''Jango'' is a British police comedy series produced in 1961 by

Associated Rediffusion Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion London, was the British ITV franchise holder for London and parts of the surrounding counties, on weekdays between 22 September 1955 and 29 July 1968. It was the first ITA franchisee to go on air, ...

for ITV. It starred Robert Urquhart in the lead role of Jango Smith, with Moira Redmond as Dee Smith, his wife. The show also featured performances by

Peter Sallis Peter John Sallis (1 February 1921 – 2 June 2017) was an English actor. He was the original voice of Wallace in the Academy Award-winning '' Wallace & Gromit'' films and played Norman "Cleggy" Clegg in ''Last of the Summer Wine'' from its 1 ...

and

Brian Wilde Brian George Wilde (13 June 1927 – 20 March 2008) was an English actor best known for his roles in television comedy, most notably Mr Barrowclough in ''Porridge (1974 TV series), Porridge'' and Walter "Foggy" Dewhurst in ''Last of the Summer ...

. The show's writer was Albert Henry Webb and its director was Cyril Coke.

Plot

The series ''Jango'' developed from single play ''Murder Stamp''. The play ''Murder Stamp'' was an episode shown on '' ITV Television Playhouse'' in 1960 and so the tv series Jango is ment to be based of the play ''Murder Stamp'' but as an eight episode series. The series is a lighthearted crime series about an off-beat criminologist named Jango Smith.

Episode status

The show had eight episodes. All were believed lost, until the mid-1990s when a

kinescope Kinescope , shortened to kine , also known as telerecording in Britain, is a recording of a television program on motion picture film directly through a lens focused on the screen of a video monitor. The process was pioneered during the 1940s ...

of one episode was discovered. The only episode that has survived in the seventh episode titled ''Treacle on Three Fingers''. The episode is available to watch on tvbrain.info. TV Brain has also released the episode on DVD as well.

Reception

'' The Stage and Television Today'' criticised the show, writing, "The half-hour needs a dose of good comedy writing to make it work, because at present it is just feeble. A pity that delightful Moira Redmond cannot be featured in a programme of her own. She has an obvious feeling for a piquant comedy role, but cannot really make out with the present material."

References

External links

* 1961 British television series debuts 1961 British television series endings 1960s British sitcoms 1960s British police comedy television series ITV sitcoms British English-language television shows Black-and-white British television shows {{UK-comedy-tv-prog-stub