I have been watching a few of these on ITV 3, yes they still hold up and while not out and out comedy, still seem to amuse me. Oh and great theme tune from Dennis!
Minder Page 3
Quote: Blenkinsop @ March 2 2011, 1:14 AM GMTArthur Daley has to be one of the best comic creations ever and how perfectly was George Cole cast in the role? A marriage made in heaven.
Couldn't agree with you more. Week in week out he put in stellar performances.
There was a rumour that David Jason was up for that role. Don't know though!
I'm sure they offered George Cole the role first as he had worked with the producers before. Hello by the way John.
Quote: James Cotter @ March 2 2011, 6:23 PM GMTI'm sure they offered George Cole the role first as he had worked with the producers before.
Indeed, never heard of David Jason being considered for the role. Dennis Waterman had urged the producers to cast Denholm Elliot as Arthur Daley but he was deemed unsuitable. Script executive Linda Agran recalled: "Denholm Elliot was without doubt a fantastic actor. The problem was he had the look of an ex-minor public school man on the way down, debauched, slightly shifty - a man on the skids. Our man Arthur was quite the opposite - a man on the make. A sort of Freddie Laker (without the success), no education, who left school early and fought his way up. A man who never really does anything but always believes that the big time is just about to happen."
Producer Verity Lambert decided that George Cole was perfect for the role, which upset Waterman, who initially considered him "too posh and too soft".
An example of a show that was able to sustain itself for many series. The worst dip was probably the last Dennis Waterman series in which he looked tired and disinterested in the role.
People who write off the Gary Webster period but should give it another look. He found his feet pretty quickly and slightly darker tone gave it fresher feel.
One reviewer wrote about the forgettable Shane Richie remake that the original Minder felt like it was written by people who been round the block whereas the remake look like it's been written by somebody who has just watched Minder.
To prove the point here's a nice obit of Tony Hoare, Minder writer and former hopeless petty villain.
Favourite piece of advice from Arthur- don't get mixed up with Soviet Russians; "haven't you heard of Gulag Archie-pedallo?"
I think the later series missed the presence of Patrick Malahide.
Quote: youngian @ March 9 2011, 1:57 PM GMTTo prove the point here's a nice obit of Tony Hoare, Minder writer and former hopeless petty villain.
Thanks for that; some of his episodes were brilliant, especially the one where Terry has to mind an antique shop run by a gay couple and share their flat.
Quote: Agnes Guano @ March 9 2011, 2:41 PM GMTI think the later series missed the presence of Patrick Malahide.
Yep, the subsequent D.S. Morley (played by Nicholas Day) was sometimes too bungling and too easily irritated to be credible. The producers apparently wrote Chisholm out at the end of Series 6, but then retained him for a swansong in the special at the start of Series 7, by which time Malahide was happy to quit to seek meatier roles. It was nice to see him in EuroTrip and in one of the Pierce Brosnan Bond films. Waterman and Cole have said Peter Childs (who played Inspector Rycott) was much more fun to be on and off set with. Jones, Chisholm's Welsh sidekick, was great.
It's enjoyable still but it does remind me how hellishly long it ran for, it seemed to take up the whole of the 80s, but possibly didn't. It should have ended earlier, and remakes of it were a mistake from the start.
It did. 1979 to 1994. With a break of three years in 85 to 88. And a two year break from 89 to 91.
Just watching Series 2 on DVD.
I love the way Arthur blames Terry for his own mistakes.
Lisa Goddard's in this one.
TERRY
They're fakes.
ARTHUR (HURT)
They are 100% reproductions!
Quote: Griff @ March 1 2011, 9:51 PM GMTMinder is quality.
But what about when Gary Webster joined? That was the point when the series should have stopped.
Quote: Baumski @ March 21 2011, 4:05 PM GMTBut what about when Gary Webster joined? That was the point when the series should have stopped.
This by the boatload.
Quote: Baumski @ March 21 2011, 4:05 PM GMTBut what about when Gary Webster joined? That was the point when the series should have stopped.
I didn't mind the Gary Webster years. Not as great, but still some excellent episodes.
Anybody see the Shane Richie remake? Christ on a bike. 