Line #143 Characters/Callan


1	!! Warning: Administrivia/SpoilersOff applies to this page. Proceed at your own risk.
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3	[[foldercontrol]]
4
5	[[folder:The Section]]
6
7	!!David Callan
8	->'''Played by''': Creator/EdwardWoodward
9	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/david_callan.png]]
10	[[caption-width-right:250:Creator/EdwardWoodward as David Callan]]
11
12	The Section’s top agent, a highly skilled and well trained killer. Despite this, he is constantly wracked with guilt and regret over his actions.
13
14	* BerserkButton: Whatever you do, don’t damage any of his model soldiers.
15	* DaChief: As Hunter.
16	* ExperiencedProtagonist: He's a veteran of the army, has spent time in prison, and despite his best efforts, he is one of the Section’s more long serving agents.
17	* FeelingTheirAge: In “Breakout”, he laments how he has to work to keep up with the younger agents.
18	* GoToAlias: David Tucker. After his death is faked at the start of Series Four, he takes on the identity full-time.
19	* HitmanWithAHeart: He’s one of the most efficient murderers you could ever meet. He’s also probably the most remorseful.
20	* ItsPersonal: Many of his assignments end up becoming this.
21	* {{Omniglot}}: Can speak Russian.
22	* OnlySaneEmployee: Or rather the only humane one, most of the time.
23	* RankUp: He becomes Hunter in Series 4.
24	* ResignationsNotAccepted: He’s too valuable to the Section, to ever be allowed to truly leave.
25	* TakeThisJobAndShoveIt: He repeatedly states this to Hunter. It never works.
26	* TortureIsIneffective: Despite great emotional pain, he’s able to resist interrogation at the hands of the KGB. Well, the second time around, anyway.
27	* {{Wargaming}}: His one passion in life. Making model soldiers is one of the things that helps him keep his sanity whilst imprisoned by the KGB. By the time of the ReunionShow, he runs a store selling military memorabilia.
28
29
30	!!Hunter
31	->'''Played by''': Ronald Radd, Michael Goodliffe, Derek Bond, William Squire, Eric Porter, and Hugh Walters
32	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hunter_collage.png]]
33	[[caption-width-right:250:The main Hunters: Ronald Radd, Michael Goodliffe, Derek Bond and William Squire]]
34
35	The cunning, ruthless head of the Section, a rank held by numerous characters across the series.
36
37	* {{Codename}}: All the Hunters use the codename Charlie. The original is also referred to as Colonel Hunter.
38	* DaChief
39	* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Only three of the Hunters ever have their real names revealed: The original, Colonel Leslie (Ronald Radd), the third, John Ramsey (Derek Bond), and of course Callan himself when he takes the job.
40	* GoodIsNotNice: They’re technically fighting for the safety of the realm, that doesn’t necessarily mean they have high moral standards.
41	* IDidWhatIHadToDo: They firmly believe that the ends justify the means.
42	* LegacyCharacter: Hunter is a job title, passed along to whoever’s holding the position at the time.
43	* ManipulativeBastard: Most of the Hunters are this. Colonel Leslie, in particular is a nasty piece of work, to the point where even his own successor is appalled by his callousness.
44	* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: John Ramsey, at least in comparison to his predecessors.
45	* YoungerThanTheyLook: Ronald Radd was in his late 30s when playing Hunter, yet to look at him, you’d think he was 50.
46
47	!!Toby Meres
48	->'''Played by''': Peter Bowles, Anthony Valentine, and Peter Egan
49	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/meres.png]]
50	[[caption-width-right:250:Anthony Valentine as Toby Meres]]
51
52	A top Section agent, sadistic and calculating.
53
54	* AffablyEvil: Not exactly evil, but nasty nonetheless.
55	* FireForgedFriends: Well, they’re not really friends, but close enough. Callan and Meres initially hate each other, but over time gain a grudging respect for the other’s skills, and eventually form a productive, if often tense relationship. They sometimes have a genuine camaraderie, and even ultimately end up on a first name basis.
56	* TheOtherDarrin: Played by:
57	** Peter Bowles in “A Magnum for Schneider”
58	** Anthony Valentine in the series
59	** Peter Egan in the 1974 film
60	* PutOnABus: Departs for Washington between Series 2 and 3. [[Main/TheBusCameBack He later returns]] in Series 4.
61	* {{Sadist}}: And how!
62
63
64	!!James Cross
65	->'''Played by''': Creator/PatrickMower
66	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cross_93.png]]
67	[[caption-width-right:250:Patrick Mower as James Cross]]
68
69	Meres’ replacement in the Section. Every bit as ruthless, and twice as intense.
70
71	* ClearMyName: In “Suddenly - At Home”, Cross reluctantly asks Callan to help prove his innocence, after a woman is killed with bullets matching his own.
72	* FurAndLoathing: In Series 4, he is frequently seen wearing a beige fur coat.
73	* HotBloodedSideburns: Sports a pretty epic pair in Series 4.
74	* KilledOffForReal: Shot to death, in “If He Can, So Could I”. Callan does not take it well.
75	* OfficeRomance: He briefly dates Liz in Series 3. It does not end well.
76	* TheRival: He blatantly wants to usurp Callan as the Section’s top agent.
77	* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: For Toby Meres. Both are well-dressed, dark haired young, smug, and incredibly ruthless. Meres, however is more competitive, angrier, and prone to wearing louder clothes, at least in Series 4.
78
79	!!Dr. Snell
80	->'''Played by''': Clifford Rose
81	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/snell.png]]
82	[[caption-width-right:250:Clifford Rose as Dr. Snell]]
83
84	The Section’s resident sadistic shrink. He’s in charge of psychologically assessing all the agents, and interrogating prisoners.
85
86	* TheShrink: A particularly nasty example.
87	* TortureTechnician: And a highly efficient one at that.
88
89	!!Liz
90	->'''Played by''': Judy Champ, Lisa Langdon, Veronica Lang and Felicity Harrison
91	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/liz_11.png]]
92	[[caption-width-right:250:Lisa Langdon as Liz]]
93
94	Hunter’s dedicated and highly efficient secretary.
95
96	* BewareTheQuietOnes: In “A Village Called G”, she seeks to kill a German war criminal, responsible for the deaths of her family. She’s incapacitated before she can carry it out however.
97	* ADayInTheLimelight: Series 3’s “A Village Called G”, although she doesn’t get much screen time.
98	* FakeNationality: She’s Polish, raised in England, and played by a Swedish actress.
99	* MarriedToTheJob: Rescued as a child in Poland, she has no living family or friends, with no real life outside the Section. She’s utterly dedicated to her position, as a result.
100	* NoNameGiven: Early episodes credit her simply as "Hunter's Secretary".
101	* OfficeRomance: She briefly dated James Cross. She also pretends to be sleeping with Callan in Series 4, to help him cover up the concealment of Lonely in his flat.
102	* {{Omniglot}}: Is fluent in Polish, Russian, German and English.
103	* OnlyOneName: Almost always just Liz. “If He Can, So Could I” reveals her surname as March, after her adoptive parents.
104	* TheOtherDarrin: Played by:
105	** Judy Champ in “A Magnum for Schneider” (voice only)
106	** Lisa Langdon in the series
107	** Veronica Lang in the 1974 film
108	** Felicity Harrison in “Wet Job”, the 1981 reunion special
109	* TheStoic
110	* TragicBackstory: In 1944, her home village in Poland was wiped out by the Germans. She was the sole survivor, her parents and three brothers killed alongside the whole village. She was only three at the time. She was rescued by looters, and passed through various refugee camps for almost a decade, before being adopted by an English couple. They were later killed in a hit-and-run just prior to her joining the Section.
111
112	[[/folder]]
113
114	[[folder:Others]]
115
116	!!Lonely
117	->'''Played By''': Russell Hunter
118	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lonely.png]]
119	[[caption-width-right:250:Russell Hunter as Lonely]]
120
121	A meek, cowardly member of the criminal underworld, who does odd jobs for Callan, usually acting as a fence or burglar.
122
123	* BlatantBurglar
124	* CowardlySidekick: To Callan.
125	* FakeBrit: He’s a cockney played by a Scot.
126	* IncrediblyObviousTail: Surprisingly averted. He’s quite good at following people, unnoticed.
127	* LovableCoward
128	* SignatureScent: He has a condition, which causes him to “pong” when he’s nervous. It’s why he’s called “Lonely”. It makes him quite easy to identify. One character was able to deduce his recent presence, simply by the distinctive lingering odour.
129	* TheWoobie
130
131	!!Bishop
132	->'''Played By''': Geoffrey Chater
133	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bishop_2.png]]
134	[[caption-width-right:250:Geoffrey Chater as Bishop]]
135
136	A refined, duplicitous civil servant, who serves as Hunter’s superior.
137
138	* OnlyOneName: He’s usually only referred to as Mr. Bishop. His white file in “First Refusal” gives his full name as Charles St. John Bishop.
139
140	!!Richmond
141	->'''Played By''': T.P. [=McKenna=]
142	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/richmond.png]]
143	[[caption-width-right:250:T.P. [=McKenna=] as Richmond]]
144
145	A top Soviet agent, who claims he wants to defect.
146
147	* BigBad: In Series 4.
148	* MercyKill: He begs Callan to kill him, to spare him being handed over to Snell.
149	* MirrorCharacter: To Callan. They’re both highly skilled, yet tired of their profession, and want to get out. Or so he claims…
150	* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: [=McKenna=] uses his own accent for the role. Since Richmond spent many years in Dublin, it's justified.
151	* SpecsOfAwesome: He’s a badass spy, and wears horn rimmed glasses.
152

Context Characters / Callan