Special Branch: Jailbait (ITV 8 Feb 1974, with Paul Shelley)

In Jailbait a notorious spy, Eastry, and a just as notorious bank robber, Finch, are involved in an attempted breakout whilst en route from prison to prison. Was the break out politically motivated or criminally motivated – thats what Craven and Haggerty have to find out.

As is proving to be the norm so far this season it’s actually Secret Service man Strand who is behind the attempted break out. Eastry, after being in prison for years, had finally decided to spill the beans. Unfortunately Eastry and Finch’s cell mate Sprague knows about the escape attempt and the break out goes wrong. Naturally Strand had failed to tell Special Branch what was going on.

The excellent Paul Shelley guest stars as the camp Palliser and other familiar faces include Walter Sparrow (who suffers a very gruesome death at a power station) and Stephen Grief who plays the villainous Finch.

So far this season the introduction of Strand has given the season a flavour of the first couple of seasons when Moxon seemed to be playing Special Branch along in every episode.

Incidentally part three opens with a very groovy tune as a go-go dancer struts her stuff in a pub.

Stephen Grief as Finch

production details
UK / ITV – Thames / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Thursday 28 February 1974 at 9.00pm

Writer: Michael Chapman / Director: William Brayne

Series: Special Branch Season 4 Episode 3

cast
George Sewell as Craven
Patrick Mower as Haggerty
Frederick Jaeger as Fletcher
Paul Eddington as Strand
Colette O’Neill as Rose Filmer
Paul Shelley as Palliser
Olaf Pooley as Eastry Sr
Barry Keegan as Horniman
Clive Morton as Attorney General
Charles Morgan as News Editor
Paul Antrim as Detective Sergeant Maguire
John Quentin as Eastry
Stephen Grief as Finch
Walter Sparrow as Sprague
Arnold Peters as Prison governor
Fredric Abbott as Chief prison officer
Jon Croft as Corrigan
Cyril Appleton as Sgt Henderson
Frederick Bennett as George
Rod Beacham as Drunk
Susanna Hunt as Gill
Cherell Vernem as Go-Go Dancer