Top Telly - Minder television series

Minder first appeared on ITV on 29th October 1979 but made a return on Five early in 2009 after a 15-year break. The new series commenced on 4th February 2009 but has a completely new cast. The new show was made by Talkback Thames whilst the previous series were made by Euston Films (in co-operation with Thames Television and, later, Central Television) and starred Shane Richie as Archie Daley, nephew of Arthur Daley, and taxi driver Jamie Cartwright played by Lex Shrapnel. This was a revival rather than a remake and the old characters were not recast.

The episodes of the eleventh were calle: Better The Devil You Know, In Vino Veritas, The Art Of The Matter, Matter Of Life And Debt, Count Your Lucky Stars and Till Debt Do Us Part .

The older, more familiar, Minder starred Arthur Cole and Dennis Waterman as Arthur Daley and Terry McCann. Arthur was a dodgy importer-exporter, wholesaler and used-car salesman who need a minder to keep angry customers and debtors at bay. The minder was Terry who had been a boxer and spent five years in jail for GBH and attempted armed robbery. Terry had an eye for the ladies and drove a white Ford Capri that he bought from “Arfer”. Arthur and Terry were members of the Winchester private drinking club run by Dave played by Glynn Edwards. The series used many leading British actors.

Minder was devised by Dennis Waterman following his success in The Sweeney police drama. It was a slow burner and did not pick up good ratings until the third series.

The public enjoyed watching cigar-smoking, Jaguar-driving uncle Arthur and his doomed schemes that never earned him the big money he was always striving for. Other regular characters were hapless Detective Sergeant Albert Chisholm (Patrick Malahide), Detective Constable “Taff” Jones (Michael Povey), Detective Sergeant Ronald Tycott (Peter Childs), Detective Constable Mellish (Michael Troughton), Des the car mechanic (George Layton), Arnie - Des’s replacement (Ray Winstone) and Gennie Nevinson and Diana Malin as Penny and Debbie - Terry’s girlfriends.

At its peak the show was one ITV’s most popular programmes with audiences up to 17 million.

Minder starring Shane Richie and Lex Shrapnel/Arthur Cole and Dennis Waterman

Minder re-appeared in 2009 on Channel Five but started in 1979 on ITV

Starring Shane Richie and Lex Shrapne (2009) and Arthur Cole and Dennis Waterman (1979)