Minder
The world is your lobster
This comedy drama series featured Terry McCann, a former boxer with a conviction for G.B.H., and Arthur Daley, a second-hand car dealer with an eye for a nice little earner. Alongside his many business ventures, Arthur would regularly hire Terry out as a minder or bodyguard, later replaced by nephew, Ray Daley.
Seasons
1. Gunfight at the OK Launderette
Air Date: 1979-10-29
Terry is caught inside a launderette, while it is being robbed. As the police gather outside, Arthur tries to make some money by selling Terry's life story to the press.
2. Bury My Half at Waltham Green
Air Date: 1979-11-05
After ex bank robber George is released from prison, Arthur gets Terry to mind him, until the whereabouts of a large amount of hidden cash is found. The only problem is that Arthur forgot to tell Terry that George is a decoy laying a false trail, while the real bank robber is released, and then he and Arthur will be free to find the money - but they all have a surprise in store...
3. The Smaller They Are...
Air Date: 1979-11-12
Scotch Harry arrives from the airport where he has been looking for easy pickings. He has struck lucky by stealing a suitcase full of banknotes, but unknown to him they are forged. Arthur hides him, until he can come to some agreement with the rightful owner.
4. A Tethered Goat
Air Date: 1979-11-19
Terry agrees to guard a middle eastern commodity broker, but he and Arthur get more than they bargained for.
5. The Bounty Hunter
Air Date: 1979-11-26
Terry and Arthur help out a young widow who has been swindled out of her savings.
6. Aces High and Sometimes Very Low
Air Date: 1979-12-03
Maurice, a professional gambler, is barred from a casino after a large win. Later, he is beaten up and the winnings are stolen. When he hears of a big poker game, he has to sell his car to Arthur to raise the stake money, and gets Terry to guard him.
7. The Bengal Tiger
Air Date: 1979-12-10
Terry minds a newspaper shop, from a group of Indians bent on revenge, over the shop owner's daughter and an arranged marriage.
8. Come in T-64, Your Time is Ticking Away
Air Date: 1979-12-17
When the minicab company he has a share in starts getting trouble from a couple of local louts, Arthur sends in Terry undercover as a driver. But the trouble is coming from an unexpected source...
9. Monday Night Fever
Air Date: 1980-01-07
Arthur falls for a club singer, and promises to put her in the big time, but falls foul of an unscrupulous club owner. When Terry refuses to help him, he turns to a couple of vicious crooks...
10. The Dessert Song
Air Date: 1980-01-14
Terry gets a job minding a Greek restaurant after saving a relation of the owner from being beaten up.
11. You Gotta Have Friends
Air Date: 1980-01-21
When some bearer bonds go missing from big time gangster Bobby Altman, the courier Billy Gilpin is a suspect, and he seeks Arthur's help...
1. National Pelmet
Air Date: 1980-09-11
Arthur gets Terry to guard a racehorse before he runs in a big race, but the owner and trainer are out to con the bookies and leave them out in the cold.
2. Whose Wife is it Anyway?
Air Date: 1980-09-18
When an old friend of Arthur's gets injured in a so-called "hit and run accident" Terry gets involved in minding the villain's antique shop.
3. You Lose Some, You Win Some
Air Date: 1980-09-25
Terry guards a group of people that Maurice the gambler has put together to win at roulette. When the casino starts to protest, he hides them out at his flat, but this upsets his girlfriend Penny, who has taken the week off to be with him.
4. Don't Tell Them Willie Boy was Here
Air Date: 1980-10-02
Terry trains Willie a boxer on the comeback trail, but it becomes apparent that he is not taking the fight seriously. The promoter wants Willie to lose and has had a large bet on the other boxer. Terry shames Willie into training properly but the outcome is in the balance right up to the last round.
5. Not a Bad Lad, Dad
Air Date: 1980-10-09
An old friend of Terry's has left her son at his house, while she sorts her life out. Terry gets attached to the lad, but then the stepfather starts to cause trouble...
6. The Beer Hunter
Air Date: 1980-10-16
Arthur meets his old army mate Yorkie. After a night on the town, Terry drives them home, but Yorkie goes missing...
7. A Nice Little Wine
Air Date: 1980-10-23
Arthur gets into the wine business, but Clive, his supplier, is robbed, and with Terry's help they must track down the thieves.
8. All Mod Cons
Air Date: 1980-10-30
Arthur tries to sell Terry's flat out from under him. Meanwhile, an unscrupulous landlady is trying to evict a young couple from a house so she can sell it to a developer.
9. Diamonds are a Girl's Worst Enemy
Air Date: 1980-11-06
While working for gangster's wife Rose Mellors, the car Terry's driving is stolen, along with its hidden bag of diamonds. The race is on to recover them before the police...
10. The Old School Tie
Air Date: 1980-11-13
George Palmer, an old friend of Terry's, has escaped from prison, seeking his help to overturn his sentence.
11. All About Scoring, Innit ?
Air Date: 1980-11-20
Young footballer, Danny Varrow, wants to sell his story to the press, so Terry to minds him until Arthur can arrange a deal. Unfortunately, he is in debt to the local bookie, and the father of his latest conquest is also looking for him to talk about the little matter of sleeping with his daughter.
12. Caught in the Act, Fact
Air Date: 1980-11-27
Terry helps out Des, delivering a car that that has been used in a robbery, but the police find his fingerprints...
13. A Lot of Bull and a Pat on the Back
Air Date: 1980-12-04
Terry is tasked with looking out for a punter who is threatening the girls at a local strip club, and also suspects trouble when strangers hire him and Arthur to repossess a bull...
1. Dead Men Do Tell Tales
Air Date: 1982-01-13
A crooked travel agent, Monty Wiseman gets Arthur and Terry to pick up a coffin at the airport and store it at the lock up. But when the coroner needs to perform an autopsy, despite objections Monty stores it at Terry's flat...
2. You Need Hands
Air Date: 1982-01-20
Terry aids Des with a debt collection, but suffers a broken hand in a fight. Arthur has a special job lined up, and with his man out of action, has to hire another minder...
3. Rembrandt Doesn't Live Here Any More
Air Date: 1982-01-27
When Arthur finds an artist who can turn out work as good as the originals, he thinks that he can make money, until a crooked art dealer tries to cut in on him.
4. Looking for Micky
Air Date: 1982-02-03
Micky Dixon breaks out of jail in order to publicise his innocence, and Terry looks after him while the press try and hunt him down.
5. Dreamhouse
Air Date: 1982-02-10
Terry house sits for a rock star who has gone on tour, but it turns out that the star is broke and the bailiffs arrive to take the furniture away.
6. Another Bride, Another Groom
Air Date: 1982-02-17
Arthur's niece is getting married, but Terry, who should be driving the bride to the church, is using the limousine to pick up a load of porn books.
7. The Birdman of Wormwood Scrubs
Air Date: 1982-02-24
An old friend of Arthur's, released from prison, hopes to pick up a large amount of money left over from a bank robbery. Things start to go wrong when the retired policeman who was in charge of the case, a warden from the prison, and the other member of the gang learn of his release, and try and get a share of the loot.
8. The Son Also Rises
Air Date: 1982-03-03
When a school boy is terrorised by local thugs, his mother hires Terry to protect him. It turns out that the thugs have been hired by his father's ex partner, who is just out of jail and has been cheated out of his promised windfall.
9. Why Pay Tax ?
Air Date: 1982-03-10
Terry helps out Barry, an independent bookmaker, when he has to pay out a large amount of cash to one of his clients, in a deserted car park, but it turns out that he only wants Terry as a witness to a fake robbery, to cover up the fact that the bookie is broke.
10. Broken Arrow
Air Date: 1982-03-17
Arthur finds a potential darts champion playing for peanuts in a pub, and enters him in a local competition, but his man is nobbled. Seeing enough to organize his own tournament, Arthur has a novel way to ensure he makes money, no matter who wins the match.
11. Poetic Justice, Innit ?
Air Date: 1982-03-24
While Arthur does jury service, he leaves Terry in charge at the lock up. Debbie goes into the business of home hairdressing and on her first job, the client's house is robbed, and she becomes a suspect.
12. Back in Good Old England
Air Date: 1982-03-31
Jack Wragg, a villain who fled the country after a bank robbery, is back to see old friends and his former gang members. Will they be willing to come on in on another heist that he has planned ?
13. In
Air Date: 1982-04-07
Arthur gets arrested in a drugs raid after taking possession of a car bought in from Europe. Terry tries to hunt down the seller, and after a long chase he gets the driver, but back at the police station Arthur is being released.
1. Rocky Eight and a Half
Air Date: 1984-01-11
Arthur persuades Terry into donning his boxing gloves once more. Meanwhile, 'Dirty Harry' lives up to his name when he sells Arthur's council flat.
2. Senior Citizen Caine
Air Date: 1984-01-18
When a wealthy garage owner's wife dies he retires and leaves the business to his children, while he hires Terry as a bodyguard to move money out of the business before the VAT man moves in.
3. High Drains Pilferer
Air Date: 1984-01-25
Terry is helping out a local gangster as a driver when they come back to the flat of his mistress and find that she has been robbed of her jewels. The thief is known to him, and he tries to get them back.
4. Sorry Pal, Wrong Number
Air Date: 1984-02-01
Arthur joins up with legendary con artist J.J. Mooney, in a racing scam. They hire a postal address and Terry gets to mind three public phone boxes, and then they sit back and wait for the money to roll in. But it all starts to go wrong when J.J. has a heart attack...
5. The Car Lot Baggers
Air Date: 1984-02-08
When an unscrupulous builder wants a piece of land that is occupied by a local car dealer he hires a gang of thugs to move him out, and tries to lay the blame at the door of the local gypsies.
6. If Money Be the Food of Love, Play On
Air Date: 1984-02-15
Arthur is tricked by a young Australian girl into helping find her boyfriend who has gone missing, with her share of some fraudulent loot.
7. A Star is Gorn
Air Date: 1984-02-22
Terry protects a rock star who has faked his death. His manager and producer want a share of the profits from his last record. Fortuitously, the tape has landed in Arthur's safe hands.
8. Willesden Suite
Air Date: 1984-02-29
Arthur gets in on a deal to provide a hotel with provisions. Terry helps out a young girl from Liverpool who wants to be a model but is ripped off by the photographer.
9. Windows
Air Date: 1984-03-07
Arthur tries a new scheme in keep fit fashion, opening an aerobics studio. Terry disrupts his plans when he intercedes in a lovers' quarrel.
10. Get Daley
Air Date: 1984-03-14
When an illegal bookie threatens a customer who owes him money, the customer collapses and dies of a heart attack. Arthur, who is about to go into hospital for an operation, is an eye witness to the event and in no time he is being chased by the police, the bookie and the customer's family.
11. A Well Fashioned Fit-Up
Air Date: 1984-03-21
When Arthur tries to sell some fake dresses to a fashion agent, he refuses, but offers Terry a job guarding his warehouse. Having already promised a pub owner that he will work for him, Arthur stands in...
1. Goodbye Sailor
Air Date: 1984-09-05
When Arthur is stuck with 1,500 pairs of imported shoes, he and Terry find themselves on a boat being chased by the Customs and Excise.
2. What Makes Shamy Run?
Air Date: 1984-09-12
Arthur is repaid a debt in dodgy £20 notes, but by the time it comes to light they are counterfeit his creditor is heading on a flight to India.
3. A Number of Old Wives' Tales
Air Date: 1984-09-19
Arthur gets involved with Clive Cosgrove, who has several businesses which are all run by women but it turns out that he is married to all of them.
4. The Second Time Around
Air Date: 1984-09-26
An old author friend of Arthur's comes back to town to write a book and sell her house. When she learns that her ex husband has sold the house without her permission, she hires Terry and a secretary to help with ideas, and Arthur to help get the money back.
5. Second Hand Pose
Air Date: 1984-10-03
Due to mix up, Terry is left in a large industrial meat freezer and decides to leave Arthur's employ, obtaining work helping out an old friend who is in the second hand furniture business.
6. The Long Ride Back to Scratchwood
Air Date: 1984-10-10
Arthur and Terry get involved in a scam to sell football tickets to fans, for the clash between England and Scotland. But the scheme doesn't go to plan, and a surprise is in store for Arthur...
7. Hypnotising Rita
Air Date: 1984-10-17
Arthur and Terry help Dr. Sudbury and his teenage fiancé, Rita, an heiress about to inherit a great deal of money, escape her disapproving family who say the doctor has hypnotised Rita into falling for him so he can claim her money.
8. The Balance of Power
Air Date: 1984-10-31
When Arthur's car lot is compulsory purchased by the council, he decides to run as an independent candidate in the local by-election. Terry and a reporter help out, but just as he is about to win, the opposition want him barred for overspending during his campaign.
9. Around the Corner
Air Date: 1984-12-26
To cover a debt, Arthur is given a greyhound, but while Terry is trying to train him, Arthur gets conned over videos that don't exist.
1. Give Us This Day Arthur Daley's Bread
Air Date: 1985-09-04
Arthur gives some landscaping work to a group of ex-criminals, who the Vicar of St Chad's, is (thus far, unsuccessfully) trying to persuade to 'go straight'.
2. Life in the Fast Food Lane
Air Date: 1985-09-11
Arthur gets into the carphone business but unknown to him, the goods are from a dodgy supplier. Terry meets a girl who tries to hide her rich family background, and Arthur seeing his workforce being distracted attempts to deal with her father in order to break up the relationship.
3. The Return of the Invincible Man
Air Date: 1985-09-18
When the local gents tailor is going out of business, he asks Arthur to get a gang together and rob his safe so he can claim on the insurance. Things start to go wrong when the leader of the gang, Scotch Harry, suffers an accident...
4. Arthur is Dead, Long Live Arthur
Air Date: 1985-09-25
When the tax people catch up with Arthur, he fakes his death, starting rumours that he is being hounded by the police and the tax authorities. The news reaches the Winchester, and they take up a collection.
5. From Fulham with Love
Air Date: 1985-10-02
Arthur sells tracksuits and watches to some Russian seamen, but one of them goes missing and tries to defect, with the bank refusing to accept the foreign currency. Arthur's nephew Nigel comes to work at the car lot.
6. Waiting for Goddard
Air Date: 1985-10-09
A lawyer comes to see Arthur for some help in tracing an old man who has come into a considerable amount of money.
7. Minder on the Orient Express
Air Date: 1985-12-25
When a gangster passes away, he leaves his daughter with clues to the location of his ill-gotten gains. She offers Terry tickets to the Orient Express, and Terry and Arthur spot underworld business on the luxury train to Venice.
8. An officer and a car salesman
Air Date: 1988-12-26
Special feature length edition of the popular TV series. After "minder" Terry McCann does a stretch in prison for getting caught up in one of his boss Arthur Daley's shady deals, their long & turbulent partnership seems to be at an end. But Arthur's dealings with a former army Colonel, Caplan, who is running a "survivalist" centre in suburban England and for whom Arthur is supplying army surplus equipment, reunites the two when they stumble across a plot hatched by Caplan and his "troops" to stage a bullion robbery - the security for which is supervised by their old enemy, former detective sergeant "Charlie" Chisholm!
1. It's a Sorry Lorry, Morrie
Air Date: 1989-01-02
Arthur buys a lorry load of electrical goods, but when he finds out that they are stolen, and the police are watching the lorry, the only way out of the problem is to set fire to it...
2. Days of Fines and Closures
Air Date: 1989-01-09
Dave goes missing while on a day trip to France. Terry and Arthur take over the Winchester while he's away, but his wife thinks that Arthur is behind the disappearance, and calls in the police.
3. Fatal Impression
Air Date: 1989-01-16
An Irish fence dies owing Arthur money.
4. The Last Video Show
Air Date: 1989-01-23
A video implicating two senior police officers is mistakenly returned to Daley videos.
5. Fiddler on the Hoof
Air Date: 1989-01-30
After a robbery at a safety deposit bank, Arthur withdraws his money and hides it in his lock up, getting Terry to guard it. But as Arthur leaves the bank, he is caught on TV talking to an old friend, Maltese Tony, who is wanted by a local gang boss.
6. The Wrong Goodbye
Air Date: 1989-02-06
Arthur’s bank manager won't extend his already considerable overdraft, and his car lot, lock up and goods have been seized by the sheriff for non-payment. He contemplates retirement, but he hasn't paid National Insurance since 1956, so doesn't qualify for a state pension.
1. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Entrepreneur
Air Date: 1991-09-05
After Terry marries and leaves for Australia without telling anyone, Arthur appoints his nephew Ray as his new minder and assistant, on similar vague and ungenerous terms. Ray proves himself as physically capable as Terry was, and also finds his French language skills of use when he is sent to Brussels to pick up a car.
2. A Bouquet of Barbed Wine
Air Date: 1991-09-12
Arthur ventures into the wine trade, but when the supplier is taken in for questioning, his wine is locked up by the police and somehow they've got to get it out.
3. Whatever Happened to Her Indoors
Air Date: 1991-09-19
Her indoors has gone missing and Arthur is the police's prime suspect. More importantly, he's got a cash flow problem and his British car sales are being hampered by the Council.
4. Three Cons Make a Mountain
Air Date: 1991-09-26
Arthur keeps acquiring items that won't do his reputation any good. How is he going to off-load them without the rest of the manor finding out he's been conned ?
5. Guess Who's Coming to Pinner
Air Date: 1991-10-03
At Charlie Johnson's funeral, a friend of Arthur's persuades him to help with the next 'big one'.
6. The Last Temptation of Daley
Air Date: 1991-10-10
Arthur’s doctor wants him to give up alcohol and tobacco if he wants to avoid a stomach ulcer, but this causes him even more stress and he begins to believe that everyone's after him. The feeling is reinforced when building contractor Benny McLeish threatens him over a paint deal that goes sour.
7. A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in Shepherd's Bush
Air Date: 1991-10-17
Ray is given the task of minding a racing pigeon due to race from London to Bradford with a prize of 10,000 pounds at stake.
8. Him Indoors
Air Date: 1991-10-24
When Ron the Burglar, now reformed, opens Arthur Daley's lock-up with a metal comb, it's clear to that Daley Enterprises has to strengthen its warehouse security.
9. The Greatest Show in Willesden
Air Date: 1991-10-31
Arthur plans to boost the membership of the Winchester Club with some variety nights, but ends up in a spot of bother over a stolen karaoke machine.
10. Too Many Crooks
Air Date: 1991-11-07
Arthur gets into the food business, but the chef he employs goes on the run from a group of gangsters, leaving him to cater for a policeman's retirement party.
11. The Odds Couple
Air Date: 1991-11-14
Ray is assigned to look after the wife of a casino owner who has become a compulsive gambler. But Arthur finds himself strangely drawn to her husband's casino.
12. The Coach That Came in From the Cold
Air Date: 1991-11-21
As Arthur attempts to ingratiate himself at the local golf club, DS Morley offers to sell him a police transport coach for a knock-down price.
13. The Cruel Canal
Air Date: 1991-12-25
When Ray's van breaks down whilst delivering two hundred video recorders to a client in Limehouse, Arthur needs alternative transport - and fast. He learns they were stolen property, and psychotic Big Dai wants them back...
1. I'll Never Forget Whats'ername
Air Date: 1993-01-07
Arthur is determined his team will defeat their old rivals at the Winchester Pub Quiz night. Unfortunately his star performer is an escaped convict with DS Morley hot on his trail.
2. No Way To Treat a Daley
Air Date: 1993-01-14
The acquisition of a hot air balloon introduces Arthur to the lucrative world of aerial advertising, but the launch of Daley Inflatables comes to an abrupt halt when he is abducted by a psychotic business rival.
3. Uneasy Rider
Air Date: 1993-01-21
The chips are down for Arthur's friend Maurice when the professional gambler is barred from the casinos and mugged of all his winnings.
4. Looking For Mr. Goodtime
Air Date: 1993-01-28
Arthur gets arrested when he attempts to hunt down a new car, acting very strangely in the process.
5. Opportunity Knocks and Bruises
Air Date: 1993-02-04
Arthur and Ray swap the contents of the lock-up for a fruit machine full of stolen money.
6. Gone with the Winchester
Air Date: 1993-02-11
Arthur falls out with Dave when a member of their boyhood gang re-appears on the scene.
7. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Retiring
Air Date: 1993-02-18
When Arthur allows himself to be persuaded into retirement, Ray quickly steps into his shifty uncle's shoes.
8. The Roof of all Evil
Air Date: 1993-02-25
With typical aplomb, Arthur announces the launch of Daley Into Space to flog some satellite dishes.
9. Last Orders at the Winchester
Air Date: 1993-03-04
The Winchester Club is faced with permanent closure when one of Arthur's money-making schemes backfires badly.
10. Cars and Pints and Pains
Air Date: 1993-03-11
If he's not able to sell his second-hand cars, Arthur decides it might be a good idea to hire them out instead.
11. The Great Trilby
Air Date: 1993-03-18
Arthur's eyes light up with pound signs when he learns he may be in line to inherit a fortune.
12. A Taste of Money
Air Date: 1993-03-25
Arthur comes back to earth with a bump when he learns that he faces tough opposition for the Daley inheritance.
13. For a Few Dollars More
Air Date: 1993-04-01
Having hit rock bottom in Australia, penniless and under the threat of deportation, Ray and Arthur try to raise the funds for a return air fare home.
1. A Fridge Too Far
Air Date: 1994-01-06
To sell a consignment of mopeds to The Pizza Man, Arthur gets involved in complicated money-juggling. He has pawned his wife’s jewellery to fund the purchase, but instead uses the cash to buy a lorryload of fridge freezers at a knockdown price.
2. Another Case of Van Blank
Air Date: 1994-01-13
To take advantage of new rules concerning duty free alcohol, Arthur, Ray and Dave take a van to Calais, planning to stock up on cheap booze. Whilst Ray and Dave go to a hypermarket, Arthur has meets with Henry, a former mate, and gets unwittingly drawn into breaking into a liquor warehouse.
3. All Things Brighton Beautiful
Air Date: 1994-01-20
Arthur's chum Sidney comes to him for protection from a murderer. Unfortunately, Arthur's idea of a safe house is a caravan.
4. One Flew Over the Parents' Nest
Air Date: 1994-01-27
Whilst his parents are on holiday in Spain, Ray, driving Bert’s taxi, picks up Susie, an attractive girl who claims to be on the run from a violent husband. Arthur, scenting a ‘nice little earner’, installs her in Bert and Doreen’s house.
5. The Immaculate Contraption
Air Date: 1994-02-03
A nun buys an Austin Allegro from Arthur’s car lot, despite Arthur knowing it’s clapped out and overpriced, then everything in his life starts to go wrong. Could it be divine retribution?
6. All Quiet on the West End Front
Air Date: 1994-02-10
Arthur's venture into corporate hospitality takes him and Ray into company that's glamorous and dangerous.
7. The Great Depression of 1994
Air Date: 1994-02-17
Arthur spots a way to make money out of his brother-in-law Brian's misery.
8. On the Autofront
Air Date: 1994-02-24
Arthur is forced to broadcast his first ever commercial on pirate radio when a rival car dealer tries to put him out of business with a nightmare test drive.
9. Bring Me the Head of Arthur Daley
Air Date: 1994-03-03
Arthur is targeted by violent criminal Charlie Knowles, who blames him for his incarceration.
10. The Long Good Thursday
Air Date: 1994-03-10
Café owner Luigi is opening a mafia-themed restaurant, the ‘Cosa Noshtra’ with Arthur’s financial backing. On the evening before the grand opening, ‘Cranky Frankie’ Connor escapes from prison and holds Arthur at gunpoint in his lockup. He demands to see Rosie, his wife, whom he suspects of having an affair with Luigi. Luigi’s wife Carla also has her suspicions.
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Rating
6.8/10
Release Date
1979-10-29
Episodes
107 (10 seasons)
Status
Ended
Cast
Production Companies
Euston Films