Dial 999

An enjoyable early B & W crime show from the UK, apparently conceived as a possible syndicate sale to the USA. It unfortunately never materialised, so was cancelled after one series (39 episodes). Fading star Robert Beatty is the the tough-acting Canadian brought in to assist a far less physical Scotland Yard, at the same time learning local mores and argot. Somewhat similar to the more famous Scotland Yard series, 999 benefits from a larger budget as well as a greater use of location shooting. In fact a good deal of the pleasure to be had is from this extended use of 50's streets and locales which add greatly to the mise en scene, as well as providing a large dollop of nostalgia. There's a host of familiar British character actors to enjoy doing their thing. The series boasts technical advice from official police sources, and although one doubts everything is as was in real life there's more than enough of nostalgia and contemporary colour on view here to keep modern viewers happy. As the series progresses (presumably as a result of overseas sales reaction) there is an increased reliance on gun play to raise the excitement of what purports to be a realistic series. Disc three is of especial interest as in one episode there is a chance to see a young Robert Shaw playing a henchman, while in another UK TV fans will spot the rare appearance of two future Doctor Whos, William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton, in the same show - although disappointingly not in the same scene! Apart from one weak episode which packs hero detective Maguire undercover to Germany, the series is even and is well worth seeking out.

London-based tv producer Harry Alan Towers made 'Dial 999' with some hope of selling the episodes to syndication in Canada and the United States. So, why did he give this crime series a title that called attention to its British origin? (In Britain, 999 is the emergency number, equivalent to 911 in the USA.)

Robert Beatty starred as Mike Maguire, a Canadian Mountie who has been assigned to Scotland Yard to learn British crime-fighting methods. As with the Yank tv show 'McCloud' (depicting a cowboy cop in the big city), there was an ongoing fish-out-of-water element ... and also some suggestion that the Canadian cop's rough-and-ready methods were better than those of the effete English constables working alongside him. On the London beat, Mountie Maguire kept his Dudley Do-Right uniform in mothballs and solved his crimes in a suitcoat and tie.

'Dial 999' was a good example of the 'thick-ear' crime genre, which is roughly the equivalent of America's 'film noir'. Maguire was constantly on the receiving end of blunt violence from London's baddies, but he was handy with his fists and always gave better than he got. In keeping with accuracy, Maguire and his London squadmates did not routinely carry sidearms ... but they often crossed paths with gun-toting gangsters.

With each episode running just under a half-hour, the pace of 'Dial 999' was brisk and efficient. Production values were abetted by some excellent location filming in recognisable London locations ... giving 'Dial 999' some historical value too. I fondly remember this series, and would like to see it again.

Robert Beatty looks seriously untaxed acting wise in this but is a good lead. Dial 999 was probably a " strictly pay cheque " acting job for him. Fascinating to see such as a very young Peter Bowles in it & in a tiny blink & you'll miss him part Alan Browning. Of course there are better shows than this but for it's time it wasn't bad & certainly way better than modern stinkbombs like Sister Boniface Mysteries. Nice pleasant trip back in time.

Robert Beatty is a Canadian cop attached to Scotland Yard. He gets shot at a lot but never gets hit. Some excellent location work shows London in the late fifties. One was shot In my own neighbourhood showing the Odeon Temple Fortune. The makers weren't bothered by onlookers as they can be seen on the other side of the street. Lots of familiar character actors featured..

Canadian Mountie Mike Maguire is seconded to Scotland Yard, to assist various British cops with cracking all manner of crimes, from thefts to murders.

Definitely a series that's worth your time, I'm assuming it was produced to be sold to markets outside of The UK, Beatty would have been quite a big deal.

Robert Beatty is wonderfully charismatic as Mike Maguire, and you have to hand it to him, he certainly elevates many of the episodes.

Maguire certainly gets about, I don't think there's a single department he didn't work in. On many occasions he seems to stand on the spot, explaining the plot, rather loudly.

Surely it's dated now, but it's such an interesting look back, and I don't just mean the crimes, seeing London and various locations back in the 1950's is absolutely fascinating, so many well known locations to spot.

Plenty of punch ups, some look great, some look like amateur dramatics.

Radioactive and The Night Watchman were both particularly interesting episodes, both had very imaginative plots, some of the others are a little more pedestrian to say the lease.

Such a shame that Network has gone out of business, so many of their releases are becoming impossible to source.

7/10.