Baker Street Boys, The

1 9 8 3 (UK)
8 x 30 minute episodes

Against a Victorian backdrop of horse-drawn hansom cabs and gas-lit streets, a gang of young London street urchins halted devilish deeds and cunning crookery from their headquarters in a disused basement near Baker Street.

The waifs were based on the ‘Baker Street Irregulars’ in Conan Doyle’s world-famous novels, and the leader of the gang was a sharp-witted cockney lad named Arnold Wiggins (Jay Simpson) who modelled himself on Sherlock Holmes.

Others in the gang included the junior Doctor Watson, Beaver (Damion Napier) ; Shiner (future EastEnders star Adam Woodyatt), a shoeshine boy; Sparrow (David Garlick), the youngest gang member; and two girls – Queenie (Debbie Norris), who was the ‘little mother’, and Rosie (Suzi Ross), a flower girl.

The legendary detective (Roger Ostime) was always absent, but Doctor Watson (Hubert Rees) was usually on hand to give Arnold and the gang a helping hand.

Colin Jeavons was Moriarty and Stanley Lebor played the hapless Inspector Lestrade.

There were eight episodes in total and each was in two parts, shown on Tuesday’s (part one) and Friday’s (part two).

Arnold Wiggins
Jay Simpson
Beaver
Damion Napier
Rosie
Suzi Ross
Queenie
Debbie Norris
Shiner
Adam Woodyatt
Sparrow
David Garlick
Dr Watson
Hubert Rees
Sherlock Holmes
Roger Ostime
Stanley
Lee Chappell
Inspector Lestrade
Stanley Lebor
Hopkins
Iain Ormsby-Knox
Bert
Roger Avon
Mrs Hudson
Pat Keen