''Chancer'' is a British television

crime drama Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), dr ...

serial, produced by

Central Independent Television ITV Central, previously known as Central Independent Television, Carlton Central, ITV1 for Central England and commonly referred to as simply Central, is the ITV (TV network), Independent Television franchisee in Midlands, the English Midlands ...

for ITV, that first broadcast on 6 March 1990. Starring

Clive Owen Clive Owen (born 3 October 1964) is an English actor. He first gained recognition in the United Kingdom for playing the lead role in the ITV series '' Chancer'' from 1990 to 1991. He received critical acclaim for his work in the film '' Close ...

in the title role of Stephen Crane, ''Chancer'' tells the story of a likable conman and rogue at the end of the yuppie 1980s. The first series concerns Crane's attempts to save an ailing car firm, which at first seem to be straightforward, until he is forced to reconcile himself with his past. In the second series, Crane, now using his real name of Derek Love, assists his friend Piers, who has inherited a stately home, and with it, a financial nightmare. The series boasted a high-profile cast, including Simon Shepherd,

Susannah Harker Susannah Harker (born Susannah Owens; 26 April 1965) is an English film, television, and theatre actress. She was nominated for a BAFTA TV Award in 1990 for her role as Mattie Storin in ''House of Cards''. She played Jane Bennet in the 1995 TV ...

Leslie Phillips Leslie Samuel Phillips (20 April 1924 – 7 November 2022) was an English actor. He achieved prominence in the 1950s, playing smooth, upper-class comic roles utilising his "Ding dong" and "Hello" catchphrases. He appeared in the '' Carry On'' ...

and

Peter Vaughan Peter Ewart Ohm (4 April 1923 – 6 December 2016), known professionally as Peter Vaughan, was an English actor known for many supporting roles in British film and television productions. He also acted extensively on stage. Vaughan played Gr ...

in leading roles. Notably,

Christopher Eccleston Christopher Eccleston (; born 16 February 1964) is an English actor whose work has encompassed Hollywood blockbusters and arthouse films, television dramas, Shakespearean stage performances and science fiction, most notably the Ninth Doctor, ni ...

also had one of his first television roles, featuring in the opening episode of series two as a prison inmate. Across the two series, a total of twenty episodes were broadcast, with both series airing on Tuesdays at 21:00. The theme music for the series was written by

Jan Hammer Jan Hammer () (born 17 April 1948) is a Czech-American musician, composer, and record producer. He rose to prominence while playing keyboards with the Mahavishnu Orchestra during the early 1970s, as well as with his film scores for television an ...

. In 1991, Hammer's ''

Miami Vice ''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo Tubbs, Ricardo "Rico" Tub ...

'' soundtrack " Crockett's Theme" was re-released with his ''Chancer'' theme tune as a

double A-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of vinyl records and cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a single usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or ...

, after the former featured in a series of

NatWest National Westminster Bank, trading as NatWest, is a major Retail banking, retail and commercial bank in the United Kingdom based in London, England. It was established in 1968 by the Corporate merger, merger of National Provincial Bank and We ...

adverts. The release charted at #47 on the UK Singles Chart. Both series have since been released on DVD via Network, with a complete box set first issued on 4 October 2004.

Cast

as Derek Love / Stephen Crane * Simon Shepherd as Piers Garfield-Ward *

as Joanna Franklyn *

as James Xavier 'Jimmy' Blake *

as Thomas 'Tom' Franklyn * Ralph Riach as Willy Stebbings

Series 1 (1990)

Caroline Langrishe Caroline Langrishe (born 10 January 1958) is an English actress. Early life Born in London, Langrishe is the elder daughter of Patrick Nicholas Langrishe (1932–2022), of The Manor House, Sellindge, Kent, a Lieutenant in the 11th Hussars, late ...

as Penny Nichols *

Benjamin Whitrow Benjamin John Whitrow (17 February 1937 – 28 September 2017) was a British actor. He was nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor for his role as Mr Bennet in the 1995 BBC version of ''Pride and Prejudice'', and voiced the role of Fowle ...

as Robert Douglas *

Lynsey Baxter Lynsey Baxter (born 7 May 1959) is an English actress. She was born in London on 7 May 1959. She began as a child actress in 1974, and later trained at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). She has worked in theatre, television, film, radio, an ...

as Victoria Douglas * Matthew Marsh as Gavin Nichols *

Stephen Tompkinson Stephen Phillip Tompkinson (born 15 October 1965) is an English actor, known for his television roles as Marcus in '' Chancer '' (1990), Damien Day in '' Drop the Dead Donkey'' (1990–1998), Father Peter Clifford in '' Ballykissangel'' (1996� ...

as Markus Worton *

Cliff Parisi Cliff Parisi (born Clifford R Manley; 24 May 1960) is an English actor and businessman, known for his roles as Minty Peterson in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' and Fred Buckle in the BBC period drama ''Call the Midwife''. In 2019, he ...

as Lunchbox * Robert Glenister as Colin Morris * Andy Linden as Dink * Paul Barber as Gerald * Maureen Glackin as Lorraine * Karen Archer as Vanessa * Sam London as Tom Nichols * Cathryn Bradshaw as Sonya Morris *

Sean Pertwee Sean Carl Roland Pertwee (born 4 June 1964) is an English actor, narrator and producer. His credits include ''Chancer'' (1990), '' Leon the Pig Farmer'' (1992), '' Cadfael'' (1994), ''Bodyguards'' (1997), ''Event Horizon'' (1997), '' Stiff Upp ...

as Jamie Douglas * Nicholas Shelton as Richard Nichols

Series 2 (1991)

Louise Lombard Louise Lombard (born Louise Marie Perkins; 13 September 1970) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Evangeline Eliott in the BBC drama series ''The House of Eliott'' (1991–94), Sofia Curtis in the CBS drama series '' CSI: Cri ...

as Anna * Jennie Linden as Olivia * Tom Tudgay as Joseph Franklyn * Ella Wilder as Ella *

Derek Fowlds Derek James Fowlds (2 September 1937 – 17 January 2020) was an English actor. He played "Mr Derek" in '' The Basil Brush Show'' (1969–1973), Bernard Woolley in the sitcom '' Yes Minister'' (1980–1984) and its sequel, '' Yes, Prime Ministe ...

as Michael Coley

Episodes

Series 1 (1990)

Series 2 (1991)

References

External links

* *{{Epguides, Chancer
''Chancer''
at the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

(BFI) ITV television dramas 1990 British television series debuts 1991 British television series endings 1990s British drama television series Television series by ITV Studios British English-language television shows Television shows produced by Central Independent Television