The Blue Peter

Kieron Moore - Mike Merriworth
Sarah Lawson - Gwyneth Thomas
Greta Gynt - Mary Griffin
Mervyn Johns - Captain Snow
Harry Fowler - Charlie Barton
John Charlesworth - Andrew Griffin
Anthony Newley - Fred Starling
Brian Roper - Tony Mullins
Edwin Richfield - Number One
Ram Gopal - Dr. Tigara
Russell Napier - Raymond Curtis
Mary Kerridge - Mrs. Snow
Don McCorkindale - Tubby

Filmed in fine Eastman Colour by Group 3, warm adventure romp The Blue Peter was co-written by director Don Sharp and directed by the equally talented Wolf Rilla. The film achieves its aims best during its striking Welsh exteriors and adventurous set-pieces involving the young cast, therein we see the productive results of Moore's tough but compassionate training methods.

Disoriented and discontented Merchant Navy officer Mike Merriworth (Kieron Moore), dubbed ‘Last Man Mike’ by the media, returns to England after years imprisoned as a Korean PoW. With a view to accepting a Malayan venture, Merriworth accepts a task to spend a few weeks as a physical trainer at an outward bound sea school in Aberdovey headed by Captain Snow (Mervyn Johns), also on his trail is journalist Mary Griffin (Greta Gynt) hunting for a story. In helping these disparate kids from different social backgrounds to find a niche in society, Merriworth helps himself to find direction and contentment in his own life. Of the boys, Charlie Barton (Harry Fowler) is a confident Cockney with leadership skills, Fred Starling (Anthony Newley ) is an angry working-class teenager from a boy’s home and Andrew Griffin (John Charlesworth) is struggling with the demands of being expected to follow in his deceased fathers footsteps and join the RAF.