PHOTO SPECIAL: Behind the Scenes on Department S and Jason King

The first five photographs were taken at the Incorporated Television Company’s (ITC) London offices in Cumberland Place in 1969, where a launch party hosted by Sir Lew Grade was held for Department S.

The first three shots show Peter talking with ITC executives and members of the British press. The final two pictures in this group are the earliest promotional photos of the main stars of the series.

Above Left (clockwise): Peter, Joel Fabiani (Stewart Sullivan), Rosemary Nicols (Annabelle Hurst) and Dennis Alaba Peters (Sir Curtis Seretse). Above Right: Peter with Rosemary Nicols.

Above: ‘The Man From X’ – One of the first episodes to be shot.

Above Left & Right: On the set of the episode, ‘Who Played the Dummy?’

The photograph to the right shows Peter and Joel enjoying a joke during a break on location.

This snap was obviously taken during a rehearsal period, as both actors can be seen wearing “civvies” – not the smart suits they are both known for.

Above: Shooting a scene for the Department S episode, ‘The Man From X’.

The four photographs here, and the colour shot directly above them to the right show Jason King attempting to free his colleague, Stewart Sullivan, from his bonds at the wheel of a remote-controlled car. Peter can be seen carrying out the stunt in front of a blue screen. The scene itself is from, ‘Who Played the Dummy?’

Above: Peter and his beloved dog, Yussef, in his dressing room at Elstree Studios during a break in filming.

Above Left: With Barbara Murray and director, Ray Austin during the filming of ‘Dead Men Die Twice’. Above Right: Peter, Joel and Rosemary on set.

Above Left: Filming a scene featuring Jason King (Peter is seated and wearing headphones) for the episode, ‘Ticket To Nowhere’. Above Right: Peter and Joel sharing a scene.

Above: Peter discusses a scene in ‘Ticket To Nowhere’ with director, John Gilling.

Above Left: Peter enjoying a cup of tea and a cigarette during a break on location. The episode is, ‘A Cellar Full of Silence’. Above Right: Peter talking shop with director, John Gilling, during a break in filming, ‘The Double Death of Charlie Crippen’.

Above: Peter with director, Cyril Frankel

Above Left: A rare on location shot of all 4 Department S regulars. Behind car (L-R): Joel Fabiani and Peter. In front of car (L-R): Dennis Alaba Peters and Rosemary Nicols. Above Right: Again on location – a scene from, ‘The Pied Piper of Hambledown’. Joel, Rosemary and Peter with director, Roy Ward Baker.

Above: Peter enjoying a moment on location during filming of, ‘The Mysterious Man In The Flying Machine’

Above: Filming a scene using blue screen.

Above Left: Peter enjoying a break with guest stars on ‘Jason King’. Right: With Clifford Evans (as Colonel Cordoba) during a break on ‘A Kiss For A Beautiful Killer’

Above Left: With a young co-star during a break in, ‘Every Picture Tells A Story’. Centre: Peter in make-up and, Right: On the backlot at Elstree Studios with (Bond villain) Milton Reid (as Janis) during a break filming the episode, ‘To Russia With… Panache’.