Colonel Trumper's Private War

Colonel Trumper's Private War

1961 - United Kingdom

It is June 1940 - and Britain stands alone. The choice of Colonel Trumper (Dennis Price) to rescue a Polish professor proves that our backs are indeed against the wall. Following his rescue the professor, (played by Warren Mitchell), joins Trumper's unit which also included Pvt. Hicks (George Tovey). Each week Trumper and his unit are sent on a different undercover mission in Europe, but not before they complete preperations at a highly secret School of Espionage where they manage to pass their final test-with some degree of success. Trumper, of British Counter-Intelligence, was described in a TV Times article as the man "with the mind of a criminal and the morals of a Borgia." Somehow, though-he managed to muddle through each assignment. He took his orders from a Lt. Hasting (William Gaunt). 

This was television's first attempt at making a sitcom set during the War years. The series, made by Granada Television, first aired at 8.55pm on Friday 15 September 1961. By October the cast had been demobbed. 

Published on December 5th, 2018. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.

Read Next...

It Ain't Half Hot Mum

A concert party in India in 1945 are bullied by a loud mouthed Sergeant Major in this classic British sitcom

Also tagged Dads Army

Detective TV series 1964 & 1968

BBC anthology series in which each week a different famous literary detective is brought to the screen. The series spawned several long-running series including 'Cluff,' 'Father Brown,' and 'Sherlock Holmes'

Also starring Dennis Price

Out of This World

British TV's first attempt at a science fiction anthology series.

Also starring William Gaunt

Ghost Squad

An elite division of Scotland Yard, the Ghost Squad was set up to investigate and infiltrate spy rings, underworld gangs or anything else that came outside the duties of regular policing.

Also released in 1961

Clochemerle

It's the summer of 1922 and the small village of Clochmerle - nestled in the Beaujolais region of France, is a happy little enclave that has avoided modernity and impropriety in a timeless atmosphere of calm and culture - until now...

Also starring Dennis Price

Next of Kin

A self-absorbed middle-class couple are preparing to take early retirement in the south of France. But when their estranged son and his wife are killed, they are forced to return to Britain to become guardians to their three troublesome grandchildren

Also starring William Gaunt

Family Solicitor

Naylor and Freeman is the name of a firm of solicitors. There are five partners and each handles a variety of cases.

Also released in 1961

Comedy Playhouse

Series of unrelated one-off comedies used to showcase the talents of both writers old and new to television -as well as established and up-and-coming sitcom stars, Comedy Playhouse produced some of the best loved sitcoms on British television.

Also released in 1961

Sergeant Cork

New police methods of tracking down criminals are employed in Victorian London.

Also starring William Gaunt