Van der Valk
| Van der Valk | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Created by | Nicolas Freeling |
| Starring | Barry Foster |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of series | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 32 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 minutes (1972–1973, 1977) 120 minutes (1991–1992) (including adverts) |
| Production company(s) |
Thames Television Euston Films |
| Distributor | FremantleMedia |
| Release | |
| Original network | ITV |
| Picture format | 4:3 |
| Original release | 13 September 1972 – 19 February 1992 |
Van der Valk is a British television series that was produced by Thames Television for the ITV network. It starred Barry Foster in the title role as Dutch detective Commissaris "Piet" (real name Simon) van der Valk. Based on the characters and atmosphere (but not the plots) of the novels of Nicolas Freeling, the first series was shown in 1972.
The stories are mostly based in and around Amsterdam, where Commissaris van der Valk is a cynical yet intuitive detective. Drugs, sex and murder are among the gritty themes of the casework, contrasted against picturesque Amsterdam locations.
Van der Valk also contrasts with his naïve assistant, Inspecteur Johnny Kroon, played by Michael Latimer, and his superior, Hoofd-commissaris Samson, who deals with the political fallout of the cases. (Samson was played by three different actors over the course of the show: Martin Wyldeck for 2 episodes in 1972, for 12 episodes in 1977, and lastly Ronald Hines for the revival in 1991-92.) Van der Valk's French wife Arlette was played by three different actresses over the course of the show's twenty-year run, initially by Susan Travers, Joanna Dunham for the third series, and finally Meg Davies for the 1991-92 revival. Other notable actors in the series included Alan Haines who played Brig Mertens, and Richard Huw who played Van Der Valk's son Wim, also a Police Detective, in the revival.
The first series, of six episodes, ran in the United Kingdom in September and October 1972, and the second series, of seven episodes, ran likewise in 1973. Both were recorded on 2" Ampex quadruplex videotape at Thames studios in London, with location scenes shot in Amsterdam on more expensive 16mm film.
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