I spent 11 years of my life in what I call "The British World." I include in this Britain,Australia and South Africa. I fell in love with television in all three countries. Great television stations were the BBC (British Broadcasting Commission), SABC (South African Broadcasting Commission, and ABC (Australian Broadcasting Commission.
All of these networks or channels had incredible courage. They would always "tell it like it is" even if someone got offended. Their "made for TV" movies were always incredible.
I came to especially love a show called Minder. It premiered on British television in 1979 and lasted on television until 1994. It was a comedy about a boxer who was an ex-convict (Terrence McCann-played by Dennis Waterman) and a con man named Arthur Daley (played by a British actor named George Cole.) Terry and Arthur are a part of the British national character as Archie Bunker is int he US.
I also love a British science fiction show from the late 1960's and early 1970's called UFO. It's about a secret organization battling aliens from other planets. The organization battling the aliens is called SHADO (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defense Organization). The star of the show is a great US actor named Ed Bishop. The series was 40-50 years ahead of its time. It still has a cult following today.
I was watching the third episode of the series. It centered on a SHADO medical technician who gave the aliens classified information. The actor playing the traitor had a voice that sounded familiar. I was sure that it was George Cole, the actor who went on to play Arthur Daley. But he looked much too young. At the end of the show I read the credits listing the name of the actor. Sure enough, George Cole's name was there. What a big surprise and coincidence!!!!
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