New Scotland Yard: Where’s Harry (ITV 23 June 1973)

An exciting shot on film opening as a group of crooks break a dangerous criminal out of jail sees Where’s Harry get the third season of the show off to a great start. “Mad Harry” Logan is a vicious killer but definitely not the sharpest pencil in the box and Kingdom and Ward can’t work out just why somebody would want to break him out.

Kingdom finds himself at loggerheads with Detective Inspector Mayer who is convinced a villain called Micky Green is behind the escape, Kingdom agrees but thinks they need to put evidence above personal animosity. Things end badly for both Mayer and Logan when Mayer discovers where the villain is hiding and pays him a visit.

Tony Hoare who wrote this episode (as well as the season two finale 6 months earlier) always wrote villains very well and despite some overdone bits from Derek Newark as Mad Harry there is some nice interplay between him and the barmaid, Sharron played by Gay Singleton (star of cult flick Permissive), who is given the job of looking after Harry whilst he is in hiding.

Speaking in the TV Times (23 June 1973) in a short promo piece for the beginning of the third season Jack Williams said that both Kingdom and Ward are happier and more settled this season – Ward especially, he’s even got new softer shaped glasses. Williams said “people have got to get worse of better, and Ward’s getting better. He might even have some success with the girls.”

This season went back to a Saturday night slot albeit a bit later at 8.30pm. Derek Newark as Mad Harry and Gay Singleton as Sharron.

production details
UK / ITV – London Weekend Television /1×50 minute / Broadcast Saturday 23 June 1973 at 8.30pm

Writer: Tony Hoare / Production Design: Andrew Drummond / Director: John Reardon

Series: New Scotland Yard Season 3 Episode 1

cast
John Woodvine as Kingdom
John Carlisle as Ward
Christopher Sandford as Ronnie James
Derek Newark as Harry Logan
Barry Jackson as Micky Green
Gay Singleton as Sharron Denton
Geoffrey Hinsliff as Kenny Hall
Anthony Langdon as Detective Inspector Mayer
Bill Treacher as Jack Rooney
Richard Vanstone as Detective Sergeant Bolan
Matthew Robinson as Police Constable