Raffles

Made in the 1970s by Yorkshire Television, this series is set in the latter years of Queen Victoria's reign and revolves around the exploits of A.J. Raffles and Harry 'Bunny' Manders. Written for TV by Philip Mackie, the series is based on the characters created by E.W.Hornung (the brother-in-law of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle). Harry 'Bunny' Manders (Christopher Strauli) had been Raffles' Fag (unpaid personal servant) at public school some ten years earlier and the pair had been out of contact with each other for many years. Bunny had written to Raffles and received an open-invitation from him to visit his rooms at the Albany Apartment Buildings in London's Piccadilly Circus.

The First Step, a synopsis of the first episode, by G J Hayes

A. J. Raffles (Anthony Valentine) now a famous cricketer for England makes his living as a Gentleman Thief. In episode one, The First Step, Bunny arrives at Raffles' rooms one evening at number 3 Albany Apartment Buildings where Raffles and two friends are playing cards, Bunny is invited to join them, but Raffles decides not to play this time. Bunny soon becomes embroiled in a game of Baccarat with Raffles' friends (Alick Carruthers and Tremayne).

Unfortunately and almost inevitably Bunny loses and is obliged to write out cheques to the value of £500. Raffles then implies that Carruthers has been cheating, as he has had an extraordinary run of good luck. After some protestations from Carruthers, Raffles tells Carruthers and Tremayne in no uncertain terms to leave his rooms.

Later that evening, Bunny confesses to Raffles as to his plight and asks for help. Raffles obliges by devising a plan to steal a tiara belonging to the mother of the man to whom Bunny had lost at the game of cards. Raffles would turn the tiara into cash via his fence and save Bunny from certain financial ruin. Bunny realizes that Raffles is not only his cricketing hero, but also an accomplished burglar.

Raffles observes as Bunny and the two men - Alick Carruthers (Jeremy Clyde) and Tremayne (David Fish) play Baccarat, (a game Bunny had played only once before). Carruthers and Tremayne believe that Bunny has ample funds, but unbeknownst to the duo, (and Raffles for that matter) Bunny had lost all his money and is virtually penniless. Bunny and Carruthers were already acquainted, as Maud Carruthers (Susan Skipper), a girl Bunny is rather keen-on, is Carruthers' cousin.

At a little before midnight Bunny also leaves, but about twenty minutes later the dejected man returns to Raffles' rooms. Bunny explains that the cheques he had written earlier to pay for his losses at the card game would not be honoured by the bank and that he fears financial ruin. After the pair discuss the situation, Bunny attempts to leave again, but Raffles challenges him as to his plans, Bunny pulls a gun from his pocket and in a feigned attempt at suicide puts the gun to his head.

Raffles is impressed by Bunny's pluck and determination, but takes away the gun. Raffles himself has no money at present to help the desperate man and proceeds to formulate ideas as to the best way he can help Bunny out of the predicament in which he finds himself. Raffles has to play cricket at Lord's the next day (M.C.C. against the Australians) and asks Bunny if he would like to watch the game. He also tells Bunny to pack and meet him afterwards at St. Pancras [Railway Station] from where they will go to the Hertfordshire countryside, somewhere near Hatfield, for the weekend.

Raffles, with the air of a confident man, tells Bunny he thinks he knows where they can raise the five hundred pounds. Raffles explains to Bunny that they can steal back the money from Alick Carruthers, as he had stolen it from Bunny. The two men shake hands on becoming Partners-in-Crime. Bunny, by now realizing that not only is Raffles a famous England All-Rounder, he is also an accomplished Gentleman Burglar!

Raffles and Bunny arrive at the stately home of Lord Lochmaben (Carruthers' father) as guests for the weekend, where Raffles plans to steal a tiara (belonging to Lady Lochmaben) from the safe. At about 3 am on the first night of their stay, the pair proceed downstairs to carry out the deed. Raffles successfully purloins the tiara and asks Bunny to close the safe door, but complications arise when Maud Carruthers enters the room looking for a book. Maud is shocked to see Bunny at the safe; Maud is also staying at the house and had been woken by Alick returning home drunk and rowdy from a fancy dress party. Maud tells Bunny to put back whatever had been stolen (she believed that Bunny was working alone, as Raffles was hidden from her view) and that she would talk to him the next day, she then leaves to return to her room.

The two men go back upstairs and Raffles puts the tiara in Bunny's sponge bag and heads for Maud's room via Bunny's bedroom window, he gains access to Maud's room in the same manner. After Maud is woken by the noise of Raffles' unorthodox means of entry to her room, he allows her to continue to believe that Bunny was the sole burglar and pretends that he (Raffles) is the one in financial difficulty. He explains to Maud that Bunny had not stolen the tiara for himself, but for altruistic reasons; to help the man now at her bedside! He continues, that if he does not get the money from the sale of the tiara, he will be ruined. Raffles then gives Maud the sponge bag containing the tiara, telling her he will leave it up to her conscience as to what she must do.

The next day, while Raffles is playing a cricket match in the grounds of Lord Lochmaben's mansion, Maud, believing what Raffles had told her the night before, tells Bunny that she knows what he has done, and that she is very proud of him! Bunny is somewhat bemused by this, as he is unaware what Raffles had said to the girl the previous night. Later in the day after the cricket match, Maud and Raffles meet, and Maud asks him to take her to lunch, she also tells Raffles she will give him his "reward" for playing in the cricket match. He knows she really means she will give him the tiara, and they arrange to meet later that evening by the pond, where she does indeed hand over the tiara.

Having arrived back at the Albany, Raffles and Bunny are told by the porter (Victor Brooks), that the police are upstairs; Sergeant Croom had been sent by Inspector MacKenzie of Scotland Yard (who has his suspicions about Raffles, but can never prove anything) to search the men's luggage, but leaves frustrated after finding nothing. Raffles tells Bunny that the policeman had looked everywhere but, in the "right place" and asking Bunny where he thinks that could be, removes his bowler hat to reveal all!

 

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