The Main Chance: Dear Sir, Unless… (ITV 30 Aug 1972)

In Dear Sir, Unless… Hilary has been speaking to David’s previous wife Julia (off screen) to arrange some time spent with his two children. If David can make sure he doesn’t take on too big a workload. David being David that’s no easy task of course.

Case wise Henry asks David and Clegg to look into a firm of dodgy debt collectors who are getting a little too heavy handed when it comes to making sure people pay up.

Funnily enough David finds events conspiring against him to actually spend anytime at all with his kids and it leads to the first real argument between him and Hilary. Hilary also tells him that if he were to get the children back she would not accept custody of them because David would not be there for them. Their argument is a strong final scene to wrap up the third season, Hilary walking out and Main turning away with a scotch in his hand.

David is also seen driving a fabulous Mark III Jensen Interceptor in this episode when he has to go to the airport to pick up a trio of important clients.

This was the final episode of The Main Chance for some two and half years and the series would be slightly different when it returned – not least with a new theme tune and title sequence.

classic quote
“I’ve haven’t got a conscience but If I had you’d be on it the whole time.”
“same old leopard, same old spots.”

production details
UK / ITV – Yorkshire / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Wednesday 30 August 1972 at 9.00pm

Writer: Edmund Ward / Production Design: Alan Pickford / Director: John Frankau

The Main Chance Season 3 Episode 13

cast
John Stride as David Main
Estelle Kohler as Hilary Main
John Wentworth as Henry Castleton
Margaret Ashcroft as Margaret Castleton
Glynn Edwards as Walter Clegg
John Welsh as James Renshaw
James Donnelly as Joe Marshall
Arthur White as William Shelton
Anthony Sagar as George Cleveland
Allan Cuthbertson as Ian Osborn Utley
Hugh Sullivan as Peter Gregg-Bowen
Noel Willman as Magistrate
Stuart Saunders as Householder