Public Eye: Hard Times (ITV 17 Feb 1975, with Ray Lonnen)

In Hard Times Frank has moved into his new office in Chertsey, London. He’s more than a little surprised to find how expensive everything has got.

Working solo again Frank has reduced his daily rate back to £6.50 a day but a trip to his bank manager to raise a loan for fifty pounds makes it plain he is not charging enough. His bank manager agrees to extend his overdraft to £200 if Frank agrees to put his price up to £2 an hour – Frank doesn’t want to so a compromises of $50 is reached (which is what Frank wanted in the first place.)

HIs first case involves dealing with a couple of less than salubrious types who want a “friend” of theirs tracking down because he owes them money from a “business deal”. Definitely not the type of case that Frank would normally take on but needs must when the Devil drives. Knaggs, played by the always excellent Ray Lonnen, is a nasty piece of work and very quickly cottons on to the fact that Frank is tailing him.

Bank manager Pearce is an interesting character, keen to get to know Frank better he is another of those characters that want to help Frank even though it’s the last thing Marker wants.

production details
UK / ITV – Thames / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Monday 17 February 1975 at 9.00pm

Writer: James Doran / Production Design: Richard Harrison / Director: Simon Langton

Series: Public Eye Season 7 Episode 7

cast
Alfred Burke as Frank Marker
Tenniel Evans as Pearce
Keith Drinkel as Bates
George Sweeney as Wilson
Ray Lonnen as Knaggs
Veronica Carlson as Ingrid
Oliver Cotton as Removal man
Azad Ali as Post Office engineer
Joseph Greig as Watson
David Hayward as Bank Clerk
Patrick Jordan as Barman
Antony Brown as Chief Inspector Reeves
Robin Browne as D.C. Jones
Barrie Fletcher as Police Sergeant
Peter Weston as P.C.
Mike Lee Lane as Harry