Rumpole of the Bailey Rumpole of the Bailey Rumpole of the Bailey is a British television series created and written by the British writer and barrister John Mortimer. It starred Leo McKern as Horace Rumpole, an elderly London barrister who defended a broad variety of clients, often underdogs. The TV series led to the stories being presented in other media including books and radio. The "Bailey" of the title is a reference to the Central Criminal Court, the "Old Bailey". While certain biographical details are slightly different in the original television series and the subsequent book series, Horace Rumpole has a number of definite
Rumpole of the Bailey him at rehearsal. Cast as Hilda was Joyce Heron, who played the character as a much tougher individual than that later seen in the eventual series. Aside from Rumpole and his family, no other characters who would eventually be series regulars were seen in the "Play For Today" production of "Rumpole of the Bailey"—with the possible exception of a fellow lawyer named George, who could be an early version of eventual series character George Frobisher. (Note that in the series, George Frobisher was played in a very different style by a different actor). "Rumpole of the Bailey" made its television