Eddie Wallis (Jerome Flynn) was desperate to fight for his country in World War II, but a crash landing in a Blenheim left him suffering from blackouts, and he was forced out of the RAF and retired to civvy street.
Falling back on his musical skills, he joined the Ray Smiles Orchestra, where he struck up a friendship with womanising bass-playing spiv Eric Trapp (Robson Green), who, unlike Eddie, had no intention whatsoever of aiding the war effort.
The pair found themselves out of their depth in inter-gang rivalries between London gang boss Maxie Morrell (Jim Carter) and the King of the Clyde and Glasgow gangland, Big Malky Fraser (James Cosmo) while Nazi bombs fell all around, and Eddie hankered for the attentions of Berkeley Square beauty Dolly Nightingale (Julia Sawalha), a lady way beyond her social station.
Also seen were band singer Bing Williams (George Melly) and band leader Ray Smiles (Warren Mitchell), who fancied his chances with Eric’s Jewish mum, the faded Czech beauty Clara Van Trapp (Jane Lapotaire). June Brown (famed as Dot Cotton on EastEnders) played Eric’s landlady, Mrs Jilkes.
The three-part ITV comedy-drama was produced by the production company owned by Robson Green and Jerome Flynn, Clapp Trapp Productions.
Eddie Wallis
Jerome Flynn Eric Trapp
Robson Green Ray Smiles
Warren Mitchell Dolly Nightingale
Julia Sawalha Maxie Morrell
Jim Carter Albert
Trevor Fox Spadger
Graham Stark Big Malky Fraser
James Cosmo Billy the Book
Ron Donachie Chas
Terry Mortimer Clara Van Trapp
Jane Lapotaire Young Ronnie
Danny Dyer Roger Horace-Brown
Tom Beard Flight Sergeant Fullerton
Campbell Morrison Corporal Jennings
Joe Caffrey George Nightingale
Peter Cellier Snowy McGraw
Ronnie Letham Bing Williams
George Melly Mrs Jilkes
June Brown Donald
Richard Mapletoft Maisie
Libby Davison Mavis Johnson
Heidi Monsen
Eddie Wallis
Maxie Morrell
