The Secret Service
The Secret Service is a British children's espionage television series, made by Century 21 for ITC Entertainment and broadcast on Associated Television, Granada Television & Southern Television in 1969. Created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, and produced by David Lane and Reg Hill, it was the eighth and last Century 21 production to feature – in a manner similar to Thunderbirds and other earlier series – marionette puppet characters as part of a filming technique known as "Supermarionation". Under the direction of Gerry Anderson, who wanted to compensate for the inadequacies of Supermarionation and increase the realism of the format, The Secret Service incorporates footage of live actors for long-distance shots. After The Secret Service, Anderson would not work with puppets again until the 1980s, when he produced Terrahawks in "Supermacromation". Episodes of The Secret Service follow the adventures of Father Stanley Unwin, a character voiced by and resembling the real-life comedian of the same name. Outwardly the parish priest of a rural English village, Unwin is in fact a secret agent for BISHOP, a covert branch of British Intelligence that combats criminal and terrorist threats from overseas. Aided by junior operative Matthew Harding, the Father answers to his London-based superior – codenamed "The Bishop" – as he would in his public profession. When faced with the challenge of collecting intelligence in a hostile situation, Unwin and Matthew deploy the "Minimiser", a gadget capable of shrinking Matthew to a fraction of his normal size for the purposes of carrying out secret reconnaissance. A nonsensical gobbledegook of Unwin's formulation is used to confuse and distract enemies when required.
First Aired
September 21, 1969
Last Aired
December 14, 1969
Original Language
en
Popularity
3
Type
Scripted
Production Companies
Century 21 Television
ITC Entertainment
Seasons & Episodes
Episodes
Cast
Gary Files
Matthew Harding, Matthew Harding / 3rd Native (voice), Matthew Harding / Albert Hobson / McGrath (voice), Matthew Harding / Prince of Muldovia / Captain / Air Traffic Assistant (voice), Matthew Harding / Dr. E.H. Klam / Kalin (voice), Matthew Harding / Carl / Operator (voice), Matthew Harding / Manservant / Skipper / Pilot (voice), Matthew Harding / Spiker / Charlie / Pete / Attendant (voice), Matthew Harding / Green / Guard / Car Enthusiast / 2nd Technician (Port Trennick) (voice), Matthew Harding / Brother Simon / Brother Jess / Fifth Brother (voice), Matthew Harding / Captain Mitchell / Sergeant Walsh / French General (voice), Matthew Harding / Co-Pilot (voice), Matthew Harding / Forrester (voice), Matthew Harding / Kroner / Pilot (voice)
Jeremy Wilkin
The Bishop, The Bishop / Patterson / Policeman / Healey Automation Guard (voice), The Bishop / Calow / Guard (voice), The Bishop / Pete Mackintosh / Minister (voice), The Bishop / Brother Gregory (voice), The Bishop / Kromer / Doctor Hawthorn (voice), The Bishop / Achmed / Joe's Father / Master (voice), The Bishop / George Grey / Patterson / 2nd Guard (voice), The Bishop / Colonel Blair (voice), The Bishop / Operator / Pilot (Mercenary 1) / 2nd Native (voice), The Bishop / Mullins (voice), The Bishop / Eastman / Controller (voice), The Bishop / John Masden / Officer (voice)
Sylvia Anderson
Mrs Appleby, Mrs. Appleby (voice), Mrs. Appleby / Telephone Voice (voice), Mrs. Appleby / Anne Soames (voice), Mrs. Appleby / Jackie (voice)
Stanley Unwin
Father Stanley Unwin
Keith Alexander
Agent Blake / Reed / Agent / Signalman (voice), Ambassador's Aide / Saunders / Captain / London Tower Controller (voice), Lady Martha Hazlewell (voice), Agent Blake / Hartley / Doctor / Brooks / 3rd Technician (Port Trennick) (voice), Officer / General / 1st Native (voice), Agent Blake / Professor Soames (voice), Sir Humphrey Burton / Saunders / 1st Guard (voice), Agent Blake / Professor Graham (voice), Agent Blake / Burrows / Dave Marden (voice), General Brompton / Blake / Operator (voice), Brother Thomas / Archdeacon (voice), Agent (voice), Joe / Assassin / Commentator (voice)
David Healy
Shaw / Nielson / 2nd Technician (North Africa) / 1st Technician (Burgossa) / 4th Technician (Port Trennick) (voice), Sakov / Nurse (voice), Mark Slater (voice), Dr Groot (voice), Dreisenberg Ambassador (voice)
David Graham
King of Muldovia / Air Traffic Controller (voice) (uncredited), Lord Edward Hazlewell (voice) (uncredited)
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