Sergeant Cork is a British detective television series which aired between 1963 and 1968 on ITV. It was a police procedural show that followed the efforts of two police officers and their battle against crime in Victorian London. In all 66 hour-long episodes were aired during the five-year run, although the last episode was not broadcast until January 1968, 16 months after the others. Journalist Tom Sutcliffe has credited it as a first example of the use of the Victorian-era policeman in a television crime series.
A 1969 review in The Age opined that rather than suspense, the strengths of the series were its "[e]xcellent period settings and wonderfully thick pea-soupers" which "add up to splendid evocative stuff", as well as the performance of star John Barrie.
At no time during the whole series is Sergeant Cork's first name given.
Contents
Cast
John Barrie as Sergeant Cork
William Gaunt as Robert 'Bob' Marriott
Charles Morgan as Superintendent Charlie Rodway
Freddie Fowler as Chalky White
Edward Ogden as Sergeant Gardner
Arnold Diamond as Detective Inspector Joseph Bird
John Richmond as Superintendent Billy Nelson
Barry Raymond as PC Evans
A. J. Brown as Assistant Commissioner John Thor
Joyce Carey as Mrs Maud Marriott
Notable guest stars included Carmen Silvera, Alan Haines and Peter Sallis.
Home media
Network has released the entire series on Region 2, PAL DVD in the UK. The second series was an exclusive two-disc set on their website which has since been re-released on 3 September 2012. The third series was a four-disc set and was available through the Network website. Series 4 became available from both the Network website and other retailers on 6 August 2012. Series 5 was released on 19 November 2012, and Series 6 on 18 March 2013. A 19 disc set of the complete series was released in 2018.