Zoo Gang, The

1 9 7 4 (UK)
6 x 60 minute episodes

Four former members of the French Resistance during World War II reunite again nearly 30 years later after former British Commando officer Tom Devon (John Mills) – who now runs a jewellery shop on the Riviera – sees the man who betrayed them during the war, an act which resulted in Manouche Roget’s (Lilli Palmer) husband being killed.

Having nailed the Nazi, the four decide to stay together and bring justice to the Cote d’Azur (in the south of France) in Robin Hood fashion, utilising the skills and experience they gained during the war.

They resume their resistance code names of Fox (American Stephen Halliday, played by Brian Keith), Elephant (Tom Devon), Leopard (Manouche Roget) and Tiger (Alec Marlowe, played by Barry Morse) and ‘The Zoo Gang’ commence operations once more.

Antique dealer Halliday is the gang’s electronics expert while Manouche – who owns a bar called “Les Pecheurs” in France – has a flair for safe-cracking and lock-picking. Mechanic Alec Marlowe is a former lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Air Force who still carries the scars of Gestapo torture, and now runs a garage in Vancouver.

Their main mission is to foil the baddies, relieving them of all their criminally obtained cash in the process and donating it to a children’s hospital.

Manouche’s son Georges (Michael Petrovitch) is a police Lieutenant who is not at all enamoured of the gang methods.

The series was based on a book by Paul Gallico but, unfortunately, there were only six episodes made. The theme tune was composed and recorded by Paul and Linda McCartney.

Stephen Halliday (Fox) 
Brian Keith
Alec Marlowe (Tiger) 
Barry Morse
Thomas Devon (Elephant) 
John Mills
Manouche Roget (Leopard) 
Lilli Palmer
Lt. Georges Roget 
Michael Petrovitch
Jill Burton 
Seretta Wilson

Episodes

Revenge Postdated | Mindless Murder | African Misfire | The Lion Hunt | The Counterfeit Trap | The Twisted Cross

Video