Public Eye - a Marker for all seasons

Director Index

Twenty three directors worked on the show over the years, a smaller number than the writers and probably a factor aiding consistency. Kim Mills was the leading director with fifteen episodes, all but one in the first four series, making him very important in setting the tone of the programme. Directors especially prominent in the best remembered colour years were Douglas Camfield, Bill Bain and David Wickes. Jonathan Alwyn and Jim Goddard maintained a valuable presence throughout events. One surprising name in the list is William G. Stewart, much better known as a Thames comedy producer of shows like Bless This House and later long-time host of Channel 4's afternoon quiz Fifteen To One.

Some selected extra credits and biographical information are included. In most instances this is from the The Internet Movie Database. This will also give fuller details. It is sometimes unreliable so if you spot an error please e-mail me.

Directors A-L

Directors M-W

Jonathan Alwyn (1940- ). Other credits include Juliet Bravo, Doomwatch, Special Branch, Callan, Redcap (1960's) and The Avengers (director); Maigret (1992), Campion, Bergerac and By the Sword Divided (producer).

  • "I Went To Borrow a Pencil And Look What I Found"
  • "Tell Me About the Crab"
  • The Comedian's Graveyard
  • The Man Who Said Sorry
  • The Fatted Calf
  • Unlucky For Some (6)

    Bill Bain (1930-82). Also directed The Duchess Of Duke Street, Within These Walls, New Scotland Yard, Upstairs Downstairs, Callan and The Avengers.

  • Come Into the Garden, Rose
  • Mrs. Podmore's Cat
  • Horse And Carriage
  • How About a Cup Of Tea?
  • How About It, Frank? (5)

    Laurence Bourne:
  • "But the Joneses Never Get Letters"
  • "A Harsh World For Zealots"
  • "'And a Very Fine Fiddle Has He'"
  • "Protection Is a Man's Best Friend" (4) 

    Douglas Camfield (1931-84). Directed Shoestring, Danger UXB, Blake's 7, The Sweeney, Van der Valk, Paul Temple, Special Branch, Dr Who and Z Cars.

  • Who Wants To Be Told Bad News?
  • A Family Affair
  • The Golden Boy
  • The Windsor Royal
  • Nobody Wants To Know
  • The Fall Guy
  • What's To Become Of Us? (7)

    Basil Coleman:
  • "I Could Set It To Music"
  • Works With Chess, Not With Life (2) 

    Patrick Dromgoole (1930- ):
  • "You Should Hear Me Eat Soup"
  • "If This Is Lucky, I'd Rather Be Jonah"
  • "Strictly Private And Confidential" (3) 

    Peter Duguid (1923- )
  • "Have Mud, Will Throw"
  • "Cross That Palm When We Come To It"
  • Slip Home In the Dark

    Barbara Pitt's fear is pictured by Peter Duguid in 'Slip Home In the Dark'

  • The Beater And the Game (4) 

    Graham Evans. Also directed A Fine Romance, Tales Of the Unexpected, Van der Valk.
  • Egg And Cress Sandwiches
  • No Orchids For Marker  (2)

    Probably the most distinctively directed episode is 'Egg And Cress Sandwiches' by Graham Evans, here evidenced by a high shot of Brian Blessed crossing a busy road

    James Gatward
  • The Man Who Didn't Eat Sweets

    Alan Gibson (1938-87). Also directed The Flip Side Of Dominick Hide, Hammer House Of Horror, Tales Of the Unexpected, Raffles, Thriller, The Adventures Of Black Beauty and The Troubleshooters.

  • "There's No Future In Monkey Business"

    Jim Goddard (1936- ):
  • The Bromsgrove Venus
  • "It Must Be the Architecture - Can't Be the Climate"
  • Divide And Conquer
  • Well - There Was This Girl You See
  • The Man Who Didn't Eat Sweets
  • The Bankrupt
  • It's a Woman's Privilege (7)

    Piers Haggard (1939- ):
  • "Twenty Pounds Of Heart And Muscle"
  • And When You've Paid the Bill, You're None the Wiser

    One of the great images from the above, directed by Piers Haggard

  • Shades Of White (3)

    Robert Knights:
  • Home And Away

    Simon Langton (1941- ):
  • Hard Times

    Quentin Lawrence (1920-79). Directed Catweazle and many episodes of Coronation Street in the 1970's.
  • "You're Not Cinderella, Are You?"
  • "No, No, Nothing Like That"
  • "But What Good Will the Truth Do?"
  • A Mug Named Frank (4)

    Mark Lawton:
  • "You Think It'll Be Marvellous - But It's Always a Rabbit"

    Kim Mills (1931-2006). Directed Wednesday's Child, and The Avengers. Producer of The Gentle Touch.

  • "All For a Couple Of Ponies"
  • Nobody Kills Santa Claus
  • "Dig You Later"
  • "My Life, That's a Marriage"
  • The Morning Wasn't So Hot
  • "All the Black Dresses She Wants"
  • Don't Forget You're Mine
  • "It Had To Be a Mouse"
  • "But They Always Come Back For Tea"
  • "Mercury In an Off-White Mac"
  • "It's Learning About the Lies That Hurts"
  • Welcome To Brighton?
  • My Life's My Own
  • A Fixed Address
  • Take No For an Answer (15) 

    Kim Mills's powerful image of Frank in his prison bed from 'Welcome To Brighton'

    Toby Robertson:
  • "You Have To Draw the Line Somewhere"
  • "There Are More Things In Heaven And Earth" (2) 

    William G. Stewart (1935- ). Produced and directed The 19th Hole, Fifteen To One, The Price Is Right, Till Death, Spooner's Patch, Family Fortunes, The Rag Trade (1977), Love Thy Neighbour and Bless This House. Also directed Special Branch.

  • Ward Of Court 

  • Robert Tronson (1924- ). Directed Hetty Wainthrop Investigates, The Darling Buds Of May, Boon, Dempsey And Makepeace, Bergerac, Nanny, Juliet Bravo, Armchair Thriller, Thriller, Father Brown, Randall And Hopkirk (Deceased), Man In a Suitcase, Callan, The Baron, The Troubleshooters, Gideon's Way, Edgar Wallace and The Saint.

  • "They Go Off In the End - Like Fruit"
  • "Honesty Is the Best Policy - But Who Can Afford the Premiums?" (2)

    Dennis Vance (1924-83). Also directed Thriller, Van der Valk, Special Branch and The Avengers. Former actor.

  • "Memories Of Meg"
  • I Always Wanted a Swimming Pool
  • Transatlantic Cousins
  • Girl In Blue (4)

    Mike Vardy:
  • Fit Of Conscience

    Guy Verney (1915- ). Directed Special Branch, Callan, Redcap (1964) and The Avengers.

  • "Have It On the House"
  • "It's a Terrible Way To Be"
  • "You Can Keep the Medal"
  • "What's Wrong? Can't You Take a Sick Joke?"
  • Paid In Full
  • Case For the Defence (6)

    David Wickes (1940- ) . Directed C:15 (also producer), Sweeney!, The Sweeney, Van der Valk and Special Branch.

  • John VII. Verse 24
  • Many a Slip
  • The Trouble With Jenny
  • They All Sound Simple At First
  • Lifer (5)

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      alanbnew@yahoo.co.uk 14-10-2009