Peter-Spotting
      Card #48

 
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1995

HEARTBEAT:
SAINT COLUMBA'S TREASURE

ITV / 50 min episode
directed by Gerry Mill
starring Nick Berry, Derek Fowlds,
Bill Maynard, William Simons
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This long-running ITV drama series
follows the exploits of a small
group of poilce men and women
in and around the villages and
environs of North Riding in
Yorkshire, in the 1960's.

The production takes its cue from the
Constable books penned by Nicholas
Rhea (aka Peter Walker) and it was
originally developed as a star vehicle
for actor Nick Berry, who had just
finished a popular stint on the
BBC soap Eastenders.

Over subsequent seasons, various
other flatfooted heartthrobs took
their turn in the spotlight.

The series is deliberately quite
stylized; the characters, the stories,
the set decor and accompanying
pop tunes combining to create a
nostalgic look back at a particular
era. It made for perfect Sunday
viewing...

Heartbeat premiered on 10th April
1992 and remained a regular fixture
in the schedules until 12th September
2010. It eventually racked up
369 episodes (18 series)!

Our Peter worked on a significant
number of stories. We're still compiling
what he did and when, but we know that
he returned to the production several
times. And the show has a particular
poignancy for our family because it
latterly became the last ever production
he worked on. Sadly, he passed away
as he was driving home from the
main location, at Goathland, in
March 2004.

This particular episode is episode 13
from series 5. It was written by Jonathan
Critchley and first broadcast on
26th November 1995.

When Professor Bristocke is found
dead in his library, PC Rowan
is led on a a hunt for a lost
archaeological treaure...

Peter was the stunt arranger on this
episode, and he also took on a pivotal
role in front of the camera!
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Settle down quickly, folks, because
Peter's star turn appears just a
minute-or-two from the start of
the episode.

Peter plays PROFESSOR BRIGSTOCKE.
That's right; he's the key character:
the one who kickstarts the treasure
hunt!



It's night-time. Procul Harem's
A Whiter Shade of Pearl cranks up
on the soundtrack, and a storm
breaks outsides the Professor's
wee house.

Inside, our aged Professor dawdles
into his study in search of a book.
We intercut his progress with
footage of a car racing towards
the house.

Oh no! - As the Prof. mounts his library
ladder he gets blinded by the headlights
of that oncoming vehicle!

Bristocke tumbles off the ladder.
As he does so, he gets clunked on the
head by some Staffordshire china.

And that's that. The Prof. is dead in
his library!

The car driver is Mary (Devon Scott).
She proceeds to break in to the property
and remove some vital paperwork.
And our Prof. is still lieing there,
dead as a doorpost, throughout
her thievery.

Later still, he remains in situ as
PC Rowan and the Police Doctor
(Martin Reeves) arrive and discuss
the circumstances of his untimely
demise.

Poor Peter. There is an awful lot of
lieing down and acting dead, as their
shoes scuff around him!