Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (TV series)

"[on his enforced retirement from the Secret Service] Reason as motive, or reason as logic, or reason as a way of life? They don't have to give me reasons—I can write my own damn reasons, and that is not the same as the half-baked tolerance that comes from no longer caring!"

"[to Peter Guillam] I'm surprised they didn't throw you out with the rest of us. You had all the qualifications for losing your job: good at your work, loyal, discreet..."

"[responding to a rumor about the Circus's deceased chief] Control died of a heart attack, after a long illness, throughout most of which he continued to work. Besides he hated South Africa. He hated everywhere except Surrey, the Circus, and Lord's Cricket Ground."

"You featherhead, Martindale! You pompous, bogus, gossiping old featherhead!"

"Roy Bland is not "red brick." He was at St Antony's College, Oxford."

"As a good socialist, I'm going where the money is, and as a good capitalist, I'm sticking with the revolution, because if you can't beat it spy on it."

"Don't look like that, George; it's the name of the game these days—you scratch my conscience, I'll drive your Jag."

"Alec Guiness - George Smiley"

"Michael Jayston - Peter Guillam"

"Ian Bannen - Jim Prideaux"

"Hywel Bennett - Ricki Tarr"

"Michael Aldridge - Percy Alleline"

"Ian Richardson - Bill Haydon"

"Terence Rigby - Roy Bland"

"Bernard Hepton - Toby Esterhase"

"Anthony Bate - Oliver Lacon"

"Beryl Reid - Connie Sachs"

"Alexander Knox - Control"

"Sian Phillips - Ann Smiley"

"Patrick Stewart - Karla"