Bulman (ITV Crime, Don Henderson, Siobhan Redmond)

Crime drama series Bulman was a spin off from Strangers. Ex cop George Bulman (Don Henderson) retires to open up a clock and watch repair shop but still finds himself being drawn into the odd case.

production details
UK / ITV – Granada / 20×60 minute episodes / Broadcast 5 June 1985 – 8 August 1987

Creator: Kenneth Royce / Writer: Murray Smith / Executive Producer: Richard Everitt

cast
DON HENDERSON as George Bulman
SIOBHAN REDMOND as Lucy McGinty
THORLEY WALTERS as William Dugdale

THE EPISODES

SEASON ONE  13 Episodes / 5 June – 28 August 1985

1. WINDS OF CHANGE
George Bulman is happy to be retired from the force and working in his new clock repair shop when two of his former police colleagues ask him to help on a case – young Lucy McGinty who has been a regular visitor to Bulman’s shop also tags along.

guest cast
MARK McMANUS as Detective Chief Superintendant Lambie / DENNIS BLANCH as Detective Sergeant Blanch

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: William Brayne

2. THE DAUGHTER WAS A DANCER
Bulman and Lucy have to go to some strange lengths in order to guarantee the safety of a business man they have agreed to ‘mind’.

guest cast
MARK McMANUS as Detective Chief Superintendant Lambie / HENRY STAMPER as Murdo McPherson / PAUL ANGELIS as Detective Inspector Snow

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: Ken Grieve

3. PANDORA’S MANY BOXES
Executive Dylan Chadwick asks Bulman to find out why a failed a security check that cost him an important job, but Bulman uncovers more than anticipated.

guest cast
CLIVE FRANCIS as Dylan Chadwick / BASIL HENSON as Lord Breconbury / DENNIS BLANCH as Detective Sergeant Willis

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: Bill Gilmour

4. DEATH OF A HIT MAN
Bulman gets involved in the murky world of the secret service whilst helping a woman discover the true facts surrounding the death of her son.

guest cast
PHILLADA SEWELL as Ma Gurney / THORLEY WALTERS as William Dugdale / ALUN ARMSTRONG as Detective Sergeant Figg

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: Bill Gilmour

5. THE NAME OF THE GAME
Bulman gets involved with a young widow who is determined to make the policeman she feels was responsible for her husbands death pay.

guest cast
LESLEY MANVILLE as Karen Tait / GEORGE SEWELL as Harry Scroop / DAVID HEALY as Elias Greenstein

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: William Brayne

6. ONE OF OUR PIGEONS IS MISSING
Bulman tangles with spies when he goes undercover as a tramp to try and solve a murder.

guest cast
MURRAY MELVIN as Jack Sprat / URSULA HOWELLS as Dr Beasley

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: Charlie Nairn

7. SINS OF OMISSION
Lucy gets herself involved with the British Intelligence service who want to use her to lure a KGB hit woman into a trap.

guest cast
KATIA TCHENKO as Irenya Konstantinovnia / GEORGE PRAVDA as Puskin

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: Roger Tucker

8. ANOTHER PART OF THE JUNGLE
Whilst visiting a supposedly quiet part of Yorkshire George finds himself trying to track down a serial murderer.

guest cast
FREDDIE JONES as Victor Garforth / GODFREY JAMES as Dizzie Bowden / PETER KELLY as The Face

WRITER: Henry Livings
DIRECTOR: Christopher King

9. BORN INTO THE PURPLE
Some unsavory facts about a well to do family are revealed when they hire Bulman and Lucy to discover who was behind a number of thefts from their property.

guest cast
PAULINE JAMESON as Lady Springfield / ALAN DAVID as Williams / VERONICA SMART as Jan

WRITER: Paul Wheeler
DIRECTOR: Bill Gilmour

10. A CUP FOR THE WINNER
American Wilbur C. McLeod persuades Bulman to try and find a family heirloom that belongs to his family – last seen by them in the eighteenth century.

guest cast
BRUCE BOA as Wilbur C. McLeod / ANTHONY MAY as Detective Sergeant Reid / RICHARD CALDICOT as Samuel Lane

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: David Carson

11. I MET A MAN WHO WASN’T THERE
Bulman and Lucy find themselves involved in the seedy world of porn and ‘exotic dancers’ whilst tailing a crook who though supposed to be out of the country is back and looking for revenge.

guest cast
PETER WYNGARDE as Gallio / SHEILA HANCOCK as Kate / DAVID FOXXE as Dando

WRITER: Henry Livings
DIRECTOR: Ken Grieve

12. A MOVEABLE FEAST
Bulman and Lucy agree to try and discover who is out to ruin a young couple’s catering business.

guest cast
CAROLYN PICKLES as Lisa / SIMON CHANDLER as Tim / TONY ANHOLT as John Fistolarli

WRITER: Paul Wheeler
DIRECTOR: Bill Gilmour

13. A MAN OF CONVICTION
Bulman agrees to undercover in prison to try and discover how a gang of convicted armed robbers can carry out their crimes even though they are ‘inside’. When Bulman’s real identity gets out it is up to Lucy to try and save his life.

guest cast
MARK McMANUS as Detective Chief Superintendent Lambie / ALFRED LYNCH as Joe Revell

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: Tom Cotter

SEASON TWO 7 EPISODES / 20 June – 8 August 1987

1. CHINESE WHISPERS
After the evil Joe Revell had put out a contract on him Bulman and Lucy have spent 18 months living in China, now back home Bulman decides it time he showed Revell who is boss.

guest cast
ALFRED LYNCH as Joe Revell / DAVID HOROVITCH as Commander McHeath / JOHN FORGEHAM as Edwin Gilbert

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: William Brayne

2. DEATH BY MISADVENTURE
Bulman and Lucy investigate the strange death of reporter Desmond Geraldine.

guest cast
IAIN CUTHBERTSON as Desmond Geraldine / ROBERT HARDY as Viscount Fairfax / JANE COX as Diana White

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: David Carson

3. WHITE LIES
Head of C-13 (based at Scotland Yard) Commander Morrison persuades Bulman to tackle a particularly important case, but it seems things may not be what they seem.

guest cast
EMRYS JAMES as Commander Morrison / STEPHEN DILLON as DC Danny Keech / AMANDA HILLWOOD as Cassandra Stanley

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: Gareth Morgan

4. CHICKEN OF THE BASKERVILLES
Bulman agrees to pose as a butler to the wealthy Lord Kilmartin to look into the sinister disappearance of Kilmartin’s real butler along with his housekeeper.

guest cast
TONY MATHEWS as Lord Kilmartin / JOHN McGLYNN as Art Mason / INGRID PITT as Laura

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: William Brayne

5. THIN ICE
Bulman is shocked when it looks like his former boss Dugdale has been found dead, looking into the situation Bulman and Lucy uncover murky goings on at the heart of the British Security Services.

guest cast
GRAHAM CROWDEN as Sir Michael Wallace / JACK SHEPHERD as Regozhkin

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: Bruce Macdonald

6. W.C. FIELDS WAS RIGHT
Bulman finds himself saddled with two children and a dog whilst investigating a murder. The title of this episode of course coming from W.C. Fields’ famous maxim that you should never work with children or animals.

guest cast
TONY DOYLE as Harry Main / ALBERT WELLING as Steven Richards / KIERAN O’BRIEN as Peter Malin

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: Sarah Harding

7. MINISTRY OF ACCIDENTS
When the supposedly dead Dugdale reappears seeking the help of George, Bulman and Lucy’s lives are changed forever.

guest cast
SHAUGHAN SEYMOUR as Czinner / TERRY GILLIGAN as Dobson

WRITER: Murray Smith
DIRECTOR: Brian Mills