Gideon’s Way – S01 E19 – John Gregson – The Millionaire’s Daughter

Gideon’s Way is a British television crime series made by ITC Entertainment and broadcast by ITV in 1965–66, based on novels by John Creasey (writing as ‘J. J. Marric’). The series was made at Elstree Studios in twin production with The Saint television series, which was likewise produced by Robert S. Baker and Monty Berman. It stars John Gregson in the title role as Commander George Gideon of Scotland Yard, with Alexander Davion as his assistant, Detective Chief Inspector David Keen, Reginald Jessup as Det. Superintendent LeMaitre (nicknamed Lemmy), Ian Rossiter as Detective Chief Superintendent Joe Bell and Basil Dignam as Commissioner Scott-Marle. The show did not acknowledge any help from Scotland Yard or any other police force or advisor.

Many well-known British actors appear in guest roles, including Patrick Allen, Keith Baxter, George Cole, Harry Fowler, Gordon Jackson, Ronald Lacey, Anton Rodgers, Rosemary Leach, Gerald Harper, Victor Maddern, Richard Carpenter and John Hurt. There was an early role for Donald Sutherland in the episode “The Millionaire’s Daughter”. Several actors, including Mike Pratt, Angela Douglas, Jean Marsh and Kay Walsh, appear twice in the series, cast in different roles.

This Episode

 A con man, Alan Blake (Don Borisenko), arrives by ship from America with the millionaire Hendersons (David Bauer and Lois Maxwell) and their daughter Nina (Lans Traverse). Along with confederates he kidnaps Nina in London and they hold her for a million-dollar ransom. The newspapers get hold of the story and Blake decides to get out while he can, tricking Mrs Henderson out of $500,000 worth of jewellery. This means that the daughter is now left with the homicidal Philip Guest (Donald Sutherland) who wants to kill her as she has seen their faces. Also stars Harold Goodwin as the Shopkeeper and Alec Ross as Frank Simmons.