Sir Gerald Tarrant

British intelligence chief · friend and occasional ally

Documented in: Prose · Newspaper strips

Tarrant brings intelligence work into Modesty’s independent life. He is one of the central figures shared by the prose and newspaper stories.

His friendship with Modesty creates a bridge to official intelligence work, while leaving her free to decide when and how she helps. The first novel and La Machine offer different versions of how that relationship begins.

He recurs throughout the newspaper run, sometimes in a small social scene rather than as the instigator of an operation. His friendship with Modesty also appears in the prose: conversations about cards, plants and cooking sit alongside the intelligence work.

Documented appearances · Prose (5)

Modesty Blaise1965
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I, Lucifer1967
Chapter 7: conversation with Modesty and Willie.Source ↗
The Impossible Virgin1971
Chapter 14: visiting Modesty in her penthouse.Source ↗
The Silver Mistress1973
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The Night of Morningstar1982
Chapter 17: conversation in Modesty’s kitchen.Source ↗

Documented appearances · Newspaper strips (46)

La Machine1963
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The Long Lever1963
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The Gabriel Set-Up1964
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Mister Sun1964
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The Mind of Mrs. Drake1964
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Top Traitor1965
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The Head Girls1966
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The Magnified Man1967
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The Jericho Caper1967
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The Galley Slaves1968
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The Hell Makers1969
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The Green-Eyed Monster1970
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Death of a Jester1971
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The Puppet Master1971
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The Wicked Gnomes1973
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"Take Me to Your Leader"1974
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Cry Wolf1974
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The Vanishing Dollybirds1976
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Death Trap1977
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Idaho George1978
Brief supporting appearance.Source ↗
The Golden Frog1978
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Green Cobra1979
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Dossier on Pluto1980
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Garvin's Travels1981
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The Moonman1981
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A Few Flowers for the Colonel1982
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Sweet Caroline1983
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The Return of the Mammoth1984
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The Wild Boar1985
Brief supporting appearance.Source ↗
The Double Agent1986
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Million Dollar Game1987
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The Vampire of Malvescu1987
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Samantha and the Cherub1987
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The Big Mole1989
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Fiona1990
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The Girl in the Iron Mask1991
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Our Friend Maude1992
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A Present for the Princess1992
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The Grim Joker1993
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Guido the Jinx1994
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The Killing Distance1994
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The Maori Contract1995
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Fraser's Story1997
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The Last Aristocrat1999
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The Killing Game2000
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The Zombie2000
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Documented examples, including brief appearances. Mentions are listed separately and do not count as appearances. The index remains open to further verification. Prose and newspaper adventures have largely separate continuities.

Voices on audio

Last Day in Limbo · 1978
Richard Vernon · Sir Gerald Tarrant
A Taste for Death · 2012
Alun Armstrong · Sir Gerald Tarrant
Modesty Blaise · 2014
Alun Armstrong · Sir Gerald Tarrant
The Silver Mistress · 2017
Ian McNeice · Sir Gerald Tarrant

Sources & reading notes

John Higgins — Peter O’Donnell and Modesty Blaise ↗

Appearance reference · Garth Groombridge checklist ↗

Appearance reference · John Higgins ↗