Villains: Bernie (ITV 23 Sep 1972, Tom Adams, Gabrielle Drake)

Bernie, one of the Bog Robbers has escaped with the rest of the gang and is seeking refuge in a quiet seaside town. He arrange to meet his wife and son with plans to ship out to Australia.

Flashbacks show Bernie in prison, dealing with crooked solicitor Harvey Percival and more of the robbery itself – Bernie was the thermic lance expert.

Gorgeous Gabrielle Drake is cast against type here as Bernie’s scheming and somewhat common mistress but the real highlight is the excellent Marjorie Yates, here making only her second TV appearance.

Both Paul Eddington and David Daker make another appearance with more background filling in details from the very first episode about how solictor Harvey Percival ended up looking after George and Bernie’s share of the robbery.

There is a glaring faux pa in a scene when Bernie and Julie are walking on the beach – the camera is following them and casting a great big shadow on the sand is both the cameraman and the sound man.

production details
UK / ITV – London Weekend Television / 1×50 minute episodes / Broadcast Saturday 23 September 1972 at 9.30pm

Writer: Tony Hoare / Production Design: Colin Piggott / Director: Robert Tronson

Series: Villains Episode 10 (of 13)

cast
Tom Adams as Bernie
Marjorie Yates as Julie Owens
Gabrielle Drake as Tina
David Daker as George
Paul Eddington as Harvey Percival
Graham Angell as Jimmy
Dan Caulfield as Detective
Tony Calvin as Harry
Hilary Dwyer as Franca
Mary Healey as Jenny