SAPPHIRE & STEEL episode guide

Compiled by Andrew Pixley
with thanks to Dave Altree

[N.B. SAPPHIRE & STEEL had no means of identification on the episodes in the form of titles or stories or episode numbers. Some scripts bear episode numbers only - none have titles. In this guide, for Seasons One and Two, the episode numbers are given as printed in 'TVTimes'. For Seasons Three and Four, 'TVTimes' gave no such identification and the episode numbers are purely for ease of reference. Being a twice-weekly show, details printed in 'TVTimes' embraced both episodes for the week and were often inaccurate, as were cast details on the episodes themselves]

SEASON ONE

Regular Cast:
David McCallum (Steel), Joanna Lumley (Silver).

Written by P.J. Hammond

Music: Cyril Ornadel
Make-Up: Mary Southgate
Wardrobe: Dawn Evans {Episodes One to Six}, Mary Gibson {Episodes One to Eight}
Lighting: Jim Boyers
Designer: Stanley Mills
Producer: Shaun O'Riordan
Executive Producer: David Reid

10th July 1979
EPISODE ONE

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan

Guest Cast:
Steven O'Shea (Rob), Tamasin Bridge (Helen), Felicity Harrison (Mother), John Golightly (Father), Ronald Goodale (Countryman).

Rob Jardine is left alone in an old and remote house with his young sister, Helen, when all the clocks wind down and his parents vanish from Helen's attic bedroom. Soon two strangers who seem in control of the situation arrive from nowhere and use rhymes to conjure up bizarre images.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

12th July 1979
EPISODE TWO

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan

Guest Cast:
Steven O'Shea, Tamasin Bridge, Felicity Harrison, Charles Pemberton (Policeman), Ronald Goodale.

Steel has the room boarded up to stop the rip in the corridor of time spreading further into the house and sets about righting the disruptions with Sapphire's help. Rob is lured to the upper landing where he recites a rhyme which calls up the images of roundhead soldiers.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

17th July 1979
EPISODE THREE

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan

Guest Cast:
Steven O'Shea, Tamasin Bridge, Felicity Harrison.

Patches of light emerge from the time break inside the attic room, and one of them enters a painting on the lower landing. Although the lower levels appear safe, Sapphire suddenly finds that the picture engulfs her and this will be the place where she is to die.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

19th July 1979
EPISODE FOUR

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan

Guest Cast:
Steven O'Shea, Tamasin Bridge, Val Pringle (Lead) {Felicity Harrison and Ronald Goodale appear, but are uncredited}.

Steel has reduced his body temperature to absolute zero to deal with Sapphire's trap. When she is brought back from the picture though, they find themselves attacked by the troopers. Soon Lead arrives to help his colleagues and the page of a nursery rhyme book causes chaos.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

 

24th July 1979
EPISODE FIVE

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan

Guest Cast:
Steven O'Shea, Tamasin Bridge, Val Pringle, Felicity Harrison †, John Golightly, Ronald Goodale †.
[† Credited, but do not appear]

Following the storm, Rob is left alone in the room where Steel had trapped one of the patches of light. There he finds his father, who explains that he and Rob's mother have been in hiding and that Sapphire and Steel are enemies. He will show Rob his mother in the cellar.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

26th July 1979
EPISODE SIX

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan

Guest Cast:
Steven O'Shea, Tamasin Bridge, Val Pringle, Felicity Harrison, John Golightly, Ronald Goodale, Charles Pemberton †. {† Credited, but does not appear}

Rob finds that he has been taken back to 1736, where Jed Mace laid the first stone of his house on 2nd February. To release him, Steel uses Helen reciting rhymes as bait and lures the lights down to the cellar where he, Sapphire and Lead plan to trap them in the foundations.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

31st July 1979
EPISODE ONE

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan and David Foster

Guest Cast:
Gerald James (Tully), Tom Kelly (Soldier).

Sapphire and Steel arrive on the platform of the deserted Dewerton railway station one night to encounter George Tully, an expert in psychic phenomena, and a strange force creating visions of a summer's day from years gone by on the cold late October night.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930
Repeated: 30th October 1979 1900 - 1930

2nd August 1979
EPISODE TWO

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan and David Foster

Guest Cast:
Gerald James, Tom Kelly, David Woodcock (1st Voice), David Cann (2nd Voice).

Sapphire is transformed to part of the summer's day when the lonely soldier was sent off to war, and learns the nature of a man's dying. Steel finds that Tully's tape has recorded the voices of three man asphyxiating in a faulty submarine and finds himself as a dying pilot.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930
Repeated: 1st November 1979 1900 - 1930

7th August 1979
EPISODE THREE

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan and David Foster

Guest Cast:
Gerald James, Tom Kelly, David Woodcock, David Cann (Pilot).

Steel announces that he is going to irritate the soldier into revealing his identity and the circumstances of his death, and he and Tully sing "Pack Up Your Troubles". The result though places Tully and Sapphire in jeopardy as two of the doomed submariners.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930
Repeated: 6th November 1979 1900 - 1930

8th November 1979
EPISODE FOUR

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan and David Foster

Guest Cast:
Gerald James, Tom Kelly, David Woodcock (1st Submariner), David Cann.

George Tully decides to use old-fashioned methods of making contact with the soldier, and Sapphire is put forward as an ideal medium for a seance. She finds that the men in the submarine were merely workmen, not sailors, but experiences problems with the soldier.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930
Scheduled: 9th August 1979 1900 - 1930

13th November 1979
EPISODE FIVE

Directed by David Foster

Guest Cast:
Gerald James, Tom Kelly (Pearce), David Woodcock, David Cann.

Sapphire takes on the persona of Eleanor, the school teacher of Sam Pearce, the soldier - to the soldier's anger. Pearce was killed accidentally eleven minutes after peace was declared in World War I and now the Darkness is engulfing the station.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930
Scheduled: 14th August 1979 1900 - 1930

15th November 1979
EPISODE SIX

Directed by David Foster

Guest Cast:
Gerald James, Tom Kelly, David Woodcock, David Cann.

Steel finds that the Darkness has created a duplicate of Sapphire, who is now sympathetic towards the souls who have grievances and attempts to stab Steel to death. Tully is given a chance to escape the station and Steel finds himself caught in barbed wire from World War I.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930
Scheduled: 16th August 1979 1900 - 1930

20th November 1979
EPISODE SEVEN

Directed by David Foster and Shaun O'Riordan

Guest Cast: Gerald James, Tom Kelly, David Cann, David Woodcock.

Steel and Sapphire recover to find that they and Tully have been moved twelve days into the future by the Darkness, which has completed its operation. Steel wants time taken back, and via Sapphire offers the Darkness a bargain to stop the time disturbances.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930
Scheduled: 21st August 1979 1900 - 1930

22nd November 1979
EPISODE EIGHT

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan

Guest Cast: Gerald James, Tom Kelly, David Cann, David Woodcock.

Sapphire is possessed by the Darkness as the trio are taken back in time by twelve days so Steel may strike his bargain. Pearce is convinced he will be held by the force in eternal misery, and as a substitute Steel offers the last few years of Tully's life.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930
Scheduled: 23rd August 1979 1900 - 1930

SEASON TWO

Regular Cast:
David McCallum (Steel), Joanna Lumley (Sapphire)

Written by P.J. Hammond

Music by Cyril Ornadel
Special Effects: George Leuenberger
Make-up: Mary Southgate
Costume: Mary Gibson
Designer: Stanley Mills
Producer: Shaun O'Riordan
Executive Producer: David Reid

6th January 1981
EPISODE ONE

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan

Guest Cast:
Catherine Hall (Rothwyn), David Gant (Eldred).

Rothwyn and Eldred, a couple who are clearly not of this time are living like normal people with the child they are rearing in a tower-block apartment as part of Experimental Project ES/5/777. However, this is an apartment whose techonology hinders Sapphire and Steel. They can sense and hear the couple, but cannot see them or their flat atop the building.

Broadcast: 2000 - 2030

8th January 1981
EPISODE TWO

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan

Guest Cast:
Catherine Hall, David Gant, Russell Wootton (Changeling).

Steel has been attacked by a swan when examining the invisible time capsule, and inside the flat, cushions, pillows and fur coats are moving of their own accord. Eldred and Rothwyn worry about the lack of supplies sent to them, and also the silence from the other two units.

Broadcast: 2000 - 2030

13th January 1981
EPISODE THREE

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan

Guest Cast:
David Collings (Silver), Catherine Hall, David Gant, Russell Wootton.

Sapphire has vanished whilst trying to enter the building, and technician Silver arrives to help Steel try and enter the time capsule. The time force in the flat has turned Rothwyn's baby into a young man with strange powers, which it turns upon Rothwyn and Eldred.

Broadcast: 2000 - 2030

15th January 1981
EPISODE FOUR

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan

Guest Cast:
David Collings, Catherine Hall, Russell Wootton.

Silver creates a path for him and Steel to enter the flat, and Sapphire arrives from the Rural Research Unit where the family from 1500 years in the future have committed suicide. Only the Changeling is left in the flat, and Silver's poor judgement is his downfall.

Broadcast: 2000 - 2030

20th January 1981
EPISODE FIVE

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan

Guest Cast:

David Collings, Catherine Hall, David Gant, Russell Wootton.

The time source orders the Changeling to destroy Sapphire and Steel, but the young man with a baby's mind refuses. Without Silver, Sapphire and Steel are trapped and try to track down the time source of Rothwyn and Eldred's capsule apartment whilst restoring their son.

Broadcast: 2000 - 2030

22nd January 1981
EPISODE SIX

Directed by Shaun O'Riordan

Guest Cast:
David Collings, Catherine Hall, David Gant, Russell Wootton †. {† Credited, but does not appear}

With both Silver and the family restored, Steel sets about trying to return the capsule to the future. But the living time source escapes and sets about taking its revenge on what humanity has done to the animals.

Broadcast: 2000 - 2030

27th January 1981
EPISODE SEVEN

Directed by David Foster

Guest Cast:
Alyson Spiro (Liz); Philip Bird, Bob Hornery (Shapes); Natalie Hedges (Parasol Girl).

Sapphire and Steel arrive at an old junk shop where the owner and landlord of the rooms above, Mr Williamson, seems to be missing. They are puzzled by children playing games nearby who seem to be released from old photographs.

Broadcast: 2000 - 2030

29th January 1981
EPISODE EIGHT

Directed by David Foster

Guest Cast:
Alyson Spiro; Philip Bird, Bob Hornery; Natalie Hedges.

Liz Dupré tells Steel about the disappearance of her flatmate Ruth and Mr Williamson, and realises she has never seen the new landlord's face properly. The faceless being is responsible for releasing the children, who surround Sapphire and attack her.

Broadcast: 2000 - 2030

3rd February 1981
EPISODE NINE

Directed by David Foster

Guest Cast:
Alyson Spiro; Philip Bond, Bob Hornery; Shelagh Stephenson (Ruth), Natalie Hedges.

Sapphire and Steel show Liz that Ruth and Mr Williamson have been trapped by the shapeless landlord inside a 97 year old photograph. Steel blows up Ruth's image and they talk to her, but the landlord steals the print and sets it alight.

Broadcast: 2000 - 2030

5th February 1981
EPISODE TEN

Directed by David Foster

Photographic acknowledgements to Birmingham Public Library, Cambridge County Record Office, Dorset County Library, Guildhall Library, The Gwynedd Archive Service, W.E.R. Hallgarth Collection, Grimsby, Hampshire County Museum, Kodak Museum, Norfolk County Museum, Northumberland County Record Office, The Science Museum, Shropshire County Record Office, Victoria & Albert Museum, Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Society.

Guest Cast:
Alyson Spiro; Philip Bond, Bob Hornery; Shelagh Stephenson, Natalie Hedges.

Sapphire and Steel discover how the shapeless being was released by Williamson's photographic tricks for Ruth, but they become trapped inside a photograph. The being is coming to kill them, and only the departing Liz can help.

Broadcast: 2000 - 2030

Season Three

Regular Cast:
David McCallum (Steel), Joanna Lumley (Sapphire)

Created by P.J. Hammond
Music: Cyril Ornadel
Special Effects: George Leuenberger {Episode Six only}
Make-up: Anita Harris
Costumes: Mary Gibson
Lighting: Jim Boyers
Designer: Su Chases
Produced and Directed by Shaun O'Riordan
Executive Producer: David Reid

11th August 1981
EPISODE ONE
by Don Houghton

Guest Cast:
Patience Collier (Emma Mullrine), Davy Kaye (Lord Mullrine), Nan Munro (Felicity McDee), Jeffry Wickham (Felix Harborough), Jeremy Child (Howard McDee), Jennie Stoller (Annabelle Harborough), Peter Laird (Greville), Patricia Shakesby (Anne Shaw), Valentine Dyall (Radio Commentator).

Lord Arthur Mullrine prepares a party on June 21st 1980 to celebrate fifty years since his business partnership began with the late Doctor George McDee. Every detail to recreate 1930 is perfect and his family and colleagues start to arrive as he orders his secretary Anne Shaw not to leave the outer office and disturb the party under any circumstances. Nobody notices when two of the guests to arrive are Sapphire and Steel.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

12th August 1981
EPISODE TWO
by Anthony Read

Guest Cast:
Patience Collier, Davy Kaye, Nan Munro, Jeffry Wickham, Jeremy Child, Jennie Stoller, Peter Laird, Stephen Macdonald (George McDee), Christopher Bramwell (Tony Purnell), Patricia Shakesby, Debbie Farrington (Veronica Blamey).

The party is in full swing when Lord Mullrine's late partner arrives and the guests dismiss it as a tasteless charade. Sapphire tells Steel it is the real McDee, and that tomorrow he will die. There now seems to be a barrier between the party and the modern office.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

18th August 1981
EPISODE THREE
by Don Houghton

Guest Cast:
Patience Collier, Davy Kaye, Nan Munro, Jeffry Wickham, Jeremy Child, Jennie Stoller, Peter Laird, Stephen Macdonald, Christopher Bramwell, Patricia Shakesby, Debbie Farrington.

The party game of sardines has gone grotesquely wrong when young Veronica Blamey is found stabbed to death. With the doors and windows jammed and the telephone cut off, one of the guests must be the murderer and suspicion falls upon her boyfriend, Tony Purnell.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

19th August 1981
EPISODE FOUR
by Don Houghton

Guest Cast:
Patience Collier, Davy Kaye, Nan Munro, Jeffry Wickham, Jeremy Child, Jennie Stoller, Peter Laird, Stephen Macdonald, Christopher Bramwell, Patricia Shakesby.

Veronica's body has vanished, and Tony Purnell is the next to be murdered: shot by a revolver. The party reverts back to 21st June 1930 and Steel penetrates the time warp to pass to the outer office where Anne Shaw is at work with her computers in the hope that the databases there can help solve the mystery.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

25th August 1981
EPISODE FIVE
by Anthony Read

Guest Cast:
Patience Collier, Davy Kaye, Nan Munro, Jeffry Wickham, Jeremy Child, Jennie Stoller, Peter Laird, Stephen Macdonald, Patricia Shakesby.

Howard McDee is poisoned over dinner, and Sapphire and Steel have to temporarily return him to life. As events begin to repeat the fateful night of June 1930, the agents confide in Felix Harborough, but Steel disapproves when Sapphire gives their new agent, 'Bronze', special powers ...

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

26th August 1981
EPISODE SIX
by Anthony Read

Guest Cast:
Patience Collier, Davy Kaye, Nan Munro, Jeffry Wickham, Peter Laird, Stephen Macdonald, Patricia Shakesby.

In order to prevent the human race from being wiped out by a virulent culture, Sapphire and Steel must ensure that George McDee dies on 22nd June in his laboratory fire. But Emma Mullrine, who was in love with George and has envoked the return to this event, has other plans.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

SEASON FOUR

Regular Cast:
David McCallum (Steel), Joanna Lumley (Sapphire)

Written by P.J. Hammond

Music: Cyril Ornadel
Make-up: Anita Harris
Costumes: Mary Gibson
Lighting: Jim Boyers
Designer: Stanley Mills
Director: David Foster
Producer: Shaun O'Riordan
Executive Producer: David Reid

19th August 1982
EPISODE ONE

Guest Cast:
David Collings (Silver), Edward de Souza (Man), Johanna Kirby (Woman), James Boswall (Old Man).

Sapphire and Steel join Silver on a mission at a service station in July 1981. Time seems to be at a standstill at 8.54, but the time is actually three minutes after midnight. The couple waiting inside the building, and their car, appear to be genuine travellers from 25th July 1948.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

24th August 1982
EPISODE TWO

Guest Cast:
David Collings, Edward de Souza, Johanna Kirby, James Boswall.

The owner of the garage appears in a ghostly form in the back yard, claiming the year is 1925. The jumps in time continue and a storm strikes the isolated service station as Silver thinks there must be a plan behind the trickery. Footsteps are heard... but only a shadow arrives.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

26th August 1982
EPISODE THREE

Guest Cast:
David Collings, Edward de Souza, Johanna Kirby, John Boswall, Chris Fairbank (Johnny Jack).

A strange travelling entertainer, Johnny Jack, appears from the shadow to await the arrival of his friends on 15th July 1957. Sapphire, Silver and Steel attempt to puzzle out the mystery as the three men take on their true forms ...

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

31st August 1982
EPISODE FOUR

Guest Cast:
David Collings, Edward de Souza, Johanna Kirby, John Boswall, Chris Fairbank.

Sapphire, Silver and Steel try to find a means of escape from the time bubble with the luckless woman. But the three transient beings, who answer to a higher authority, have been assigned to put an end to the successful operations of Sapphire and Steel.

Broadcast: 1900 - 1930

ATV Network Presentation†
Thirty-Four Episodes - Colour

† Season Four was shown by Central Television after they took over the midlands franchise, but was produced by ATV. The series was distributed worldwide by ITC.

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