1 9 7 9 (UK)
7 x 30 minute episodes
This children’s serial from Tyne Tees Television debuted on Sunday 11 November 1979.
The dying words of Stefan Koslawski’s father are spoken in a language the boy doesn’t completely understand. But with the aid of his friends Jane (Gina McKee) and Sinckla (Tom Harris), Stefan (Michael Yeaman) sets off on a trail to find the priceless treasure brought over from Poland to Newcastle by his father long before he was born.
His dangerous journey of discovery sets him at odds with the British and Polish intelligence services and the enigmatic and ever-present Vladek Gora (Ferdy Mayne).
A father who wasn’t what he seemed. A teenager who is more than just a Geordie schoolboy. A headteacher who used to be a spy for the Polish intelligence agency. A Polish naval officer who is actually a foreign government official, and an apparently distinguished gentleman secretly responsible for the death of many of his own people during the war. Through multiple twist and turns, Stefan finally finds his later father’s treasure.
But should it stay where it is or be taken back to Poland by Andrei Beck (Milos Kirek)?
While certainly engaging, the narrative is arguably far too complicated for its target audience.
Stefan Koslawski
Michael Yeaman
Sinckla
Tom Harris
Jane
Gina McKee
Vladek Gora
Ferdy Mayne
Wilson
Robert Urquhart
Sandor
Hans Meyer
Etherington
Michael Williams
Andrei Beck
Milos Kirek
Mrs Koslawski
Marlene Sidaway
Harry
Bruce White
Jozef Golabek
Gabor Vernon
Priest
Vladek Sheybal