The Hard Case

aka ITV Television Playhouse: The Hard Case

Directed by Peter Wood
Writer: Patrick Garland

Episode aired 6 June, 1963

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• Denise Coffey . . . . . . . . . . . Bridesmaid
  Frank Finlay . . . . . . . . . . . Lew
  Patrick Godfrey . . . . . . . . . . . Grafter
  Drewe Henley . . . . . . . . . . . German
  Thora Hird . . . . . . . . . . . Little Beatie
  John Hurt . . . . . . . . . . . Cohen
  Barry Irwin . . . . . . . . . . . Lennie
  Priscilla Morgan . . . . . . . . . . . Fat Pam
  Christopher Sandford . . . . . . . . . . . Daz
  Paul Tann . . . . . . . . . . . Cafe owner
  Thorley Walters . . . . . . . . . . . Ken
  Jenny Wren . . . . . . . . . . . Bride
  
  

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• FUN fairs are not all good clean fun. They can harbour criminals. In Patrick Garland's play The Hard Case, Lew (Frank Finlay). a professional criminal, is visiting a coastal resort to have a look at a boy called Cohen (John Hurt), who has a reputation for delinquency.
  
  Lew thinks that Cohen may be of some use to his boss in London. He is not very impressed with Cohen's friends - German (Drewe Henley), a 30 - year - old "teenager" who works on a boxing stall, or Ken (Thorley Walters). an ex variety artist, now middle aged, who runs the cafe around which live Cohen, German and Beatie (Thora Hird). an old woman who sells rock.
  
  Somehow Cohen doesn't seem to have the self-confidence he would like. His tough talk doesn't really ring true. Ken knows that Cohen is not suited to the big town and tries to persuade him not to leave the seaside; so does Cohen's, girl Pam (Priscilla Morgan).
  
  John Hurt follows up his success in Somebody's Dying with a starring role in this play. He told me: "All the characters in this play are lightly grotesque.
  
  "The others cling to Cohen because his gaiety makes their lives worth living."
  
  Frank Finlay told me: "Lew is a cold, matter-of-fact criminal. He doesn't say much, but he soon sums up Cohen and decides to teach him a lesson."
  
  TV Times June 1963
  
  

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  ITV Television Playhouse, often simplified to Television Playhouse, was a British anthology television series produced by and airing on the ITV television network from 1955 through 1963. The series premiered with the teleplay Midlevel on September 24, 1955. Its final episode was the teleplay They Don't Make Summers Like They Used To which aired on December 27, 1963.
  
  Frank appeared in two Television Playhouse's:
  
  The Hard Case (1963) Lew
  Think of the Day (1960) Talkative Man