The Sweeney: Hit and Run (ITV 29 Sep 1975, with Patrick Troughton)

In Hit and Run tough gang boss Reg Crofts is concerned that the ex-girlfriend of one of his men, Fowler, wants out. He decides that a nice little hit and run accident to get her out of the way would be the perfect solution. She is a French teacher and teaches at the same school as George’s wife Alison. She has been running a nice little smuggling racket during regular school trips to France.

In a terrible mix up when Alison borrows Fowler’s girl’s coat she becomes the target of the hit and run and is left for dead in the street and dies in hospital. It’s devastating for Carter especially there seems to be no clue as to who the driver was – it’s only when he is packing up Alison’s clothes after the funeral that he discovers the coat Alison was wearing. It doesn’t take long for the trail to lead to Crofts.

The best scenes are the quiet moments with George and Jack at Carter’s home drinking a bottle of whisky and letting Carter talk it out.

There was a nice one page feature on guest star Patrick Troughton in that weeks TV Times (27 Sep 1975) and the fact that he was playing against type as a bad guy.

production details
UK / ITV – Thames / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Monday 29 September 1975 at 9.00pm

Writer: Roger Marshall / Director: Mike Vardy

Series: The Sweeney Season 2 Episode 5

cast
John Thaw as Regan
Dennis Waterman as Carter
Garfield Morgan as Haskins
Gary Waldhorn as Fowler
Sheila Ruskin as Judy
Patrick Troughton as Crofts
Stephanie Turner as Alison Carter
Margaret Whiting as Madge
Michael Sheard as Mr Penketh
James Snell as Johnny Moxom
Liz Smith as Landlady
Terry Bale as Minicab operator
Katherine Parr as Mrs Carter