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Post by Alan Hayes on Sept 19, 2014 16:40:33 GMT
Available now from Hidden Tiger:by Richard McGinlay and Alan Hayes Illustrated by Shaqui Le VesconteBefore the Champagne, before the kinky boots, there was a star without a series... When ABC Television's Police Surgeon was abruptly cancelled, the show's producers were suddenly left with a star actor – Ian Hendry – and no TV programme for him to appear in. With Umbrella, Scotch and Cigarettes tells the behind-the-scenes story of the series that was devised for him – The Avengers – from its earliest stages as an untitled project all the way through to the end of its first year, when outside influences brought it to an unexpected close. Authors Richard McGinlay and Alan Hayes' previous book - The Strange Case of the Missing Episodes - looked in detail at the narratives of the first year, and they now conclude their mission to shine a light on the neglected first series, looking at it from a completely different perspective. In With Umbrella, Scotch and Cigarettes, Richard and Alan relate the story through comprehensive essays and chapters that detail the production, transmission and reception of each episode, while also discussing the talented personnel involved. The book also boasts a foreword by Neil Hendry, who runs his uncle Ian Hendry's official website; lavish black-and-white illustrations by artist Shaqui Le Vesconte; and 60 pages of appendices that deal in depth with the unproduced episodes of Series 1, Keel and Steed's further adventures in the comic-strip The Drug Pedlar and the novel Too Many Targets, and much more. Who really created The Avengers? Who on earth was Dr Dent? How did a stuntman almost come a cropper in a sewer? What was that Soho photo shoot all about? Unfurl your imaginary umbrella, pour yourself a theoretical neat double Scotch, light up an illusory cigarette (so much better for you than the real thing) and prepare to find out... Available in hardcover and paperback formats (electronic editions to follow).
Until midnight on Monday 22nd September, save 25% with the discount code MATEY25 (enter during Lulu checkout).Order Link: With Umbrella, Scotch and Cigarettes - An Unauthorised Guide to The Avengers Series 1
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Post by Alan Hayes on Sept 22, 2014 8:40:15 GMT
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Post by Alan Hayes on Sept 23, 2014 9:51:34 GMT
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Post by Alan Hayes on Sept 25, 2014 15:12:20 GMT
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Post by Alan Hayes on Sept 30, 2014 18:48:36 GMT
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Post by Alan Hayes on Oct 13, 2014 12:20:48 GMT
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Post by Alan Hayes on Oct 15, 2014 23:48:42 GMT
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Post by Alan Hayes on Oct 16, 2014 17:32:14 GMT
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Post by Alan Hayes on Oct 24, 2014 18:23:26 GMT
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Post by Alan Hayes on Nov 7, 2014 18:55:33 GMT
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Post by Patrick Coles on Nov 8, 2014 11:06:19 GMT
The first season of 'The Avengers' starring Ian Hendry, also starring Patrick Macnee, was SO very important
...and yet for many years season one was really quickly 'passed over' with just a brief mention as any later TV Avengers retrospective primarily concentrated firmly on the 'Avenger girls' with all eyes fixed upon Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg, Linda Thorson, & Joanna Lumley (although Julie Stevens contribution in season two was totally 'forgotten' however - possibly as her very 'girly' character of 'Venus Smith' did not fit the tough but sexy female fighter fantasy figure who beats up men that the pro-feminist 'promotional' agenda required by later TV Avengers retrospectives demanded...?)
As it was an 'All Male' team and almost all the season was 'lost' there tended to be a feeling that the first season had not 'worked' and only when Honor Blackman arrived did it take off
While season two - where Cathy Gale was a 'semi regular' co-Avenger - did see a rise in the show's popularity, nevertheless it's a mistake to assume the Hendry/Macnee team were not successful as 'The Avengers' & it's great to see proper attention now at last being given to that first 1961 era of the show where so much was established & the foundations laid for the increasingly offbeat & surreal adventure/drama/fantasy show that it would evolve into epitomising along with Bond, Dr.Who, & The Man From UNCLE so much that was the 'swinging sixties' on television.... (remember The Beatles; 'Sgt Pepper' needed a 'Please Please Me' before it in order to exist at all & the Hendry/Macnee Avengers era did that for Steed & Emma !)
In 'The Frighteners' we see several things that pointed ahead - Dr. Keel is the talented amateur to Steed's professional agent bringing the case to him - like Cathy & Emma later Dr.Keel has a almost 'reluctance' to allow Steed to intrude on his life again at the start but immediately responds to Steed's desperate request for his help ('Look We're at rock bottom on this, c'mon help me...!')
Keel delivers a karate chop during the first fight scene too....hinting at those 'Avenger girls' later prowess (the girls then still a 'twinkle in Steed's eye')
also Keel goes it alone following a hunch getting a reprimand from his co-Avenger ('so Keels rush in where wise Steeds fear to tread....') yet Steed is delighted with the vital info Keel has got for him - no doubt influencing Steed to 'use' his Avenger girls later to get info (Steed can be rather 'cold' in his ruthless use of Cathy & Emma at times) here we see how he initially came to value the assistance of a somewhat headstrong assistant not afraid to go out on a limb for him, and how he was glad of their key help.
Thus we see how the later John Steed we know so well 'evolved' by the pairing with Dr.David Keel in their early days of essentially crime busting (note season one's final episode; 'Dragonseed' had a sci fi theme to it, again pointing ahead)
we see Steed getting his carnation from the old lady flower seller in 'The Frighteners' too ('you are a gay old thing...!' an amused Keel chirps) - this not only depicted Steed's more dapper look but pointed ahead to the 1967 opening sequence where Emma seductively puts the red flower in his button hole leaving her lovely fingers on his suit (phew !)
interesting how many years later in The New Avengers 1976 episode; 'Dead Men Are Dangerous' they carefully got Steed's original 'pre bowler & umbrella' first season initial costume of flat cap & car coat (ala 'Delboy') spot on for the 1960 era opening scene where Steed drops Mark Crayford (Clive Exton) off - then shoots the defecting double agent....
I think Ian Hendry as the 'Bold Avenger' figure who went off on his own but kept his partner in check and Patrick Macnee as the 'more cautious rather ruthless almost shady professional agent Avenger' but who were close friends & made a very strong team clearly set up the 'Avengers' formula that then could be translated into the various 'Steed & talented Lady co-Avenger' pairings we know so well
The original show was popular enough to warrant a second season - despite a strike delaying production & Ian Hendry's departure from the show - initially they got in Jon Rollason as Dr. Martin King with a view to retaining the original all male pairing before then alternating Julie Stevens (as Venus Smith) & Honor Blackman's Cathy Gale as the two female co-Avengers ....
the chemistry & audacity (tearing up scripts & re-writing them ! / challenging the writers to do better etc - imagine that today ?? ) of Ian Hendry & Patrick Macnee initially made 'The Avengers' sparkle and led to the iconic 'bowler, umbrella & kinky boots' later sixties show that was so important, for that the two original stars and their characters of Keel & Steed deserve to be rightly acclaimed and respected not 'glossed over' in any Avengers TV retrospective in a rush to get to the Avenger Girls !
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Post by Alan Hayes on Nov 10, 2014 2:33:42 GMT
While season two - where Cathy Gale was a 'semi regular' co-Avenger - did see a rise in the show's popularity, nevertheless it's a mistake to assume the Hendry/Macnee team were not successful as 'The Avengers' & it's great to see proper attention now at last being given to that first 1961 era of the show where so much was established & the foundations laid for the increasingly offbeat & surreal adventure/drama/fantasy show that it would evolve into epitomising along with Bond, Dr.Who, & The Man From UNCLE so much that was the 'swinging sixties' on television.... Thanks for a great post and for being into Series 1. Sounds like the book's right up your street!
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Post by Alan Hayes on Nov 17, 2014 21:57:52 GMT
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Post by Alan Hayes on Nov 21, 2014 15:15:51 GMT
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Post by Alan Hayes on Dec 1, 2014 10:05:04 GMT
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