"Freewheelers" (1968) TV series 1968-1973

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Release Date:

4 April 1968 (UK)

Genre:

Family

Plot Keywords:

Kids And Family

Cast

Ronald Leigh-Hunt	...	Colonel Buchan (61 episodes, 1968-1971)
Tom Owen	...	Bill Cowan (52 episodes, 1968-1970)
Adrian Wright	...	Mike Hobbs (52 episodes, 1970-1972)
Wendy Padbury	...	Sue Craig (39 episodes, 1971-1973)
Geoffrey Toone	...	Von Gelb (36 episodes, 1968-1969)
Chris Chittell	...	Nick Carter (26 episodes, 1968-1969)
Carole Mowlam	...	Fiona (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Leonard Gregory	...	Steve Walker (26 episodes, 1971-1972)
Mary Maude	...	Terry Driver (26 episodes, 1968-1969)
Richard Shaw	...	Ryan (26 episodes, 1971)
Michael Ripper	...	Burke (26 episodes, 1971)

Runtime:

30 min (104 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Company:

Southern Television

Trivia:

The survival rate of this series is very hit-and-miss: the only material existing prior to the sixth season, from which point everything exists in full, is the first season (the eight editions comprising "Menace!" and "Recipe for Danger") plus various film inserts. These were preserved by Mike Womersley, film editor on the series.

Soundtrack:

Private Eye

When kids shows were kids shows!!

The Freewheelers, that certainly brings back memories! I have not seen the show since it was canceled nearly 30 years ago so I might be disappointed if I was to see it again. This show was consistent with the times as Enid Blyton and "boy's own" adventure story books were popular in those days. Today most kid's shows are about drugs, teenage pregnancies, problems with dopey or abusive parents and whose making out with who (for the British reader" who fancies who") I can't remember the theme song for the show although I do remember Holtz's haunting classical piece "Mars, the bringer of war "which was often played either during a tense moment or else when an episode was coming to a climax. I also remember the evil Von Gelb who lived on what can best be described as a World war II E-boat, (the mounted gun turret was a dead give-away) which looking back must have given the harbor master cause for concern. Nobody who remembers the Freewheelers can for get the infamous rouges Ryan and Burke,who had the limp wrist-ed 'karate-chop' on the back of the neck down to a fine art. Even as an eight year old I was often surprised at how these two clowns were able to get the better of people, because by today's standard these two looked as hard as Laurel and Hardy.

During it's run the team changed over the years, (presumably the rotation was due to the fact that that some of the freewheelers eventually passed their A-levels and went to University, although how they had time to study is any bodies guess, wish I could have devoted so little time) which I think added to it's interest. Never the less despite some flaws the freewheelers 5-year run reflected how popular this show was for the 8-14 year olds ( and perhaps older) during the late 60's and early 70's and I looked forward to watching it during the children's hour in the early evening.