Dial 999

Dial 999

1958 - United Kingdom, United States

Billed as the British equivalent to Highway Patrol, Dial 999 was an above standard cops n' robbers thriller starring Canadian actor Robert Beatty as Detective Inspector Michael McGuire. What set this show aside from the standard police series format was that it was made with the cooperation of Scotland Yard, and threw a spotlight on real police methods of the time. Advisor to the series was an ex-Superintendent by the name of Tom Fallon -in fact the very man who had been responsible for setting up the 999 emergency call service for the London area. The series centred around McGuire, a "Mountie" who had been seconded on temporary assignment to "The Yard" to study advanced crime detection techniques. He was assisted by Detective Inspector Winter (Duncan Lamont) and Detective Sergeant West (John Witty). 

This Anglo/American venture was co-produced by ATV and Ziv Television Programmes in America, where it received its first airing. A number of scenes were shot at Elstree Studios, but the show's large budget ($1.2 million) allowed for extensive location scenes in the streets of London and of many provincial cities.

Published on December 7th, 2018. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.

Read Next...

The Invisible Man

A scientist becomes victim of his own experiments into light refraction, leaving him permanently transparent.

Also starring Robert Beatty

Fabian of Scotland Yard

The first ever British made filmed series, shot by Trinity Productions for the BBC and consisting of 39 black and white episodes, Fabian of Scotland Yard has been described as Britain's first generation of the TV detective.

Also tagged Police Series

The FBI

Allegedly based on the case-files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, The F.B.I. was endorsed by none other than the Bureau's real-life chief of operations, J. Edgar Hoover.

Also tagged Police Series

The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

"James Butler Hickok, mister" our hero would announce to all and sundry before his sidekick would elaborate, "That's Wild Bill Hickok, mister! The bravest, strongest, fightingest U.S. Marshal in the whole West!"

Also released in 1958

Educating Archie

As strange as it may seem now, Archie Andrews was a ventriloquists dummy that first hit the big time on Radio!

Also released in 1958

The Adventures of William Tell

Conrad Phillips starred as the legendary hero from the Swiss settlement of Berglan in Uri, who became a folk hero very much in the Robin Hood mode.

Also released in 1958

Oh Boy!

Groundbreaking British music show from the early days of rock n' roll.

Also released in 1958

The Jack Jackson Show

Music, quick-fire comedy and soundbites that influenced a generation of DJs

Also released in 1958

The Fall TV series

Hard hitting and somewhat bleak drama series about a cold but passionate policewoman who goes head to head with a cold serial killer in Belfast.

Also tagged Police Series