1 9 5 6 (UK)
7 x 30 minute episodes
Debuting on Monday 9 April 1956, this weekly educational children’s adventure series was written by Newton Branch and based on his Bulldog book, Calling All Boys To Spot Criminals.
The boys in question – Bill (Fella Edmonds), Dan (Glyn Dearman), Phil (Michael Maguire), Mike (Jonathan Swift) and Bash (Leo Phillips) – learned from Bill’s dad, Inspector Hawke (Alan Robinson), about the intricacies of detective work: how to trail suspects, dab for fingerprints, make plaster casts of footprints and use disguise effectively in the pursuit of criminals – in this case, Mr X (Ian Hendry).
Bill’s ‘Special Investigation Squad’ learned how to make deductions based on personal observation backed by scientific proof – not on flashy guesswork or brilliant hunches.
Bill
Fella Edmonds
Phil
Michael Maguire
Dan
Glyn Dearman
Mike
Jonathan Swift
Bash
Leo Phillips
Inspector Hawke
Alan Robinson
Inspector Blake
Ralph Nossek
Constable Smith
Ronald Wood
Mr X
Ian Hendry
Paddy
Michael Corcoran
The Kid
John Sherlock
