#george markstein

[mariocki]

Shadows of Fear: The Party's Over (1.11, Thames, 1973)

"Frankly, Mr. Parker, I'm very concerned."

"Oh, why?"

"It would appear to me that you haven't given your wife the care and consideration she needs."

"I don't understand on earth what you mean!"

"Mr. Parker, your wife is under sentence of death."

[movierx]

The Prisoner (1967-8) Episode 1: Arrival

Created by Patrick McGoohan and George Markstein

[thisbluespirit]

I bought this a few years ago to try and find out more about Frontier, Thames TV’s 1968 period drama set in the North West Frontier in the late 19th C (so about the ‘Great Game’).  James Maxwell played Captain Horace Stoughton, the amoral, ambiguous intelligence officer.  This seems to have been probably his most popular TV role, and Paul Eddington was very enthusiastic about the series and cast in his autobiography.  No doubt, given the subject matter, it’s probably quite questionable by 21st C standards, but it was created by Michael Chapman, George Markstein and Lloyd Shirley, so it should have been an interesting and well-researched series.  However, all but three of its episodes have been burninated and the surviving eps have never been released in any format. 

… a man walked in wearing civilian clothes who neither saluted nor made any other form of greeting.  Though not of great stature he had a wiry frame and a lean intelligent look about him, despite his lack of manners.  His name was Captain Horace Stoughton and he was the Political Agent.  Whitley had known the man for many years and for most of these had hoped to see the last of him.  Now to his extreme annoyance Stoughton had been transferred to Yarkhun three months before he arrived himself, and was running things in his usual fashion.  This, it should be explained, was in direct contrast to Whitley’s own.  Stoughton had a passion for secrecy, was deeply involved in Intelligence, counter-espionage, and numerous political activities which never bubbled to the surface.  He was no respecter of persons and had no time for ceremony or even common courtesy.  In general his opinion was that soldiers created a mess which he was then expected to clear up.  For their part, the soldiers might despise him, but they feared him too because Stoughton had the ear of people in high places.  Whoever else got hurt in an affair, it was never himself; and worse still, however outrageous his opinions might seem at the outset, far more often than not he was right. 

[....] One man had not been in evidence during the past two weeks and this was Captain Stoughton, the Political officer.  After his stormy interview with Colonel Whitley following the death of Mrs Mainwaring, he had not chosen to offer advice and indeed had not spoken to any other officer.  An excellent shot, however, he had attached himself to the Sikhs and taken up his position on the wall as a private soldier during the main assaults and emergencies, and the native troops evidently had a high regard for him.  So far as anyone could tell, he had neither sent agents out of the fort, nor got any in, but sometimes he could be seen in conference with the native followers, and always there was a preoccupied air about him, as if he had many affairs on hand.  Now as it grew dark and the garrison murmured over their extraordinary reversal of fortunes, Stoughton made his way to the Colonel’s office.  His reception was not a very gracious one…

[harrypotterhousequotes]

GRYFFINDOR: "I am not a number, I am a free man!" --Patrick McGoohan + George Markstein (Number Six: The Prisoner)

[theoszczepanski]

[mariocki]

Special Branch: Smokescreen (1.2, Thames, 1969)

"Sir, I am entirely in your hands. I would only draw your attention to the fact that this officer went on what appears to have been a completely irregular visit to the dead man, without any form of verbal or written authority from any of his superiors; that he saw him in private, having first ordered one of his colleagues to stay outside the room; and that he now refuses to state what was said."

[mariocki]

Storyboard: The Traitor (1.5, Thames, 1983)

"Alright. Now I'll tell you something: the one thing you need, you haven't got. An admission, a confession. You've got a lot of suspicion, and little bits and pieces. And you know there's a Russian spy in the section codenamed Derek, but the one thing you can't prove is that I am Derek. Or that Derek is me. Play back your tapes, read your transcripts, check until you're blue in the face - you won't find a shred of evidence that would convict a blind monkey! You know damn well you've lost! That's what this little inquisition's all about, isn't it, to get me to say mea culpa, I admit my guilt? No jury on Earth would convict me without a confession. Go on; if you think you've got me, arrest me. Charge me! I've never admitted anything. And I'm not going to, 'cos I've got nothing to admit! You have failed!"

[mariocki]

Special Branch: Short Change (1.10, Thames, 1969)

"Do you think I should sue them, Sir?"

"I wouldn't if I were you, not if you want to stay in Special Branch."

"Why can't I?"

"I didn't say you can't, I said it might be wiser if you didn't."

"But they made a false accusation, Sir, and I can prove it now!"

"It would be wiser to do nothing - because we don't have a face, we don't get involved in public, that's Special Branch."

"Yeah. That's bloody unfair, Sir."

"Yes it is."