Public Eye: If This Is Lucky, I’d Rather Be Jonah (ITV 20 Jan 1968, with Sheila Fearn)

In If This Is Lucky, I’d Rather Be Jonah, the opening episode of the third season of Public Eye, Frank has what he thinks is a straightforward case of marital discord involving gambling debts but of course things are never straightforward in Frank’s business.

The TV Times for the week of broadcast (20 Jan edition) had a two page article on the female guest stars that would be appearing over the course of the third season. Producer Michael Chapman was at pains to explain that although Frank was not the kind of private detective (or enquiry agent as Frank actually is) that had anything to do with the glamorous side of life he does still meet women in his line of work – not that he would get emotionally involved of course – and Frank never does get emotionally involved. Not even with his landlady, the lovely Helen Mortimer in season four, who would love to have settled down with Frank. Chapman also stressed that these were ordinary girls (who included such luminaries as Georgina Hale, Diana Beever, Sheila Fearn – who is in this opening episode – Caroline Blakiston and Sylvia Kay. Public Eye The Girls of Series Three.

Patrick Dromgoole, who directed this episode, would go on to be one of the lynch pins at HTV during the seventies and eighties.

production details
UK / ITV – ABC / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Saturday 20 January 1968 at 9.10pm

Writer: David Whitaker / Director: Patrick Dromgoole

Series: Public Eye Season 3 Episode 1

cast
Alfred Burke as Frank Marker
Sheila Fearn as Valerie Kitson
Edward Fox as Eric Kitson
Milton Johns as Terry Stretton
Meier Tzelniker as Phillipson
Alister Williamson as Detective Sergeant Willows
Leslie Southwick as Policeman
Geoffrey Hinsliff as Johnny Pearman
Derrick Gilbert as Reg Elms
Alan Cullen as Esmond
Maggie Don as Doris Baker