Adventures of Don Quick, The

1 9 7 0 (UK)
6 x 60 minute episodes

The Adventures of Don Quick was a space-age version of Cervantes’ classic literary satire, Don Quixote, with the anti-hero tilting at alien civilisations instead of windmills.

Astronaut Don Quick (Ian Hendry), a member of the ‘nuts and bolts department’ of the Intergalactic Maintenance Squad, was accompanied in his unwelcome know-best meddling by his faithful companion, Sergeant Sam Czopanser (‘Sancho Panza’, geddit?).

Captain Quick was never happy with his servile role and roamed the universe in his space capsule, seeking out new worlds on which, more likely than not, his aspirations to become the roving ambassador of Earth – combined with his passion for leadership – frequently upset the delicate balance of humanity.

Guests appearing in the six hour-long episodes included Anouska Hempel, Kate O’Mara, Colin Baker, Bryan Mosley, Madeline Smith, Yutte Stensgaard, Margaret Nolan, Arthur Brough, James Hayter and Derek Francis.

The special effects were laudably done for a British 70s space opera (the LWT production team constructed a huge 30-foot spaceship in the studio) but a deficiency of laughs resulted in most ITV regions demoting it from its prime-time slot.

Captain Don Quick
Ian Hendry
Sgt Sam Czopanser
Ronald Lacey

Episodes

The Benefits of Earth | The Higher The Fewer | People Isn’t Everything | The Love Reflector | The Quick and The Dead | Paradise Destruct

Video