George Cowley

George Cowley is a character in The Professionals. He was William Bodie and Ray Doyle's boss.
He appears in all 57 episodes of the program.
His operatives sometimes call him "The Cow", but never to his face.
Cowley was portrayed by Gordon Jackson, who passed away in early 1990.
==Brief Canon Description==
Cowley was portrayed as a gimlet-eyed, devious, dignified, and ruthless leader; from the moment William Bodie and Ray Doyle sign on to CI5, George Cowley owns them, body and soul.
==Fandom and Fanworks==
===The Fanon Cowley===
* as a father figure to Bodie and Doyle, or as an actual father to Bodie
* as a lover (present and past) 
* Cowley as matchmaker between William Bodie and Ray Doyle
* in crossovers (one example is in Antiques and Delectables)
* as a closeted gay man
===Subject of Con Panels===
*A character study of George Cowley, by inamac and lil_shepherd at A Weekend in the Country (UK) (1983) source: comments from Felicity Parkinson quoted by metabolick, and also see comments here by one of the authors, inamac. (1983)
* "COWLEY: MENTOR OR NEMESIS?" ("George Cowley could sometimes be the father figure, but occasionally he'd throw his "best team" to the wolves on suicide missions. Was he really grooming them to succeed him in CI5? Or were they unlikely to live to collect their pensions?") at MediaWest*Con (2013)
* "Views of the Cow" (how canon and fanon treated George Cowley) at BistoCon (2016)
===Pairings===
From a fan in 1992: 
* Cowley/Bodie
==Fanworks==
==Sample Cowley Fiction==
* The Devil and George Cowley by Nancy Arena (1984)
* Of Tethered Goats and Tigers by Tarot (1984)
* Ritual Cleansing by Meg Lewtan (1986)
* The Fox and the Wolf (Pros universe created by Jane Carnall) by Jane Carnall (1990s)
** Lest These Dark Days 
** This Classical Dilemma 
** As Games Are Played
** Woven Patternings 
* Guardian Angels by Baravan (1993)
* The Pillory by Kitty Fisher (1994)
* The Selling Hours by Madeleine Lee
* Carnal Interests by Madeleine Lee
==Cowley Art==
===1984===
File:Cowleyalphaone.jpg|from Cowley - alpha one
===1986===
File:Projunky-4.jpg|by Connie Crouch, from Professional Junkies
File:Cowtales-6.jpg|from Cow Tales
===1987===
File:Britishtake2-4.jpg|by Kate Nuernberg, from British Takeaway #2
===1988===
File:Heat4-3.jpg|by Gin Turpin, from Heat #4
File:Crossmyheart4-2.jpg|by JJ, from Cross My Heart #4
File:Britishtake3-4.jpg|by Kate Nuernberg, from British Takeaway #3 
File:Smallprint4-3.jpg |by Tammy Lomas, from The Small Print #4 
File:Pros up to standard interior 4 marilyn johansen.jpeg|by Marilyn Johansen, from Up to Standard
===1989===
File:Britishtakeaway4-15.jpg|by Dani Lane, from British Takeaway #4
===1990===
File:Chalkseven.jpg|by Dani Lane, from Chalk and Cheese #7
File:Chalk5-14.jpg|by Sheila Paulson, from Chalk and Cheese #5
File:Pros As Games Are Played art.jpg|by Cat, from As Games Are Played
===1991===
 
File:Lookthroughmyeyes.jpg|by Cat, from Look Through My Eyes
File:Hols.jpg|by Kate Nuernberg, from The Hols of CI5, Cowley as Father Christmas
===1992===
File:Chalk11-4.jpg|by H. Ann Walton, from Chalk and Cheese #11, portrays Cowley and Murphy
File:Britsh5.jpg|by Corinna Hansen, from Brit Shriek
File:Chalk10-10.jpg|by [Phoenix (fanartist)|Phoenix]], from Chalk and Cheese #10
File:Chalk10-9.jpg|by Corinna Hansen, from Chalk and Cheese #10
===1993===
Image:antiques8.jpg|by KOZ, young Tinker (from Lovejoy (TV) and young George Cowley 
Image:antiques9.jpg|by H. Ann Walton, older Tinker (from Lovejoy (TV) and older George Cowley
File:Begentle10-1.jpg|by Cat, from Be Gentle With Us #10
File:Britishtakeaway6-5.jpg|by Kate Nuernberg, from British Takeaway #6 
===1994===
File:Mates3.jpg|by Lana Claussen, from Mates #3
File:Matespros4-8.jpg| by KOZ, Murphy's Law (1994) and from Mates #4 (1996) 
===1996===
File:Chalk15.jpg|by TACS, from Chalk and Cheese #15
 
===1997===
File:Motet interior by warren oddsen 3.jpeg|by Warren Oddsson, from Motet
===1999===
File:Celebrations1art.jpg| by Cleo, from Celebrations, Cowley, William Bodie and Ray Doyle
===2010===
File:Big Bang - Cowley by Roven.jpg|by Roven, colored pencil. Created for CI5 Box of Tricks 2010 
==Cowley Vids==
* Mean Old Man by Mary Van Deusen (1988)
* Devil in Disguise by Lithiumdoll (2004)
* Where I Want To Be by Finnhere (2010)
==Cowley Meta==
* WHEN THE COW WAS A CALF: Reconstructing part of George Cowley's early life by Dorinda (August 1996)
==Fan Comments==
===1994===
 
==Links & Resources==
* George Cowley tag at Archive of Our Own
==References==
Category:The Professionals