This Yorkshire Television documentary was made just after Lord Joe Kagan, who was 64 at the time, was convicted of theft and false accounting, but prior to his sentencing on 15th December 1980.  The documentary consists mainly of interviews with many of those close to him, recounting his time under Nazis rule in Lithuania, his amazing story of escape, his famous Gannex coats, and his friendship with Harold Wilson and Russian spy Richard Vaygauskas. The film begins as Kagan is being escorted...

This Yorkshire Television documentary was made just after Lord Joe Kagan, who was 64 at the time, was convicted of theft and false accounting, but prior to his sentencing on 15th December 1980.  The documentary consists mainly of interviews with many of those close to him, recounting his time under Nazis rule in Lithuania, his amazing story of escape, his famous Gannex coats, and his friendship with Harold Wilson and Russian spy Richard Vaygauskas. The film begins as Kagan is being escorted in handcuffs from Manchester airport, surrounded by a posse of reporters.  The voiceover provides the background to his arrest and reads out the judgement from his trial.  It then provides a resume of his famous Gannex coats, based in Elland, and of how they came to be worn by Harold Wilson, Prince Philip and other celebrities.  It recounts his friendship with Harold Wilson and his personal secretary Marcia Williams, later Lady Falkender. It also tells of his relations with fellow Lithuanian Richardas Vaygauskas, a diplomat at the Soviet Embassy between 1969 and 1971, expelled as an officer of the KGB.  Among those interviewed in connection with these stories are his wife Lady Margaret Kagan, his son Daniel Kagan, Kagan's personal assistant, Angela Radford, Harry Traynor, David (Tony) Morrell, Israeli Likud MP Menachem Savidor, Olympic cyclist Reg Harris, Bessie Bradley, his PR Peggy Rushton, Dov Levin and Bradford Chief Constable Harry Ambler. The film continues with a brief biography recounting his time under Nazis rule in Lithuania, his story of hiding and eventual escape to Bucharest, where he met , Tony Morrell.  It goes on to recount his associations with the Royal family, and his friendship with Richardas Vaygauskas.  This includes archive footage of a Jewish ghetto and home movies of his trips back to Lithuania. Credits Reporter – Clive Entwistle Lighting Cameraman – Mostafa Hammin Sound recording – Stan Ellison Dubbing mixer –  Terry Cavagin Production Assistant – Kathy Rooney Rostrum cameraman – John Marsden Graphics – David Gledhill Research – Clive Entwistle, Julie O’Hare Executive Producer – Frank Smith, Michael Deakin Produced and Directed by Barry Cockcroft Yorkshire Television