1 9 5 9 – 1 9 6 1 (UK)
24 x 30 minute episodes
This BBC series starred Bernard Archer as British army interrogator Colonel Oreste Pinto during World War II.
Each episode featured a lengthy interrogation by Pinto, full of psychological tension, to test whether an apparently genuine Allied serviceman or refugee was, in reality, a German spy. His ingenious methods invariably resulted in the suspect giving himself away.
Despite the sparse set – one room, a table and two chairs – and the small cast, this was an excellent and memorable series.
The real Oreste Pinto was a Dutch-born MI5 intelligence officer during WWII who was generally regarded as the best interrogator in his field.
A radio series, based on the same source material, again with Bernard Archard in the lead, aired on the BBC Light Programme in 1960 and 1961
A Spy-Catcher themed board game was produced by Merit (pictured at right).
Lieutenant Colonel Oreste Pinto
Bernard Archard
