Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    Banner
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • Shows by Decade
        • 1950s Television
        • 1960s Television
        • 1970s Television
        • 1980s Television
        • 1990s Television
      • Shows by Genre
        • Comedy
        • Drama
        • Kids TV
        • Variety
        • News & Sport
        • Advertisements
      • Shows by Country
        • UK TV
        • USA TV
        • Australia & NZ TV
        • Canada TV
        • Europe TV
        • Japan TV
      • Shows A to K
        • Shows A
        • Shows B
        • Shows C
        • Shows D
        • Shows E
        • Shows F
        • Shows G
        • Shows H
        • Shows I
        • Shows J
        • Shows K
      • Shows L to Z
        • Shows L
        • Shows M
        • Shows N
        • Shows O
        • Shows P
        • Shows Q
        • Shows R
        • Shows S
        • Shows T
        • Shows U
        • Shows V
        • Shows W
        • Shows X
        • Shows Y
        • Shows Z
      • Shows 0 to 9
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • 1950s Music
        • 1960s Music
        • 1970s Music
        • 1980s Music
        • 1990s Music
      • Music A to K
        • Music A
        • Music B
        • Music C
        • Music D
        • Music E
        • Music F
        • Music G
        • Music H
        • Music I
        • Music J
        • Music K
      • Music L to Z
        • Music L
        • Music M
        • Music N
        • Music O
        • Music P
        • Music Q
        • Music R
        • Music S
        • Music T
        • Music U
        • Music V
        • Music W
        • Music X
        • Music Y
        • Music Z
      • Music 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • 1950s Movies
          • Movies 1950
          • Movies 1951
          • Movies 1952
          • Movies 1953
          • Movies 1954
          • Movies 1955
          • Movies 1956
          • Movies 1957
          • Movies 1958
          • Movies 1959
        • 1960s Movies
          • Movies 1960
          • Movies 1961
          • Movies 1962
          • Movies 1963
          • Movies 1964
          • Movies 1965
          • Movies 1966
          • Movies 1967
          • Movies 1968
          • Movies 1969
        • 1970s Movies
          • Movies 1970
          • Movies 1971
          • Movies 1972
          • Movies 1973
          • Movies 1974
          • Movies 1975
          • Movies 1976
          • Movies 1977
          • Movies 1978
          • Movies 1979
        • 1980s Movies
          • Movies 1980
          • Movies 1981
          • Movies 1982
          • Movies 1983
          • Movies 1984
          • Movies 1985
          • Movies 1986
          • Movies 1987
          • Movies 1988
          • Movies 1989
        • 1990s Movies
          • Movies 1990
          • Movies 1991
          • Movies 1992
          • Movies 1993
          • Movies 1994
          • Movies 1995
          • Movies 1996
          • Movies 1997
          • Movies 1998
          • Movies 1999
      • Movies A to K
        • Movies A
        • Movies B
        • Movies C
        • Movies D
        • Movies E
        • Movies F
        • Movies G
        • Movies H
        • Movies I
        • Movies J
        • Movies K
      • Movies L to Z
        • Movies L
        • Movies M
        • Movies N
        • Movies O
        • Movies P
        • Movies Q
        • Movies R
        • Movies S
        • Movies T
        • Movies U
        • Movies V
        • Movies W
        • Movies X
        • Movies Y
        • Movies Z
      • Movies 0 to 9
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Shows by Decade»1970s Television
    1970s Television Drama Shows X 2 Mins Read

    XYY Man, The

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    1 9 7 6 – 1 9 7 7 (UK)
    13 x 60 minute episodes

    William “Spider” Scott (Stephen Yardley) had a spare chromosome in his cell structure – an extra “Y” chromosome which made him unusually tall and instilled in him the urge to steal.

    Scott had become an accomplished cat burglar but had retired – until the mysterious Fairfax of the British Secret Service (Mark Dignam) enticed him to commit a break-in at a foreign embassy.

    After the embassy affair and its drawn-out consequences, Spider found it difficult to go straight again, especially when his MI5 liaison Fairfax reappeared asking him to spring a criminal from jail.

    On his trail at all times were the glove-wearing, nasal-inhaler-using, plastic bag-carrying Detective Sergeant George Kitchener “Bulldog” Bulman (Don Henderson) and the sex and crossword-obsessed Detective Constable Willis (Dennis Blanch) of Scotland Yard – and later of Strangers and Bulman.

    The early incarnation of Bulman was quite unlike the quirky later model. Here he was far from sympathetic and was rough and unstinting in his pursuit of the ever-elusive Spider.

    One of Bulman’s trademarks – his scarf – hid the burns from throat cancer treatment which actor Don Henderson was undergoing. The fact that Bulman sometimes talked only in a whisper, put down in the script to a cold, was also due to the disease. Henderson eventually died of the disease in 1997.

    Charming, athletic, amoral and selfish, Spider was in a stormy on-off relationship with his cockney antique dealer girlfriend Maggie Parsons (Vivienne McKee).

    The Granada TV series was based on a series of novels by Scottish author Kenneth Royce and began with a three-part mini-drama in 1976.

    William ‘Spider’ Scott
    Stephen Yardley
    Maggie Parsons 

    Vivienne McKee
    DS George “Bulldog” Bulman 

    Don Henderson
    DC Derek Willis 

    Dennis Blanch
    Fairfax 

    Mark Dignam
    Laidlaw 

    William Squire

    Video

    Related Posts

    • Sons and Daughters
      Sons and Daughters
      1 9 7 4 (USA) 13 x 60 minute episodes It's the 1950s, Eisenhower is in the White House, teenagers…
    • ElectraWoman And DynaGirl
      ElectraWoman And DynaGirl
      1 9 7 6 - 1 9 7 7 (USA) 16 x 15 minute episodes Lori (Deidre Hall) and Judy (Judy…
    • Equalizer, The
      Equalizer, The
      1 9 8 5 - 1 9 8 9 (USA) 88 x 60 minute episodes Robert McCall was The Equalizer. He…
    • Strangers
      Strangers
      1 9 7 8 - 1 9 8 2 (UK) 32 x 60 minute episodes Detective Sergeant George Bulman (Don Henderson)…
    • Aweful Mr Goodall, The
      Aweful Mr Goodall, The
      1 9 7 4 (UK) 6 x 60 minute episodes After more than 15 years as a lieutenant-colonel in MI5 and…
    • Amazing Spider-Man , The
      Amazing Spider-Man , The
      1 9 7 8 - 1 9 7 9 (USA) 2 x 90 minute episodes 11 x 60 minute episodes This…
    • Stalky & Co
      Stalky & Co
      1 9 8 2 (UK) 6 x 50 minute episodes This six-part BBC miniseries was a faithful adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's…
    • Voodoo Factor, The
      Voodoo Factor, The
      1 9 5 9 - 1 9 6 0 (UK) 6 x 30 minute episodes This Saturday night thriller from ATV…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleMarcus Welby, MD
    Next Article Hine

    Comments are closed.

    NC Radio Player
    Search the site
    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love since 1998. The site carries no advertising, and I rely on donations to help with running costs and to keep the site running for your entertainment and education.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small.
    Thank you so much. Enjoy your trip in the time machine!
    You may also like

    • Spider-Man
      Spider-Man
      1 9 6 7 - 1 9 7 0 (USA) 55 x 30 minute episodes The popular Marvel comics character that…
    • Scott On . . .
      Scott On . . .
      1 9 6 4 -  1 9 7 4 (UK) 30 x 45 minute episodes Comedian Terry Scott starred in this…
    • Strangers
      Strangers
      1 9 7 8 - 1 9 8 2 (UK) 32 x 60 minute episodes Detective Sergeant George Bulman (Don Henderson)…
    • Bulman
      Bulman
      1 9 8 5 - 1 9 8 7 (UK) 20 x 60 minute episodes This sequel to the 1978-1982 series Strangers -…


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.