Dangerous Lady

Dangerous Lady was a four-part British mini-series TV drama, which aired on ITV and was based on Martina Cole's first published novel of the same name. The series premièred in 1995 and starred Sheila Hancock, Jason Isaacs, Susan Lynch and Owen Teale. Each episode lasted 60 minutes and was a Warner Sisters production for the ITV network.

Plot

The story of a family of West End gangsters of Irish descent in 1960s post-war London, and the secret love affair between Maura, who rises to become one of the leading gangsters of her day, and Terry Patterson, a policeman. The story opens in May 1950, with the birth of Maura Ryan. The plot covers the exploits of the Ryan family up to the mid-1980s, culminating in the death of Michael Ryan and the arrest of Maura. The saga spans 30 years and contains all the elements of a typical mobster family: Protection rackets, sleazy Soho nightclubs, gold bullion heists, violent criminals and bloody and brutal exterminations.

Main cast

• Sheila Hancock as Sarah Ryan
• Jason Isaacs as Michael Ryan
• Susan Lynch as Maura Ryan
• Owen Teale as Terry Patterson
• Cal Macaninch as Geoff Ryan
• James Bowers as Roy Ryan
• Philip Wright as Garry Ryan
• John Thomson as Lee Ryan
• Frank Grimes as Benjamin Ryan
• Caroline Trowbridge as Janine

DVD release

The Dangerous Lady DVD was released 26 July 2005 by the Select O Hits Video studio

2012 stage adaptation

A stage version of Dangerous Lady opened at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, London, her third to be presented at the Royal Stratford, to positive reviews. The play ran from Friday 19 October 2012 - Saturday 17 November 2012.