline into soap territory, MS wisely jumped ship.
2000	This Morning (TV)		Daytime chat show - MS is interviewed on the set of Always and Everyone. Tx: 28th March.
2000	This Morning (TV)		Daytime chat show. Tx: 23rd May.
2000	Live Talk (TV)		Daytime talk show. Martin guested on the show transmitted on 12th December and clearly enamoured his female interviewers!
2000	I Love the 1970s episodes for 1974 and 1977 (TV)		This ten-part BBC series took a tongue-in-cheek look at the popular culture of each year of our fave decade. 1974 saw the launch of the Capri Mk II and Martin talks about the TV ad he did back then, describing it as an appalling car to drive! For the 1977 episode he naturally talks about The Professionals.
2000 onwards	Judge John Deed (TV)		Martin plays the title role in this series written and produced by G F Newman. After a promising pilot story in which a legal foul-up leads to a lorry driver being set free after mowing down a child but is consequently shot dead by child's aggrieved father, the subsequent first season was somewhat disappointing in comparison to Newman's thought-provoking, hard-hitting and, indeed, shocking material from years gone by (Law and Order and Black and Blue, for example). Perhaps the most controversial aspect of Deed is that he breaks the rules himself, wantonly committing subjudice and actually conniving with none other than the prosecuting counsel. The 2002 season, however, addressed some of these issues and the ensuing episodes were more believable. Later seasons continued to address worthy legal issues and the scripts were always top-notch. However the series' credibility is strained somewhat with a cast of characters including Deed's lover, daughter, ex-wife and ex-father-in-law all regularly facing each other in the court-room. In defence of the series, though, it is entertaining - especially with Deed's legal tussles with the Establishment and how he usually outwits them. Donald Sinden's trademark overacting adds a much-needed light touch to proceedings and thankfully Martin (just about) avoids using his silly "Serious Actor" accent.
2001	Shampoo (TV)		Martin narrated this series looking at the, ahem, "exciting" goings-on in a Liverpool hairdressers'. Unsurprisingly the show was axed after only two or three episodes. Quite why Martin decided to take on such low-brow stuff is a bit of a mystery!
2002	This is Your Life (TV)		This installment was actually for actress Jenny Seagrove, who co-stars with Martin in Judge John Deed. (Thanks to Pat Burge)
2002	Horizon: Killer Lakes (TV)		Horizon is long-running BBC documentary series. Martin narrated this particular instalment. (Thanks to Rick Soper)
2002	National Television Awards (TV)		No gongs for Martin this time around - he is merely here to present the Best Actress Award. Tx: 15th October
2003	Watching the Detectives (TV)		Martin adopts his Serious Narrator accent for this documentary series following the police investigate real-life crimes.
2003	GMTV (TV)		Interview on the ITV breakfast show to publicise Death in Holy Orders (see next entry). No mention of The Professionals but Marty was decked out in a magnificently hideous Hawaiin-style shirt that even Bodie would have baulked at. tx 22nd August.
2003	Death in Holy Orders (TV)	Commander Adam Dalgliesh	In a transfer from ITV to the BBC, Martin takes over from Roy Marsden in the role of P D James' best-known character. Have to admit I preferred Marsden's intense portrayal as Shaw seemed to sleep through most of this, though given its soporific pacing, perhaps that's not too surprising. tx 23rd and 24th August (though had been filmed in late 2002.)	Click!
2004	The Murder Room (TV)	Commander Adam Dalgliesh	Not much better than the first Dalgliesh story and if you watch the actual murder scene and the witness interview that follows it, the identity of the culprit is very obvious.

Radio Roles

Year	Programme (and broadcaster, if known)	Character	Comments
?	Meeting in Rome	August Strindberg	No other info just yet.
1992	VI Washawski (BBC Radio 4)	Roger Ferrante	I'd forgotten Martin was in this. I remember it was quite noted in the UK media at the time because of Kathleen Turner's reprisal of her film role here in humble, badly-paid BBC Radio!! Martin once joked about enjoying having to snog her on radio!!
1997	Tales from the Islands (BBC Radio 4)	Captain Davidson	This was a four-part adaptation of a story by Joseph Conrad of the Malay Achipelago. Broadcast during October 1997. Martin only appears in the final segment (subtitled 'Because of the Dollars'). Thanks to Sharon Wheeler and Sue Love for info!

Theatrical appearances

All venues are in the UK except where stated

Dates Play (and venue) Character Comments

1965 to 1967(?) Busman's Honeymoon (Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch) Mr McBride First professional speaking role.

1965 Oh What a Lovely War! (venue unknown) ?

1965 Celebration (venue unknown) Jack

1965 The Knack (venue unknown) Tolen

1965 Macbeth (venue unknown) Malcolm

1965 Misalliance (venue unknown) John

1965 Tom Jones (The Queen's Theatre, somewhere!!?) Tom Jones

1965 Lock Up Your Daughters (venue unknown) ?

1965 A Winter's Tale (venue unknown) Cleomenes

Tour in the mid/late sixties The Homecoming (Theatre Royal, Bristol) Joey

Tour in the mid/late sixties Message from the Grass (Theatre Royal, Bristol) Shoobie and/or Roots

Tour in the mid/late sixties The Indian Wants the Bronx (Palace Theatre, Watford) ?

15th to 29th March 1966 A Night Out (Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch) Kedge

15th to 29th November 1966 The Anniversary (Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch) Tom

21st February to 14th March 1967 The Government Inspector (Theatre Royal, Bristol) The Inspector

1967 Celebration (Bristol Old Vic) ?

27th August to 7th September 1968 The Indian Wants the Bronx (Palace Theatre, Watford) Murph Martin plays one of two tough guys who terrorise an elderly Indian man who is trying to get to the Bronx to visit a relative. (Thanks to Georgina Dawe)

10 December 1968 to ? Look Back in Anger (Royal Court, London) Cliff Lewis West End Debut

1968/1969 Look Back in Anger (Criterion, London) Cliff Lewis Transfer from the above.

20th October 1969 to ? The Contractor (Royal Court, London) Paul

Late 1969 The Contractor (Wyndham's, London) Paul Transferred from the above

20th January to 3rd February 1970 The Battle of Shrivings (Theatre Royal, Brighton) David

5th February to 20th April 1970 The Battle of Shrivings (The Lyric, London) David

14th September to 17th October 1970 Cancer (Royal Court, London) Bob

2nd August 1973 to ? The Bacchae (The Old Vic, London) Dionysus

31st October 1973 to ? Saturday, Sunday, Monday (The Old Vic, London) Attilio

14th to 19th March 1974 A Streetcar Named Desire (Piccadilly, London) Stanley Kowalski

20th March 1974 to ? A Streetcar Named Desire (Theatre Royal, Brighton) Stanley Kowalski

29th April to 22nd May 1976 Miss Julie (Greenwich Theatre, London) Jean

26th May to 27th June 1976 Teeth 'n' Smiles (Royal Court, London) Author/Songwriter Seems an odd character name credit but that's what is listed in the programme.

July 1976 Teeth 'n' Smiles (Wyndham's, London) Author/Songwriter Transfer from Royal Court, above.

27th October to 20th November 1976 The Duchess of Malfi (Bristol Old Vic) Daniel de Bosola See also the similar entry for 1988. (Thanks to Georgina Dawe)

July 1981 to 10th March 1982(?) They're Playing Our Song (Shaftesbury Theatre, London) Vernon Gersch Martin's run in this play was cut short when he attained a nasty leg injury (possibly torn cartilidge?) while performing this rather energetic play!

Mid-March to 28th May 1983 Otherwise Engaged (Australian tour with venues including His Majesty's Theatre in Sydney, Regal Theatre in Perth) Simon (Thanks to Georgina Dawe for info)

30th August to 13th September 1983 The Country Girl (Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead, Surrey) Bernie Dodds Co-starring the very lovely Hannah Gordon! Whatever happened to her? Martin played an obsessed theatre director.

20th September 1983 to 10th March 1984 The Country Girl (Apollo Theatre, London) Bernie Dodds Transfer from the above. Martin was released two weeks early from the production in order to start filming in The Last Place on Earth.

14th October 1984 only Handy Dandy (Riverside Studios, London) Judge Henry Pulaski One-off gig as part of Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign.

18th November 1984 only No title (Theatre Royal, Brighton) ? Martin sang in this afternoon benefit revue - led by actors Patrick Mower and Christopher Timothy - for the Ethiopia Appeal.

8th May 1985 to 15th June 1985 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (The Playhouse, Liverpool) Elvis Presley A cast recording of this musical has recently been issued on CD - please refer to the 24th October 1998 entry on the Bullet-Ins page for ordering info.

19th June 1985 to ? Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Theatre Royal, Nottingham) Elvis Presley Transfer from the above.

24th to 29th June 1985 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (The Hippodrome, Birmingham) Elvis Presley

1st to 6th July 1985 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (The Palace, Manchester) Elvis Presley

8th July 1985 to ? Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Theatre Royal, Plymouth) Elvis Presley

15th July 1985 to ? Are You Lonesome Tonight? (The Hippodrome, Bristol) Elvis Presley

23rd - 27th July 1985 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (The Empire, Liverpool) Elvis Presley

31st July 1985 to 5th July 1986 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (The Phoenix, London) Elvis Presley Dates might be incorrect here...

23rd August 1986 to early October 1986 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Her Majesty's, Sydney, Australia) Elvis Presley ... unless it took a break for this Oz performance...

October 1986 for six weeks Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Her Majesty's, Melbourne, Australia) Elvis Presley

8th to 31st January 1987 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Festival Theatre, Adelaide, Australia) Elvis Presley

25th August 1987 to ? The Big Knife (Thorndike, Leatherhead, Surrey) Charles Castle

21st September 1987 to ? The Big Knife (Albery, London) Transferred from the above.

1988 The Duchess of Malfi (Torquay?) Carol Good managed to dig out scant info on this – anyone else remember it? If the date is correct, then this apears to be a rerun of a play Martin did in 1976.

2nd November 1988 for approx four weeks, we think A Streetcar Named Desire (Her Majesty's, Sydney, Australia) Stanley Kowalski Martin returns to the role he first played fourteen years earlier. Who says he's not interested in reviving old characters? ;-)

4th December 1988 to 17th December 1988 A Streetcar Named Desire (The Lyric, Brisbane, Australia) Stanley Kowalski Transferred from the above.

2nd October to 1st December 1990 Other People's Money (Theatre Royal, Bath) Garfinkel

8th October 1990 to ? Other People's Money (The Lyric, London) Garfinkel

22nd January to 2nd March 1991 Betrayal (Almeida Theatre, London) Robert Harold Pinter play.

May 1992 Sienna Red (Liverpool) Harry Martin plays a bisexual who works in a DIY store. Asked to comment at the time, Martin had this to say: "It's a difficult play to describe or categorise... weird woman who lives in the past, married to a guy who lives in the 'now' and I play the weird guy."
The "weird woman" was played by Francesca Annis – recently voted as "The Sexiest Woman on Television"!
Thanks to DanaJeanne for info!

May 1992 Sienna Red (Alexandra Theatre, Brimingham) Harry Transfer of the above.

Seven month run in 1992 An Ideal Husband (The Globe Theatre (now The Gielguid Theatre), London) Lord Goring Critically-acclaimed reviews for both the play and MS himself...

One-week run in late 1993, possibly Rough Justice (Queen's Theatre, Barnstaple) James Highwood Martin plays a father accused of helping his young disabled child to die. Apparently there were different endings to the play on different nights. Thanks to Cath Russell for info.

Late 1993, possibly Rough Justice (Southampton) James Highwood Transfer from the above. Thanks to "Karen".

7th May to 2nd July 1994 Rough Justice (Apollo Theatre, London) James Highwood Transfer from the above.

1995 An Ideal Husband (Broadway, USA) Lord Goring ... reflected over the pond, too. Read a review here. The play was nominated for a Tony Award but didn't win.

Three month run in 1996 An Ideal Husband (Haymarket Theatre, London) Lord Goring Again, well-received.

Nine month run in 1996 An Ideal Husband (The Old Vic, London) Lord Goring Transferred from above.

29th July to 11th October 1997 An Ideal Husband (The Haymarket Theatre, London) Lord Goring And the revival did just as well.

1997 An Ideal Husband (The Globe/Gielgud, London) Lord Goring Transfer from above.

6th October to 24th October 1998 Vertigo (Theatre Royal, Windsor) Roger Flavieres Rather than Hitchcock's 1958 film, this stageplay is based more closely on Pierre Boileau's original. The play should have run until 5th December but was cancelled midway through for some reason (Thanks to Christina Bowring). It resurfaced many months later but with a certain Mr A Andrews taking over the role!

**Audio tapes**
Release Date	Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN
Please note that most of these titles are no longer available brand new
1983	Exocet	Jack Higgins	Chivers Audio	0745160158
1985	The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins (The Profession of Violence)	John Pearson	Prelude Audio Books	1-86074-015-4
January 1992	Wuthering Heights	Emily Brontë	Harper Collins	0 00 104640 3
January 1992	Road to Omaha	Robert Ludlum	Harper Collins	0 00 104652 7
March 1993	Far from the Madding Crowd	Thomas Hardy	Harper Collins	0 00 104683 7
May 1993	The Hobbit	J R R Tolkein	Harper Collins	0 00 104676 4
July 1993	Honour Among Thieves	Jeffrey Archer	Harper Collins	0 00 104707 8
1994	Tess of the D'Urbervilles	Thomas Hardy	Orbis Publishing (Talking Classics Series)	0 74 890100 0
1995	The Mayor of Casterbridge	Thomas Hardy	Orbis Publishing (Talking Classics Series)	0 74 890322 4
1995	The Deptford Mice Trilogy Part Two: The Crystal Prison	Robin Jarvis	MacDonald Young Books	1840325631
1995	The Picture of Dorian Gray	Oscar Wilde	Orbis Publishing (Talking Classics Series, no. 11)	0 74 890110 8
1995	Birds of Prey	Wilbur Smith	Macmillan	0-333-69866-5. Re-issued in 2003.
August 1995	Scorpio Illusion	Robert Ludlum	Harper Collins	0 00 104984 4
August 1995	Apocalypse Watch	Robert Ludlum	Harper Collins	0 00 104985 2
1995	Whispers in the Graveyard	Teresa Breslin	Egment Books	1860211232
September 1996	Gulliver's Travels	Jonathan Swift	Harper Collins	0 00 105241 1
October 1996	Robinson Crusoe	Daniel Defoe	Harper Collins	0 00 105242 X
September 1997	Beyond Recall	Robert Goddard	Harper Collins	0 00 105409 0
June 1997	Cosi Fan Tutti	Michael Dibdin	Harper Collins	0 00 105336 1
February 1998	The Man from St Petersburg	Ken Follett	Macmillan	0 33 373531 5
December 1998	The Silmarillion Vols 1-6	JRR Tolkein	HarperCollins	ISBN 0553456067. See review below.
May 1999	Ramses	Christian Jacq	Simon & Schuster	0 67 103360 3. This eight-cassette audio-tome set is also available in "bite-size" chunks – see below.
June 1999	Ramses 1: Son of Light	Christian Jacq	Simon & Schuster	0 671 03359 X
June 1999	Ramses 2: The Temple of a Million Years	Christian Jacq	Simon & Schuster	0 671 03360 3
June 1999	Ramses 3: The Battle of Kadesh	Christian Jacq	Simon & Schuster	0 671 03361 1
June 1999	Ramses 4: The Lady of Abu Simbel	Christian Jacq	Simon & Schuster	0 671 03362 X
June 1999	Ramses 5: Under the Western Acacia	Christian Jacq	Simon & Schuster	0 671 03363 8
February 2003	Last Legion	Valerio Massimo Manfredi	Macmillan	1405006609

Sharon Brondos has kindly sent a personal review of The Silmarillion:

Martin Shaw's reading of Tolkien's The Silmarillion is not only a must-have for all Shaw fans, it's an extraordinary piece of art and will appeal to those who've never heard of The Professionals. Shaw's performance is beyond outstanding. The gorgeousness of Tolkien's writing combined with the beauty of Shaw's voice produce a listening event of highest artistic experience. I don't merely recommend this: I insist it be bought! Those brought up on "minimalist" literature need exposure to the wonders of this rich prose. Those used to simplistic storylines and plots need to appreciate the complexity of Tolkien's world-building. Those who consider English as a hodge-podge of language cast-offs need to listen to the melodiousness of sound as the consonants and vowels pour forth in a form so close to music it's unfair to call it mere speech.

Yes, I like it!

The production is being released in (I believe) three volumes of four CDs each, giving hours, even days of listening pleasure. Bantam Doubleday Dell deserves thanks for bringing this to us. ISBNs for the first two volumes are: 0-553-45582-6 and 0-553-45583-4 respectively. ( I ordered mine online from Amazon.)

Many thanks indeed to Ann Glacki, Kathryn Ramsay and Barbara Johnson for info! Ann says she is able to obtain copies of the cassettes for anyone interested. And DanaJeanne Norris has discovered that some of the tapes are also available from UK-based Internet Talking Bookshop.

Go to Other Sightings of Lewis Collins or Gordon Jackson.

Dates	Play (and venue)	Character	Comments
1965 to 1967(?)	Busman's Honeymoon (Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch)	Mr McBride	First professional speaking role.
1965	Oh What a Lovely War! (venue unknown)	?
1965	Celebration (venue unknown)	Jack
1965	The Knack (venue unknown)	Tolen
1965	Macbeth (venue unknown)	Malcolm
1965	Misalliance (venue unknown)	John
1965	Tom Jones (The Queen's Theatre, somewhere!!?)	Tom Jones
1965	Lock Up Your Daughters (venue unknown)	?
1965	A Winter's Tale (venue unknown)	Cleomenes
Tour in the mid/late sixties	The Homecoming (Theatre Royal, Bristol)	Joey
Tour in the mid/late sixties	Message from the Grass (Theatre Royal, Bristol)	Shoobie and/or Roots
Tour in the mid/late sixties	The Indian Wants the Bronx (Palace Theatre, Watford)	?
15th to 29th March 1966	A Night Out (Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch)	Kedge
15th to 29th November 1966	The Anniversary (Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch)	Tom
21st February to 14th March 1967	The Government Inspector (Theatre Royal, Bristol)	The Inspector
1967	Celebration (Bristol Old Vic)	?
27th August to 7th September 1968	The Indian Wants the Bronx (Palace Theatre, Watford)	Murph	Martin plays one of two tough guys who terrorise an elderly Indian man who is trying to get to the Bronx to visit a relative. (Thanks to Georgina Dawe)
10 December 1968 to ?	Look Back in Anger (Royal Court, London)	Cliff Lewis	West End Debut
1968/1969	Look Back in Anger (Criterion, London)	Cliff Lewis	Transfer from the above.
20th October 1969 to ?	The Contractor (Royal Court, London)	Paul
Late 1969	The Contractor (Wyndham's, London)	Paul	Transferred from the above
20th January to 3rd February 1970	The Battle of Shrivings (Theatre Royal, Brighton)	David
5th February to 20th April 1970	The Battle of Shrivings (The Lyric, London)	David
14th September to 17th October 1970	Cancer (Royal Court, London)	Bob
2nd August 1973 to ?	The Bacchae (The Old Vic, London)	Dionysus
31st October 1973 to ?	Saturday, Sunday, Monday (The Old Vic, London)	Attilio
14th to 19th March 1974	A Streetcar Named Desire (Piccadilly, London)	Stanley Kowalski
20th March 1974 to ?	A Streetcar Named Desire (Theatre Royal, Brighton)	Stanley Kowalski
29th April to 22nd May 1976	Miss Julie (Greenwich Theatre, London)	Jean
26th May to 27th June 1976	Teeth 'n' Smiles (Royal Court, London)	Author/Songwriter	Seems an odd character name credit but that's what is listed in the programme.
July 1976	Teeth 'n' Smiles (Wyndham's, London)	Author/Songwriter	Transfer from Royal Court, above.
27th October to 20th November 1976	The Duchess of Malfi (Bristol Old Vic)	Daniel de Bosola	See also the similar entry for 1988. (Thanks to Georgina Dawe)
July 1981 to 10th March 1982(?)	They're Playing Our Song (Shaftesbury Theatre, London)	Vernon Gersch	Martin's run in this play was cut short when he attained a nasty leg injury (possibly torn cartilidge?) while performing this rather energetic play!
Mid-March to 28th May 1983	Otherwise Engaged (Australian tour with venues including His Majesty's Theatre in Sydney, Regal Theatre in Perth)	Simon	(Thanks to Georgina Dawe for info)
30th August to 13th September 1983	The Country Girl (Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead, Surrey)	Bernie Dodds	Co-starring the very lovely Hannah Gordon! Whatever happened to her? Martin played an obsessed theatre director.
20th September 1983 to 10th March 1984	The Country Girl (Apollo Theatre, London)	Bernie Dodds	Transfer from the above. Martin was released two weeks early from the production in order to start filming in The Last Place on Earth.
14th October 1984 only	Handy Dandy (Riverside Studios, London)	Judge Henry Pulaski	One-off gig as part of Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign.
18th November 1984 only	No title (Theatre Royal, Brighton)	?	Martin sang in this afternoon benefit revue - led by actors Patrick Mower and Christopher Timothy - for the Ethiopia Appeal.
8th May 1985 to 15th June 1985	Are You Lonesome Tonight? (The Playhouse, Liverpool)	Elvis Presley	A cast recording of this musical has recently been issued on CD - please refer to the 24th October 1998 entry on the Bullet-Ins page for ordering info.
19th June 1985 to ?	Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Theatre Royal, Nottingham)	Elvis Presley	Transfer from the above.
24th to 29th June 1985	Are You Lonesome Tonight? (The Hippodrome, Birmingham)	Elvis Presley
1st to 6th July 1985	Are You Lonesome Tonight? (The Palace, Manchester)	Elvis Presley
8th July 1985 to ?	Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Theatre Royal, Plymouth)	Elvis Presley
15th July 1985 to ?	Are You Lonesome Tonight? (The Hippodrome, Bristol)	Elvis Presley
23rd - 27th July 1985	Are You Lonesome Tonight? (The Empire, Liverpool)	Elvis Presley
31st July 1985 to 5th July 1986	Are You Lonesome Tonight? (The Phoenix, London)	Elvis Presley	Dates might be incorrect here...
23rd August 1986 to early October 1986	Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Her Majesty's, Sydney, Australia)	Elvis Presley	... unless it took a break for this Oz performance...
October 1986 for six weeks	Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Her Majesty's, Melbourne, Australia)	Elvis Presley
8th to 31st January 1987	Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Festival Theatre, Adelaide, Australia)	Elvis Presley
25th August 1987 to ?	The Big Knife (Thorndike, Leatherhead, Surrey)	Charles Castle
21st September 1987 to ?	The Big Knife (Albery, London)	Transferred from the above.
1988	The Duchess of Malfi (Torquay?)		Carol Good managed to dig out scant info on this – anyone else remember it? If the date is correct, then this apears to be a rerun of a play Martin did in 1976.
2nd November 1988 for approx four weeks, we think	A Streetcar Named Desire (Her Majesty's, Sydney, Australia)	Stanley Kowalski	Martin returns to the role he first played fourteen years earlier. Who says he's not interested in reviving old characters? ;-)
4th December 1988 to 17th December 1988	A Streetcar Named Desire (The Lyric, Brisbane, Australia)	Stanley Kowalski	Transferred from the above.
2nd October to 1st December 1990	Other People's Money (Theatre Royal, Bath)	Garfinkel
8th October 1990 to ?	Other People's Money (The Lyric, London)	Garfinkel
22nd January to 2nd March 1991	Betrayal (Almeida Theatre, London)	Robert	Harold Pinter play.
May 1992	Sienna Red (Liverpool)	Harry	Martin plays a bisexual who works in a DIY store. Asked to comment at the time, Martin had this to say: "It's a difficult play to describe or categorise... weird woman who lives in the past, married to a guy who lives in the 'now' and I play the weird guy." The "weird woman" was played by Francesca Annis – recently voted as "The Sexiest Woman on Television"! Thanks to DanaJeanne for info!
May 1992	Sienna Red (Alexandra Theatre, Brimingham)	Harry	Transfer of the above.
Seven month run in 1992	An Ideal Husband (The Globe Theatre (now The Gielguid Theatre), London)	Lord Goring	Critically-acclaimed reviews for both the play and MS himself...
One-week run in late 1993, possibly	Rough Justice (Queen's Theatre, Barnstaple)	James Highwood	Martin plays a father accused of helping his young disabled child to die. Apparently there were different endings to the play on different nights. Thanks to Cath Russell for info.
Late 1993, possibly	Rough Justice (Southampton)	James Highwood	Transfer from the above. Thanks to "Karen".
7th May to 2nd July 1994	Rough Justice (Apollo Theatre, London)	James Highwood	Transfer from the above.
1995	An Ideal Husband (Broadway, USA)	Lord Goring	... reflected over the pond, too. Read a review here. The play was nominated for a Tony Award but didn't win.
Three month run in 1996	An Ideal Husband (Haymarket Theatre, London)	Lord Goring	Again, well-received.
Nine month run in 1996	An Ideal Husband (The Old Vic, London)	Lord Goring	Transferred from above.
29th July to 11th October 1997	An Ideal Husband (The Haymarket Theatre, London)	Lord Goring	And the revival did just as well.
1997	An Ideal Husband (The Globe/Gielgud, London)	Lord Goring	Transfer from above.
6th October to 24th October 1998	Vertigo (Theatre Royal, Windsor)	Roger Flavieres	Rather than Hitchcock's 1958 film, this stageplay is based more closely on Pierre Boileau's original. The play should have run until 5th December but was cancelled midway through for some reason (Thanks to Christina Bowring). It resurfaced many months later but with a certain Mr A Andrews taking over the role!