Bellamy

Bellamy was a 1982 hardcore cop show, manned by a great voice over/actor John Stanton, an actor I'd love to put in a film if directing. He made this show. The episodes and story lines were really good, some of them so real to life, one involving a heartbroken dad blaming Bellamy for his son's death, where he left the cop, hanging from a balustrade. A prime one that stuck out, which kind of pushed the envelope, involved a bit a of upper frontal female nudity, with some prostitutes, entertaining some bad guy (Dennis Grosvenor). The show's soundtrack was fantastic. I remember the start of one show, just for an opening touch, was a young punk, giving Bellamy the finger. Tim Elston (Richmond Hill) I liked too as Bellamy's partner, but this will always be John Stanton's show, that magic, stern, authoritative voice, from an actor who should of gone further in America, apart from that flop Taipan, and a small role in Rent a cop, which I liked him in, as a baddie. Bellamy rated higher than many cop shows, Special Squad, a perfect example though they're weren't many episodes I can remember, where they're should of been many more. But Quality counts, not quantity and this show rates on a level of high quality drama. A truly underrated show.

Bellamy's niece was played by Jacqui Gordon in the episode 'My Fav'rit Policeman'. Jacqui had previously appeared in the Crawford produced series 'Young Ramsay' in the episode 'Hopalong Two'(1979). After 'Bellamy', she popped up again in the soap 'Prisoner' (circa 1984), produced by Grundy Organization and guested in 'The Flying Doctors'.

'Bellamy' was broadcast in the UK in 1984, though as far as I am aware, it was only shown in the London TV region by London Weekend Television. However, the pilot - 'Massage Girl Murders' did do the rounds in some other areas of the UK in the early 1990's.

An uncompromising Australian police series that pulled quite a few punches, being fairly violent at times. Good use of Sydney locations and acceptable performances from the main cast including John Stanton as Steve Bellamy and Tim Elston as his sidekick Mitchell. The regular background characters could have done with a bit more fleshing out, but overall it was entertaining stuff and groomed us for the next offering from Australia - 'Special Squad' (Crawford Productions, 1984).