New Scotland Yard: A Man of his Word (ITV 11 May 1974)

In A Man of his Word armed robber Joe Warner is released from prison after 15 years. Warner is a man bent on revenge. He blames his wife Polly for the death of their young son and is determined to kill her. She has moved on and is living with another criminal but doesn’t think Warner actually really wants to kill her. Warner though has bought himself a crossbow and intends to use it.

Don Henderson takes centre stage in this episode. He plays Joe Warner pretty flat and with a nice sense of bewilderment as he realises how much has changed in the time he has been in prison.

A secondary plot sees Clay and Dexter teaming up with Inspector Luc Ravat to crack a smuggler operation. It just so happens that Polly’s new man is heavily involved in the smuggling racket. Peter Hill who scripted this episode was a former Scotland Yard detective attached to the Murder Squad.

The TV Times (11 May 74 edition) for this week had a nice feature article on Michael Turner. The article touched on his South African birthplace, his love of being at home with his family and how he enjoyed a round of golf with script writer Richard Harris.

production details
UK / ITV – London Weekend Television / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Saturday 11 May 1974 at 8.30pm

Writer: Peter Hill / Production Design: David Catley / Director: Oliver Horsbrugh

Series: New Scotland Yard Season 4 Episode 5

cast
Michael Turner as Clay
Clive Francis as Dexter
Don Henderson as Joe Warner
John Cater as Henry Blane
Heather Canning as Polly Warner
Lawrence Davidson as Inspector Luc Ravat
Michael Goldie as Dickie Lambert
John Golightly as Detective Inspector Ransome
Antonia Pemberton as Renee Morgan
George Waring as Ted Morgan
Robert Gary as Bob Shotter
Gareth Forbes as Sports shop manager
Peter Vidovic as Courier
Peter Walshe as Detective Constable Edwards