Public Eye (TV Series) - Background

Background

The series was created by writers Roger Marshall and Anthony Marriott with the aim of getting away from "square-jawed" heroes of the type featured in Hollywood movies, an aim shared by the actor chosen to play Marker—Alfred Burke. This decision allowed for flexibility in the structure and plot lines of the episodes (each individual episode usually dealt with an individual case for Marker, but story arcs spanning several episodes, or in one case an entire series, were produced during the life of the programme). The breadth of Marker's work—from routine matters such as gathering evidence for divorces (at a time when British law required evidence of infidelity or other compelling reason for annulling a marriage) or creditworthiness enquiries, to more exotic investigations such as tracing missing people (or in one case, a prize-winning whippet)—meant that he had little idea what a person walking into his office at the start of an episode would be wanting of him. Many of these situations portrayed in the series conclude imperfectly, often with Marker leaving the status quo as it is, for instance in the episode "The Man Who Didn't Eat Sweets" he fails to tell his client that she is one of her husband's three wives!