The Zoo Gang [DVD] [1974]

Broadcast in 1974, this is an all-too short complete series of only six episodes, starring John Mills as Tommy Devon (codename: The Elephant), Lilli Palmer as Manouche Roget (codename: The Leopard), Barry Morse as Alec Marlowe (codename: The Tiger) and Brian Keith as Stephen Halliday (codename: The Fox).

The four veterans of the French resistance are reunited almost 30 years after the end of the second world war, to seek out the man who betrayed them to the Nazis. Further episodes see the gang facing various dangers and adventures whilst fighting crime.
Although there are other ITC productions that I enjoy more, this series does have a lot going for it, for example, compared to some other ITC series, this show benefits from being shot on location, in this case the French Riviera, and with the addition of good scripts and four high calibre and likeable lead actors, each episode makes for pleasant and enjoyable viewing.

The series was made in colour, with good picture and sound quality, each episode is around 50 minutes in length. No subtitles.

* SPECIAL FEATURES:
* Series Introduction by Barry Morse.
* Audio commentaries on Mindless Murder and The Counterfeit Trap with director John Hough and camera operator Douglas O'Neons.
* Episode Trailers.
* Commercial Break Bumper Teaser introduction for The Counterfeit Trap.
* Episodic and PR Image Galleries featuring a suite of Ken Thorne's incidental music for the series.
* 26-Page Commemorative Booklet, with details of the four lead stars, plus the directors, producers, and series writer Paul Gallico.

Here is a list of the episodes with synopsis:

REVENGE: POST DATED - Old wartime resistance comrades are reunited: The opportunity to avenge betrayal to the Nazis, with imprisonment, torture and death for one of their comrades, presents itself nearly thirty years after their capture. Their revenge not only leads to catching a master criminal but to an adventurous new chapter in their own lives.
Guest Star: Walter Gotell.

MINDLESS MURDER - The meaningless murder of three girls set the Zoo Gang on a trail revealing a ruthless extortion racket, danger for two film stars at the Cannes Film Festival, an audacious theft on the part of the gang and to Manouche setting herself up as the killer's target.
Guest Stars: Ingrid Pitt and Clinton Greyn.

AFRICAN MISSFIRE - A deposed African President's art collection is stolen: There are unexpected developments when the Zoo Gang steal it back again and discover that the thief is one of Manouche's oldest and dearest friends.
Guest Stars: Keiron Moore and Earl Cameron.

THE COUNTERFEIT TRAP - Robbing Peter may be one way to pay Paul - but the Zoo Gang go one better when they steal forged money to pay for smuggled gold.
Guest Stars: Peter Cushing, Jacqueline Pearce and Philip Madoc.

THE LION HUNT - The Zoo Gang's lion hunt is not for an animal but an heroic revolutionary known as "El Lion", whose unfortunate arrest while entering France presents a matter of delicacy only to be solved by his escape from prison. but the Zoo Gang meet with unexpected problems.
Guest Stars: Leo Genn, Roger Delgado and Ferdy Mayne.

THE TWISTED CROSS - The Zoo Gang re-enact a wartime exploit to catch up with a mystery that had its beginnings in the days when the Nazi war machine was beginning to crumble.
Guest Stars: Micheal da Costa and Bernard Kay.

Four French Resistance fighters reunite to bring law and order to the Riviera in this very short series from ITC.
It is an interesting mini series of pure escapism. And if you like other ITC productions you will like this.
The four characters had been in the French resistance in the second world war and they had split up. But now they are back together again. Each has an animal codename. Tommy Devon the team leader is the elephant, He works in an antiques shop on the French Riviera and recognises an old Nazi adversary and calls upon the other three operatives to help bring this war criminal to justice. The other operatives are Stephen Halliday an electronics expert known as the fox, Alec Marlowe a mechanical genius known as the tiger, and Madame Manouche Roget the widow of another team member who was killed in the war. He was known as the Wolf. She is also an explosives expert and has a son who is a French policeman. The newly formed team go on to tackle other crime I five more stories. There were only six episodes but it makes an interesting concept that could have been developed further.
The series stars John Mills in his first TV role. And Lilli Palmer. The theme music was provided by Paul McCartney.

I well remember not being able to miss an episode of this series. It was, I think, the only TV series John Mills appeared in. A quintet of old French Resistance fighters from WW2, John Mills, Brian Keith, Lilli Palmer, Barry Morse and Vic Armstrong, getting together to fight crime in the South of France, Nice, Cannes and Marseilles. Sunshine and crime fighting, what a combination. I think it was late sixties early seventies and did not run for more than a couple of series.
Well worth watching again for nostalgia lovers.
Book was written by Paul Gallico.