Having survived the vagaries and paper moons of youth, I am now embracing the start of my 6th decade and happily retuning to the television of my childhood, and enjoying it all over again.
A delight to see Carter outwit Mohn! (Especially for us ancient ones who saw - as children - David McCallum's likeable young character get shot down on the railroad tracks in one of the saddest scenes of "The Great Escape.") Also, the maturation of Carter in this series is one of its many pleasures.
I remember watching this series on TV in the 70s and I've since been fascinated by stories of POWs and read every book I can get. But I keep coming back here to watch this again!
What a cast for a tv series, Robert Wagner, David McCullum, Anthony Valentine, Bernard Hepton and many great character actors of that time. Just a few alive today but we can still see their great works in wonderful RUclips, so thanks for uploading this!
Interesting that Bernard Hepton plays the commandant of Colditz and in the 80's he stared as Belgium resistance leader in the ww2 drama "the secret army "
@@chrisholland7367 - In 1979, he played the role of Tony Esterhase in the brilliant Cold War spy series "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and in 1982's equally brilliant follow-up "Smiley's People." Hepton was superb in both.
@@BumMcFluff Not quite, it implies that the two missing men may still be in the castle .vs. heading to Switzerland (which they are). Any delay helps them! Of course, the search may reveal various hiding places, but the "game" may be up on using "Ghosts" anyway.....
I suggest the BBC productions "I, Claudius" and "Elizabeth R" as stage plays adapted superbly for television. There's also the Great War series "Wings" from the same period. You spend more time watching the acting than the shaky sets.
Hi yes. he also played a similar character in 'Callan' (Spy Genre) as 'Toby Meares' an upperclass Agent for 'The Section' and was 'at odds' with 'David Callan' played by Edward Woodward who was more working class.
In reality, all the other POW nationalities were doing much better at escaping than the British.* The Dutch arrived later than the British but they got a couple of men succesfully out before the British. It was only after the British started 'collaborating' with the Dutch that they got their first 'home run.' * - why? Poland, France and The Netherlands were all neighbours of Germany. This had nothing to do with them getting back to their own respective countries but most of them could speak a few words German convincingly while a few others spoke it fluently. The moment a British escapee was being asked routine questions in German, he would probably go: "Eh, what's that, mate?"
@@AudieHolland Also posing as Foreign Workers, the other nationals would instantly have the correct accent! Plus, once they got to their homeland, they could disappear into the population, whereas the British (and later on the Americans) would have to go to either Spain or Switzerland, both with narrow boarders when compared to France....
My favorite character is Ulmann. The unfortunate aspect is that the writers have made Ulmann a bit dumber in the second season. They transferred his cunning over to Mohn apperently. The Germans still haven't figured out the old "start a fight" diversion trick. Should be an automatic red flag by now.
remember Anthony Valentine's role in Callan & Colditz, but he also appeared a couple of times in 'Minder', as a professional gambler (called Maurice), once as the boss of a team of folk trying to beat the casino, (this was based on the real activities of a guy called Norman Leigh, 'Thirteen Against the Bank') & at least once as a professional card player. An excellent actor....
33:41 man that scene was amazing. It worked so well. It felt like when a teacher sees students cheat obviously during an exam :D great acting on all sites
@@timengineman2nd714 I also just remembered that the Prisoners did things like this even when there was nothing happening, just to get the guards "chasing shadows"! That way they never would really know if something was really going on!!
F*****G AWESOME TV!!!! BBC WAS THE BEST OF THE BEST AT 70s!! I JUST ADORE THESE KIND OF SERIES ,EXCEPT "COLDITZ (1972 & 1974)",I ALSO ADORE "SECRET ARMY (1977-9)" AND WHY NOT "KESSLER (1981)" MINI-SERIES............BBC RULES THE WAVES :)))
So Dick Player escapes in this episode, do they ever mention in the following episodes if he made it back to Britain or not? i watched through to the end and don't think it's ever mentioned.
Poor David Mcallum, such a damn good actor and is so much good stuff, and he ended his career with a load of carp like NCIS, entertainment was so much better back then when writers and audience were so much better educated
I'M SURPRISED THAT IT DIDN'T OCCUR TO THE POW'S TO, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, BRING THE OTHER TWO PRISONERS OUT OF HIDING AND INCLUDE THEM WITH THE REST OF THE POW'S DURING THE APPELS: ONE DAY THERE WOULD THE RIGHT NUMBER...ANOTHER DAY THERE WOULD BE 2 EXTRA POW'S- IT WOULD DRIVE THE HUNS CRAZY- PARTICULARLY SINCE THE HUNS HAVE NO SENSE OF HUMOR!!
I have a vague recollection from reading Reach for the Sky about Douglas Bader, that the phantoms were rotated in and out of hiding to keep them looking the same as the other prisoners.
@@markfryer9880 ...NOW THAT YOU MENTIONED IT, DOUGLAS BADER ISN'T REPRESENTED IN THIS SERIES- NOR WAS HE REPRESENTED IN ANY MOVIE ABOUT COLDITZ THAT I HAVE SEEN-(!)
This was the Wehrmacht and not the SS/Gestapo who would not have been lenient. Wehrmacht were on the whole very different to the SS/Gestapo, however they did have some in their ranks who were just as cruel as the SS.
I have a question. How is it that the prisoners uniforms get smarter as time goes on? When they first arrive they didn't have any at all. Then the gradually appear to be wearing the proper kit complete with jacket, tie and cap. Did the Germans hand them out?
Red Cross distributed them. The supply lines got better during the course of the war. They did the same for German POW's in Britain, Canada and later, the USA.
Bomber pilots flying in number 1 dress jackets Flt Carter, 1st lt Player wearing his officers day jacket with stripes. red cross did dirstribute plain uniforms but Number 1 dress jackets or Day jackets with stripes....
@@raflaughter3474 Absolute made up nonsense! According to a man that was a POW: "As would be expected, our clothes consisted of the items we were wearing when we were shot down and these would obviously not last forever. However, army pattern clothing became available, ration controlled, possibly obtained through Red Cross sources but undoubtedly some was material captured by the Germans in various places. We were able to have British army boots, shirts and wool underclothing and later some American greatcoats and gloves were available and kit. In addition, individual Red Cross parcels provided things like scarves, gloves, woolen hats and underclothing. There was no regularity about this and we had to make them last."
Seems strange that they didnt even bother using pictures of Colditz in the opening credits. We all know it was part filmed in Stirling Castle but to use Stirling in the opening credits as well seems a bit lazy to me.
They did not have the money to fly out and take pictures of the real castle which in the seventies when this was made was in deep East Germany under soviet control. Pictures of the castle were few and far between for the researchers to find.
They make is sound like the Frogs had their escape planned before the Brits had theirs, but the Brits couldn't start on theirs until Colonel Preston talked the Krauts into re-opening the theater. How were the Frogs going to get out without any daytime access to the theater?
They probably had their own tunnel starting from their own quarters into the theatre. Didn't you see the episode where Ulmann reads the list of illegal items found in the discovered French tunnel? It included a bar serving wine in bottles stolen from the German officers' mess.
If they managed to steal off the guards, how would they get more batteries.... Why was Ulmann extravagantly ignoring the window with the divided lights the escapardos were going through.
Because Coldiz for ALL its acclaim was an Officers game place...Even Douglas Bader was placed there..and he TOLD the medic who was treating him (who was due repatriation) NO...because HE could not go home... FACT
In the "Bastogne" episode from the series "Band of Brothers," Major Winters is seen trying to shave in the morning, having to break the ice on his shaving water first. His friend Nix doesn't even try. But then the Major Winters character was portrayed by Damian Lewis. A Brit.
Having survived the vagaries and paper moons of youth, I am now embracing the start of my 6th decade and happily retuning to the television of my childhood, and enjoying it all over again.
Or in simplier terms like I you getting OLD!
😂
Haha, i am from Finland and same toughts
Snap... And it's great to do
Happy 50th birthday (belated).
Brilliant actors! And a pleasure to watch the handsome Anthony Valentine, Christopher Neame, Robert Wagner en Richard Heffer!
A delight to see Carter outwit Mohn! (Especially for us ancient ones who saw - as children - David McCallum's likeable young character get shot down on the railroad tracks in one of the saddest scenes of "The Great Escape.") Also, the maturation of Carter in this series is one of its many pleasures.
I remember watching this series on TV in the 70s and I've since been fascinated by stories of POWs and read every book I can get. But I keep coming back here to watch this again!
What a cast for a tv series, Robert Wagner, David McCullum, Anthony Valentine, Bernard Hepton and many great character actors of that time. Just a few alive today but we can still see their great works in wonderful RUclips, so thanks for uploading this!
Interesting that Bernard Hepton plays the commandant of Colditz and in the 80's he stared as Belgium resistance leader in the ww2 drama "the secret army "
@@chrisholland7367 - In 1979, he played the role of Tony Esterhase in the brilliant Cold War spy series "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and in 1982's equally brilliant follow-up "Smiley's People." Hepton was superb in both.
Good One! I'm a kid from the States and came upon this show on accident and am hooked. Love it!
BBC 👍🏻
@@gazza2933 That was the BBC fifty years ago -sadly, there has been a lot of water under the bridge since then!
@@gazza2933 It was a joint production of the BBC and Universal Studios.
@@johnnybgoodeish BBC---NPR, nz prpga rdcls
Just love the last scene - bloody brilliant
"Have you found them?" and that smile from Carter
But a bit of a stuff up when Mohn says "Have we lost them?" implying that Carter just confirmed what Mohn believed.
@@BumMcFluff Carter's biggest enemy was always Carter. Brilliant writing.
@@BumMcFluff Not quite, it implies that the two missing men may still be in the castle .vs. heading to Switzerland (which they are). Any delay helps them!
Of course, the search may reveal various hiding places, but the "game" may be up on using "Ghosts" anyway.....
In an age of cgi and other fakery, it's good to see characters so real and believable. Excellent production!!
I suggest the BBC productions "I, Claudius" and "Elizabeth R" as stage plays adapted superbly for television. There's also the Great War series "Wings" from the same period. You spend more time watching the acting than the shaky sets.
Anthony Valentine's character just gets better with each episode.
Raffles on RUclips too.
Hi yes. he also played a similar character in 'Callan' (Spy Genre) as 'Toby Meares' an upperclass Agent for 'The Section' and was 'at odds' with 'David Callan' played by Edward Woodward who was more working class.
He fit like nose to head
BBC1,Monday nights at 9.25pm...brilliant Son and Dad time + tea & toast....fantastic!!
Same here. Good memories.
Oh, very good ending. Superior writing and performances. I mourn the death of intelligent television.
Totally agree. I miss the 1970s but glad I grew up during them.
Don't we all. TV seems designed today for an audience with half a brain
Intelligent television is now becoming an oxymoron.
Imagine the complaints if an episode of a series was called "Frogs In The Well" in 2023!
Are you referring to cheese-eating surrender monkeys?
I love the dirty look that Ulmann gives to Mohn at 42:50. Says so much.
Incredible series
Simply impossible to take your eyes off Anthony Valentine.
Talk about screen presence!
He acted tough guys. Did the same in the earlier TV series "Callan" as Tobey Mears.
Great actor
Another British actor who enhanced his resumee by donning a Nazi uniform.
My list gets longer and longer.
@@davidcritchley3509 yes..never remembered that before - Mears was a chilling character - quite capable of torture etc
SUPERB plot. Great interplay between Carter and John!
I like the way the British and French played Cat and Mouse while pretending to be friendly with each other.
In reality, all the other POW nationalities were doing much better at escaping than the British.*
The Dutch arrived later than the British but they got a couple of men succesfully out before the British.
It was only after the British started 'collaborating' with the Dutch that they got their first 'home run.'
* - why?
Poland, France and The Netherlands were all neighbours of Germany.
This had nothing to do with them getting back to their own respective countries but
most of them could speak a few words German convincingly while a few others spoke it fluently.
The moment a British escapee was being asked routine questions in German, he would probably go:
"Eh, what's that, mate?"
@@AudieHolland Also posing as Foreign Workers, the other nationals would instantly have the correct accent! Plus, once they got to their homeland, they could disappear into the population, whereas the British (and later on the Americans) would have to go to either Spain or Switzerland, both with narrow boarders when compared to France....
Great series from the 70s, loved it!
Love the way they sped up the music when the fight started.
Amazing series. Acting and production values are top notch. Major Mohne what a prick! Great acting by Anthony Valentine!
Skoda Octavia Mohne is a real HUN-!!
Even more so concidering he was Jewish!
RIP Anthony Valentine.
"Non of your bawdy British humour" ...the Germans knew us well!
Ja, we will not tolerate the unsightly appearance of British Officers dressed in drag!
As for the Dutch and other nationalities, they look fine.
I remember this as a kid, we had far better TV shows then than the rubbish now, love island ffs, endless games show's send me back to the 70's
13:35, 'none of your bawdy British humor!' Classic!
Well, well, well - so Carter has matured enough that he can now deal with Mohn, when necessary, without getting all emotionally wrought up...
My favorite character is Ulmann. The unfortunate aspect is that the writers have made Ulmann a bit dumber in the second season. They transferred his cunning over to Mohn apperently.
The Germans still haven't figured out the old "start a fight" diversion trick. Should be an automatic red flag by now.
...FOR A LONG TIME, I WAS WONDERING IF ULMANN EVER LAUGHED- THEN I REMEMBERED THE EPISODE WHERE CARRINGTON LANDED BACK IN COLDITZ-(!)
"Ghosts" was always a bad idea, Ullman and Mohn both knew Player by name. Good series though, intense.
The music playing at 25.45 is J'Attendrai, made popular during WW2 by Italian-born singer Rina Ketty.
remember Anthony Valentine's role in Callan & Colditz, but he also appeared a couple of times in 'Minder', as a professional gambler (called Maurice), once as the boss of a team of folk trying to beat the casino, (this was based on the real activities of a guy called Norman Leigh, 'Thirteen Against the Bank') & at least once as a professional card player. An excellent actor....
Great series, compulsive viewing.
Thanks for this, awesome episode......
33:41 man that scene was amazing. It worked so well. It felt like when a teacher sees students cheat obviously during an exam :D great acting on all sites
He knows that something is up, but is also uncertain if the guy playing the flute is a diversion to get him headed in the wrong direction!
@@timengineman2nd714 I also just remembered that the Prisoners did things like this even when there was nothing happening, just to get the guards "chasing shadows"! That way they never would really know if something was really going on!!
Only one problem with Dutch folk dancing.
It exists.
There are only two things in this world I hate:
1. People who are intolerant of other people’s cultures.
2. The DUTCH.
"Two men choosing a more severe environment?" That's the British for you Commandant.
Thank you.
Ulmann is awesome.
He's my favorite German character.
Bill Hiers I have a question for Ulmann: "DO YOU EVER LAUGH?!"
@@daleburrell6273 Ulhman was laughing when he realise Carrington had returned as a Major.
@@johnnysunday402 ...I SEEM TO REMEMBER THAT.
I agree! He does his job, dislikes when the Prisoners do something, but there's always an undercurrent of respect he has for the POWs.....
Brilliant great thanks you more please
F*****G AWESOME TV!!!! BBC WAS THE BEST OF THE BEST AT 70s!!
I JUST ADORE THESE KIND OF SERIES ,EXCEPT "COLDITZ (1972 & 1974)",I ALSO ADORE "SECRET ARMY (1977-9)" AND WHY NOT
"KESSLER (1981)" MINI-SERIES............BBC RULES THE WAVES :)))
So Dick Player escapes in this episode, do they ever mention in the following episodes if he made it back to Britain or not? i watched through to the end and don't think it's ever mentioned.
Poor David Mcallum, such a damn good actor and is so much good stuff, and he ended his career with a load of carp like NCIS, entertainment was so much better back then when writers and audience were so much better educated
great series 👏
And he looks bloody gorgeous in that uniform!
Gill12283 Well, you gotta admit that the Huns had snappy uniforms-!!
@@daleburrell6273 The SS uniforms were designed by a very young Hugo Boss. He insisted on the finest materials and the best quality black leather.
@@ds1868 ...I can believe that-!!
@@ds1868 Its a Luftwaffe uniform Mohn is wearing not SS!
Dad got all worked up when Colditz came on the Telly.
he was my dad too remember
@@kevshearer3245 Yes bro
@@mohammedfrancis - we are brothers from different mothers
@@kevshearer3245 All this time... we never knew
@@mohammedfrancis - thats the spirit mate :-)
I'M SURPRISED THAT IT DIDN'T OCCUR TO THE POW'S TO, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, BRING THE OTHER TWO PRISONERS OUT OF HIDING AND INCLUDE THEM WITH THE REST OF THE POW'S DURING THE APPELS: ONE DAY THERE WOULD THE RIGHT NUMBER...ANOTHER DAY THERE WOULD BE 2 EXTRA POW'S- IT WOULD DRIVE THE HUNS CRAZY- PARTICULARLY SINCE THE HUNS HAVE NO SENSE OF HUMOR!!
Giving the Huns any clue would be a very bad idea. And there is no need to shout, we can hear you.
I have a vague recollection from reading Reach for the Sky about Douglas Bader, that the phantoms were rotated in and out of hiding to keep them looking the same as the other prisoners.
@@markfryer9880 ...NOW THAT YOU MENTIONED IT, DOUGLAS BADER ISN'T REPRESENTED IN THIS SERIES- NOR WAS HE REPRESENTED IN ANY MOVIE ABOUT COLDITZ THAT I HAVE SEEN-(!)
@@markfryer9880 ...I READ THE BOOK YEARS AGO, AND I DON'T RECALL ANY MENTION OF THAT- I'LL HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK!!
@@daleburrell6273 *HOW IS YOUR HEARING PROBLEM*
Whole thing sounded ridicules in that theatre of war due to all the play activity going on, surprised that Gerry hadn’t twigged earlier.
Very clever ploy
Didn’t really enjoy that episode….until the last 20 mins. It then became genius. 👍
Brilliant.
The leniency of the Germans was amazing.
This was the Wehrmacht and not the SS/Gestapo who would not have been lenient. Wehrmacht were on the whole very different to the SS/Gestapo, however they did have some in their ranks who were just as cruel as the SS.
I am surprised that the bars on the windows were hollow
I have a question. How is it that the prisoners uniforms get smarter as time goes on? When they first arrive they didn't have any at all. Then the gradually appear to be wearing the proper kit complete with jacket, tie and cap. Did the Germans hand them out?
Red Cross distributed them. The supply lines got better during the course of the war. They did the same for German POW's in Britain, Canada and later, the USA.
@@raflaughter3474 Thank you. That answers my question without asking.
Bomber pilots flying in number 1 dress jackets Flt Carter, 1st lt Player wearing his officers day jacket with stripes. red cross did dirstribute plain uniforms but Number 1 dress jackets or Day jackets with stripes....
That's something I wondered about as well.!
@@raflaughter3474 Absolute made up nonsense!
According to a man that was a POW:
"As would be expected, our clothes consisted of the items we were wearing when we were shot down and these would obviously not last forever. However, army pattern clothing became available, ration controlled, possibly obtained through Red Cross sources but undoubtedly some was material captured by the Germans in various places. We were able to have British army boots, shirts and wool underclothing and later some American greatcoats and gloves were available and kit. In addition, individual Red Cross parcels provided things like scarves, gloves, woolen hats and underclothing. There was no regularity about this and we had to make them last."
The "Silver Top" at 24.40 is a silent actor and also appeared On The Buses waiting at a Bus Stop.
Seems strange that they didnt even bother using pictures of Colditz in the opening credits. We all know it was part filmed in Stirling Castle but to use Stirling in the opening credits as well seems a bit lazy to me.
They did not have the money to fly out and take pictures of the real castle which in the seventies when this was made was in deep East Germany under soviet control. Pictures of the castle were few and far between for the researchers to find.
Carter was always a tricky ducky......
But end scene Carter loses the little smile when the Major asks. Have lost them?
Humour mate!
16:15 what a fucking brilliant scene.
don't swear please
Horst Mohn (Valentine) plays a Luftwaffe field division officer. This can be seen from the green collar tabs.
Caught a slip in this episode- the 2 Senior officers speak about the library vs theatre where both French and Brits wanted to use🤔
Nice touch of the British Officers NOT wearing cap badges?.
Dear god Valentines screen presence
They make is sound like the Frogs had their escape planned before the Brits had theirs, but the Brits couldn't start on theirs until Colonel Preston talked the Krauts into re-opening the theater. How were the Frogs going to get out without any daytime access to the theater?
They probably had their own tunnel starting from their own quarters into the theatre.
Didn't you see the episode where Ulmann reads the list of illegal items found in the discovered French tunnel?
It included a bar serving wine in bottles stolen from the German officers' mess.
6:53. They got this far in the episode before anyone said anything other than "Dismissed!" in the Appel.
My question is how does a pow obtain a flash light?
If they managed to steal off the guards, how would they get more batteries.... Why was Ulmann extravagantly ignoring the window with the divided lights the escapardos were going through.
You should read the books by Pat Reid. How they did a lot of things is amazing, and some stuff is never fully explained but left to your imagination.
You should rewatch the episode where Ullmann reports what kinds of materials and objects were seized after the guards discovered a French tunnel.
Where is episode 6? I can find only another upload (Randell Luster) that doesn't do full screen well.
Dindin Private I don't know either, I've tried the Internet but nothing, guess its going to have to be the one video you found
A person named “Chippa” has the missing videos on RUclips.
The colditz story 1955 was more
Entertaining with humour added
Not any deadbeats!
that doesn't look like, what a ww2 flash light or torch should look like.
General DeGaulle you know the one with ze big hooter
Carter and Mohn of course!
David Jarvis everyones OTP
Ah this was last episode where's Christopher Neame (Dick Player) acting.
I wondering where he go but stopped acting on this series
Because Coldiz for ALL its acclaim was an Officers game place...Even Douglas Bader was placed there..and he TOLD the medic who was treating him (who was due repatriation) NO...because HE could not go home...
FACT
Did the prisoners get new uniforms send from England? They look too spotless when you think about it.
Good ending
Imagine calling David McCallum an Englishman...😁
The Brits shouldn't be allowed to play headgames with the Hun since the Hun are automatically at a disadvantage.
...THAT'S BECAUSE THE HUNS HAVE NO SENSE OF HUMOR-(!)
lol
I wonder if in reality so many officers wore their ties every day.
Yes, full uniform was expected, with plenty of supplies provided through the Red Cross
In the "Bastogne" episode from the series "Band of Brothers,"
Major Winters is seen trying to shave in the morning, having to break the ice on his shaving water first.
His friend Nix doesn't even try.
But then the Major Winters character was portrayed by Damian Lewis.
A Brit.
Der alt gestracken limies gambit!
Why do the Hun not have an identity card for every single POW? Where is the guard for the substitute Player?
Alles in ordnung!
they are all very well dressed for prisoners of war
Captain darling 😆
Downing
That Comandant is a bit of a Pushover 😁
He was old school and not a nazi, honour was his game
Colditz remind me of a nursing home in Ulverston CumbriaThe guards call themselves nurses but are actually nazi's
I know! In Ireland they have a different name for them
nuns
...They were spoilt by comparison to other ranks P.O.W camps...let alone the Transit camps my Grandfather experienced..
i do think the French look a bit too well dressed. To the extent of still have their Sam Brownes etc
Frogs ?? French ??
The 2005 movies sucked big time.