Taggart "Taggart" was one of the UK's longest-running television dramas and the longest-running police drama after the cancellation of "The Bill". Mark McManus, who played the title character Jim Taggart, died in 1994; however, the series continued under the same name. The series theme music is "No Mean City" sung by Maggie Bell. The Scottish BAFTA-winning pilot episode, "Killer", directed by Laurence Moody and broadcast in 1983, introduced the character Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Jim Taggart (played by Mark McManus until his death in 1994), a tough and experienced detective who had worked his way up through the ranks. His original
Jim Taggart slightly sentimental man within. The character's common statement of "There's been a murder!" has been the subject of parody in Scottish comedy. In Taggart "Cold Blood" in 1987 Jim and Jean celebrated their silver wedding anniversary, indicating that they married sometime in 1961. He died on 17 September 1994, as shown on his coffin in "Black Orchid" in February 1995. This episode followed a series of shootings, which Tony Sabina, a hypnotist had hired someone to shoot people dead. Jim is widely remembered throughout the world of detective drama. Character profile on 'IMDb' Jim Taggart "See also: James Taggart (disambiguation)"