Secret Army

Secret Army

1977 - United Kingdom

In Secret Army, produced by Gerard Glaister as a follow-up to his hugely successful drama series Colditz, the action takes place in Belgium during the Second World War and concerns itself with the members of Lifeline, an underground Resistance movement, who risk life and limb in their endeavours to smuggle Allied airmen past the Nazis and return them back to Britain via a number of escape routes and safe houses. 

Bernard Hepton played Albert Foiret, the proprietor of 'Le Candide' cafe that served as the base for the movement which was led by its idealistic founder Lisa Colbert (Jan Francis) whose motivation was the murder of her parents by the Germans. Apart from helping the Resistance there was an added threat to Foiret, the fact that the German officers, headed by Gestapo leader Kessler (Clifford Rose) frequented 'Le Candide.' The final Secret Army episode to be made, 'What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?', set 25 years after the liberation of Brussels, looked at how the characters had fared after the war, but was never broadcast. Instead the end of the last series showed how, with the war over and Brussels liberated, Kessler escaped capture and adopted a new identity. He then resurfaced in a spin-off series, Kessler, made in 1981. 

As unlikely as it seems Secret Army inspired one of Britain's longest running sitcoms - 'Allo 'Allo - in which most of the key elements were recreated but parodied. No one was spared. There was even a character called Yvette - Lisa Colbert's codename in Secret Army.

Published on January 28th, 2019. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.

Read Next...

Come Back Mrs Noah

A housewife wins a prize to visit a spaceship. While she is there, it spontaneously goes into orbit. Following hot on the heals of Are You Being Served? Mollie Sugden starred in this excellent David Croft sitcom which is now sadly overlooked.

Also released in 1977

Andy Robson

Based on Frederick Grice's 1969 novel, The Courage of Andy Robson, about a young boy who is uprooted from his life in the pit community of Easington, in 1910, when his father is killed in a mining accident.

Also tagged Drama Series

Budgie

Cheeky cockney and loveable rogue Ronald 'Budgie' Bird. Budgie was a small time crook, a petty thief, a chancer who always dreamed of getting rich but mainly had to content himself with the slimmest of pickings.

Also tagged Drama Series

Manhunt

Three fugitives are trying to escape war torn France and make their way back to England. One of them has vital knowledge for the allies - but the German Army are closing in on them.

Also starring Bernard Hepton

Stay Lucky tv series

Thomas Gynn is on the run from London when he runs into feisty Yorkshire lass Sally Hardcastle, who very quickly decides she wants nothing to do with him. But the unlikely couple will be seeing a lot more of each other.

Also starring Jan Francis

Take Hart

Unparalleled in its scope and originality, 'Take Hart' was the inspiration for generations of artists, animators, graphic designers and teachers.

Also released in 1977

Abigail's Party

When teenager Abigail throws a party for her friends, her next-door neighbour, Beverly Moss, does likewise for the adults. But Beverly is the hostess from hell.

Also released in 1977

Tenko

The harrowing story of the treatment and conditions that a group of women had to endure while they were held captive in a Japanese internment camp during the Second World War.

Also tagged Wartime Drama

The Gold Robbers TV series

Exciting series centred round the participants in a multi-million pound bullion robbery, and the CID officer who doggedly tracks them down.

Also starring Bernard Hepton