The Sweeney: Drag Act (ITV 21 Sep 1978, with Kate Fahy)

In Drag Act a group of crooks are hijacking lorries. With a driver dead and a policeman injured Regan is under heavy pressure to get a result.

There is something of a subplot, completely with highly dodgy romantic music, of George becoming involved with probationary cop, Julie Kingdom, In fact Julie takes quite a chunk of the storyline and instrumental in the solving of the case. George thinks her name should go in the report so that she is given some of the credit. Regan thinks she is not in it for the long game and George should keep her name out of it.

Patrick Malahide pops up in a brief role as a detective, he would of course go on to a long running role in Waterman’s next series Minder.

production details
UK / ITV – Thames / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast 21 September 1978 at 9.00pm

Writer: Ted Childs / Director: Tom Clegg

Series: The Sweeney Season 4 Episode 3

cast
John Thaw as Jack Regan
Dennis Waterman as George Carter
Katherine Fahy as Julie Kingdom
Albert Welling as Mike Seton
Benjamin Whitrow as Braithwaite
Patrick Malahide as Mason
Peter Kerrigan as Bowyer
Roger Hume as Lockhart
Derek Deadman as Curry
John Rolfe as Brookford
David Atkins as Marriot
John Hartley as Chief Inspector
David Foxxe as Cyril
John Alkin as Daniels
Oliver Smith as Lorry Driver
Vivienne Johnson as Mavis
Rachel Dix as Marriot’s Girlfriend