The Professionals (TV Series)

Not a Very Civil Civil Servant (1978)

Lewis Collins: Bodie

Photos 

Quotes 

• [Cowley just won a fencing match with Bodie] 

  George Cowley : That'll do for today. Like dancing the tango with my granny.

  Bodie : I'm a disco man myself sir.

  Doyle : It's his army training. He's quite good with a bayonet.

  George Cowley : [Cowley to Doyle who is also in fencing gear]  And you weren't much better.

• [Cowley and Bodie meet the Colonel at his club] 

  Col. Summerville : [unimpressed with Bodie's dress sense]  I say Cowley did you sign him in.

  George Cowley : Yes Colonel, he works for me, if you use the term loosely.

  Col. Summerville : I can remember when this used to be a 'military' club.

  George Cowley : He was military once.

  Col. Summerville : Oh. One of those rag and bone regiments crawling about behind the enemy lines. He looks the type.

  Bodie : [effeminate voice]  I couldn't find a bowler hat to fit me.

  George Cowley : Colonel I want pick your brains. First this Temple-Blake case.

  Col. Summerville : Ah, that will blow over. Storm in a concrete mixer.

  [laughs] 

  Col. Summerville : Well they're always buying these fat little councillors, all giving them motor cars to the sub-contractors. If a contract is worth a million or two it's worth greasing a few palms... I mean when people have a lot of work to offer they expect something in return.

  Bodie : What do people offer you colonel?

  Col. Summerville : Courtesy and civility young man. And that is all. They'd get the back of my hand if they'd offered me a farthing.

• [Cowley, Bodie and Doyle preparing for another fencing bout] 

  George Cowley : Well I hear you've been spending a lot of time talking with this Fraud Squad man Riordan, is it?

  Bodie : Yea, he's good. Says the deadly crossfire is between two balance sheets and the fingers on the pens are crooked.

  Doyle : And the most efficient blunt instrument is a cheque book. Provided you've got money in the bank behind it.

  George Cowley : You two are really branching out, but don't try to put any of the drinks on your expenses.

  Doyle : Why? It's work.

  George Cowley : Sounds more like education. And education's never free.

• [after a hard fight with him, Bodie handcuffs an unconscious Renshaw to a vertical stanchion in a greenhouse] 

  Bodie : Keep an eye on the plants.

• [Doyle 'fails' to stop Drake escaping] 

  Bodie : You couldn't stop a fat lady in a thin alley.