Minder

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Running Time: 60 minutes (approx)

This classic comedy-drama series was first aired in 1979 and ran until 1994.

Trilby-wearing wheeler-dealer Arthur Daley (George Cole) is a small-time entrepreneurial conman who is paranoid about being stitched up, or worse, by other crooks in the area, so he hires ex-boxer Terry McCann (Dennis Waterman) to be his full-time "minder".

While Terry tries his hardest to satisfy his employer's demands, often by putting his own life at risk, Arthur is busy exploiting Terry for all he's worth. For, unbeknown to Terry, Arthur is ripping him off. When Arthur hires out Terry's services, the wheeler-dealer keeps much of the minder's pay for himself, telling the hard-working Terry that they were receiving less money for a job than they actually do. Along with these dodgy goings-on, Arthur must avoid the unsolicited attentions of local bobby, Detective Sergeant Albert Chisholm "Charlie" (Patrick Malahide).

The series took a while to pick up, possibly because audiences associated Waterman with his previous tough copper role in The Sweeney. But gradually viewers warmed to it, especially as the two leads settled into their roles and the writing became more comic.

At its height (mid-1980s), Minder was must-see TV, but by the seventh series (1989) it was feeling decidedly creaky. Waterman quit, and the show staggered on, introducing new character Ray Daley (Arthur's mineral-water sipping nephew, played by Gary Webster) who took over the Terry role. It was fairly hopeless, and it was a blessed relief when the series petered out in the early 1990s before any further damage could be done.

In 2009, Five launched a new version of the show, starring Shane Richie as wheeler-dealer Archie Daley (nephew of Arthur), alongside Lex Shrapnel as his minder, Jamie Cartwright.

Main Cast

Image for George ColeGeorge ColeArthur Daley
Glynn EdwardsDave Harris
Peter ChildsDet. Sgt. Ronald 'Kenny' Rycott
Image for Hetty BaynesHetty BaynesHetty
Emma CunninghamGloria Ray Daley's girlfriend
Diana MalinDebbie Mitchell
Image for Dennis WatermanDennis WatermanTerry McCann
Michael TroughtonD.C. Mellish, Melish
Patrick MalahideDet. Sgt. Albert 'Charlie' Chisholm
George LaytonDes
Mark FarmerJustin James
Michael PoveyD.C./Det. Sgt. 'Taff' Jones
Gary WebsterRay Daley
Celia FoxeMiss Cawley
Nicholas DayDet. Sgt. Morley
Jonty StephensD.C. Field
Image for Stephen TompkinsonStephen TompkinsonD.C. Park
Gennie NevinsonPenny
Paul CooperRon
Image for John BardonJohn BardonBilly, Jury Member
Roger BrierleyCyril, Donald
Simon ChilversBill McCabe
Ian BartholomewKeith Wendell, Ralphy
Tony CaunterChief Insp. Norton, D.I. Norton
Kenneth CopePhelan, Scooter
David DakerAlex, Sir Ronald Bates
Ronald FraserAlbert Goddard, Self-Inflicted Sid
Ray BurdisDisco Youth, Jimmy Elliot
Ellis DaleMagistrate, Mr. Howlett
Bill HunterReid
Donald DouglasMr. Prosser, Scots Winetaster
Sydney LivingstoneBert, George
Image for Pete PostlethwaitePete PostlethwaiteJack Wragg, Logie
Rula LenskaKate, Natasha
Janet FieldingGym Instructor, Janice
James MarcusBertie, Morrie
Jonathan KyddErnie, Len
Douglas McFerranPrison Officer, Quinn's Assistant
Bill MoodyFast Eddie, Man With Car
Royce MillsAndrew
Desmond McNamaraGossip, Reggie
Image for Ray WinstoneRay WinstoneArnie
April WalkerBank Teller, Jury Member
Vanda GodsellQueenie
William ArmstrongD.C. Lang
Tony BartonFish & Chip Proprietor
Peter JonesDet. Insp. Henry Keys
Sebastian AbineriPrison Officer
Daphne AndersonKatie
Image for Jim CarterJim CarterTomkins
Stephen BentRoberts
Harold BerensJacobson
Michael BruceBarry
Matthew DelamerePhil
John LabanowskiMicky
David BattleyPotter
Dorian HealyDS Cody
Natalie RolesAmanda Ray's Girlfriend
Michael BrowningClerk Of The Court
Michael AngelisNick

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