# Maigret (1960 TV series)

Maigret is a British television series made by the BBC and which – following a pilot episode broadcast in 1959 – ran for 52 episodes from 1960 to 1963.
Based on the Maigret stories of Georges Simenon, the series starred Rupert Davies in the title role.
Unlike most BBC series produced in the 1960s, all episodes (bar the pilot) have survived intact, and are available as a complete set on DVD and Blu-ray.
In 2022 the series was broadcast by UK television channel Talking Pictures TV.

## Cast
### Main

* Rupert Davies as Police Judiciaire detective Commissaire Jules Maigret
* Ewen Solon as Lucas
* Neville Jason as Lapointe
* Victor Lucas as Torrence
* Helen Shingler as Madame Maigret

### Guests

* Stratford Johns
* Leon Cortez as Lapie
* Terence Alexander
* Roger Delgado
* William Franklyn
* John Carson
* Michael Goodliffe as Dr Javet
* Barry Foster
* Paul Eddington as Harry Brown
* Warren Mitchell as Aristide
* Patrick Troughton as Gaston Meurant
* Peter Barkworth as Sergeant
* Penny Morrell
* Magda Miller
* Peter Blythe
* Redmond Phillips
* Peter Sallis
* Derek Benfield
Rupert Davies took up the role as the Police Judiciaire detective Commissaire Jules Maigret in 1960, after Basil Sydney, who had played Maigret in the pilot episode, was unable to continue.
Although staying largely true to the storyline of the books, the series featured only three of Maigret's team of detectives (the "faithful four"), omitting any casting for Janvier, although the character is mentioned in several episodes.
The choice of Davies to play Maigret was enthusiastically approved by Simenon himself. Remembering the role in a 1964 interview Davies said "When Andrew Osborn, the producer of the show, offered me the part on Good Friday in 1960, I knew very little about Maigret. I knew he was a famous French fictional detective, but that was all." Rather than read the books to get the feel for the character, Davies thought it would be better to meet Maigret's creator and hear from him how he saw the character. The BBC agreed and a meeting was arranged between Davies and Simenon in Lausanne.
"The moment Simenon saw me he shouted: "C'est Maigret, c'est Maigret. You are the flesh and bones of Maigret!" Davies later remembered. "That was a wonderful beginning. Then he drove us to his lovely château in the village of Échandens, where I met his wife. Later he began to coach me in Maigret's idiosyncrasies."
Simenon himself said of Davies "At last, I have found the perfect Maigret!"

## Production

The series was written by a set of ten writers, each contributing individual episodes; the most prolific being Giles Cooper, credited with nineteen episodes, and Roger East, with twelve.
Directing was similarly shared by sixteen directors, with Gerard Glaister and Terence Williams responsible for eight each, Andrew Osborn seven, and Eric Tayler six. Each episode was shot in black-and-white and lasted 50 minutes, and (as it was made for the BBC) was intended to be screened without commercial breaks. It was shot mainly in studio, though many of the exteriors were filmed on location in Paris. Interior set designer Eileen Diss spent months scouring France for French items to be used on set, including furniture, ornaments, posters, and cigarette packets; she noted in a 1961 interview that, "Half these things may never be in sharp focus on the screen. But when in a close-up you see a terribly French door-knob behind someone's left ear, it does make just that much extra difference."
Series costar Ewen Solon broke his leg in a stunt while jumping from a wall. Subsequent scripts had to be rewritten to account for the obvious damage which could not be hidden or shot around.
Theme music and various incidental music was composed by Ron Grainer for which he won an Ivor Novello award. Apart from the pilot, all 52 episodes remain within the BBC's archives.
On Sunday, February 9, 1969, BBC One London aired Maigret at Bay as part of its series BBC Play of the Month. This feature-length movie was based on the 1964 novel Maigret Defends Himself (Maigret se défend), and featured Rupert Davies, Helen Shingler, and Neville Jason reprising their series roles of Commissaire Maigret, Madame Maigret, and Lapointe, respectively.

## Episodes
### Series 1

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Based on | BBC airdate |
| Pilot | Pilot | "Maigret and the Lost Life" | Gilchrist Calder | Giles Cooper | Maigret and the Dead Girl (1954 novel) | 12 April 1959 (1959-04-12) |
| Starring Basil Sydney as Maigret |||||||
| 1 | 1 | "Murder in Montmartre" | Andrew Osborn | Giles Cooper | Inspector Maigret and the Strangled Stripper (1950 novel) | 31 October 1960 (1960-10-31) |
| Rupert Davies takes over as Maigret |||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Unscheduled Departure" | Eric Tayler | Giles Cooper | Maigret Has Scruples (1958 novel) | 7 November 1960 (1960-11-07) |
| 3 | 3 | "The Burglar's Wife" | Julian Amyes | Roger Burford | Maigret and the Burglar's Wife (1951 novel) | 14 November 1960 (1960-11-14) |
| 4 | 4 | "The Revolver" | Chloe Gibson | Roger Burford | Maigret's Revolver (1952 novel) | 21 November 1960 (1960-11-21) |
| 5 | 5 | "The Old Lady" | Eric Tayler | Margot Bennett | Maigret and the Old Lady (1950 novel) | 28 November 1960 (1960-11-28) |
| 6 | 6 | "Liberty Bar" | Andrew Osborn | Margot Bennett | Liberty Bar (1932 novel) | 5 December 1960 (1960-12-05) |
| 7 | 7 | "A Man of Quality" | Gerard Glaister | Giles Cooper | The Death of Monsieur Gallet (1931 novel) | 12 December 1960 (1960-12-12) |
| 8 | 8 | "My Friend the Inspector" | Eric Tayler | Margot Bennett | My Friend Maigret (1949 novel) | 19 December 1960 (1960-12-19) |
| 9 | 9 | "The Mistake" | Andrew Osborn | Roger Burford | Maigret's Mistake (1953 novel) | 26 December 1960 (1960-12-26) |
| 10 | 10 | "On Holiday" | Eric Tayler | Margot Bennett | A Summer Holiday (1948 novel) | 2 January 1961 (1961-01-02) |
| 11 | 11 | "The Experts" | Andrew Osborn | Giles Cooper | Inspector Maigret and the Killers (1952 novel) | 9 January 1961 (1961-01-09) |
| 12 | 12 | "The Cactus" | Eric Tayler | Roger Burford | Maigret Takes a Room (1951 novel) | 16 January 1961 (1961-01-16) |
| 13 | 13 | "The Children's Party" | Gerard Glaister | Giles Cooper | The Crime of Inspector Maigret (1931 novel) | 23 January 1961 (1961-01-23) |

### Series 2

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Based on | BBC airdate |
| 14 | 1 | "Shadow Play" | John Harrison | Giles Cooper | The Shadow in the Courtyard (1932 novel) | 23 October 1961 (1961-10-23) |
| 15 | 2 | "The Simple Case" | Gerard Glaister | Roger Burford | Maigret and the Headless Corpse (1955 novel) | 30 October 1961 (1961-10-30) |
| 16 | 3 | "Death of a Butcher" | Andrew Osborn | Giles Cooper | Maigret's Failure (1956 novel) | 6 November 1961 (1961-11-06) |
| 17 | 4 | "The Winning Ticket" | Harold Clayton | Giles Cooper | Maigret's Dead Man (1948 novel) | 13 November 1961 (1961-11-13) |
| 18 | 5 | "Inspector Lognon's Triumph" | John Harrison | Giles Cooper | "Maigret and the Surly Inspector" (1946 short story) | 20 November 1961 (1961-11-20) |
| 19 | 6 | "The Lost Sailor" | Gerard Glaister | Margot Bennett | Death of a Harbour Master (1932 novel) | 27 November 1961 (1961-11-27) |
| 20 | 7 | "The Golden Fleece" | Rudolph Cartier | Giles Cooper | The Lock at Charenton (1933 novel) | 4 December 1961 (1961-12-04) |
| 21 | 8 | "Raise Your Right Hand" | Andrew Osborn | Roger Burford | Maigret in Court (1960 novel) | 11 December 1961 (1961-12-11) |
| 22 | 9 | "The Liars" | Rudolph Cartier | Vincent Tilsley | Maigret Goes to School (1954 novel) | 18 December 1961 (1961-12-18) |
| 23 | 10 | "A Crime for Christmas" | Campbell Logan | Margot Bennett | "Maigret's Christmas" (1950 short story) | 26 December 1961 (1961-12-26) |
| 24 | 11 | "The Reluctant Witnesses" | Gerard Glaister | Donald Bull | Maigret and the Reluctant Witnesses (1959 novel) | 1 January 1962 (1962-01-01) |
| 25 | 12 | "The White Hat" | Gerard Glaister | Roger Burford | Madame Maigret's Own Case (1950 novel) | 8 January 1962 (1962-01-08) |
| 26 | 13 | "Murder on Monday" | Terence Williams | Giles Cooper | Maigret and the Man on the Boulevard (1953 novel) | 15 January 1962 (1962-01-15) |

### Series 3

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Based on | BBC airdate |
| 27 | 1 | "Voices from the Past" | Gerard Glaister | Giles Cooper | Maigret in Society (1960 novel) | 24 September 1962 (1962-09-24) |
| Count Armand de Saint-Hilaire is found dead with four bullet holes at home. While investigating the death, Maigret finds out that the Count had written a letter every day to his unrequited love, whose own husband just passed away. The mystery deepens because the Count's housekeeper refuses to answer any question. |||||||
| 28 | 2 | "The Madman of Vervac" | Andrew Osborn | Roger Burford | The Madman of Bergerac (1932 novel) | 1 October 1962 (1962-10-01) |
| 29 | 3 | "The Countess" | Andrew Osborn | Roger Burford | Maigret and the Countess (1932 novel) | 8 October 1962 (1962-10-08) |
| 30 | 4 | "The Wedding Guest" | Terence Williams | Giles Cooper | Guinguette by the Seine (1931 novel) | 15 October 1962 (1962-10-15) |
| 31 | 5 | "High Politics" | Andrew Osborn | Roger Burford | Maigret and the Minister (1954 novel) | 22 October 1962 (1962-10-22) |
| 32 | 6 | "Love from Felicie" | Andrew Osborn | Giles Cooper | Maigret and the Toy Village (1944 novel) | 29 October 1962 (1962-10-29) |
| 33 | 7 | "The Dirty House" | Terence Williams | Giles Cooper | Maigret in Retirement (1947 novel) | 5 November 1962 (1962-11-05) |
| 34 | 8 | "The Crystal Ball" | John Harrison | Roger Burford | To Any Lengths (1944 novel) | 12 November 1962 (1962-11-12) |
| 35 | 9 | "The Crooked Castle" | Andrew Osborn | Donald Bull | Maigret at the Crossroads (1931 novel) | 19 November 1962 (1962-11-19) |
| 36 | 10 | "Death in Mind" | John Elliot | Giles Cooper, John Elliot | A Battle of Nerves (1931 novel) | 26 November 1962 (1962-11-26) |
| 37 | 11 | "Seven Little Crosses" | Gerard Glaister | Giles Cooper | "Sept petites croix dans un carnet" | 3 December 1962 (1962-12-03) |
| Adapted from a non-Maigret short story included in the 1951 collection Maigret's Christmas (Un Noël de Maigret). |||||||
| 38 | 12 | "The Trap" | Terence Williams | Margot Bennett | Maigret Sets a Trap (1955 novel) | 10 December 1962 (1962-12-10) |
| 39 | 13 | "The Amateurs" | Terence Williams | Donald Bull | Maigret and the Lazy Burglar (1961 novel) | 17 December 1962 (1962-12-17) |

### Series 4

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Based on | BBC airdate |
| 40 | 1 | "Poor Cecile" | Michael Hayes | Donald Bull | Maigret and the Spinster (1940 novel) | 1 October 1963 (1963-10-01) |
| 41 | 2 | "The Fontenay Murders" | Alan Bridges | Elaine Morgan | Maigret Afraid (1953 novel) | 8 October 1963 (1963-10-08) |
| 42 | 3 | "The Lost Life" | Gilchrist Calder | Giles Cooper | Maigret and the Dead Girl (1954 novel) | 15 October 1963 (1963-10-15) |
| Remake of 1959 pilot |||||||
| 43 | 4 | "The Cellars of the Majestic" | Eric Tayler | Anthony Steven | Maigret and the Hotel Majestic (1939 novel) | 22 October 1963 (1963-10-22) |
| 44 | 5 | "A Man Condemned" | Terence Williams | Roger Burford | Maigret has Doubts (1959 novel) | 29 October 1963 (1963-10-29) |
| 45 | 6 | "The Flemish Shop" | Eric Tayler | Rex Tucker | The Flemish Shop (1932 novel) | 5 November 1963 (1963-11-05) |
| 46 | 7 | "A Taste of Power" | Terence Williams | Donald Bull | Maigret's First Case (1949 novel) | 12 November 1963 (1963-11-12) |
| 47 | 8 | "The Log of the Cap Fagnet" | Michael Hayes | Elaine Morgan | The Sailors' Rendezvous (1931 novel) | 19 November 1963 (1963-11-19) |
| 48 | 9 | "The Judge's House" | Terence Dudley | Elaine Morgan | Maigret in Exile (1940 novel) | 26 November 1963 (1963-11-26) |
| 49 | 10 | "Another World" | Michael Hayes | Donald Bull | Maigret and the Millionaires (1957 novel) | 3 December 1963 (1963-12-03) |
| 50 | 11 | "The Crime at Lock 14" | Andrew Osborn | Anthony Coburn | The Crime at Lock 14 (1931 novel) | 10 December 1963 (1963-12-10) |
| 51 | 12 | "Peter the Lett" | Rudolph Cartier | Giles Cooper | The Strange Case of Peter the Lett (1931 novel) | 17 December 1963 (1963-12-17) |
| 52 | 13 | "Maigret's Little Joke" | Terence Williams | Donald Bull | Maigret's Little Joke (1957 novel) | 24 December 1963 (1963-12-24) |

## Home media

In May 2021, Network Distributing announced the Blu-Ray release of the series (to be released August 2021), with a DVD release soon to follow.
The DVD set of 14 discs does not include the booklet found in the Blu-Ray edition. Sleeve notes inform that the series has been "remastered from original film elements", most likely meaning Kinescope films as distributed world-wide, "original fullscreen TV format".
In 2023, Kino Lorber released the series on Blu-Ray for Region A.