The Revenue Men

The Revenue Men is a British television series, produced and transmitted by the BBC between 1967 and 1968. The series dealt with cases handled by the Investigation Branch of Customs and Excise such as the illegal import of goods, illegal immigration and business transactions amongst travellers. The Revenue Men was produced by Gerard Glaister. The series lasted for three series and 39 episodes in total. In spite of this fact, all of the episodes were later wiped, with no episodes extant in the BBC archives as of 2009.

Creators and Cast

Creators

None.

Cast

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Claire Nielson

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Ewen Solon

Caesar Smith

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Calum Mill

Stuart Campbell

Episodes

Season 1

13 episodes

S1 E1 · The Traders

1967-03-28

The keen young Ross McInnes makes blunders when handling his first case since joining the Branch.

S1 E2 · Don't Get Conspicuous

1967-04-04

Ross McInnes, eager for work, acts on a tip-off meant for Smith, who lets him have his head while keeping him on a long lead.

S1 E3 · You Can't Win

1967-04-11

Three million English cigarettes are hijacked in France. The men of the I.B. go to work on the assumption that they could be on their way back to this country. The problem is when and how - and who?

S1 E4 · A Tough Business

1967-04-18

Tom MacDonnell, a haulage operator, uses gas oil, duty twopence a gallon, in his lorries, but claims rebate on diesel, duty three shillings and sevenpence a gallon. When Meg meets up again with once steady boy friend Caesar Smith she finds that her emotions, her maternal interest and her loyalties are all placed under a cruel strain.

S1 E5 · The Money Man

1967-04-25

Larry Hagan is a good businessman, deserves all the trappings of success. Or so it seems until Smith and Campbell take a closer look and uncover a neat racket.

S1 E6 · Swallowtale

1967-05-02

The import duty on antique jewellery is high. So evasion on a valuable item can look like a way to easy money - and become a difficult trade for the men of the I.B. to put a stop to.

S1 E7 · The Benefactor

1967-05-09

Easy money is the usual lure in smuggling. But there can be other motives as Smith and McInnes discover when they dig into the past of a man who seems to have everything money can buy.

S1 E8 · Sometimes There's a Bonus

1967-05-16

One case leads to another and Smith discovers the makings of a fraud that neither the I.B. nor the police can do anything about - until someone gets hurt.

S1 E9 · Pretty Flat Kind of Existence

1967-05-23

Some contraband can kill, and when this happens Smith and McInnes need to go a step further than the police to cut the pipeline.

S1 E10 · A Man Takes a Drink

1967-05-30

When whisky disappears from a bonded warehouse Smith and McInnes become involved in a very ingenious plan to defraud the Revenue.

S1 E11 · You Can Always resign

1967-06-06

Smith is investigating a firm of importers but when he becomes involved with the owner's daughter he finds himself in a most invidious position.

S1 E12 · Deadly Cargo

1967-06-13

A child is shot by terrorists and the rifle used was made in Britain. Smith becomes emotionally involved in the case of illegal arms deals because of his personal experience of terrorists. But then, who are the terrorists?

S1 E13 · Borderline

1967-06-20

When plastic explosives are used by the so-called I.R.A. it becomes obvious that their supplies are coming into the Republic from Britain. McInnes and Smith investigate and find that even the most charming of men can be dangerously irresponsible.

Season 2

14 episodes

S2 E1 · The Waiting Game

1967-09-01

Drayton, a perfectly normal and respectable businessman, is sacked from his job as general Manager of the Dynaflow company after only four weeks in office. The company has been bought out by a Mr. Purvis and the price is suspiciously low. Drayton contacts the I.B. and it doesn't take Smith long to realise that a colossal Purchase Tax swindle is in the making. The trouble is, how to prove it. And that's where Smith has to start playing the waiting game.

S2 E2 · Man in a Wheelbarrow

1967-09-08

The Customs men at a Continental car ferry become suspicious when a man makes too many trips through their port.

S2 E3 · The Present

1967-09-15

Lying to the Customs men - whether about that extra packet of cigarettes or an expensive gold watch - causes more trouble than it's worth. Sheila and Dick Graham find this out when they lie about a valuable microscope found in their luggage, and set McInnes and Smith off on an investigation.

S2 E4 · Who Needs Friends?

1967-09-22

Sir John Dolan and Stuart Campbell are close friends. And we all need friends, don't we?

S2 E5 · A Cup of Kindness

1967-09-29

Ross McInnes learns that a good I.B. man must think of the Department above all things - even above friendship.

S2 E6 · Better Dead Than Alive

1967-10-06

When Penman's flat is broken into by a young man, a chain of strange events leads the I.B. into a macabre and dangerous case.

S2 E7 · Evidence Partial and Impartial

1967-10-13

Smith arrests two old clients and oversteps the mark. The two he has accused insist that he himself should be investigated.

S2 E8 · A Sleeping Partner

1967-10-20

Fortunes can be made from a leak of information from a Customs office. Smith and McInnes attack the problem from two sides, both with equal application.

S2 E9 · Conflict of Interests

1967-10-27

Perhaps to be a good I.B. officer one should have no emotions at all. Ross McInnes finds this out the hard way.

S2 E10 · The Exile

1967-11-03

When Paul Valery, an international con-man, has a mysterious visitor, the I.B. become involved with a very undesirable alien.

S2 E11 · You Can't Touch Me

1967-11-10

When Paul Hasek, a foreign diplomat, is caught in a compromising situation, his privileged position is used as a cover for smuggling.

S2 E12 · Fox in the High Street

1967-11-17

Any way of reducing the price of mink coats would be welcomed by some women, even if it means depriving the country of revenue.

S2 E13 · The Golden Spider

1967-11-24

When a man collapses in a Customs hall he is found to be carrying a large quantity of gold.

S2 E14 · The New Faces

1967-12-01

Smith is involved in butter smuggling between Northern and Southern Ireland and he and McInnes find themselves up against a very professional operator.

Season 3

12 episodes

S3 E1 · Sentimental Value

1968-03-29

A man called McGeely arrives in Scotland but cannot leave his ship because he has no papers. He claims he comes from Glasgow and mentions Sauchiehall Street as proof. But as the Customs men point out, everyone all over the world has heard of Sauchiehall Street. Smith and McInnes are after some smugglers who are bringing high quality jewellery into the country in small quantities. McGeely is given a piece to smuggle ashore but when he vanishes from the ship the smugglers have about as much idea as the Revenue men about where to find him. Who gets there first?

S3 E2 · Search for an Unknown Client - Part One

1968-04-05

The I.B. are confronted by a case of 'the worst kind of smuggling'. Campbell puts Ross McInnes on the trail of the client concerned. Ross traces him as far as the Inner Hebrides but arrives too late. It seems he cannot pursue the case any further - it's a dead end. He returns to report his failure to a furious Campbell.

S3 E3 · Search for an Unknown Client - Part Two

1968-04-12

Last week Logan's death brought Ross to a halt. This week Smith resumes the search for the man who supplies the peddlers.

S3 E4 · I'd Rather be in Philadelphia

1968-04-19

Johnny Cain is back again and Smith's holiday in Switzerland develops into another case for the I.B.

S3 E5 · A Drop of What You Fancy

1968-04-26

A labourer is taken to hospital having been poisoned by a bottle of illegal whisky. Ross McInnes investigates.

S3 E6 · Funny Sort of Criminal

1968-05-03

Smith is faced with a very difficult moral problem when he is informed that there are several illegal immigrants working at the docks.

S3 E7 · Little Rich Girl

1968-05-10

The I.B. are called in to assist when the Waterguard are being annoyed by the activities of Miss Stella Bruce, a rich young playgirl.

S3 E8 · Combined Operations

1968-05-17

A huge combine is selling smuggled goods in working-mens' clubs, but there seems to be no way for the police or the I.B. to break the organisation.

S3 E9 · Family Affair

1968-05-24

Pressure on a colleague leads the I.B. to examine the sport of kings.

S3 E10 · The Gentle Bootlegger

1968-05-31

A family reunion sets Smith off on the trail of an illicit brew.

S3 E11 · The Big Feller

1968-06-07

""Pull up the ladder, Jack"" could well be the Big Feller's family motto.

S3 E12 · A Sense of Justice

1968-06-14

A dangerous man escapes from jail and Smith becomes involved.