Ainley's swarthy appearance tended to get him parts as villains, though an early regular role on British television was as Det. Sgt Hunter, sidekick to William Mervyn's Chief Inspector Rose in the second series of It's Dark Outside in 1966.
However, she first came to attention in the 1960s in various drama series, including Mr. Rose (1968), in which her character, Jessica Dalton, succeeded Drusilla Lamb (Gillian Lewis) as secretary to the retired Chief Inspector Rose (William Mervyn).
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Colonel Maurice Buckmaster (played by William Mervyn) was head of SOE F Section, and Vera Atkins (played by Avice Landon) was his assistant and the section's intelligence officer, with special responsibility for female agents.