Z-Cars been running for seven years but which some considered 'cosy'. The one character present throughout the entire run (though not in every episode) was Bert Lynch, played by James Ellis (though John Phillips as Det. Chief Supt. Robins would reappear sporadically during the show's run – by the end of the series he had become Chief Constable). Other characters in the early days were Stratford Johns (Inspector Barlow), Frank Windsor (Det. Sgt Watt), Robert Keegan (Sgt Blackitt), Joseph Brady (PC "Jock" Weir) and Brian Blessed ("Fancy" Smith). Also in 1960s episodes as David Graham was Colin Welland, later a screenwriter.
Paul Smith (American actor, born 1929) mentioned that Smith was divorced and had custody of his 11-year-old son Neil with whom he was sharing a small apartment in the San Fernando Valley. Paul Smith's credits have been frequently commingled with those of two other American performers — cowboy musician Paul "Clem" Smith who made unbilled appearances in seven western films between 1946 and 1948, and a later actor (1960s to 1990s) whose name appeared on many occasions in credit listings as Paul Smith — as well as with credits of the 1980s and early 1990s actor (born 1968) who, during his teens and early twenties, while