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| Jack Coker | |
| Aliases: | Wilfred Coker |
| Continuity: | The Day of the Triffids |
| Notability: | Supporting character |
| Type: | Community organizer |
| Gender: | Male |
| Race: | Human |
| Location: | London, England |
| Status: | Alive |
| First: | Day of the Triffids: 1.3 |
| Actor: | Maurice Colbourne Mervyn Johns Jason Priestley |
Jack Coker is a character who first appeared in the 1981 British mini-series The Day of the Triffids where he was played by actor Maurice Colbourne. The character is based on that of Wilfred Coker who first appeared in the original novel The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham in 1951. An earlier version of the character, known only as Mister Coker, appeared in the 1962 film adaptation of Wyndham's novel, The Day of the Triffids. In the film, Coker was played by Mervyn Johns. In the two-part 2009 adaptation of The Day of the Triffids, the role of Coker was played by Jason Priestley.
Biography[]
Jack Coker once made his living as a history teacher, but like many others living in London at the time, Jack's life was changed forever the night that a comet passed the Earth, rendering the majority of the world's population permanently blind. Jack was fortunate enough to be one of the few people left who had maintained their sight.
Jack immediately became a radical group organizer, striving to provide food and protection for those who could no longer forage for themselves. When the University of London closed its gates to those seeking aid, Jack rallied the blind unfortunates together and staged a protest, demanding food and shelter. The protest quickly grew violent and Jack and his group were forced to leave. [1]
Jack knew he couldn't do the job alone and needed more people with sight to aid him. Since many of these individuals were either unwilling or had already fled England, Jack was forced to kidnap sighted civilians and force them to work with him. One of these individuals was an ex-Triffid farmer named Bill Masen. Jack's group captured Bill and brought them back to their shelter. He had Bill manacled to two armed blind men and told him that he would serve as the eyes of this specific party, leading them on expeditions through the city, scouting for food, water and medical supplies. [2]
Bill later escaped of his own accord and met Jack again when both men returned to the University. Jack made peace with Bill, indicating that he was forced to resort to violent measures to get people to help. Though Bill greatly disapproved of Jack's methods, he could at least respect his drive. The two agreed to work together to find more survivors.
They later tracked down a group of survivors to an empty estate known as Tynsham Manor. This colony was led by a pious woman named Miss Durrant. Jack disagreed with Durrant's Christian values and felt that many of the principles that they had all learned were no longer applicable in this new world dynamic. Regardless, he elected to stay with them, believing that civilization could only thrive in large communities. Bill however, decided to press on for he was searching for a missing woman he had fallen in love with named Jo Payton. [3]
In short order however, the virus that had affected so many others took the lives of many at Tynsham House. Miss Durrant elected to stay behind to care for the sick, but Jack took a group of volunteers and left before they could be infected.
They attempted to settle down in various locales along the English countryside, but with each passing day the growing threat of the Triffids became more intense. They eventually established a colony on the Isle of Wight. The island was infested with thousands of Triffids, but through perseverance, Jack and the others managed to destroy them all. Although the island was clear of Triffids, their seeds scattered across the Channel, taking root on the English mainland.
Jack's colony grew and prospered. Within six years time, their numbers equaled several hundred men and women with sight and even more blind. Jack found a helicopter and taught himself how to fly. It was an arduous task and he destroyed two helicopters while trying it, but eventually he mastered the mechanics and was able to travel back and forth across the English Channel in search of other groups. When he found them, he offered them sanctuary on the Isle of Wight. Many accepted the offer, but many also declined.
He eventually made his way to Sussex and reunited with Bill Masen. Though formerly adversaries, the two were elated to see one another again. Jack told Bill and Jo Payton (who was now his wife) of everything that he had experienced in the last six years. He offered Bill and his family a place to stay on the Isle of Wight. Bill told him he would consider the offer and Jack returned to the island to be with his people. [4]
Notes & Trivia[]
- The character of Jack Coker was created by director Ken Hannam and writer Douglas Livingstone based on characters originally created by John Wyndham.
- In the 1962 The Day of the Triffids film, Jack's character was identified only as "Mister Coker".
Appearances[]
| Episode | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1x3 | Part Three | September 12th, 1981 |
| 1x4 | Part Four | September 13th, 1981 |
| 1x5 | Part Five | September 14th, 1981 |
| 1x6 | Part Six | September 15th, 1981 |