Secret Service, the
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Secret Service, the
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| Episodes: | 13 |
| Year: | 1969 |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Seasons: | 1 |
| Seasons Breakdown: | (1) 13 |
| Category: | Crime |
| Colour: | Yes |
| Format: | Series |
| Company: | Century 21 Television Productions |
| Creator: | Gerry and Sylvia Anderson |
| Run Time (mins): | 30 |
| Language: | English |
| Type of Show: | Live Action |
| Status: | Ended |
| Broadcaster: | ITV |
| First Aired: | September 21, 1969 |
| Last Aired: | December 14, 1969 |
Summary
The series adopts a contemporary English setting rather than the futuristic aesthetic associated with productions such as Thunderbirds or Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, aligning more closely with the stylistic tone of Avengers, the. Its narrative centres on Father Stanley Unwin, a genial fifty‑seven‑year‑old country vicar who unexpectedly becomes an operative for B.I.S.H.O.P. (British Intelligence Service Headquarters, Operation Priest). Unwin employs a device known as the Minimiser, a peculiar inheritance from a former parishioner, concealed within a small box. The apparatus enables him to miniaturise his gardener, Matthew Harding, a highly trained intelligence agent who maintains the guise of a slow‑witted rural labourer. Once reduced in size, Harding is transported in Unwin’s specially adapted briefcase, outfitted with a chair, periscope, and compact tool kit.
Unwin’s kindly housekeeper, Mrs Appleby (voiced by Sylvia Anderson), remains entirely unaware of the covert operations unfolding around her. Another prominent element of the series is Gabriel, Unwin’s vintage Model T Ford. The production utilised an authentic vehicle for location filming, supplemented by a radio‑controlled replica for sequences involving the puppet representation of Father Unwin.
Cast
Father Unwin STANLEY UNWIN, Other Voices KEITH ALEXANDRA, Agent Matthew GARY FILES, Mrs. Appleby SYLVIA ANDERSON, The Bishop JEREMY WILKIN, Other Voices DAVID HEALEY.
Tags: Crime, United Kingdom, 1969, English
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