Professionals star Lewis Collins dies

[(CZ)enda]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-25135934

I caught the news at the local rock radio two days ago while driving back the immortal ole banger (1996 Punto 55) from yet another MOT.
This brought a wave of sentiment. The Professionals were enormously popular here during the bad old Commie times. It was one of the very few fast-paced action series allowed by the censors - Saturday evening affair not to be missed.
The local party rag even published a hateful article about the series being "too Western", which led to the headmaster´s speech over the school radio forbidding the pupils to watch the "filth"... and a hysteric reaction of our class teacher, who caught me and my friend running down the stairs shouting "I am Bodie" and "I am Doyle"

 

[AndyRKett]

Sad times, loved the professionals

 

[pooroldcodger]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-25135934

I caught the news at the local rock radio two days ago while driving back the immortal ole banger (1996 Punto 55) from yet another MOT.
This brought a wave of sentiment. The Professionals were enormously popular here during the bad old Commie times. It was one of the very few fast-paced action series allowed by the censors - Saturday evening affair not to be missed.
The local party rag even published a hateful article about the series being "too Western", which led to the headmaster´s speech over the school radio forbidding the pupils to watch the "filth"... and a hysteric reaction of our class teacher, who caught me and my friend running down the stairs shouting "I am Bodie" and "I am Doyle"

An interesting perspective!
I remember there were some middle-eastern demonstrators burning union flags and jumping up and down with banners saying "down with CI5"!
Clearly the programme must have looked realistic to them as of course CI5 was completely fictitious.

 

[The Beard]

I posted a comment on this on the Paul Walker thread a few days ago and wondered: If this kind of thing tends to go in threes, then who's next?

I tend to watch The Professionals on Dave for the nostalgia value, as, in all fairness, acting prowess tends not to be at the forefront of the programme's qualities. for the same reason The Sweeney is, for me, about the big lapels, flairs, patent leather shoes and '70s cars.

Although Martin Shaw has been a frequent visitor to our TV screens with the likes of Judge John Deed and George Gently, it was only occasionally that I used to wonder what happened to Lewis Collins.

Although he was in one or two TV programmes and a couple of films, the better of these (although only just) was "Who Dares Wins", a pretty shameless attempt to cash in on the SAS's reputation after the Iranian Embassy siege. Apart from this, I just assumed he'd been in theatre and then simply faded from view, which is pretty much what happened. Apart from the fact that he seems to have moved to the US and run an extremely successful computer company.

So ta-ra Lewis, and thanks. You may have gone but, like many in the world of entertainment, your memory lingers on.

 

[pooroldcodger]

I still watch The Sweeney and Minder now. What an era for telly!
I used to watch Lewis Collins in "Cuckoo Waltz" as well.
But to be absolutely honest Diane Keen was the attraction for me at that time!!