Quick Before They Catch Us facts for kids

Quick Before They Catch Us was an exciting action and adventure children's television series from 1966 in the United Kingdom. It starred young actors Pamela Franklin, Teddy Green, and David Griffin. They played three teenagers who became amateur detectives in Swinging London during the mid-1960s. Even though the show was short, all three actors had successful careers in TV in both the UK and the US. The show's theme song, "Quick Before They Catch Us," became a popular tune. It was written and performed by the group Paddy, Klaus and Gibson.

Meet the Teen Detectives: The Show's Story

This TV series followed the adventures of three London teenagers: Kate, Johnny Martin, and Mark Dennison. They used their special skills to solve crimes in their neighborhood.

Kate: The Artist with a Memory

• Kate (played by Pamela Franklin) was the youngest of the group.
• She had an amazing photographic memory, meaning she could remember things perfectly.
• Kate was also a talented artist, often working as a sketch artist to draw suspects.
• She usually helped by following people they suspected.

Johnny Martin: The Tech Whiz

• Johnny Martin (played by Teddy Green) was a student who loved technology.
• He worked part-time at a garage.
• Johnny was great at building cool gadgets, like surveillance equipment.
• He could even make a working walkie-talkie from random wires and parts!

Mark Dennison: The Brainy Photographer

• Mark Dennison (played by David Griffin) was often called the "brains" of the group.
• He was super intelligent and loved to read, knowing a lot about many topics.
• Mark was also a skilled photographer, just like his famous photographer dad.
• His photos often helped them solve mysteries.

Their First Case: Spying in the Attic

The first adventure started when Kate, who worked part-time at a café, was approached by some suspicious men. They wanted to rent her attic room. At first, they offered money, but then they scared her until she agreed. Kate became friends with Johnny and Mark. With their help, she discovered that her new tenants were using a camera obscura in the attic. They were using it to spy on and blackmail other people living nearby.

More Exciting Adventures

• "Mark Of Distinction": Mark stopped a purse snatcher. This led the friends to uncover a plan to steal a valuable stamp collection.
• Vacation Mystery: While on vacation by the southern coast of England, Mark took a strange photo. This picture pulled the three friends into a mystery involving the navy.
• The Band and the Art Fraud: In their last adventure, the friends started a band. While performing at the opening of the "Big A" nightclub, they found out someone was planning to steal a painting as part of an art fraud scheme.

How the Show Was Made

In the summer of 1966, BBC Television needed a new show to air while Dixon of Dock Green was taking a break. They hired five writers to create an action series for kids and teenagers.

The Creative Team

• The writers were N. J. Crisp, George F. Kerr, Jack Trevor Story, Margot Bennett, and John Gray.
• Each writer created one story that was split into four episodes.
• The first story was written by N. J. Crisp, who had written many TV plays before.
• The directors included Richard Martin, Derek Martinus, Morris Barry, and Paddy Russell. All of them also directed episodes for the famous show Doctor Who.
• Barry Newbery, Peter Kindred, and Oliver Bayldon were the set designers.

Characters in the Series

• Kate (Pamela Franklin) - A fun-loving teenager with unique style. She works at a café and dreams of going to art school.
• Johnny Martin (Teddy Green) - A smart technology student who works at a garage. He's amazing with electronics and can build almost anything.
• Mark Dennison (David Griffin) - The very intelligent son of a photographer. He plans to be a photographer too and knows a lot about many subjects. He's the "brains" of the group.
• Don (Colin Bell) - Another character in the series.

Episode Guide

The show had one season with 20 episodes. Each story was told over four episodes.