The Long Chase - Episode One (1972)

[@DavidEllingworth]

I have waited over 50 years to see this again that it started becoming an obsession. I never thought I would see the day. Major Dolby's Cat, Thank you ! Thank you ! Thank you !

[@billfurlong5954]

jan francis when she was young ,pretty for some reason when i saw it i did not realise.

[@bob-sb2zu]

Saw this in summer 72 then again in 74, not seen or heard of it since, never forgot it ,great to see it again after 50 years ! Thanks for posting ,much appreciated !

[@stuartwillson9047]

Remember this well been looking for this for ages not many people Remember this

[@Willsey]

I remember it . I remember the motorcyclist in black. Can’t believe it was way back in 1972

[@boggled007]

If you knew how long I've been longing to see this again!!! (Well, of course you do... over FIFTY YEARS!) Got quite emotional!

[@majordolbyscat]

Its comments like this that make it all worthwhile. Your most welcome

[@GuyFawkes15]

I have waited decades to see this series again. Never give up hope, eh? Thank you for this. Now for a binge-watch!

[@majordolbyscat]

glad to have provided you the opportunity

[@AlunThomas-mp5qo]

What a pleasant surprise to see this again. I was resigned to never seeing 'The Long Chase' again as I thought all the episodes had been thrown away, as TV channels have done with a lot of programmes. Many thanks, much appreciated.

[@majordolbyscat]

You are more than welcome, thank you for taking the time to comment. I think many people seem to have thought the same thing, I am happy to prove them wrong. Watch this space.

[@BobClements-t7j]

Thanks Major D. This is the programme that introduced me to the beautiful Jan Francis - my perfect 10 - in love ever since❤

[@majordolbyscat]

In the words of Pat Benatar 'a heartbreaker, dream maker, love taker' ;)

[@markshrimpton3138]

Thanks so much for uploading this. This series aired when I was a callow 14-year-old and I’ve long searched for at least one episode. I will admit that Jan Francis was the main reason I was glued to our television set every week. Our first colour one I think.

[@majordolbyscat]

I must admit, since uploading a fair amount of J Francis content, that I am beginning to see I am not in the minority when it comes to the main attraction ;)

[@nigelprince884]

You are not , I was ten when I watched this and still remembered her years later when The Secret Army came on , I still have a signed photo !

[@pinkrose7172]

Wow. Wow. Wow. Thank you so so much. Waiting long time to rewatch this. Please please please upload more of jan francis's in 70'. Your channel is the best collection of jan francis's career. Thank you so much.

[@majordolbyscat]

That is very kind of you to say. Currently chasing up a lead on The Launderette, a one-off tv drama starring the lady herself from 1976. I'd love to find that along with A Journey to London that she starred in the previous year. Both, so far, harder to find than the Loch Ness Monster.

[@MrCapri78]

Always loved Jan Francis especially with long hair.

[@majordolbyscat]

Check the channels community page for more photos (I'm always tempted to post an image of Jan going ALL Kate Bush for a photoshoot) I did use this image for my second live stream

[@dornierdo2172]

I know what you mean 😏

[@paulcaroledixon8838]

Wow! ❤❤❤ Thank you Major so much for finding and uploading this compelling series! I've wanted to see it for years and have written to the BBC and others about when they would release it on dvd but no luck so far. We have watched the whole series now and my wife also got hooked on the adventure. Haunting to see the sinister biker and kessler the assasin again. The locations are all wonderful too. Both young leads great as well especially Jan!Would live to rewatch it all in a properly restored format. Anyone from the doctor who restoration team listening???

[@sct352t3]

Paul - I've already commented my appreciation in the earlier comments and am more than happy just to have watched the series again (thanks MDC), but yes, imagine what the restoration team could do with these episodes! I wrote to the BBC also several years ago and got the usual 'no plans to release' stock response!

[@usvalve]

Ah, I watched this in 1972, and again in 1976 dubbed into French as "John l'Intrepide" on a French exchange! I looked again for it quite by chance today, and here it is, uploaded 1 day ago. Thank you so much.

[@majordolbyscat]

Oddly coincidental, you are most welcome

[@pienodise]

Finally, I can watch again this TV series, after 43 years. Thanks for sharing! "La Lunga Caccia" (Italian title) was broadcast from RAI in December 1980.

[@majordolbyscat]

Thank you for providing that info and you are very welcome.

[@robertcampbell2060]

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for these episodes. I was 15 when the series first aired. What a joy to see them again after all these years. Many thanks.

[@majordolbyscat]

Most welcome, thank you for dropping by and saying so.

[@SharonTateFan67]

What a wonderful treat this is for us Jan Francis fans, thank you so much for taking the time to upload it.

[@richhorton8898]

Thanks for posting this! Thought it had been long wiped!! Great Kids afternoon telly around 1974! Great series along with "The Terracotta Horse" and "Chinese Puzzle" !! 👍

[@sct352t3]

I can only echo the many comments already posted about this. I have been wanting to see this series again for many years and had all but given up hope of ever seeing it. Believe me, you have made me so happy to watch this again. I watched both runs in the 70s and it made a lasting impression on me. I can't wait to continue from episode 2! Thank you so much.

[@majordolbyscat]

I have enjoyed so much reading comments like this about this serial from many who seemed to have lost hope they would ever see it again. That makes me happy.

[@timadams8583]

As others have said I had given up hope of ever watching this again, and I had been keeping my eyes open. Not sure it's quite as good as I remembered but top marks for a trip down memory lane. Thank you so much.

[@majordolbyscat]

You are very welcome

[@dadodydo]

I love these old English series. Thank you for posting them.

[@majordolbyscat]

You are very welcome and thanks for saying so

[@stephenmckay5731]

Thank you so very much for sharing this wonderful series. I saw it when it first came out, and never thought I would see it again. Subscribed.

[@simonparry5958]

First programme I remember seeing as a child legendary

[@majordolbyscat]

It does seem to have been a popular one for garnering memories.

[@magna4100]

Been dreaming about this one for decades. THANK YOU so much for uploading it.👍

[@majordolbyscat]

You are very welcome, and thank you for taking the time to comment

[@MrBenmanning]

Any chance to watch jan francis is a treat like no other, What funny music to at the beginning. The theme tune sounds like a sort of drunk or stoned version of the Bergerac theme gone wrong, but I'm really enjoying it! Thanks for uploading. I've never seen this before, which is unusual for me and sevemties tv

[@majordolbyscat]

A spot on audio analogy right there ;)

[@JohnSmith-oe4ci]

Wow so glad this popped up in my feed. Can hardly wait to see this again - recordings from 1972 are pretty rare. Literally the only thing I can recall is the sinister motor cyclist coming to a sticky end and seeing the same actor years later in Allo Allo ! There was a similar but much later series called The Hill of the Red Fox iirc.

[@majordolbyscat]

Thank you for reminding me, I have The Hill of the Red Fox in my collection, I'll see if I am able to upload it to my channel here

[@JohnSmith-oe4ci]

@@majordolbyscat Just popped up in my notifications !! Amazing thankyou - now that is what I call customer service !

[@majordolbyscat]

@@JohnSmith-oe4ci again, thanks for reminding me, I always meant to upload it soon after The Long Chase finished.

[@grahamcooper3961]

Thank you so much for giving us the chance to watch this again after all these years , I was 10 when this first aired, very young to fall in love but Jan Francis was absolutely gorgeous , she truly was my first love like so many of the other posters on here♥♥

[@majordolbyscat]

You are more than welcome, thanks for commenting

[@DSisterson]

Delgihted to see this! I've been looking out for it for years. I hope someone's noting the viewing figures on this page and will think of putting it out on DVD.

[@seanmartin343]

OMG! Haven't seen this since it was first broadcast! Kessler!

[@majordolbyscat]

Glad to see its still finding its audience months after posting it. Stick around, there just might be other content that tickles your nostalgia ;)

[@simonparry5958]

Classic first programme I remember watching

[@bardya2582]

Very good and very beautiful ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ tanks

[@majordolbyscat]

Welcome 😊

[@tonykent59]

I was 13 in 1972 and remember how taken I was with Jan Francis. I can see why!

[@MrCapri78]

I was 12 in 1972, happy days.

[@majordolbyscat]

A few years before my time Tony, I think Jan was 24 at the time (playing the age of a teenager) I talked a little about this production on my live stream the other day and that my auntie was living in Clovelly at the time of its filming and always enjoyed recounting her memories of the production to me when I would stay with her as a child on school holidays in the mid 80's. Beautiful

[@tonykent59]

I wondered if that was Clovelly!

[@markshrimpton3138]

Get to the back of what I think was a long queue of adolescent boys!

[@majordolbyscat]

@@tonykent59 Yes, it is. And from what I was told, the production crew were in the village and surrounding area for three weeks.

[@stationsixtyseven67]

Thanks for this! :)

[@majordolbyscat]

You are very welcome, I mentioned I'd been itching to upload it on my live stream.

[@tsmith7146]

I watched this on original transmission all those years ago and loved it. Watching it again, it has aged well. I did some research a few years ago and thought the BBC had wiped the masters (even though the whole series was clearly made on film) and no copies existed. I'd really love to know what this copy was recorded on. You can hear slight wow and flutter when any music kicks in but i'm just stunned that i'm now watching it again. I know the Philips N1500 vcr was the first "domestic" format (given umatic was semi-pro) and released in 1972 but this recording doesn't have a video texture and feels more like a film copy of the original master film. Thankyou for uploading!

[@majordolbyscat]

I am clueless to what format these episodes were in, and while having never seen the series at the time of its broadcast, I have nothing to compare it too. I will say, my initial thoughts are that they were telecined from the original prints. They do vary somewhat in quality, but very watchable. I am just glad many people are getting the opportunity to watch something the majority of its fans, thought lost.

[@denisesaunders5473]

To all you jan francis fans. Take a look at the village hall. The rough and the smooth.

[@majordolbyscat]

Also available on my channel, thanks for the comment.

[@denisesaunders5473]

@@majordolbyscat i watched it recently. It was me who commented on the gorgeous Christopher Guard.

[@paulmaryon9088]

Ah this was great, I've long been in love with Jan Francis, this was first aired when I was just 10! Thank you so much for posting, any more?

[@majordolbyscat]

Thank you for the comment, glad to learn you are enjoying it.

[@untoxicconservative3763]

I can't believe it! Someone on a forum I'm a member of has just been doing a thread about the Thriller TV series. He posted a pic of Jan Francis from one of the episodes. I asked if anyone remembered "The Long Chase". Nobody replied. I come on here and lo and behold! I'd long ago given up ever seeing this again. General consensus seemed to be the tapes had been wiped.

[@majordolbyscat]

Took me several years and a lot of looking in faraway places..

[@vivienneandersson6019]

Thanks!

[@nononame113]

Simon Fisher-Turner was also in The Intruder. Well worth a look. He's had an interesting career.

[@majordolbyscat]

Cheers for the heads up, will research a little

[@hadikeykawosi]

Wonderful 🤗

[@hana.the.writer5074]

This was like reading a book.. I was putting the words in my mind as the scenes run before my eyes. ☺️ Looks like I probably read about 23 pages and that usually about the amount of pages I read in a single sitting. But seriously only a fool would get down to help the girl and put themselves in the same position like hers. If I were him I’d get the nearest help possible instead and oh, request her to please not do anything foolish and sit tight no matter how long till help arrived. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@majordolbyscat]

Great comment, thank you!

[@hana.the.writer5074]

@@majordolbyscat Thank You for uploading such pleasant series. The location is quite interesting, peaceful and heartwarming. I will search up the location and learn more about it assuming it still exists. It was the 70s. But the girl wasn’t quite scottish, was she? 😊

[@TullyHook]

Thanks for uploading this. I just about remember watching it when I was 8 years old. I don't suppose you have the rest of the series? I would love to see it all again.

[@majordolbyscat]

You are very welcome. As I value my channel, and still being made aware of copyright and strikes, I can report, I do plan to do just that in the near future.

[@TullyHook]

Cheers. I've just caught up on one of your livestreams and appreciate the position you're in.@@majordolbyscat

[@pauldurkee4764]

Never come across this series before. Interesting that the series was devised by N J Crisp and Gerard Glaister, who collaborated on Secret Army, which Jan was also cast in.

[@majordolbyscat]

Indeed so, and it was Secret Army that would go on to make the lovely J Francis a household name.

[@juho6903]

As was Hilary Minster!

[@alanhargreaves-thevoiceofr2361]

Nice one major ..

[@majordolbyscat]

You are always welcome mate, and thank you again for joining me on my live streams.

[@johnnyM809]

I remember this.....even remember the theme tune. I felt so sorry for the guy who lost his dad trying to find him for ages.

[@majordolbyscat]

It's certainly not called "The Long Chase" for nothing ;)

[@andrewt6834]

Wow. Memories of this have haunted my childhood memories for the last 50 years !! Could only remember that it scared the hell out of me, and the climax with the baddy in the last episode. And the name 'Long Chase'. Thank you so much for uploading it. Where on earth did you find it?

[@sdaonline]

cor blimey! amazing!

[@milesholtom7167]

This good. Backbin the days when kids tv was as well made andcwritten as adults. Shame that Jan Francis" accent ebbed in and out with the tide

[@majordolbyscat]

Considering this was one was from quite early in Jan's illustrious career, I felt she did a good job with the accent, on the same level as her Canadian in her next production.

[@hughsmyth9527]

Hi,was looking for tv series Circus starring Peter Geddis which was shown in 1972, would that still be available?

[@skylongskylong1982]

I saw this series in 1984, on super channel one of the early TV satellite channels. Basically I was at a auction in East Anglia and bought some bankrupt stock for peanuts. Which consisted of three four foot Satellite dishes, and two receivers. For several years satellite channels were not scrambled, and you could watch channels for free, because automatically got the channel’s for free when you bought the satellite system. Had the joy of watching CNN broadcasting live the aircraft taking off in the start of the first Gulf War, and lucky Iraq intelligence were not watching CNN, otherwise they would have had twenty minute warning !

[@majordolbyscat]

I had a friend and her family had the same sort of satellite set up at that time. I seem to remember, that, seemingly ANY channels broadcast from Holland, at any time of the day or night, had no watershed what-so-ever, and back then a 'family feature button' was simply an adult walking into the living room and shouting "This isn't for you!" as they proceeded to switch the channel ;)

[@AbrasiousProductions]

I've never heard of this show but it looks quite intriguing, are you uploading every episode?

[@majordolbyscat]

Every Monday, 5pm

[@Arthur54321]

So many faces from 70's TV. It must have been horible having to roll around in the waves with a wet Jan Francis - poor sod.

[@majordolbyscat]

Totally, a real chore

[@DessieTots]

Don’t know if John is partially deaf or just thick since when asked a question he almost always replies “what”. There’s also too much music, a lot of which sounds like Doctor Who or Blake’s Seven?

[@danielmoran9902]

Is that Clovelly at the beginning? I can't really tell because the last and only time I was there it was really dark!

[@majordolbyscat]

Pretty much sums up the North coast of Devon on a yearly basis ;) Yes, it is the beautiful coastal village of Clovelly.

[@danielmoran9902]

@@majordolbyscat I thought so! I saw Joss Ackland in the pottery workshop at the top of the hill. X

[@majordolbyscat]

@@danielmoran9902 Speaking of Joss Ackland, have you seen the excellent First and Last from 1989?

[@paulmurphy42]

Watched

[@malcolmjawohowelll2892]

producer Gerard Glaister of Howard Way fame

[@majordolbyscat]

The name did ring a bell with me, never watched Howard's Way, always felt it was a little too grown up for me at the time. I remember it being very popular television at the time.

[@PetroicaRodinogaster264]

the thing about films made in this period was that awful music. Gets on my nerves

[@majordolbyscat]

Dudley Simpson began working for the BBC in the early 60's, and got his big break working as the in-house composer on over sixty episodes of Dr Who until 1980. He'd also go on to composing the theme tune for The Tomorrow People, The Ascent of Man, Blake's 7, and incidental music for Tales of the Unexpected. Not bad career I'm sure you will agree.

[@bardya2582]

Very good and very beautiful ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ tanks