Planet Gazzypops - A Shrine to Terence Alexander / Charlie Hungerford
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With his husky Yorkshire burr and incomporable eye-brows, Terence Alexander steals many a scene in Bergerac. Indeed, it is a tribute to John Nettles' acting ability that the show wasn't called Hungerford. Anyway, here is a brief tribute to the great man.
Still mesmorizing, even in sepia
This photo was given to me by none other than... Ralph Covino (see Friends page). I think this was acquired from some such website as e-bay - proof that the man is still very much a crowd-puller even in this modern age.
CHARLIE'S WHODUNNIT
Charlie Hungerford seems incable of having a decriminalized friendship. Apart from rumours (that I cannot currently substantiate) of his wartime role as a Nazi collaborator, Charlie is pretty much above board. However, almost everybody else in his life isn't. Apart from having an ex-alcoholic ex-son-in-law who couldn't catch a cold, let alone a criminal, and a daughter who puts prostitutes to shame, Hungerford appears to mix with trouble in every episode. Here are some examples.
[1]  The Scottish stand-up comic, Andy Galbraith (who is eventually convicted of rape) is a close personal friend of Charlie Hungerford. (Ep 2.2 Always Leave Them Laughing)

[2]  The crooked and fat Eugene Field is another close personal friend of Charlie's who is the wrong side of the law, this time involved in drugs. (Ep 2.3
Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie)

[3]  From the
Episode Guide: "A Portuguese handglider hired by Charles Hungerford for a TV commercial sails around a deserted cliff face amd is later found dead, apparently murdered." Nuff said. (Ep 2.6 Fall of a Birdman)

[4]  Tony Morel is accused of (and eventually confesses to) the brutal murder of his wife. Whilst the police conduct their enquiries it is only natural that he should stay with his close personal friend, Charlie Hungerford, until he is found unequivocably guilty. (Ep 3.3
Holiday Snaps)

[5]  Charlie attempts to build a domed beach resort with the assistance of some Arab business associates, business associates intent on killing people. (Ep 3.6
A Touch of Eastern Promise)

[6]  The wife of one of Charlie's friends turns out to be behind a burgling racket, although, on this occasion, he is one of the victims. Ep 3.8
The Comapny You Keep)

[7]  The MP with whom Charlie is close personal friends turns out to be a crooked little bastard who is using a maverick soldier as a means of knocking off a polticial problem without being implicated himself. (Ep 4.9
Avenge, O Lord)

[8]  Land for Charlie's leisure complex turns out to be the cause of quite a lot of murder including an attempt on Jim's bit of fluff herself by a deranged Irish builder. (EP 5.4
A Desirable Little Residence)

[9]  The head of S.P.A.R.T.A., a fascist organization who try to bump off Jim and Philippa Vale turns out to be a close personal friend of Charlie. (Ep 5.6
S.P.A.R.T.A.)

[10]  Charlie actually inflicts the murder weapon onto the victim, albeit in the context of innocently handing him a poisoned drink. (Ep 5.8
Poison)

[11]  A former Nazi, being hunted by a Jewish hunter for his crimes, turns out to be a close personal friend of Charlie. No doubt dating back to his days as a collaborator. (Ep 6.5
The Sin of Forgiveness)

[12]  Charlie finds the body of an adulterer on the golf course. Or did he know it was there all along????(Ep 7.4
The Other Woman)

[13]  The one where someone is actually murdered in Charlie's study and he still isn't arrested. (Ep 8.5
Entente Cordiale)

[14]  Charlie gets Jim involved in looking after a house in Provence. A house that is then just so happens to be the focus of a drugs operation. Funny that! (Ep 9.3
Snow in Provence)

[15]  Finally, after 81 episodes, the writers of
Bergerac admit in the title of the episode that Charlie is the link to all their villains. This time, it's the ex-X-Wing pilot who's both the close personal friend and the drug dealer/extortionist. (Ep 9.5 My Friend Charlie)
Yes, Charles Hungerford was also a thieving gypsy, as demonstrated below in a rare photo of him nicking Jim's wheels in order to get in the pants of another impressionable widow.
I can take you as far as my mansion, miss....
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