Hazell

1 9 7 8 – 1 9 8 0 (UK)
22 x 60 minute episodes

James Hazell (Nicholas Ball) was a former Metropolitan Police officer from ‘Sarf Landan’, with a checkered past, a serious booze problem, and attitude in spades – a kind of cockney Philip Marlowe (“I’ve got a wad of cash ‘ere that could choke a washing machine”) who avoided violence and preferred to disarm people with jokes – while dropping his aitches of course.

So James ‘Azell opens up ‘is own detective agency in a Soho back street, manages to stay one step ahead of the bailiffs, and ‘is pride and joy is ‘is jam-jar – a luvverley Triumph Stag (£2177 new) which is in perpetual danger of being repossessed.

He is also constantly hampered by Choc Minty (Roddy McMillan), a CID officer with a grudge against him.

James could be a bit of a hard man but had the requisite ‘heart of gold’ which seems to be de rigueur for TV detectives with a drink problem . . . and a leather safari jacket. ‘Kin ‘ell!

There were three Hazell novels (originally published by Penguin paperbacks) written by someone called P B Yuill. This turned out to be the pseudonym of Terry Venables (manager at the time of Crystal Palace FC) and Gordon Williams, the writer and journalist whose previous work included The Siege At Trencher’s Farm, which became Sam Peckinpah’s controversial movie Straw Dogs (1971).

Nicholas Ball was married to Pamela Stephenson at the time. They divorced in 1984, about the time that a chap called Billy Connolly came on the scene.

The theme music was by Andy McKay of Roxy Music.

James Hazell
Nicholas Ball
‘Choc’ Minty
Roddy McMillan
Cousin Tel
Desmond McNamara
Maureen
Maggie Riley
Dot
Barbara Young
Gordon Gregory
James Falkner
Vinnie Rae
Celia Gregory