Series · Drama, Mystery, War & Politics
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979)
One of Britain's master spies is working for the enemy. Can George Smiley beat him at his deadly game?
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a seven-part BBC2 spy drama written by Arthur Hopcraft, adapted from John le Carré's eponymous 1974 novel. The serial, which stars Alec Guinness, Alexander Knox, Ian Richardson, Michael Jayston, Bernard Hepton, Anthony Bate, Ian Bannen, George Sewell and Michael Aldridge, was broadcast from 10 September to 22 October 1979. George Smiley, the ageing master spy of the Cold War and once heir-apparent to Control, is brought back out of retirement to flush out a top level mole within the Circus. Smiley must travel back through his life and murky workings of the Circus to unravel the net spun by his nemesis Karla 'The Sandman' of the KGB and reveal the identity of the mole before he disappears.
- Creator
- John Irvin, John le Carré
- Writers
- Arthur Hopcraft, Betty Willingale, John le Carré
- Network
- BBC Two
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- First aired
- September 10, 1979
- Status
- Ended
Cast
Alec GuinnessGeorge Smiley
Michael JaystonPeter Guillam
Anthony BateSir Oliver Lacon
George SewellMendel
Bernard HeptonToby Esterhase
Robert MacNeilSelf – Host (uncredited)
Ian RichardsonBill Haydon
Hywel BennettRicki Tarr
Michael AldridgePercy Alleline
Terence RigbyRoy Bland
Ian BannenJim Prideaux- Alec SabinFawn
Beryl ReidConnie Sachs
Alexander KnoxControl- Duncan JonesRoach
- Daniel BeecherSpikely
- Frank ComptonBryant
Frank MooreyLauder Strickland- John WellsHeadmaster
- Terry PearsonSchoolmaster (uncredited)
Episodes
0/7 watched- Episode 1: Return to the Circus50 min · Sep 10, 1979
- Episode 2: Tarr Tells His Story49 min · Sep 17, 1979
- Episode 3: Smiley Tracks the Mole47 min · Sep 24, 1979
- Episode 4: How It All Fits Together43 min · Oct 1, 1979
- Episode 5: Tinker Tailor45 min · Oct 8, 1979
- Episode 6: Smiley Sets a Trap41 min · Oct 15, 1979
- Episode 7: Flushing Out the Mole43 min · Oct 22, 1979
