Buccaneer (TV series)

Buccaneer
Genre Adventure
Created by
Starring
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series 1
No. of episodes 13
Production
Producer(s) Gerard Glaister
Running time 50 minutes
Release
Original network BBC1
Original release 27 April (1980-04-27) – 20 July 1980 (1980-07-20)

Buccaneer is a short-lived television series, made by the BBC in 1979–80. Created by experienced television writer N. J. (Norman) Crisp, it was broadcast over 13 weeks in April–July 1980.

The series, dealing with a developing air freight business, starred Bryan Marshall, Mark Jones, Pamela Salem and Clifford Rose, and was produced by Gerard Glaister. John Brason, who had previously worked with Glaister on Secret Army served as script editor.

The aircraft that "starred" in the series was a Bristol Britannia of Redcoat Air Cargo, registration G-BRAC, which wore the markings of "Redair", the name of the fictional airline in the series.

One reason for there being only one series (13 episodes) of this drama was that the fact that Bristol Britannia G-BRAC was destroyed in a crash near Boston, Mass., on 16 February 1980, shortly after the completion of filming, but just before transmission of the series. Of the eight people on board, seven were killed, and only one survived, albeit seriously injured.[1]

With the "starring aircraft" destroyed in a crash plans for a second series were abandoned. The series has not been repeated or released on video or DVD. It became overshadowed by ITV's better-remembered World War 2 drama "Airline" starring Roy Marsden which was first broadcast in 1982.

The first episode concerned getting out of the fictional country of Ximbali, this just presaged real-life events when people fled from the former Rhodesia which had been renamed to the similar-sounding Zimbabwe. Amusingly, in view of later political developments, the lead character in the Buccaneer TV series, played by Bryan Marshall was named "Tony Blair".

Regular Cast


Episodes

# Title Directed by Written by Designed by Original airdate
1"Reluctant Hero"Ken GrieveJ.B. FlackMyles Lang27 April 1980 (1980-04-27)
2"Albatross"Marc MillerJ.B. FlackStanley Morris4 May 1980 (1980-05-04)
3"Grounded"Andrew MorganN.J. CrispMyles Lang11 May 1980 (1980-05-11)
4"A Kind of Cuckoo"Ken GrieveN.J. CrispStanley Morris18 May 1980 (1980-05-18)
5"Let's Make a Killing"Marc MillerJohn BrasonMyles Lang25 May 1980 (1980-05-25)
6"The Thin End"Andrew MorganJohn BrasonStanley Morris1 June 1980 (1980-06-01)
7"Somebody's Telling Lies"Tristan DeVere ColeDavid CraneMary Spencer8 June 1980 (1980-06-08)
8"Private Arrangements"Marc MillerDavid CraneStanley Morris15 June 1980 (1980-06-15)
9"Intruders"Andrew MorganBen SteedMyles Lang22 June 1980 (1980-06-22)
10"Feet of Clay"Tristan DeVere ColeBen SteedStanley Morris29 June 1980 (1980-06-29)
11"Eldorado"Marc MillerN.J. CrispMyles Lang6 July 1980 (1980-07-06)
12"A No Go Item"Andrew MorganN.J. CrispStanley Morris13 July 1980 (1980-07-13)
13"Emergency"Tristan DeVere ColeN.J. CrispMary Spencer20 July 1980 (1980-07-20)

Notes

  1. ↑ United States National Transportation Safety Board (1981) [19 February 1981]. Aircraft Accident Report 3/1981. Report on the accident to Redcoat Air Cargo Ltd Bristol Britannia 2S3F G-BRAC at Billerica, Massachusetts, USA, 16 February 1980. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 0-11-513178-7. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
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