Marksman, The

1 9 8 7 (UK)
3 x 60 minute episodes

Professional old-school criminal Weaver (David Threlfall) has his retirement in sunny Spain brutally interrupted when his 12-year-old son, Gordon, is murdered on a bleak patch of waste ground in Liverpool.

Weaver returns to his native city to take his revenge and find and execute the killers.

Leslie Ash co-starred as Weaver’s mistress, Hazel (not saying much but showing her breasts on occasions), with James Ellis as the murdered boy’s drunken grandfather, Doyle, who runs a bookshop in partnership with a know-all called Brown (Richard Griffiths). Terence Harvey played bent copper, Greerson.

The Marksman starred a veritable who’s-who of Liverpudlian showbiz: Michael Angelis (best known as Chrissie from Boys From The Black Stuff) played Weaver’s old partner in crime, club owner Irwin; future Red Dwarf star Craig Charles appeared as a small-time crook and also wrote (and read) the moving poem which was used instead of music over the opening and closing titles; Andrew Schofield and Ray Kingsley resumed their old Scully partnership as a couple of rather sadder scallies; while Eithne Browne and young Kevin Carson were the mother and the boy who got killed.

As might be expected, more deaths ensue in Weaver’s search for retribution.

This wonderfully atmospheric three-part thriller from the BBC was written by Ron Hutchinson from a novel by Hugh C Rae and was broadcast in December 1987.

The series had originally been scheduled to air in August but the BBC delayed it in the wake of the Hungerford massacre.

Scenes set in the club called ‘Dancers’ were filmed at the She Club in Victoria Street, Liverpool, which became a virtual community centre for the cast and crew.

Gordon Weaver
David Threlfall
Brown
Richard Griffiths
Irwin
Michael Angelis
Hazel
Leslie Ash
MacFadden
Craig Charles
Leadbetter
Andrew Schofield
Bremner
Ray Kingsley
Muriel
Eithne Browne
Brand
Nick Maloney
Doyle
James Ellis
Greerson
Terence Harvey
O’Hara
Dawn Archibald