Police Surgeon (ABC Crime Drama, Ian Hendry)

Police Surgeon was a short-lived tape series set in London’s Bayswater, featuring a young police surgeon, Dr Geoffrey Brent (Ian Hendry), who was unable to resist turning investigator on his cases.

So-so crime show, but assured of a place in the TV annals as the origin of famed spy caper The Avengers, since actor Ian Hendry carried on his white coat and magnifying glass – under the new name of Dr David Keel – into that show’s opening episodes.

Police Surgeon aka Dr Simon Locke was also title for a Canadian series (1972, syndicated) about a doctor attached to a police emergency unit who, like Hendry’s Brent, had the sleuthing habit. Sam Groom played the said Dr Simon Locke. The concept of a medical detective, of course, was most successfully exploited by Quincy ME.

Cast: IAN HENDRY as Dr Geoffrey Brent; JOHN WARWICK as Inspector Landon; INGRID HAFNER as Amanda Gibbs

Producers: Julian Bond, Leonard White

UK / ITV – ABC / 13×50 minute episodes / Broadcast 10 September – 3 December 1960

THE EPISODES

1. EASY MONEY
Dr Geoffrey Brent agrees to give an opinion on a young man arrested for robbery but the police officer who asked him to get involved isn’t too sure he should have.

guest cast
ALISTAIR WILLIAMSON as Sgt Manning / MICHAEL CRAWFORD as Young Thief / JOHN WARWICK as Inspector Landon

WRITER: Julian Bond
DIRECTOR: John Knight

2. UNDER THE INFLUENCE
Dr Brent tries to prove that a man arrested for driving under the influence is innocent and tangles with a fellow GP whilst doing so.

guest cast
BERNARD ARCHARD as Herbert Drew / HERON CARVIC as Barrister

WRITER: Julian Bond
DIRECTOR: Don Leaver

3. LAG ON THE RUN
Brent turns ‘tec to solve a crime that a girl (obviously innocent) has confessed to committing.

guest cast
OLIVE McFARLAND as Jean Young / HARRY H. CORBETT as George Drake

WRITER: Julian Bond
DIRECTOR: Don Leaver

4. SMASH BUT NO GRAB
Dr Brent gets caught up in the case of Sally HUghes who is claiming extensive damages after being injured in a road accident.

guest cast
JOYCE HERON as Sally Hughes / NEIL WILSON as PC Gregson / GEOFFREY PALMER as Peter Hughes

WRITER: Julian Bond
DIRECTOR: Don Leaver

5. WILFUL NEGLECT
Brent tries to discover why two children have been abandoned by their seemingly respectable parents.

guest cast
NIGEL STOCK as Harry Davis / HAZEL HUGHES as Jean davis / PATIENCE COLLIER as Mrs Carver

WRITER: Julian Bond
DIRECTOR: Don Leaver

6. YOU WON’T FEEL A THING
Brent helps a girl, certain to die unless she receives an injection, overcome her fear of needles.

guest cast
MAVIS RANSOM as Helen Graham / IVOR SALTER as PC Robinson

WRITER: Julian Bond
DIRECTOR: Robert Hartford-Davis

7. A HOME OF HER OWN
Brent gets involved when a family try to get their elderly mother in law placed into a nursing home.

guest cast
JANE ECCLES as Mrs Lamond / DONALD MORLEY as George Lamond

WRITER: Bill MacIllwraithe
DIRECTOR: Don Leaver

8. SUNDAY MORNING STORY
Dr Brent investigates the highly suspicious death of a female refugee, he knows who the guilty party is but can’t gather the evidence needed to prove it.

guest cast
JEAN ANDERSON as Miss Pears / DONALD CHURCHILL as PC Jordan / MICHAEL HARRISON as 2nd Police Surgeon

WRITER: Julian Bond
DIRECTOR: Don Leaver

9. THREE’S A CROWD
Dr Brent crosses swords with a barrister after taking on an assault case involving a mother and daughter-in-law.

guest cast
ELIZABETH BEGLEY as Mrs Carroll / MAUREEN O’REILLY as Kathy Baker / PERCY HERBERT as Baker

WRITER: Julian Bond
DIRECTOR: Don Leaver

10. MAN OVERBOARD
Brent tries to prove that one of two women was involved in a murder when a body is discovered at the bottom of a balcony.

guest cast
ANNE CASTLE as Miss Perkins / HELEN LINDSAY as Mrs Perkins

WRITER: Bill MacIllwraithe
DIRECTOR: Guy Verney

11. OPERATION MANGLE
A group of tenants decide to take action against their none too nice landlord, Brent finds himself caught in the middle.

guest cast
DUDLEY FOSTER as George Bates / EDNA PETRIE as Alice Bates

WRITER: W. F. Woodlands
DIRECTOR: James Ormerod

12. THE BIGGER THEY ARE
Whilst helping an injured night watchman who has been attacked by crooks, Brent and Landon discover another injured man on the edge of a roof but are unsure whether he is with the crooks or not.

guest cast
BLAISE WYNDHAM as Night watchman / JAMES CLIFFORD as West

WRITER: Richard Harris
DIRECTOR: Don Leaver