By Elliott West
“The world is your lobster, Terry”.
Arthur Daley
Introduction
Written by Leon Griffiths, produced by Euston Films and shown on Thames Television, Minder was compulsive viewing from its conception in 1979 until the last series in 1994. Admittedly the original partnership of George Cole and Arthur Daley and Dennis Waterman as Terry McCann was the best. It lost some of its sparks when Gary Webster took over from Dennis as Arthur’s nephew in series 8 in 1991. With a catchy theme tune, “I Could Be So Good for You”, sung by Dennis Waterman, the series was predominantly filmed around the streets of Hammersmith and Fulham in West London.
This was 1980s television at its best. You could buy a pint at The Winchester for under a pound and still have change for the fruit machine. Dave would always serve you with a smile and could be easily persuaded to buy into one of Arthur’s ventures. Yet if you did, you were likely to get your collar felt by the Old Bill in the form of Charlie Chisholm. and Ronald Rycott. This was Thatcher’s Britain where enterprise was the buzzword and if you could make a few quid on the sly, why not? Ducking and diving at its finest with a few punch-ups in between. A Jaguar XJ6, Mercedes 280E or Daimler Sovereign that always had the motor running and a lock-up that was filled with the latest hooky imports from abroad.
A Trilby and a Camel Coat
“I spend my life worrying about my fellow man, my friends, my family; making sure her indoors has a crust, pushing the economy of this septic isle ever upwards with my entrepreneurial skills”.
Arthur Daley
Arthur Daley was the classic London spive. Never short of a panatella cigar and a roll of banknotes in his pocket. Yet a man who would always swerve his actions and deflect the consequences on Terry. Terry and later Ray were the classic heavies. Terry, a bodyguard and chauffeur, all rolled into one, popular with the ladies and very protective of Arthur. A former inmate at Wormwood Scrubs, serving two years for GBH and three for attempted robbery, McCann was constantly looking for a way out of Daley’s grip. Streetwise and handy with his fists, this ex-boxer has to fend off Arthur’s doomed business schemes and cover for him when “Er indoors” calls. A wife like Captain Mainwaring’s wife in Dad’s Army, you hear but never see.
Arthur is a loveable rogue, a small-time crook who thinks of himself as an entrepreneur. Yet at the end of the day, his schemes generally only ever break even or run at a loss. A man who is blinded by greed and has to encounter many of the actors of the time playing villains in the course of his working day. No wonder he needs a large vodka and tonic or VAT as he likes to call it, during or at the end of the day in The Winchester to wind down. Yet every other leap year, he did get a minor victory over the law or a bunch of minor criminals. All washed down with words of advice from Dave played by Glynn Edwards, the former husband of Yootha Joyce.
A New Sidekick
When Terry decided to emigrate to Australia, allowing Dennis Waterman to pursue other acting projects, the scriptwriters had to find an alternative minder. Cue Arthur’s nephew, Ray Daley. A smartly dressed youth who was straight out of school. Unlike Terry, Ray’s criminal record was clean but that didn’t stop him from having a few scrapes with the law over the two series he was in. A man who wasn’t shy of dodgy company and was quite handy with his hands under a car bonnet as a mechanic. Driving a Ford Transit, Ray wasn’t a drinker and preferred a glass of mineral water or Saint Clements as his tipple. A lad who like Terry before him, had an eye for the ladies. However, he does settle for Gloria, a professional photographer in the end. A woman who was constantly frustrated at playing second fiddle to Arthur Daley.
Afterthoughts
Minder was brilliant due to its well-written scripts, locations and careful choice of actors. It depicted the time it was filmed accurately, involving characters whom some of you may have come across in life. George Cole was no stranger to this part, having already played the part of Flash Harry in the St. Trinian films. Dennis Waterman had also been trained in his police role in The Sweeney alongside John Thaw in the 1970s. In a Britain that at the time was rather drab and riddled with unemployment. The get-rich-quickly ethos echoes the beliefs of Del Trotter. Yet this cast had better dress sense and was slightly more upmarket, living in West London.
Minder was compulsive weeknight viewing after a hard day’s work and mixed comedy with light drama. Never a dull moment from the off, it packed its episodes with well-known faces with guest appearances from actors such as June Brown, Pete Postelwaite, Norman Beaton, Michael Gambon, Rula Lenska and Vicki Michelle. With The Winchester as its hub and a range of West London locations including Hammersmith Bridge and Hammersmith police station, this was a fairly accurate portrayal of the underworld of Hooky Street. A place where you had to have your wits about you and be ready for the odd rough and tumble.
