The Bill

The Bill is a long-running British police drama shown on ITV1.

The originals

The first episode of The Bill proper was transmitted in 1984 and, with the exception of Carver and Ackland, the cast was almost totally revamped (PC Dave Litten is still played by Gary Olsen and Colin Blumenau played the same character with a slightly different name - Taffy Edwards rather than Taffy Morgan. The character of DI Galloway was retained but recast; Reg Hollis is referred to but does not appear onscreen, although we do hear Reg's voice over the police radio. The first episode also features an appearance by Christopher Ellison playing DS Burnside - although his first name here is Tommy). The Sub Divisional Officer was Superintendent Charles Brownlow.

Related Topics:
1984 - Gary Olsen - Colin Blumenau - Christopher Ellison - Superintendent

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The original format was shows of fifty minutes in length. Only 35 episodes were made in the first three series of The Bill, and these are known as "the originals". They have their own unique title sequence, featuring images of the feet of two uniformed officers walking towards the camera interspersed with shots of the streets of Sun Hill. Then the camera zooms in on the male officer's helmet and the title of the show appears, along with the only credit to appear before the end: "Devised by Geoff McQueen". This is accompanied by the first version of the iconic title music: written by Andy Pask & Charlie Morgan and entitled Overkill.

Related Topics:
Helmet - Andy Pask - Charlie Morgan

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In 1985, the titles were completely changed: now, they began with a shot of the Area Car approaching the camera with blue light flashing and siren wailing, and then its tyres screeching as the music began: the camera would end up with a close-up on the blue light atop the car. Two-second action shots of various members of the cast were then shown, interspersed with images of the blue light. "The Bill" and "Devised by Geoff McQueen" would then appear over a hold shot of the light, and then the episode would begin. The originals are also noted for their extremely long end credits, which last over one and a half

Related Topics:
1985 - Camera

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minutes and feature the plodding feet again, this time walking away from camera.

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