'The single greatest popular drama series ever produced by
the BBC - and we'll fight anyone who dares disagree -
Secret Army is today one of its least-remembered gems.'

excerpt from 'TV HEAVEN' by Jim Sangster & Paul Condon, Collins, 2005.

Devised and produced by the legendary Gerard Glaister (The Expert, Colditz, The Brothers), the award-winning BBC series SECRET ARMY, starring Bernard Hepton, Angela Richards, Clifford Rose, Juliet Hammond-Hill and Jan Francis, is a gripping and authentic portrayal of the lives of a group of Belgian resistance members and their German oppressors during the Second World War.

Often merely remembered as the inspiration for the sitcom ’Allo ’Allo!, through the series release on DVD and a new in-depth book on the series: 'The Complete Secret Army', this excellent drama is now being re-appraised on its own merits. The series' great strengths are its authentic recreation of the period, hugely suspenseful plotting and direction, but most importantly an excellent ensemble cast. All these elements come together to make SECRET ARMY truly compelling viewing.

Above: Madeleine (Hazel McBride), Monique (Angela Richards) and Kessler (Clifford Rose)

All three series have been released on DVD and VHS by DD Home Entertainment and can be bought in individual series box-sets or as one complete set (all 42 episodes on 12 DVDs!). The six-part sequel series KESSLER is also now available. The DVDs are available in UK High Street shops such as Virgin and HMV and from online retailers such as Amazon and Play, both of whom will ship to countries outside the UK. N.B. However, the DVD sets are not subtitled.

Above: Lisa (Jan Francis), Albert (Bernard Hepton) and Jacques (Timothy Morand)

Each DVD box-set is accompanied by a comprehensive full-colour booklet - written by Andy Priestner - which go behind-the-scenes to tell the complete story of the series' production incorporating many reminiscences from the series' cast and crew, background trivia on each and every episode, and much more besides.

Above: Major Brandt (Michael Culver)

The third and final DVD also includes: camera interviews with many of the series principal actors: Angela Richards (Monique), Clifford Rose (Kessler), Juliet Hammond-Hill (Natalie), Terrence Hardiman (Reinhardt) and Hazel McBride (Madeleine); a retrospective documentary written and presented by Viktors Ritelis - who directed more episodes of Secret Army than anyone else; and photo galleries covering all three series.

Above: Sturmbannfuhrer Ludwig Kessler (Clifford Rose)

DVD BOOKLET EXCERPTS

Series 1 DVD booklet - Production - pg 12  |  Characters  |  Ep 14 - Good Friday |
Series 2 DVD booklet - Production - pg 3  |  Ep 5 - Not According to Plan  |  Story So Far
Series 3 DVD booklet - Production - pgs 2-3  |  Ep 4 - A Safe Place  |  Where Are They Now?
 

Above: Natalie (Juliet Hammond-Hill) meets Major Nick Bradley (Paul Shelley)

SERIES CREDITS

REGULAR CAST

Albert Foiret: BERNARD HEPTON
Monique Duchamps: ANGELA RICHARDS
Sturmbannfuhrer Ludwig Kessler: CLIFFORD ROSE
Natalie Chantrens: JULIET HAMMOND-HILL
Major Erwin Brandt: MICHAEL CULVER
Major Hans Dietrich Reinhardt: TERRENCE HARDIMAN
Lisa Colbert: JAN FRANCIS
Flight Lieutenant John Curtis: CHRISTOPHER NEAME
Alain Muny: RON PEMBER
Madeleine Duclos: HAZEL McBRIDE
Max Brocard: STEPHEN YARDLEY

Above: Max Brocard (Stephen Yardley)

Dr Pascal Keldermans: VALENTINE DYALL
Major Nicholas Bradley: PAUL SHELLEY
Andree Foiret: EILEEN PAGE
Louise Colbert: MARIA CHARLES
Gaston Colbert: JAMES BREE
Hans van Broecken: GUNNAR MOLLER
Lena van Broecken: MARIANNE STONE
Stephen Durnford: STEPHAN CHASE
Hauptmann Muller: HILARY MINSTER
Jacques Bol: TIMOTHY MORAND
Paul Vercors: MICHAEL BYRNE, RALPH BATES
Inspector Paul Delon: JOHN D. COLLINS
Corporal Veit Rennert: ROBIN LANGFORD
Wullner: NEIL DAGLISH
Major Turner: JACK McKENZIE
Reichskommissar Glaub: ROGER BOOTH
Colonel von Schalk: PETER ARNE
Inspector Benet: RICHARD BEALE
Estelle Muny: JEAN RIMMER
Yvonne: HENRIETTA BAYNES
Maitre Guissard: MORRIS PERRY
Eugene Zander: ROBERT GILLESPIE
Jacques Gavain: DUNCAN PRESTON
Genevieve: TRISHA CLARKE
Paul: KEN MOULE

WRITERS

Willis Hall (1.1, 1.6, 1.11), John Brason (1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.16, 2.2, 2.10, 2.13, 3.5, 3.8, 3.13, 3.14), Arden Winch (1.4), James Andrew Hall (1.5, 1.13, 2.6), N J Crisp (1.7, 1.8, 1.15, 2.1, 2.4, 2.8, 3.1, 3.3, 3.7),  Robert Barr (1.9, 2.3, 2.11, 3.6), Simon Masters (1.10), Michael Chapman (1.12), David Crane (2.5, 2.9), Paul Annett (2.6), Gerard Glaister (2.12, 3.10), Lloyd Humphreys (3.2), Allan Prior (3.4), Eric Paice (3.9, 3.11), Michael J. Bird (3.12)

DIRECTORS

Kenneth Ives (1.1, 1.6, 1.11, 1.12, 1.15), Viktors Ritelis (1.2, 1.4, 1.9, 1.10, 1.13, 1.16, 2.3, 2.5, 3.2, 3.11, 3.14), Paul Annett (1.3, 1.5, 1.7, 1.8, 1.14, 2.2, 2.7), Terence Dudley (2.1, 2.4, 2.9, 2.10), Roger Jenkins (2.6, 2.11), Michael E. Briant (2.8, 2.12, 3.1, 3.5, 3.7, 3.8, 3.10), Roger Cheveley (3.3, 3.13), Tristan de Vere Cole (3.4, 3.6, 3.9), Andrew Morgan (3.12).

ORIGINAL SONGS

Angela Richards with Leslie Osbourne and Ken Moule

SCRIPT EDITOR

John Brason

PRODUCER

Gerard Glaister   

Above: Major Reinhardt (Terrence Hardiman).

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All stills and screen captures are © BBC or © DD HE               Text  © Andy Priestner

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