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Shoestring is a BBC detective drana set in Bristol and starring Trevor Eve as private detective Eddie Shoestring, who operatee his own show on Radio West, the local radio station. The programme ran between 30 September 1979 and 21 December 1980, in two series with 21 hour-long episodes. Eve opted not to return after two series, as he wanted to diversify into theatre, so the production team changed the setting to Jersey and created Bergerac, also following a detective returning to work after a bad period in his life.
Themes
Episodes
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- E1 Private EarNext upSep 30, 1979
Synopsis
Private detective Eddie Shoestring is asked by Radio West to look into the life of Sarah Marshall, a prostitute who has committed suicide. She died in a Rolls Royce belonging to David Carn, the station's most popular disc jockey, immediately after she had desperately tried to see him, and Radio West wants Eddie to show Sarah had no connection with their man.
Guest stars: Stacy Dorning (Sarah Marshall), William Russell (David Carn), Sean Arnold (Tony Hendry), Tony Haygarth (Len Tilley), Kenneth Gilbert (Richard Nolan), Sally Sanders (Grace Nolan), Brian Miller (Willis), Jeanna L'Esty (Liz)
- E2 Knock for KnockOct 7, 1979
Synopsis
Eddie nervously does his first ""Private Ear"" program and tries to locate the drivers of a van who are responsible for killing a young woman's husband in a car accident.
Guest stars: Jeanna L'Esty (Liz), Colin Maitland (Studio Assistant), Pippa Sparkes (Phone-In Girl), Shirley Anne Field (Barbara Knight), Cassie McFarlane (Claire Stevens), Dominic Guard (Jeremy), Christopher Guard (Charles), Mervyn Johns (Reverend James Appleby)
- E3 Higher GroundOct 14, 1979
Synopsis
Eddie goes to work for Jean, the wife of Major Hansford, a tough prep school headmaster (and retired Army officer) whose small school is being threatened by a series of nasty pranks.
Guest stars: Glyn Houston (Major Ross Hansford), Pete Lee-Wilson (Rodney Hansford), Anna Cropper (Jean Hansford), Derek Anders (Bill Curtis), Alan David (Dr Ben Fischer), Gorden Kaye (Tom Clarke), Beau Daniels (Miss Blair), Andy Bradford (Photographer)
- E4 An Uncertain CircleOct 21, 1979
Synopsis
Marion Cutler, a social worker, asks Eddie to look for Nick Forrest, one of her charges who has gone missing. Nick is a remarkable fellow who had been living in a hut on the beach. But Steve, the owner of the hut, tells Eddie he's never heard of him. The mystery begins to centre on some aerial photographs of the coast-line taken by Nick, and Eddie soon finds he is onto a dangerous gang of drug-smugglers.
Guest stars: Anna Nygh (Marion Cutler), John Hartley (Benny Sheldon), Richard Durden (Steve), Annette Ekblom (Jojo), Peter Cartwright (Jan Poestma), Crispin Gillbard (Doctor Beaton), Antony Carrick (Butterfield), Andy Bradford (Phil)
- E5 Listen to MeOct 28, 1979
Synopsis
Mel Shepherd threatens to throw herself off the roof of the Radio West building unless Eddie investigates her claim of a miscarriage of justice. Her husband Harry was jailed for killing a shop assistant while robbing a local jeweller's shop — but did he do it?
Guest stars: Colin Maitland (Studio Engineer), Sandy Ratcliff (Mel Shepherd), Brian Croucher (Harry Shepherd), Jack Lynn (Sydney Landsman), Linda Roberts (Mrs Landsman), Tony Caunter (Inspector Colston), Nicholas Donnelly (Inspector Adams), Edward Kelsey (DCS Rouse)
- E6 Nine Tenths of the LawNov 4, 1979
Synopsis
A distraught woman asks Eddie to find her daughter, who she is sure has been kidnapped by her ex-husband.
Guest stars: Geraldine James (Mary Philips), Karl Johnson (Dennis Philips), Fiona Scott (June Philips), Harry H. Corbett (Tom), Nell Campbell (Joanna Lomas), Rob Walker (Alan Bridgeman), John Bardon (Ralph), Paul Rattee (Mr Halliday)
- E7 The Link-UpNov 11, 1979
Synopsis
After Molly Tasker, director of a local women's refuge, accuses Radio West of ignoring domestic violence, Eddie investigates why the late Jackie Craig, whose wife is in the hostel, was unaccountably wealthy when he drowned. Eddie traces Craig's belongings to his ex-employer Jimmy Colefax, who is sailing round the world and whose wife Val is providing a daily link-up with him. However, a local radio ham alerts Eddie to the fact that Jimmy is apparently broadcasting from a nearby location, rather than thousands of miles away. He may be a fraud but is he also a murderer?
Guest stars: Mela White (Molly Tasker), John Gregg (Jimmy Colefax), Janet Key (Val Colefax), Sharman Macdonald (Betty Craig), John Woodnutt (Dr Morris), Keith Buckley (Sam Houseman), Stewart Bevan (Paul), Harry Waters (Harry)
- E8 Stamp DutyNov 18, 1979
Synopsis
Stamp dealer Joss Hargreaves collapses and dies whilst being bundled into a car by heavies working for Strickland, a corrupt businessman whom Eddie is trying to expose. Milkman Andy Stapleton witnesses everything but is spotted and goes on the run, having told Eddie. Knowing Andy's reputation as a liar when they were psychiatric patients together, Eddie is unconvinced until he himself is attacked and thrown from a car. Having discovered Hargreaves' double life and his connection with Strickland, Eddie sets a trap.
- E9 Find the LadyDec 2, 1979
Synopsis
Rock singer Toola asks Eddie to dissuade her sacked bass player Mole from his belief that his beauty queen girlfriend Chrissie was killed out of jealousy by the band's manager, Malcolm Kenrick. Mole is persistent despite a beach photographer showing Eddie a recent picture of Chrissie and the lady herself. When Mole is killed, apparently the victim of a drug overdose, Eddie sees that he stumbled on something Kenrick wished to keep quiet and that he was right in his accusation.
Guest stars: Julian Littman (Vincent Dinsdale), Toyah Willcox (Toola), Christopher Biggins (Mal Kenrick), Gary Holton (Gary 'Mole' Molecombe), Chris Jagger (Ray), Peter Dean (PC Bryan Molecombe), Lynda Bellingham (Nicola), Diana Weston (Chrissie)
- E10 The PartnershipDec 9, 1979
Synopsis
Sonia is concerned for her friend, travel agent Jenny Kelson, whom she sees apparently being threatened by a young man. Eddie follows him, leading to a remote country house owned by a couple of dog breeders, where he discovers that they're burglars, tipped off by Jenny as to when householders will be on holiday and their homes empty.
Guest stars: Colin Maitland (Studio Engineer), Julian Littman (Vincent Dinsdale), Michelle Newell (Jenny Kelson), David Griffin (Brian Kelson), Kevin Whately (Bobby Treen), Terence Budd (Ray), Patrick Westwood (Martin), Gilly McIver (Mrs Martin)
- E11 I'm a BelieverDec 12, 1979
Synopsis
When Maddy Hopkins joins religious cult, The Starshiners, her anxious mother, convinced that the group is out to get her trust fund money from her 21st birthday, asks Eddie to investigate. Maddy will hear nothing against the group but Eddie suspects a racket and meets the apparently sincere cult founder Stephen Steele. However, forging an uneasy alliance with reporter Felicity Lamb, Eddie sets out to expose a conspiracy.
Guest stars: Colin Maitland (Sound Engineer), Clare Walker (Maddy Hopkins), Christine Pollon (Mrs Hopkins), Preston Lockwood (Stephen Steele), Derek Seaton (Peter Rayburn), Billy J. Mitchell (Jim Huckle), David Beames (Roger Williams), Jeananne Crowley (Felicity Lamb)
Cast & crew
Created by Robert Banks Stewart, Richard Harris
Trevor Eve
Doran Godwin
Liz Crowther
Michael MedwinImages · 5
