The Baron (ITV Action, Steve Forrest, Sue Lloyd)

The Baron was an action adventure series made back in the 1960’s when ITC action adventure series were the most glamorous shows on TV, shot on film, in colour and usually with a well known American in the lead. They were definitely a cut above your run of the mill plays and kitchen sink dramas that were clogging up the screens.

The Baron, made in 1966, is no exception, starring red haired yank Steve Forrest as John Mannering, supposedly an antiques expert with shops in London, Washington and Paris but in reality an agent working for the secret service specialising in crimes involving valuable antiquities.

Mannering was known as The Baron thanks to a huge family ranch back in Texas (The character was created by crime novelist John Creasey although in his stories Mannering is English). Like all good crime drama shows of the sixties (bar The Saint) Mannering needed a glamorous sidekick, here played by Crossroads alumni Sue Lloyd, she played Cordelia Winfield who was on secondment from Special Branch’s Diplomatic Service. The real star of the show though would have to be The Baron’s awesome Jenson (number plate BAR 1).

It’s a nicely entertaining series though and watch out for some famous names in guest roles including the likes of John Thaw, Peter Wyngarde, Peter Bowles, George Baker, Jeremy Brett and Edward Woodward.

Cast: STEVE FORREST as John Mannering; SUE LLOYD as Cordelia Winfield; COLIN GORDON as Templeton-Green; PAUL FERRIS as David Marlowe

Creators and Producers: Monty Berman, Robert Baker / Script Editor: Terry Nation / Theme Music: Edwin Astley

UK / ITV Network – ATV – ITC / 30×30 minute episodes / Broadcast 29 September 1966 – 19 April 1967 (these dates refer to the ATV region broadcasts, like many series of the 1960’s many ITV shows were not fully networked – although the home region, here ATV, generally made sure that they showed the whole run of episodes from start to finish)