In The Beater and the Game Frank takes on what he thinks is a straightforward missing persons case but it’s anything but. As Frank investigates he discovers that the man he is looking for is not the wayward husband he is supposed to be but an ex-cop, Stan Smeaton, responsible for the imprisonment of a nasty criminal. The villain has recently died in prison and his brother, Terence Gorman, and his wife Maureen are out for revenge.
A young Carol Drinkwater plays the girl caught up in an affair with the older Stan Smeaton. Smeaton is married, his wife is invalided and he is feeling huge guilt about the affair.
Terence Rigby is very much the bad guy here complete with dodgy American accent.
There is also a glimpse into Frank’s flat as he cooks dinner and rings around trying to find out more about Smeaton.
Although they don’t share any scenes together Alethea Charlton, who plays Maureen, would go on to work prominently with Ray Smith in popular ITV series Sam.
Bessie Love who played the role of American tourist Chrissy Husack was a prominent American actress of the silent era. She had and active career right into the 1980’s and in the early 1970’s had a few roles in British cinema and TV.
production details
UK / ITV – Thames / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Wednesday 4 August 1971 at 9.00pm
Writer: Michael Chapman / Production Design: Stan Woodward / Director: Peter Duguid
Series: Public Eye Season 5 Episode 5
cast
Alfred Burke as Frank Marker
Ray Smith as Percy Firbank
Tom Watson as Stan Smeaton
Gerald Rowland as Don
Michael Grady as Ted
Carol Drinkwater as Girl
Alethea Charlton as Maureen
Hubert Rees as George
Terence Rigby as Gorman
Elliott Sullivan as Ed Husack
Bessie Love as Chrissy Husack
Margaret Whiting as Margaret Smeaton
