This was the first episode of 'Man In A Suitcase' to go out in the U.S.A. In Britain, 'Brainwash' was chosen as the premiere story.
Nursery school teacher 'Rachel Thyssen' ( Angela Browne ) spots a man in a London street whom she recognises as her late father Harry. She gives chase, but loses him. 'Harry Thyssen' ( John Barrie ) was the number two man in American Intelligence, officially declared 'dead' six years before when his plane crashed, although no body was ever found. The story leaks to the press, reaching the eyes of 'McGill' ( Richard Bradford ) who has good reason for wanting to find Harry. He had ordered him to allow a scientist named LaFarbe to defect to the Russians. Mac did this, only to then inadvertently trigger a major spy scandal. Harry 'died' before he could clear McGill, hence Mac was made to resign from U.S. Intelligence. Since then he has made a living as an unlicensed private detective. Harry's boss 'Coughlin' ( Lionel Murton ) warns him not to take the matter further or else he will be deported to the States to stand trial. Determined to clear his name, Mac enlists the aid of seedy private enquiry agent 'Pfeiffer' ( Timothy Bateson ) who begins shadowing Rachel. The Russians are interested in her too...
Written by Stanley Greenberg, also the show's executive story consultant, this effectively establishes the back story of the 'McGill' character, and gives Richard Bradford a good opportunity to do what he is best at - expressing anger. The revelation that LaFarbe's defection was deliberate gives him plenty to get steamed up about. Compared to the wooden acting of Steve Forrest in 'The Baron' and Gene Barry in 'The Adventurer', it is an Olivier standard performance! Two things about this which immediately tell you its the '60's - a policeman can be seen on the beat and later Rachel walks alone at night near the Thames, with not a mugger in sight.
Freed from the constraints Patrick McGoohan had placed on 'Danger Man' ( no kissing ), the production team had McGill romance a succession of pretty British actresses over the course of the series, such as Jacqueline Pearce, Felicity Kendal, Rosemary Nicol, and Judy Geeson. Here it is the beautiful ( and sadly deceased ) Angela Browne as 'Rachel', McGill's ex-girlfriend.
But what really set the show apart from its contemporaries was the level of violence. Not Peckinpah standard admittedly, but the number of vicious beatings McGill endured must have stunned viewers all the same. Pat Jackson, the episode's director, worked on both 'Danger Man' and 'The Prisoner'. Stuart Damon, who plays 'Williams' ( McGill's successor ) went on to play 'Craig Stirling' in 'The Champions'. Dandy Nichols ( of 'Till Death Us Do Part' ) is seen briefly as McGill's landlady.
There is a great climax at the Regal City football stadium ( which alas no longer exists ) in which McGill tries to decoy Russian agents to give Harry time to flee back to Southampton docks. The downbeat final scene would be the first of many in this show. 'Man In A Suitcase', while not exactly overflowing with gritty realism, nevertheless managed to be closer to reality than was the norm for I.T.C. action shows.
Nursery school teacher 'Rachel Thyssen' ( Angela Browne ) spots a man in a London street whom she recognises as her late father Harry. She gives chase, but loses him. 'Harry Thyssen' ( John Barrie ) was the number two man in American Intelligence, officially declared 'dead' six years before when his plane crashed, although no body was ever found. The story leaks to the press, reaching the eyes of 'McGill' ( Richard Bradford ) who has good reason for wanting to find Harry. He had ordered him to allow a scientist named LaFarbe to defect to the Russians. Mac did this, only to then inadvertently trigger a major spy scandal. Harry 'died' before he could clear McGill, hence Mac was made to resign from U.S. Intelligence. Since then he has made a living as an unlicensed private detective. Harry's boss 'Coughlin' ( Lionel Murton ) warns him not to take the matter further or else he will be deported to the States to stand trial. Determined to clear his name, Mac enlists the aid of seedy private enquiry agent 'Pfeiffer' ( Timothy Bateson ) who begins shadowing Rachel. The Russians are interested in her too...
Written by Stanley Greenberg, also the show's executive story consultant, this effectively establishes the back story of the 'McGill' character, and gives Richard Bradford a good opportunity to do what he is best at - expressing anger. The revelation that LaFarbe's defection was deliberate gives him plenty to get steamed up about. Compared to the wooden acting of Steve Forrest in 'The Baron' and Gene Barry in 'The Adventurer', it is an Olivier standard performance! Two things about this which immediately tell you its the '60's - a policeman can be seen on the beat and later Rachel walks alone at night near the Thames, with not a mugger in sight.
Freed from the constraints Patrick McGoohan had placed on 'Danger Man' ( no kissing ), the production team had McGill romance a succession of pretty British actresses over the course of the series, such as Jacqueline Pearce, Felicity Kendal, Rosemary Nicol, and Judy Geeson. Here it is the beautiful ( and sadly deceased ) Angela Browne as 'Rachel', McGill's ex-girlfriend.
But what really set the show apart from its contemporaries was the level of violence. Not Peckinpah standard admittedly, but the number of vicious beatings McGill endured must have stunned viewers all the same. Pat Jackson, the episode's director, worked on both 'Danger Man' and 'The Prisoner'. Stuart Damon, who plays 'Williams' ( McGill's successor ) went on to play 'Craig Stirling' in 'The Champions'. Dandy Nichols ( of 'Till Death Us Do Part' ) is seen briefly as McGill's landlady.
There is a great climax at the Regal City football stadium ( which alas no longer exists ) in which McGill tries to decoy Russian agents to give Harry time to flee back to Southampton docks. The downbeat final scene would be the first of many in this show. 'Man In A Suitcase', while not exactly overflowing with gritty realism, nevertheless managed to be closer to reality than was the norm for I.T.C. action shows.
