Dick Turpin (TV series)

Lore & Background

The series is set in 18th-century England, after the real Dick Turpin was hanged in 1739. The fictional Turpin, a farmer's son returning from military service in the Mediterranean, finds his parents dead and his farm stolen by the unscrupulous Sir John Glutton. Bitter and poor, he becomes a highwayman. The series begins with the presumed death by hanging of a man who merely claimed the famous name, and the real Turpin, disguised as a doctor, encounters a fake highwayman who turns out to be Nick Smith, trying to raise money to save his mother's inn. Turpin lends the money, then steals it back from Sir John, forcing Nick to become an outlaw and taking him under his wing as 'Swiftnick'.

Reader's Guide

The series was broadcast in the UK in multiple segments: series one in 1979, the first seven episodes of series two in 1980, a five-part version of the feature-length episode in 1981, and the remaining six episodes of series two in 1982. It was also shown internationally, including in East Germany, France, Austria, West Germany, and later on UK digital channels. The series was released on DVD in various regions, and a novelization and annuals were published. Its significance lies in its popular reimagining of the Dick Turpin legend as an anarchic freedom fighter, distinct from historical events, and its enduring appeal on television and home video.

Did You Know?

• The series was filmed primarily at Pinewood Studios in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, between 1978 and 1981.
• The feature-length episode, 'Dick Turpin's Greatest Adventure', was a compilation of three episodes edited together, made in association with London Weekend Television and ITV.
• In France, the series aired under the title 'Dick le Rebelle' on the youth programme Recre A2.
• A 7-inch single 'Dick Turpin'/'Belinda' by Denis King and his Orchestra was released in 1979.

Creative Vision & Narrative Framework

The series was conceived by Richard Carpenter with a deliberate structural choice: rather than dramatizing the actual life and crimes of the 18th-century highwayman, the writers positioned their story in the narrow window between 1739 and 1740, immediately after the real Dick Turpin was hanged at York. In the show's opening, it is established that the man executed merely claimed the famous name, freeing the fictional Turpin to operate as an anarchic freedom fighter wronged by the establishment. His backstory — a farmer's son returning from three years of Mediterranean military service to find his parents dead of starvation after Sir John Glutton cheated them of their land and inheritance — gives the character a sympathetic moral foundation. This creative decision, as Carpenter intended, meant the writing team could craft entirely new adventures without being constrained by documented historical events. The series was written by Carpenter alongside John Kane, Charles Crichton, and Paul Wheeler, and produced by Gatetarn and Seacastle productions in association with London Weekend Television.

Production, Cast & Character Ensemble

Twenty-six half-hour episodes plus a single feature-length installment were shot entirely on location at Maidenhead in Berkshire, England, over a production span from 1978 to 1981. The series was a collaboration between Gatetarn and Seacastle productions working in association with London Weekend Television, with the feature-length episode additionally made in association with RKO Pictures for a US cinema release. Richard O'Sullivan took the lead role of Dick Turpin, while Michael Deeks played Swiftnick, the young man Turpin takes under his wing after the boy is forced into outlawry by Glutton's men. The supporting ensemble included Christopher Benjamin as the villainous Sir John Glutton, David Daker as his enforcer Captain Nathan Spiker, and a rotation of character actors including Alfie Bass, Joan Rhodes, Keith James, and Annabelle Lee. The feature-length episode, titled Dick Turpin's Greatest Adventure, brought in a notable guest cast: Patrick Macnee as Lord James Melford, Susan Hampshire as Lady Melford, Donald Pleasence as Ignatius Slake, Wilfrid Hyde-White as Governor Sir Basil Appleyard, Patrick Ryecart as Fytton, Mary Crosby as Jane Harding, and Oliver Tobias as Noll Bridger.

Broadcast Schedule & International Reception

The UK broadcast schedule was notably fragmented. Series one aired as thirteen episodes in 1979, the first seven episodes of series two followed in 1980, a five-part adaptation of the feature-length episode screened in 1981, and the remaining six episodes of series two concluded in 1982 — effectively creating four transmission series. The feature-length version was shown in US cinemas. Internationally, the series found a wide audience: East Germany's Fernsehen der DDR 1 broadcast both series between 1980 and 1981 with repeats in 1983. France's Antenne 2 aired all 26 episodes under the title Dick le Rebelle in a youth programming slot from December 1981 to June 1982, with further repeats in 1983 and 1985. Austria's ORF1 screened the series in 1982 and 1983, while West German channels RTL Plus, WEST 3, Tele 5, and ARD all carried it at various points through the 1990s. In 1987, Canal+ presented the five-part adventure as new episodes on their encrypted service. In the UK, the series returned on Channel Plus in 2012, with radio broadcasts of select episodes on Radio Gold, and a complete re-run on Rewind TV in 2024.

Home Media & Cultural Afterlife

The series found a sustained life on home video. Network released Series 1 and 2 on DVD in Region 0 in 2003 and 2004 respectively, followed by the five-part Greatest Adventure in Region 2 in 2005, and a complete box set in 2008. For the Scandinavian market, Network partnered with Soulmedia to issue the series in English with Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian subtitles between 2007 and 2009. In France, RV Films released Series 1 on DVD in January 2009 under the title Dick Le Rebelle, offering both French and English audio tracks along with archival clips from the original Recre A2 youth programme. Series 2 followed in April 2010, presenting both the censored version of The Hanging as originally screened in France and the uncut edition. Koch Media issued a remastered three-disc collectors' edition for Germany in September 2010 under the title Die Abenteuer des Dick Turpin, with German and English soundtracks. A 7-inch single pairing Dick Turpin with Belinda also entered the market, rounding out the series' multimedia footprint.