Hazell (TV series)
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Roddy McMillan
Desmond McNamara
Peter Bourke
| Hazell | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Genre | Drama |
| Starring | Nicholas Ball Roddy McMillan Desmond McNamara Peter Bourke |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 22 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production company | Thames Television |
| Original release | |
| Network | ITV |
| Release | 16 January 1978 – 5 July 1979 |
Hazell is a British television series that ran from 1978–1979, about a fictional private detective named James Hazell.
James Hazell was a cockney private detective character created by journalist and novelist Gordon Williams and footballer Terry Venables, who wrote under the joint pseudonym of P.B.Yuill.[1] The first book, Hazell Plays Solomon, appeared in 1974.[2]
"Hazell Plays Solomon" was also the first episode of the TV series.[3] The wise-cracking private detective was played by Nicholas Ball.[4] Hazell was a smart parody of earlier film-noir detectives such as Philip Marlowe or Sam Spade, the casting of Ball in the title role made for a younger TV Hazell than the Hazell in the books.[1]
A Thames Television Network Production, Hazell ran for 22 one-hour-long episodes (50 minutes without adverts).[1][5] Its theme music was composed by Andy Mackay; the end credits incorporated the theme music with added lyrics, written by Judy Forrest and sung by Maggie Bell.[6] An academic work, Hazell: The Making of a TV Series by Manuel Alvarado and Edward Buscombe (BFI Publishing) appeared in March 1978.[7]
Cast
The main and most frequent cast members were:
- Nicholas Ball as James 'Jim' Hazell
- Roddy McMillan as Detective Inspector 'Choc' Minty
- Desmond McNamara as Cousin Tel
- Peter Bourke as Graham Morris
- Barbara Young as Dot Wilmington (Series 1 only)
- Maggie Riley as Maureen (Series 1 only)