How a BBC series captured the essence of a French detective through authentic detail
In short: When the BBC adapted Georges Simenon's famous detective for television in 1960, they sought more than just a lead actor. They pursued an obsessive level of French authenticity, from the furniture on set to the very way the lead actor embodied the character, earning the author's ultimate seal of approval.
The 1960 BBC series Maigret, starring Rupert Davies, remains a landmark in television history, largely because it is one of the few productions from that era to have survived in its entirety. While most BBC shows from the 1960s were lost, all 52 episodes of Maigret—excluding the 1959 pilot—remain intact in the BBC archives. This preservation allows modern audiences to experience the show as it was intended, complete with its original black-and-white cinematography and 50-minute runtime.
The production's commitment to realism was driven by set designer Eileen Diss, who spent months sourcing authentic French items, including furniture, posters, and even cigarette packets. Diss believed that even the smallest details, such as a French door-knob visible in a close-up, contributed to the show's atmosphere. This dedication extended to the lead performance; Davies was personally coached by Simenon in Lausanne, where the author famously declared him the 'flesh and bones' of the character. The series was a critical success, with Davies winning a British Academy Television Award for Best Actor in 1962, and Diss receiving an award for Best Design in 1963.
The show's production was a collaborative effort involving ten writers and sixteen directors, with Giles Cooper serving as the most prolific writer. Despite the challenges of studio-based filming, which occasionally required on-location shoots in Paris, the production team navigated unexpected hurdles, such as when costar Ewen Solon broke his leg during a stunt, forcing scripts to be rewritten. The series' legacy continued well after its 1963 conclusion, with Davies reprising his role in a 1969 feature-length adaptation of Maigret Defends Himself. Today, the series is available to new generations through remastered Blu-ray and DVD releases, ensuring that this meticulous recreation of Simenon's world remains accessible.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Maigret (1960 TV series)
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