Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

The story

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.

Cast

A Alec GuinnessGeorge Smiley M Michael JaystonPeter Guillam A Anthony BateSir Oliver Lacon G George SewellMendel B Bernard HeptonToby Esterhase R Robert MacNeilSelf – Host (uncredited) I Ian RichardsonBill Haydon H Hywel BennettRicki Tarr M Michael AldridgePercy Alleline T Terence RigbyRoy Bland I Ian BannenJim Prideaux A Alec SabinFawn

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B Beryl ReidConnie Sachs A Alexander KnoxControl D Duncan JonesRoach D Daniel BeecherSpikely F Frank ComptonBryant F Frank MooreyLauder Strickland J John WellsHeadmaster T Terry PearsonSchoolmaster (uncredited) N Nigel StockRoddy Martindale M Milos KirekBarak E Eugene LipinskiCzech Guard B Brian HawksleyBookseller T Thorley WaltersTufty Thessinger S Susan KodicekIrina H Hilary MinsterBoris P Pauline LettsMrs Pope-Graham S Stephen EarleNorman T Timothy StetsonThe American J Jean RimmerSenior Secretary P Patrick StewartKarla M Marjorie HoganAlisa Brimley J Joe PramlPaul Skordeno W Warren ClarkeAlwyn J John StandingSam Collins M Mandy CuthbertMolly Purcell J Joss AcklandJerry Westerby G Guy StandevenFlemyng-Smith B Betty HardyHeadmaster's Mother J Jo AptedLinda S Siân PhillipsAnn Smiley G George PravdaPolyakov R Reg ThomasonReception (uncredited) M Michael FishSelf (archive footage)