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Shoestring

  • TV Series
  • 1979–19801979–1980
  • 50m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
399
YOUR RATING
Trevor Eve in Shoestring (1979)
Drama
Lighthearted detective series set in the West Country, about Eddie Shoestring, a radio-phone-in detectiveLighthearted detective series set in the West Country, about Eddie Shoestring, a radio-phone-in detectiveLighthearted detective series set in the West Country, about Eddie Shoestring, a radio-phone-in detective
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
399
YOUR RATING
    • Robert Banks Stewart
    • Richard Harris
  • Stars
    • Trevor Eve
    • Michael Medwin
    • Doran Godwin
    • Robert Banks Stewart
    • Richard Harris
  • Stars
    • Trevor Eve
    • Michael Medwin
    • Doran Godwin
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 12User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 3 BAFTA Awards

    Episodes21

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated

    Photos132

    Nula Conwell and Trevor Eve in Shoestring (1979)
    Trevor Eve and Doran Godwin in Shoestring (1979)
    Michael Elphick, Trevor Eve, and Celia Imrie in Shoestring (1979)
    Trevor Eve and Hilary Ryan in Shoestring (1979)
    Trevor Eve in Shoestring (1979)
    Diana Dors and Trevor Eve in Shoestring (1979)
    Trevor Eve in Shoestring (1979)
    Trevor Eve and Julian Littman in Shoestring (1979)
    Trevor Eve and Julian Littman in Shoestring (1979)
    Trevor Eve in Shoestring (1979)
    Trevor Eve in Shoestring (1979)
    Trevor Eve and Julian Littman in Shoestring (1979)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Trevor Eve
    Trevor Eve
    • Eddie Shoestring
    Michael Medwin
    Michael Medwin
    • Don Satchley
    Doran Godwin
    Doran Godwin
    • Erica Bayliss
    Liz Crowther
    • Sonia
    Colin Maitland
    Colin Maitland
    • Sound Engineer…
    Jeanna L'Esty
    • Liz
    Julian Littman
    • Vincent Dinsdale…
    Stewart Bevan
    Stewart Bevan
    • DJ…
    John Vine
    • Disc Jockey…
    John Cannon
    • Man in Betting Shop…
    Alan David
    Alan David
    • Dr. Ben Fischer
    Peter Dean
    • Jack…
    Andy Bradford
    Andy Bradford
    • Phil…
    Geoffrey Bateman
    Geoffrey Bateman
    • DJ…
    Nicholas Donnelly
    • Insp Adams…
    Pippa Sparkes
    • Phone-in Girl
    Sheila Dunn
    • Carol…
    Harry H. Corbett
    Harry H. Corbett
    • Tom
      • Robert Banks Stewart
      • Richard Harris
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The radio station was called Radio West. In 1981, shortly after the series had finished, a real-life radio station of the same name was launched in Bristol. It used a picture of Trevor Eve as Eddie Shoestring in the publicity information announcing its launch. The real-life Radio West was not very successful, but merged in 1985 with Wiltshire Radio to form the station "GWR". GWR became very successful, and has now grown into a large company whose portfolio includes stations such as CLASSIC FM
    • Connections
      Featured in The Cult of...: Shoestring (2008)

    User reviews12

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    The Private Eye Who Became A Private Ear
    'Shoestring' is, in my view, the finest detective series the B.B.C. has ever made. The same production team were responsible for the later ( and vastly inferior ) 'Bergerac', but it had something the Jersey-based show lacked - Trevor Eve. In his pyjama jacket, Beatles-styled mop ( Eve had once played Paul McCartney on stage ) and sporting a fashionable moustache, the character could easily have crossed the line into parody ( he also had a habit of sketching the people he met in the course of cases ), but Eve made Eddie warm and believable.

    Shoestring was originally a computer programmer who'd lost his job as the result of a nervous breakdown. His landlady, Erica Bayliss, worked in the police archives, and was a big help to him as she had access to confidential files. After a case involving a dead prostitute, Eddie was offered his own show by Radio West. Nowhere was Eve's acting ability more impressive than the scene in the second episode where Eddie suffers a fit of nerves whilst on air for the first time. Admittedly, his cases were small beer by comparison with U.S. detectives such as 'Philip Marlowe' - religious cults, fake antiques dealers, punk rockers and dangerous Christmas toys - but the scripts were good and the cast performed them excellently. Special mention must go to George Fenton for his wonderful music, and Sid Sutton for his titles.

    'Shoestring' was a big hit ( Cary Grant was reputedly a fan ), even though its second season clashed with 'The Professionals' on I.T.V., and should have run for five years at least. But it was not to be. Fearing typecasting, Trevor Eve quit after two. Due to complicated music rights issues, we are unlikely to see 'Shoestring' on D.V.D. for the foreseeable future. A great shame.
    helpful•8
    0
    • ShadeGrenade
    • Oct 3, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 30, 1979 (United Kingdom)
      • United Kingdom
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Brent Cross Shopping Centre, Hendon, London, England, UK
    • Production company
      • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 50 minutes
      • Color
      • Mono

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