Out (TV series)


Out is a British television crime drama written by Trevor Preston and directed by Jim Goddard. It was produced by Thames Television in 1978 and starred Tom Bell as Frank Ross. It was hugely popular at the time of its release with an average audience of 10 million viewers. The series ran 1 season, with Bell declining to make a sequel.

Plot summary

Frank Ross returns from an eight-year prison sentence for a robbery that was thwarted because somebody 'grassed' the gang. Nobody knows who put the finger on him, but Ross is determined to find out and seeks revenge on those who betrayed him. Whilst inside, his wife has gone into a home and his son is going off the rails. Little by little, Ross pieces together the trail that leads to a dramatic conclusion.

Cast

The gang included John Junkin, Frank Mills, Oscar James and Peter Blake. Other notable actors included Norman Rodway, Brian Croucher, Andrew Paul as his son Paul Ross with Linda Robson as Paul's girlfriend Mo, Brian Cox, Derrick O'Connor and Bryan Marshall.

Cultural impact

In the weeks prior to its broadcast on Monday evenings, brief clips of the programme were shown to arouse viewer interest in which a character provided only the cryptic information that 'Frank Ross is OUT'. Also, around the time of the series, a lot of graffiti saying, "Frank Ross is innocent" appeared around London, an apparent parody of the "George Davis is innocent" campaign slogans still visible on walls at the time. When a rail strike disrupted many people's plans to make it home in time for the final episode, "who grassed Frank Ross?" could be seen scrawled across blackboards at Euston station.

Awards

Tom Bell was nominated for Best Television Actor BAFTA, whilst Ralph Sheldon won for Television Craft/Film Editor, in 1979.