Redcap

John Thaw got his first starring role as Sergeant Mann of the Special Investigation Branch of the Royal Military Police (nicknamed a 'Redcap'), after being spotted by the producers in an episode of The Avengers. 

His forceful investigations concerned British troops accused of anything from rape, murder or simple desertion from places as far flung as Cyprus to Borneo and from Germany to Malaysia, and many of the characteristics he portrayed (tough, no-nonsense) were re-employed when he became The Sweeney's Jack Reagan. Scripts were from Troy Kennedy Martin (The Sweeney, Z Cars) and Julian Bond (The Saint, Ruth Rendell Mysteries). The series was remade in 2001 with a female lead. 

Two series were produced and all but three episode have survived and have been released on DVD.

Published on January 24th, 2019. Written by Noel Onely for Television Heaven.