Callan

Callan is the title of a British television series set in the murky world of espionage. Originally produced by ABC Weekend Television and later Thames Television, it was aired on the ITV network over four seasons spread out between 1967 and 1972. The series starred Edward Woodward as David Callan, a reluctant professional killer for a shadowy branch of the British Government's intelligence services known as 'the Section'.

Creators and Cast

Creators

None.

Cast

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Edward Woodward

David Callan

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Russell Hunter

Lonely

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Anthony Valentine

Mears

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William Squire

Hunter

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Patrick Mower

Cross

Episodes

Specials

2 episodes

S0 E1 · Wet Job

1981-02-07

Ten years on, David Callan hasn't changed much. Retirement has brought a new identity, a new mistress, and a new business in the form of a militaria shop. But once a secret-service operative, always a secret-services operative, as he discovers when a call summons him to headquarters and a meeting with the fourth 'Hunter' of his career. Callan thought the past was dead and buried - reactivating it is no pleasure, but it has to be done.

S0 E2 · Callan (Movie)

1974-03-05

No summary.

Season 1

7 episodes

S1 E1 · A Magnum for Schneider (pilot)

1967-02-06

Hunter, head of the Section, requires the services of his best operative, David Callan. Callan had been 'retired' from the service due to his growing conscience, disrespect for orders, and concerns about the people he was ordered to eliminate. Callan now working as a bookkeeper, a job he despises, is offered to be reinstated into the Section if he kills Schneider, an international arms dealer.

S1 E2 · The Good Ones Are All Dead

1967-07-08

Under threat of being placed in a red file, Callan is coerced into helping the Section hand over an ex-SS officer, Strauss, to the Israelis.

S1 E3 · Goodbye, Nobby Clarke

1967-07-15

Callan must stop an old friend, Clarke, from going back to Africa, where he was training mercenaries, else Hunter will have Clarke killed.

S1 E4 · Death of Robert E. Lee

1967-07-22

Two CIA agents request the help of Hunter's Section in killing a Chinese agent, who has been trading in nuclear secrets. But his real mission in England is to kill Hunter.

S1 E5 · Goodness Burns Too Bright

1967-07-29

Callan is lured into going to Berlin, where Hunter wants to use him as a sacrificial lamb to facilitate the planting of a British mole.

S1 E6 · But's He's a Lord, Mr. Callan

1967-08-05

Hunter wants Callan to stop a blackmailing Lord from selling the negatives used in the blackmail to all and sundry.

S1 E7 · You Should Have Got Here Sooner

1967-08-12

When somebody beats Lonely up, and Callan finds out who it was he turns the table on Hunter.

Season 2

15 episodes

S2 E1 · Red Knight, White Knight

1969-01-08

The Section's new Hunter has Callan pulled from the field.

S2 E2 · The Most Promising Girl of Her Year

1969-01-15

Callan must prove that a young biochemist is not giving information to the East.

S2 E3 · You're Under Starter's Orders

1969-01-22

Callan apparently turns renegade. A ruse to trap the head of a ‘pipeline' for smuggling foreign agents and defectors out of the country.

S2 E4 · Little Bits and Pieces of Love

1969-01-29

Callan must use the wife of a rocket scientist as bait to lure the same scientist to Britain.

S2 E5 · Let's Kill Everybody

1969-02-05

A freelance German mercenary organisation who specialise in eliminating foreign security sections have their sights set on the Section.

S2 E6 · Heir Apparent

1969-02-12

After Hunter's death Meres and Calln must fetch the new Hunter from East Germany.

S2 E7 · Land of Light and Peace

1969-02-19

Callan must retrieve a microfilm from a spying medium.

S2 E8 · Blackmailers Should Be Discouraged

1969-02-26

Calln must find everything out about the past of an influential politician.

S2 E9 · Death of a Friend

1969-03-05

The French O.A.S. carry an internal war into England. Callan and Meres must sort out the mess.

S2 E10 · Jack-on-Top

1969-03-12

Callan and Meres must catch the controller of a ring of spies before he can leave the country with the information the ring has gathered.

S2 E11 · Once a Big Man, Always a Big Man

1969-03-19

Callan and Meres must secure the safe of a ship that was sunk during World War Two. It contains a list of Third Reich collaborateurs and puppets. A survivor of the ship tries to stop them.

S2 E12 · Running Dog

1969-03-26

Callan must stop fashist agitators from killing the Chinese Ambassador.

S2 E13 · The Worst Soldier I Ever Saw

1969-04-02

Security wants a retired brigadier of the British army to be stopped from accepting a job offer from a sultan, deadly force is requested.

S2 E14 · Nice People Die at Home

1969-04-09

Callan brings confusion into a Russian spy network.

S2 E15 · Death of a Hunter

1969-04-16

Callan in brainwashed into believing that Hunter is the leak in the Section and that he has also killed Lonely and framed Callan for murder. In his drugged state Callan kills Hunter and is shot down by Meres.

Season 3

9 episodes

S3 E1 · Where Else Could I Go?

1970-04-08

The new Hunter cannot decide if Callan is to return to the Section or not.

S3 E2 · Summoned To Appear

1970-04-15

When Cross kills an innocent bystander it's up to Callan to cover for him, but even he cannot decide if it was an accident or murder.

S3 E3 · The Same Trick Twice

1970-04-22

An exchange of captured agents with the Soviets goes sour.

S3 E4 · A Village Called G

1970-04-29

Hunter's secretary, Liz, is out for someone's blood.

S3 E5 · Suddenly - At Home

1970-05-13

Callan and Cross are assigned to protect a woman whom Callan becomes involved with.

S3 E6 · Act of Kindness

1970-05-20

Callan helps a former agent out of a blackmailing business.

S3 E7 · God Help Your Friends

1970-05-27

Callan is assigned to disrupt a romance between a government worker and a suspected spy. Reluctantly he delves into his bag of dirty tricks.

S3 E8 · Breakout

1970-06-03

Callan and Cross must break a Russian spy out of prison, where he has voluntarily surrendered himself to, and kill him.

S3 E9 · Amos Green Must Live

1970-06-24

A parlamental candidate recieves a death threat.

Season 4

13 episodes

S4 E1 · That'll Be the Day

1972-03-01

Callan is dead. Or so the KGB would have you think.

S4 E2 · Call Me Sir!

1972-03-08

Lonely is used as bait to retrieve Callan from the KGB.

S4 E3 · First Refusal

1972-03-15

Callan has become the new Hunter. And his first job is to retrieve a list of British undercover agents.

S4 E4 · Rules of the Game

1972-03-22

Callan orders Cross to terrorise an innocent Russian family for political reasons.

S4 E5 · If He Can, So Could I

1972-03-29

Callan looses his position as Hunter when he goes after the assassin who killed Cross.

S4 E6 · None of Your Business

1972-04-05

The old Hunter returns and Callan tries to get away.

S4 E7 · Charlie Says It's Goodbye

1972-04-12

Callan tries to quit the Section when a girl he is seeing takes a dislike to his job.

S4 E8 · I Never Wanted the Job

1972-04-19

Lonely becomes the unlucky witness to a mob hit.

S4 E9 · The Carrier

1972-04-26

Callan and Lonley break into a courier's house to find out how he's operating.

S4 E10 · The Contract

1972-05-03

Callan substitutes himself for an assassin in order to prevent an assassination.

S4 E11 · Call Me Enemy (Richmond File 1)

1972-05-10

Callan debriefs a top enemy defector.

S4 E12 · Do You Recognise the Woman? (Richmond File 2)

1972-05-17

Richmond, a top enemy defector, reveals his true purpose.

S4 E13 · A Man Like Me (Richmond File 3)

1972-04-24

Callan tracks down Richmond who is trying to leave Britain.