The Saint's Blog devoted to news and rumors about The Saint and Leslie Charteris. Simon Templar, alias The Saint, was played by Roger Moore in the 1960's TV show featuring the Volvo 1800.
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A defining moment in the career of the film producer Robert S Baker, who has died aged 93, was the day he met Leslie Charteris, the author of a series of novels featuring the gentleman thief Simon Templar, alias the Saint. It was 1961 and Baker, in conjuction with the producer Monty Berman, had already made dozens of British B-movies of varying quality, including several films in the Hammer horror tradition, the most commercially successful being Jack the Ripper (1959), which the pair also directed.
Charteris had been seeking a tele-vision deal for the Saint for some time, but nobody had managed to persuade him that they would do the stories justice. As Baker acknowledged: "He protected the Saint like a bulldog – and many offers had fallen flat on their face." But thanks to a recommendation from John Paddy Carstairs, who had struck up a friendship with Charteris when he directed The Saint in London (1939) for RKO Pictures, the writer agreed in principle to give Baker and Berman the rights for a series.
The deal was clinched after Lew Grade of Associated Television agreed to allow a healthy budget of £30,000 an episode and to shoot the series on film rather than the cheaper teleciné, which would make it easier to sell to the US. In fact the series was eventually sold to 63 countries and reaped a profit in excess of £350m.
For the lead role, Grade suggested Patrick McGoohan, who had been a great success as the secret agent John Drake in Danger Man (1960-61). But Baker and Berman felt McGoohan lacked the lightness of touch that the character of Templar needed, and opted for 34-year-old Roger Moore, who had taken the title roles in the TV series Ivanhoe (1958-59) and Maverick (1959-61).
Moore starred in 118 episodes of The Saint (1962-69). Return of the Saint (1978-79) revived the suave and witty character, this time embodied by Ian Ogilvy, and was reprised in a few different guises over the years, with Baker profiting from holding the rights.
Baker was born in London and became interested in photography from an early age, winning several competitions. When the second world war broke out, he joined the Royal Artillery in north Africa during the El Alamein campaign. He then got himself transferred to the Army Film and Photographic Unit, becoming a combat cameraman in Italy, Belgium and Germany. During that time he met Berman, who was also filming battles.
After the war, the pair set up Tempean Films, their first production being A Date with a Dream (1948), a modest comedy about a wartime concert party's reunion. It starred Terry-Thomas and Jeannie Carson, with Norman Wisdom making his screen debut in a small role.
The company was soon turning out second features at a rate of about four a year to fill up programmes during the 1950s, most of them directed briskly by John Gilling or Henry Cass, and starring what seemed like a Who's Who of washed-up American actors, including Forrest Tucker, Mark Stevens, Alex Nicol, Scott Brady, Arthur Kennedy, Rory Calhoun, Rod Cameron, Dale Robertson and Larry Parks.
Then, from 1958, the duo moved into slightly more mainstream territory with Sea of Sand, a familiar north African war adventure, directed by Guy Green and starring Richard Attenborough; The Siege of Sidney Street (1960), which vividly recreated the London of 1911; and The Treasure of Monte Cristo (1961). The latter two were directed by Baker and Berman, along with the period swashbuckling adventure The Hellfire Club (1961), which was written by Jimmy Sangster and featured Peter Cushing, both regular Hammer habitués.
In fact, Baker and Berman, inspired by the success of Hammer, made their own gothic horror movies. However, these were released in two versions, one for the UK and US markets with their strict censorship and ratings systems, and another for the more liberal, continental European and Japanese markets, where audiences enjoyed extra blood and sex.
They had that aplenty in Blood of the Vampire (1958), with Donald Wolfit hamming it up as Dr Callistratus, who has returned to life to run a lunatic asylum after being executed, and Jack the Ripper, both films written by Sangster. The poverty and filth of 19th-century Edinburgh is well evoked in the atmospheric The Flesh and The Fiends (1960), with Cushing as Doctor Knox, and Donald Pleasence and George Rose as the grave-robbers Burke and Hare. After Gideon's Way (1964-66), a workmanlike police drama series based on the John Creasy books, with John Gregson as the Scotland Yard detective, Berman branched off to produce and write several of his own television series.
Baker and Moore then formed Bamore, a company that produced The Persuaders (1971-72), starring Moore and Tony Curtis as wealthy playboy adventurers, and the film Crossplot (1969), a swingin' London thriller with Moore finding himself in a psychedelic disco, a vintage car race and a helicopter chase. Baker and Moore had a long association, with the actor describing his friend as "one of the kindest men I have ever had the privilege of working with".
The official website of Leslie Charteris (www.lesliecharteris.com) tells us that The Saint was represented at Cannes recently by Arsenal Pictures -- who had some rather nice teaser artwork and the following synopsis to promote the upcoming TV show starring James Purefoy:
Simon Templar is part of a secret organization known as 'Knights of the Templar'. He's responsible for enforcing the group's code of ethics against the criminal underground of the world. Those familiar with 'Knights' know Simon Templar by one name: The Saint. His current assignment has him in Montenegro, rescuing captive children from being sold on the black market. When the operation is finished, Templar discovers that one of the children is missing. An orphan once himself, he vows to rescue the lost boy, no matter what the cost. Waiting for him in Paris is Patricia Holm, an intelligence specialist and Templar's lover. She has information that a crooked businessman named Carger is responsible for the children's abductions; however, the Knights learn that Carger is now into much bigger things. The Saint is ordered to find Carger and steal a treasured relic that, if made public, could ignite a spectacular holy war. When he discovers Carger has also been keeping the missing orphan as his own son, Templar must decide between his own personal convictions and his duties as The Saint.
The response to the announcement of James Purefoy as the new Saint has been extremely positive with growing excitement -- there are many more happy Saint fans than when the Val Kilmer movie was shaping up. This choice has been really well done. Genius!
A few more details have trickled in. The Saint will be a German/Australian co-production. Exterior shots will be filmed in Berlin, Germany, with the interiors and post production will be done in Brisbane, Australia. Financing will be finalized this week, and there will certainly be even more details forthcoming in the near future.
More news about James Purefoy as The Saint can be found using Saint Search.
Breaking news on the forthcoming coming TV series of The Saint, and you heard it here first!
James Purefoy, who played Mark Antony in "Rome" is set to play the new Simon Templar in the forthcoming TV series of The Saint.
Bill Macdonald tells www.saint.org (the official website of The Saint Club) that his team is prepping a two-hour pilot for a European shoot. The reason for shooting in Europe is the current strike situation in U.S. would otherwise hold up production. Shooting in Berlin and Australia begins in April.
Bill goes on to say that the show is being produced by himself (William J. MacDonald), Geoffrey Moore (Sir Roger Moore's son), and Jorge Zamacona (most recently of "Oz").
James Purefoy, who will play the new Saint, was screen tested for the role of James Bond in 1995 for Goldeneye, and throughout 2004 and 2005 Purefoy's name was rumoured as a possible candidate to replace Brosnan as agent 007 in future James Bond films. These rumors surfaced again before the 2006 film, Casino Royale.
Members of The Saint Club recently recieved the annual Saint Club Christmas Letter from Ian Dickerson with some news about a couple forthcoming publications:
Hodder & Stoughton will be publishing two Saint anthologies in the Autumn of 2008. Unoriginally entitled The Best of the Saint (volumes 1 and 2) they'll feature a selection of stories from across the Saint's career (including one which has never appeared in an English paperback before); each volume will also have an introduction from a notable Saint (or Saint fan) plus some additional material by me. Current plans are for each book to have a yellow jacket cover, along the lines of the old H&S style.
Next year will also see the publication of the definitive history of the Saint's television adventures. Currently and unoriginally entitled The Saint on TV, it's written by me (Ian Dickerson) and if you thought the story of the Saint on TV started with Roger Moore, well this book will show you otherwise. It starts in 1940s Hollywood and this book follows the Saint on TV right up to the present day and the new show in development.
Amongst other things it provides a unique episode guide to all three Saint TV series detailing plots, cast, crew, filming locations and critical reaction. It also comprehensively details what many of the cast and crew have been up to since they met the Saint. And perhaps of more interest to you lot, tells the full story behind The Saint in Manhattan and The Saint (with Simon Dutton) using exclusive interviews with many of the cast and crew involved on the productions to analyse what went wrong.
There's loads more in it but I'm not spilling all my beans here. If you want to know more about it, or the two reprints, keep checking www.lesliecharteris.com because that's where the latest news will be.
From: Bill Krzastek Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2007 09:19:48 -0400 Subject: ST1's Trip To Canada Part 1
Hello to All,
What an amazing weekend in London, Ontario at Steve Plunkett's Country Cruize-In. Not only did we have a great time but over $150,000 was raised for charity. We are glad that "ST1" was chosen to help participate in this "Saintly" endeavor. While at the show, I had the opportunity to meet and greet many fans of "The Saint" and Sir Roger Moore. It always surprises me to hear that people come to the show to specifically see "ST1" when there are so many other attractions. One family had each of their 5 family members take turns behind the wheel for photos! It's nice to know that this car meant so much to so many people.
We were interviewed several times about the car and it's history but two interviews really stand out: the first was by Rick Walker of Old Autos Television. In the photos that follow, we decided it would be fun to try to recreate the original publicity photos of Sir Roger and "ST1". I posed for the boot shot then persuaded Rick to please take over for the others. As you can see, the photos definitely improved by my absence!
In Part 2, we have a very special interviewer so... "Watch for the car of The Saint, it will return".
Some of the Roger Moore TV series has been published on DVD in Finland as three special DVD box sets.
The Saint was known as Pyhimys in Finland, and there were comic books and paperback editions of many of The Saint books by Leslie Charteris.
Pyhimys Vol. 1 is an 8-disc Box set, Pyhimys Vol. 2 is a 4-disc Box set, and Pyhimys Vol. 3 is a 2-disc Box set of the two Roger Moore Saint movies: Vendetta for The Saint and The Fiction-Makers.
According to Roger Moore, his son Geoffrey will not be playing The Saint in the upcoming TV series on TNT. The following question came up in Roger's monthly column on his website, and as you can see by his answer the casting for Simon Templar is still wide open:
QUESTION: Hello Sir Roger, Any idea how the new Saint project is coming along? Is your son still attached to it? As the Saint?
ANSWER: My son Geoffrey co-owns the rights will Bill Macdonald. He will produce, not star. It's nudging along, but like everything else in this business, it takes an age to get things going. So time, patience and determination are the watch words...
The Saint on TV page has been updated to include a number of the original plot summaries that were supplied by ITC to publicize the Roger Moore TV series of The Saint.
Volvo Design Chief Steve Matten has not rested on his laurels after bringing the XC60 Concept into the world. Steve has been working on the next S60, and these first renderings by our neighbours Auto Motor & Sport from Sweden look very promising indeed. Perhaps even sharp enough for The Saint to drive in the new TV series on TNT? The Saint has a long tradition with Volvo, what with Roger Moore driving the Volvo P1800 and Val Kilmer's red C70 coupe!
Up for auction on eBay is Director Roy (Ward) Baker's original script for the 1964 "The Saint" episode starring Roger Moore entitled "The Good Medicine". One of the guest stars in this episode is Jean Marsh. A very interesting piece of memorabilia from the show. Mr. Baker auctioned his scripts from "The Saint" a few years ago, and the seller purchased this one from Nigel Williams Rare Books in London with the intention of using it as part of an aborted book project. The seller really doesn't want to part with it, but they could use the money. The seller had originally intended to donate the script to Boston University, which houses Saint creator Leslie Charteris archives. Perhaps the new owner would consider doing this.
This script features Mr. Baker's notes and sketches for set designs, as well as the addresses of each of the principal actors. It is kept in an original brown folder with the title of the episode.
Noted Saintly author, Burl Barer, has posted some interesting news about his part in the new series of The Saint on TNT. This show is really going to be great, and follow in the footsteps of Roger Moore, Ian Ogilvy, and Simon Dutton.
If I have anything to say about it, and supposedly I do, the new SAINT TV project for TNT will retain the flavor of Charteris' original.
The Roger Moore series that began in 1962 used the "glob trotting celebrity" character found in Charteris later short stories, and due to the restrictive TV codes of the time, Charteris lamented that the Saint on TV bore as much similarity to his creation as Winnie the Pooh did to Captain Blood.
Times have changed -- restrictions have relaxed. Soooo...this version of The Saint will be the more dangerous and picaresque adventurer, having way too much fun as he takes on recalcitrant and contumacious oppressors while bedding the requisite bevy of beauties -- including the mercurial and romantic Ms Patricia Holm. As all Saint fans know, Simon Templar parks his shoes in numerous international locales, but Holm is where he hangs his hat -- or halo.
Bill Macdonald asked me to serve as "consultant" to the project, and has honestly taken my suggestions to heart (and page). The show should be really cool, faithful to the character, and won't have Charteris getting what he termed Graveyard Torque from spinning in his metaphoric grave. What I like best about the project, of course, is that I'm supposedly getting paid for my wit and wisdom. As with any TV or film project - or publishing for that matter -- I will be 100% convinced when the check clears the bank. As Bill has never deceived me in the past, I trust it will all come out in the wash, even if the spin cycle makes me crazy.
TNT's development slate includes Leverage, a Mission: Impossible-like action series; Mrs. America, about a woman valiantly juggling career and family; a remake of the 1960s series The Saint; and a family drama tentatively titled A.D.
TNT is Turner Network Television, and their website is http://www.tnt.tv/
Glenn Hauman of ComicMix has news about a new TNT series in development:
The Saint? Again?
Simon Templar debuted in 1928 and Leslie Charteris continued writing about him until1960 when he began using ghosts to help him. Movies, TV, comic books, radio, pulps, slicks over and over in various countries...This is one durable dude.
My favorite Charteris story dates back to when George Sanders was playing the Saint at the RKO B-movie unit. Charteris bombarded the suits with letters insisting that they try getting Cary Grant for the part. Grant was by then an enormous international star...and he was going to do a series of B movie? Doubtful.
When Sanders left his younger and more vulnerable brother Tom took over. Fifteen years later Tom was aboard a bus taking him to a body pile where indigent alcoholics went to die. He didn't make it. He died en route.
The Saint may not be Tarzan or Superman or Sherlock Holmes...but he's certainly a creation who adapts well to each generation.
TNT has a new series in development that could be of interest to us all:
The Saint – a new one hour series based on the Leslie Chateris classic character – the famous Simon Templar. From executive producer William J. MacDonald and producer Jorge Zamacona. The Saint was featured in movies dating back to the late 1930s (starring the great George Sanders) and the British television series from the 1960s starring Roger Moore. I can hear the theme song now...
Variety reports today a bit of news that I've known for months: TNT is developing a new, TV series version of THE SAINT. The producer is William J. McDonald and even though he was involved in the horrendous movie version with Val Kilmer a few years ago, I'm told by sources in-the-know that this project will be more loyal to the character immortalized in the novels by Leslie Charteris. Jorge Zamacona (HOMICIDE, WANTED) is writing the script.
TNT Boasts Oscar®, Emmy® and Golden Globe® Winners in Dynamic Original Programming Slate
Steven Bochco, Dean Devlin, THE CLOSER’s Greer Shephard and Michael M. Robin, William J. McDonald and Jorge Zamacona, Angelo Pizzo and David Anspaugh Developing New Drama Series for TNT
The network’s high-profile development slate boasts the limited series THE TALISMAN, from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Spielberg, as well as an as-yet-untitled legal drama from Bochco; LEVERAGE, a new action drama from Devlin; an untitled series from THE CLOSER executive producers Greer Shephard and Michael M. Robin, as well as Michelle Ashford; THE SAINT, an updated version of the popular 1960s series; and A.D. (working title), a new family drama.
"Our strategy with original series is to provide an environment in which the industry’s best and brightest can work and be successful," said Wright. "The roster of top talent coming to work at TNT demonstrates our commitment to providing our viewers with the very best dramatic entertainment possible."
Wright also announced that TNT is creating extensive broadband content complementing its series.
The following are TNT’s original projects slated for premiere this summer or going into production or development:
In Development
THE SAINT - One-hour drama series in development Classy, suave, debonair, charming international thief Simon Templar (AKA The Saint) makes an action-packed return in this updated version of the classic 1960s series. This series pilot comes to TNT from executive producer William J. McDonald (Rome) and producer Jorge Zamacona (Homicide: Life on the Street, Wanted).
Turner Network Television (TNT), television’s destination for drama and one of cable’s top-rated networks, offers original movies and series, including the acclaimed detective drama The Closer, starring Golden Globe winner Kyra Sedgwick; Saving Grace, a bold new drama starring Oscar winner Holly Hunter; Heartland, a powerful medical drama with Treat Williams and Kari Matchett; and this summer’s eagerly anticipated television event The Company, executive-produced by Ridley Scott and starring Chris O’Donnell, Michael Keaton and Alfred Molina. TNT is also home to powerful one-hour dramas, such as Without a Trace, Law & Order, Las Vegas, Cold Case, ER, Charmed and Judging Amy; broadcast premiere movies; compelling prime-time specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. TNT is also available in high-definition.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming to the cable industry.
The Saint, starring Roger Moore, is back on BBC America.
Broadcast Schedule (All times Eastern): Monday, January 22, 2007 at 4:00 PM: Ep. 10 The Man Who Liked Lions Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 4:00 PM: Ep. 11 The Better Mousetrap Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at 4:00 PM: Ep. 12 Little Girl Lost Thursday, January 25, 2007 at 4:00 PM: Ep. 13 The Paper Chase Friday, January 26, 2007 at 4:00 PM: Ep. 14 Flight Plan Monday, January 29, 2007 at 4:00 PM: Ep. 15 The Fast Women Tuesday, January 30, 2007 at 4:00 PM: Ep. 16 Escape Route Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 4:00 PM: Ep. 17 The Persistent Patriots Thursday, February 1, 2007 at 4:00 PM: Ep. 18 The Death Game Friday, February 2, 2007 at 4:00 PM: Ep. 19 The Art Collectors Monday, February 5, 2007 at 4:00 PM: Ep. 20 To Kill a Saint Tuesday, February 6, 2007 at 4:00 PM: Ep. 21 The Counterfeit Countess Wednesday, February 7, 2007 at 3:00 AM: Ep. 3 The Convenient Monster Wednesday, February 7, 2007 at 4:00 PM: Ep. 22 Simon and Delilah Thursday, February 8, 2007 at 4:00 PM: Ep. 23 Island of Chance Friday, February 9, 2007 at 4:00 PM: Ep. 24 The Gadget Lovers
If anyone has news about where else The Saint or The Return of The Saint is playing in the world, please use the comment feature below.
Roger Moore has been taking and answering questions on his website for a couple of years now. He is now soliciting questions for January 2007. If you have questions about the upcoming Saint TV show, now is the time to get the facts.
Bill Krzastek, the owner of a 1967 Volvo 1800 used in the Roger Moore TV series, The Saint, writes:
Hello to All and Happy New Year! This past year, Motor Trend Classic magazine and Executive Editor, Matt Stone, borrowed "ST1" and published an article on the car and it's history in "The Saint" TV series. I'm happy to say that the article (with lots of excellent photos) is now online. Please use this link to see it. I hope you enjoy it! Best Regards to All, Bill
The extras have been confirmed on the forthcoming DVD box set of Return of the Saint from Network, which is due in the shops on January 29th. Alongside all 24 episodes of the show are:
• The Saint Steps In... to the 70s - Narrated by Sir Roger Moore, this is a unique and exclusive documentary on the making of the series which features contributions from Ian Ogilvy, producer Robert S. Baker and others involved with the production of the series.
• Four exclusive commentaries featuring Ian Ogilvy, producer Robert S. Baker, production manager Malcolm Christopher and writer John Goldsmith
• The Saint and the Brave Goose – feature-length version of the Collision Course two-parter which is presented in its episodic format on discs four and five.
• Episodic Image gallery with music suite
• Title sequence storyboard gallery
• Return of The Saint Script Archive - Presented here in PDF format are original scripts (plus some changes and meeting notes) for Return of the Saint. These PDFs can only be viewed on suitable software on a PC/Mac and cannot be viewed on your DVD player. The scripts are: Appointment in Florence, Assault Force, The Debt Collectors, The Diplomat’s Daughter, Hot Run, Nightmare Man, The Obono Affair, The Poppy Chain, Tower Bridge is Falling Down and Vicious Circle. Also included is Prince of Darkness – an unproduced script in which the Saint fights vampires.
• Promotional image gallery
• Memorabilia image gallery
• Generic Return of the Saint trailer
• European opening titles featuring vocal theme "Taking it Easy" by Oliver Onions
• Previously unseen rushes from the title sequence (mute)
• Commercial Break Bumpers
• Textless material (mute)
• The Saint at Elstree featurette - A plaque honouring Roger Moore is unveiled at Elstree Studios in December 2006
• Return of The Saint annuals in PDF format (1979 & 1980)
• PDF of original colour publicity brochure
• PDF of original Look In and TV Times articles
The Return of The Saint DVD Setfrom Network is now available for pre-order from Amazon UK for release on January 29, 2007.
Happy New Year 2007 to all the Saint fans out there in the world. It's shaping up to be a good year for The Saint, and we have a lot of good things to look forward to. The forthcoming release of the new DVD box set of The Return of The Saint is going to be especially good.
The buzz and rumors on the new Saint TV show from Geoffrey Moore are starting to get louder, and if that becomes a reality then there will certainly be a lot more to talk about in the coming months!
We're also keeping a sharp eye on Ian Dickerson's biography of Leslie Charteris, entitled, "A Saint I Aint!"
Star Car Hire has an entire fleet of famous replica TV & Movie vehicles based throughout the UK & Ireland that are guaranteed to put you or your company in the spotlight.
The Saint television show, starring Roger Moore and his Saintly white Volvo P1800, was a big hit in the 1960s. Now you can hire this stunning replica in the UK and relive those 60s memories. The car is located in South East England, and please call 0845 017 5017 for a quote or visit their About Us page for more information.
If you own a Star Car and would like to get listed on starcarhire.co.uk please email them at info@starcarhire.co.uk
Television Heaven has a great article entitled, Baker and Berman: A Saintly Combination within their Saint section that is well worth reading. It covers the great partnership between Robert S. Baker and Monty Berman on the production of The Saint TV series starring Roger Moore.
The link to The Saint came by way of John Paddy Carstairs, who directed the filming of The Saint in London in 1939. Carstairs eventually became very friendly with Leslie Charteris and years later it was he who suggested the idea of a TV series to Robert S. Baker and Monty Berman.
The television series, "The Return of The Saint" starring Ian Ogilvy will be released on region 2 DVD on January 29th 2007 by Network (the same company that just did the excellent Roger Moore sets. Extras, including interviews and commentary, are in the process of being produced, with further details forthcoming.
This DVD set will include all 24 episodes of The Return of the Saint.
Think of any cult/fantasy television show of the 1960s or '70s and the chances are that they were created by ITC, the company owned by legendary media tycoon Lew Grade. For the first time in one book, the incredible stories behind the making of these enduringly popular shows are told by the actors, directors and creators involved in bringing them to the small screen. Robert Sellers' stellar list of almost fifty interviewees includes such international stars as Sir Roger Moore, Tony Curtis and Robert Vaughn; legendary animators Sylvia and Gerry Anderson; Jane Henson, widow of Muppets creator Jim Henson; Oscar nominated director Franco Zeffirelli; and cult stars such as Peter Wyngarde and Ian Ogilvy. Arranged in eight chronological sections, "Cult TV: The Golden Age of ITC" contains a wealth of anecdotes and detail that will delight fans of these remarkable series and cult television in general. The book is introduced with a foreword from former "James Bond" and "The Saint" star, Sir Roger Moore and contains an afterword by Gerry Anderson.
Ian Ogilvy is looking out the driver's window of The Saint's white Jaguar XJS in the episode "The Village That Sold Its Sold" from the TV series The Return of The Saint.
The Saint's Jaguar page has been updated with more photos and details about the cars used in the production of the series.
Many thanks to David Cleary for all his time and trouble in getting this important addition accurate and full of great information.
Elstree Film and Television Studios has posted some further information and pictures about Roger Moore's plaque presentation event. Sir Roger Moore returned to Elstree Studios on Tuesday to see a plaque unveiled in his honour, 35 years after his career took off as the face of The Saint.
In an article in the China Daily, Roger Moore says the Daniel Craig is "absolutely super" in the role of James Bond in the new movie, Casino Royale. In the same article, Roger Moore hints at a remake of The Saint which might involve both Roger and his son Geoffrey Moore.
BEIJING, Nov. 2 -- Sir Roger Moore has backed the new James Bond Daniel Craig, saying he will be "absolutely super" in the role of the secret agent.
Sir Roger, who played Bond during the 1970s and 1980s, was unveiling a plaque at the Elstree film and television studios yesterday.
He said: "I am fed up with everybody attacking poor Daniel Craig, I am sure he is going to be absolutely super."
Sir Roger was unveiling the plaque to mark the six years he spent filming at Elstree when he played Simon Templar in the hit TV series The Saint.
He said: "I spent eight to nine years of my life literally working every day from crack of dawn till sunset, sometimes through the late nights. "It`s good to be back."
Sir Roger was joined by some members of the cast and crew of The Saint, and hinted there may be a remake in the pipeline, thanks to his son.
He added: "I think my son may be remaking it in the very near future and he might even give me a part."
I've been working on expanding this site's information about the various cars The Saint has driven over the years. I now have three pages about Simon Templar's automotive exploits, and I am looking for more references in the books by Leslie Charteris about the mighty and mythical Hirondel.
I have just added a page about the blue Jensen Interceptor that Simon Dutton drove in the 1989 as Simon Templar, alias The Saint, in the six made-for-TV movies. The car was a 1976 Jensen Interceptor Saloon Mark III painted Briazs Blue. After filming was completed, a Saintly plaque was added to the dashboard and the car was sold to a Doctor in England.
I am always looking for more information and details about the Saint's cars, so please look at The Saint's Volvo and The Saint's Jaguar pages as well and let me know if there are any additions or corrections.
Roger Moore was honored with a plaque by the Town Council, in association with the British film Institute at Elstree film and television studios on October 31, 2006.
He joins a very distinguished list made up of Alfred Hitchcock, George Lucas, Stephen Spielberg, Vivien Leigh, Simon Cowell, Richard Todd, John Mills, Trevor Howard, Stanley Kubrick, Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Dame Margaret Rutherford, Peter Cushing, Charles Lawton, Dame Anna Neagle, Herbert Wilcox, and Alistair Sims.
Roger's official site has three pages (1, 2, 3) about the event with lots of pictures and stories. I espicially enjoyed listening to the sound clips from the event. Tony Curtis even called in and had some very nice things to say about working with Roger Moore on The Persuaders.
Due to the popularity of the information on The Saint's Volvo, I have created another page all about The Saint's Jaguar. If anyone has more pictures or information they would like to contribute to this work in progress, please e-mail 'saint' at this domain (saint.org).
The Jaguar Model Club also has a great list of all the appearances of a Jaguar in movies and TV and has the following additional information about the Jaguar XJS' role in the Return of The Saint TV series starring Ian Ogilvy:
This early prototype 1975 four-speed manual, V12 XJS was driven by Ian Ogilvy in 20 out of the 24 episodes filmed. Replaced by a second White XJS for the last four episodes after Ogilvy, burned the clutch out doing one of those famous get away starts on gravel! The original car was registered PWK 530R but had false 'ST 1' plates fitted. The car survives today and is one of the 352 rare manual versions of the Jaguar XJS.
On October 31st Sir Roger Moore unveiled a plaque at Elstree Studios to commemorate his time working there on The Saint and subsequent feature films. Keeping him company at the presentation were a number of his former colleagues who worked with him on the show such as producer Robert S. Baker, Johnny Goodman, Malcolm Christopher, Dave Prowse, June Randall, Burt Kwok and many others.
Visit the official website of Leslie Charteris to see more pictures from the event, including a few good ones of Roger signing the hood of the Saint's Volvo 1800.
Radiolovers.com is a site featuring free old time Radio shows
They offer hundreds of vintage radio shows for you to listen to online in mp3 format, all for free. Before the days of video games, shopping malls, MTV, and the Internet, families used to sit in their living room each night to listen to radio shows such as Abbott and Costello, The Saint, Superman, Groucho Marx, Bulldog Drummond, The Avenger, Gunsmoke, Sherlock Homes, The Shadow, and many others. When TV become popular in the 1950's, most of these shows went off the air, but they now live on at websites such as this one and on weekly nostalgia radio broadcasts worldwide.
This was the second episode of the short-lived series and the DLT Entertainment site describes the plot as "against the romantic backdrop of Paris, a priceless blue sapphire, once the possession of the Russian Czars, is the bait to trap a murderer and thief who mixes with the cream of high society." I'm not sure why they left out mention of the twin sisters...
Bill Cawthon has written a great article about the history of The Saint's Volvo that features a couple of nice pictures of early models.
One of the interesting things that is discussed in the article is that after Leslie Charteris sold the television rights to Producer Robert Baker and Lew Grade of ITC their first visualization of Simon Templar on TV was of Patrick McGoohan driving a Jaguar E-Type. When the producers went to Jaguar they were turned down as Jaguar felt they had enough exposure and could not keep up with the demand as it was. Therefore they ended up with the other hot car introduced at the Geneva Auto Show in March 1961 by buying one at full price from a London Volvo dealer. Luckily, as the show took off , Volvo kept the show well stocked with fresh 1800's as the years went buy. Older cars were cut apart for interior shots, crashed, and otherwise used by Roger Moore as his personal vehicle of choice.
Retro To Go reports that a new Saint mug personally designed by Sir Roger Moore is now available for order from Whatever It Takes. All proceeds go to charity, so not only are your doing your part, you also get a really cool retro mug of The Saint.
The charity that The Saint and Roger Moore is supported is called 21st Century Leaders, which sells high-quality "merchandise with meaning" with all profits going to help poverty and protection of the environment. Their latest batch of merchandise is mugs and Sir Roger is just one of the many famous people contributing a mug. Other notables include David Bowie, Giorgio Armani, Nicole Kidman and George Clooney.
These cult TV retro mugs are available to pre-order now for November delivery, priced at a reasonable £9.99. Please visit their product page to purchase one today.
Retro, an Argentinean Cable TV Channel, is broadcasting The Saint and The Persuaders on Saturday nights. Starting at 9:00 (BA,+0300), Roger Moore and Tony Curtis episodes are followed by another famous English series: The Fugitive. Only available on Cablevision and Multicanal TV Station. Viva Simon Templar!
There is news of a new movie based on The Persuaders television show which starred Roger Moore and Tony Curtis. The original Persuaders TV show was piloted in The Saint episode, "The Ex-King of Diamonds" and featured many of the same co-stars, production teams, and writers as The Saint TV show.
This new movie appears to be coming out in the summer of 2007 and will star Ben Stiller and Steve Coogan as two wealthy playboys from different backgrounds. The original series paired a Texan Oilman with a British Aristocrat. I'm not sure what updating this new Stiller/Coogan vehicle will impart.
The sad news this week that actor Peter Barkworth has passed away at age 77 sent me on surfing on an interesting wave today. Peter was most famous for his British television role of international banker Mark Telford in Telford's Change, however I remembered him from his days with ITC on such shows at The Avengers and Doctor Who. I was also pretty sure that he must have been on The Saint at least once, as there was a lot of cross-over in those heady days of the 1960’s spy shows.
In looking for the Barkworth connection to The Saint on TV, I found an absolutely remarkable site. It features every single actor who played in The Avengers, and sorts them by their connection to other TV shows. In looking at their list for The Saint, I find that Peter did not actually appear in either Return of The Saint, or the Roger Moore Saint... and thus ending my ride. Wipe out!
With great delight, Wesley Britton of Spy Television fame would like to announce three new articles now posted at his website:
Untold Stories of 007: Writer Ronald Payne Shares Some Secrets In the first part of my talks with writer, agent, and raconteur Ron Payne, Ron talks about his connections to 007 historian O. F. Snelling and his work to update Selling's 1964 classic Bond study; Ron's friendship with George Lazenby; and Ron's stories about so much more--like his first movie job--keeping director John Ford upright!
Untold Stories of 007 (Part II): The James Bond Curse? In Part II, Payne describes his attempts to work on an official Bond film, his trying to connect with Thunderball producer Kevin McClory, insider notes on Never Say Never Again, and some Bond might-have-beens.
Untold Stories of 007 (Part III) The Secret Script to Warhead Speaking of might-have-beens, here Ron tells the story of what was in the 1976 never produced Bond script, Warhead, written by Sean Connery, Kevin McClory, and Len Deighton.
All this is now at www.WesleyBritton.com under the "SpyWise" button, then scroll down to the "Interviews with Insiders" section.
YouTube has a number of videos related to the Saint. They have the intro's do the various shows, and a couple of trailers for the video releases. Enjoy!
You can now visit Volvo's site and give a Volvo to The Saint! As noted in Seth Godin's Blog Simon Templar won't actually get a Volvo from your deeds. The idea is just to get you thinking about who in your life deserves a Saintly Volvo. I wonder where the link to the Volvo 1800 is? How about a nice white C70 for the new TV series starring Geoffrey Moore?
This is a very young Roger Moore talking about The Saint in an early black and white television interview. This is part one of the interview in which Roger talks about The Saint.
This is part two of the interview, and features a very funny blooper at the end.
For fans of The Saint, starring Roger Moore, who are looking for very similar TV shows to watch, check out The Baron! The Baron was written by John Creasey, and is a gentleman thief with a strong morale code just like Simon Templar. The TV show was produced by the same company as the Roger Moore series, at the same time, in the same studio, and stars many of the same actors and actresses!
This TV show is a little different than Creasey's Barron books, in that John Mannering, alias The Baron, is an American cattle baron who runs an antique store and sometimes helps out the British Secret Service -- just to make him for respectable for the 1960's television audience.
Having been unsuccessfully touted for the part of 007 by his father, it seems Roger Moore's son Geoffrey, right, is set to reprise another of his dad's top roles.
Restaurateur Geoffrey, 40, who was championed by his old man as the "ideal" successor to Pierce Brosnan before Daniel Craig landed the part, has bought the rights to cult TV series The Saint, in which his father played Simon Templar in the Sixties.
It is understood that Moore junior, who did some minor acting part in his youth, could take on the guise of Templar in the future.
Roger, 78, who has long insisted his son is "much more talented" than himself, says: "The rights have been optioned by various companies and are now with Geoffrey and his business partner. Watch this space."
This is a short article from Contact Music (A similar story was also published today by "Daily Expresss"):
ROGER MOORE's son is set to reprise his father's role in hit 1960s TV series THE SAINT. The former JAMES BOND star told producers GEOFFREY MOORE would be a perfect replacement for PIERCE BROSNAN as 007, but they decided to cast gritty British actor DANIEL CRAIG instead. And 40-year-old Geoffrey is now in the running to play SIMON TEMPLAR, and is "much more talented than me", according to his dad. Roger says, "The rights have been optioned by various companies and are now with Geoffrey and his business partner. Watch this space."
What happened to the Saint's car? An article posted from The Times entitled, "The Cars Are The Stars," tells an interesting story about the Volvo as well as a few other famous autos of television.
The article goes on to note that, "Sir Roger Moore is due to visit Elstree Studios in October to be the recipient of one of the town council's commemorative plaques recognising the six years he spent at the studio in the 1960s starring in the hugely successful television series The Saint."
Well, there may be all sorts of new SAINT stuff in 2007 -- rumor has it that a big shot TV producer, currently helming one of the the highest rated shows in the history of the UK, may be launching a new SAINT television project. Burl Barer, Brilliant Author, intends penning more SAINT novels if publishing arrangements are finalized. In the meantime, I know Burl is researching a new true-crime book with the working title, MOM SAID KILL.
Bill Krzastek is the proud owner of a 1967 Volvo 1800S that was used in The Saint TV series with Roger Moore. He has posted a number of pictures of it, and it is beautiful. Fully restored, it does indeed look like a giant-size Corgi Saint Volvo -- he just needs to build a giant Corgi box to put next to it! The story and pictures he has posted are great to see.
Ian Dickerson has been known to Saint fans for over two decades. Dickerson became the Honorary Secretary of the Saint Club, and a personal friend of Leslie Charteris, back when Ian was still a teenager. Author Wes Britton of Spy Television talked with Ian and posted a wonderful interview on his website.
The Saint 6-DVD Box Set #5 Simon Templar is THE SAINT - adored by women, feared by his adversaries and a constant thorn in the side of police forces everywhere. A smooth-talking adventurer, THE SAINT goes in where angels fear to tread. Always where the action is, he courts danger with a smile, but his charm can sometimes be a lethal weapon. His code of conduct, however, is unfailingly constant - suave, chivalrous & utterly heroic. Roger Moore returns as THE SAINT in the series that set new trends in television adventure. Produced by ITC, THE SAINT became one of the hottest action series of the decade, running 118 episodes until 1969. This special collector's edition presents the final episodes of THE SAINT in colour, including the two SAINT theatrical releases "The Fiction Makers" & "Vendetta For The Saint", complete, uncut & digitally remastered for the first time. With special features including Audio Commentaries with Sir Roger Moore, Executive Producer Robert S. Baker & Associate Producer Johnny Goodman, plus original ITC publicity, episode trailers, memorabilia & extensive photo galleries, this is the definitive edition of a cult tv classic. Special Features:
Exclusive Audio Commentaries featuring Sir Roger Moore & Executive Producer
Robert S.Baker on "The Ex-King of Diamonds"
Audio Commentary with Sir Roger Moore, Executive Producer Robert S. Baker & Associate Producer Johnny Goodman on "Vendetta For The Saint"
Insert re-print of original "Vendetta For The Saint" Publicity Brochure
Original episode trailers & Textless Material
Theatrical Trailers for "The Fiction Makers" and "Vendetta For The Saint"
Episode Introduction by Guest Star Peter Wyngarde to "The Gadic Collection"
Original Commercial Break Bumpers
Memorabillia & Original Script PDF's
Released: Tuesday, 07 March 2006 Actors: Roger Moore Audio: Dolby Digital Mono Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Fullscreen Transfer Format: 4:3 Category: Box Sets Region: 1,2,3,4,5,6 Format: DVD Year: 1966 Distributor: Shock Rating: PG Languages: English Running Time: 1150 mins
Bill Krzastek, the owner of one of the Volvo 1800s used in the Roger Moore TV series, The Saint, writes: Hello and Happy New Year to all of you. It has been a busy end of the year for "ST1". It arrived in Virginia in late September then shipped out to California for a few weeks of fun in the sun! While there, it was displayed on the Volvo stand at the Anaheim Auto Show for the unveiling of Volvo's new C70 Coupe/Convertible.
While in California, Matt Stone, executive editor of Motor Trend Classic, a new high-quality classic car magazine, borrowed "ST1" for an article and photo shoot. I just received an advance copy of the issue (January/February 2006) and it is just superb. The article is seven (7) pages with lots of photographs taken while under power through a tunnel (reminds me of the tunnel at Monaco) and still photos taken in the same warehouse where Clint Eastwood's film "Million Dollar Baby" was filmed. Please pick up a copy as you won't be disappointed. Matt also included a few period shots of "ST1" with Sir Roger Moore in the article as well as a brief history of "The Saint".
As a long time fan of “The Saint” with a deep fascination in espionage and intrigue, I find myself fantasizing about a post-modern television saintly experience. Here is what I propose. The five season year old ABC hit drama series known as “Alias” created by JJ Abrams will air its last episode in May 2006. However ABC has hinted to a possible series spin off. My concern is that such an enterprise based entirely on a show that was cancelled for poor ratings will give any spin off a snowballs chance in Hell. Since I am also a fan of Alias, I sincerely do not want that to happen. Instead I do want the storyline to develop into something greater than anyone could have ever expected.
The Alias series has a reoccurring villainous character known as Julian Sark played by David Anders. The actor was born in America, but has always spoken on the show with a British accent. His character has been often portrayed as the hired lieutenant to the diabolical masterminds. The masterminds give him there objectives and he executes their wishes precisely. His skills as a spy are phenomenal, and usually anytime where Sark is involved Alias fails to complete her mission. Fortunately, the history of Sark is still shrouded in mystery very much like the Saint. We know that he grew up in England as a supposed orphan. He has a deep respect for all cultures and fine arts. He is very intelligent. It was insinuated for a time that Sark was the legacy of the only surviving member of the Romanoff royal family. Sark eventually meets the man who is supposed to be his father, and allegedly Sark is credited with ordering his father’s assassination. Of course, you can’t take anything for granted in good shows like these. In one of this season’s final episodes, Sark is found working solo. He seems to have softened his mercurial ways, and completely redeems himself as a nefarious character by committing several selfless to the bewilderment of all Alias fans.
Is he suitable for a Saint role?
Here are some interesting links that could persuade you to see the value of the scheme.
The Saint 6-DVD Box Set #4 Simon Templar is THE SAINT - adored by women, feared by his adversaries and a constant thorn in the side of police forces everywhere. A smooth-talking adventurer, THE SAINT goes in where angels fear to tread. Always where the action is, he courts danger with a smile, but his charm can sometimes be a lethal weapon. His code of conduct, however, is unfailingly constant - suave, chivalrous & utterly heroic. Roger Moore returns as THE SAINT in the series that set new trends in television adventure. Produced by ITC, THE SAINT became one of the hottest action series of the decade, running 118 episodes until 1969. Umbrella Entertainment presents the first 24 episodes from the original colour era of THE SAINT, complete, uncut & digitally remastered for the first time incuding exclusive Audio Commentaries with Sir Roger Moore. Executive Producer Bob Baker, Production Supervisor Peter Manley and Guest Star Annette Andre With Original Episode Trailers, extensive image and memorablia galleries and more, this is the defitive edition of a cult tv classic. Special Features:
Exclusive Audio Commentary With Sir Roger Moore, Executive Producer Robert S.
Baker And Production Supervisor Peter Manley On "escape Route"
Exclusive Audio Commentary With Guest Star Annette Andre On "the House On Dragon's Rock"
Audio Introduction By Guest Star Peter Wyngarde To "the Man Who Liked Lions"
Original Trailers For Each Episode
Insert Reprint Of Original Itc Publicity Brochure
Extentive Image And Memorabilia Galleries
Production Notes
Textless Material
And More...
Released: Friday, 22 July 2005 Actors: Roger Moore Audio: Dolby Digital Mono Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Fullscreen Transfer Format: 4:3 Category: Box Sets Region: 1,2,3,4,5,6 Format: DVD Year: 1965 Distributor: Shock Rating: PG Languages: English Running Time: 1200 mins
The official Roger Moore site recently posted: "There are moves afoot to make a new Saint TV movie. Inspector Teal will be central to it, and the characters will be very faithful to the original stories - it will actually be set in the 1930s, though with a contemporary twist bringing in an ageing Simon Templar. Who will play him I wonder?"
The official Leslie Charteris site then posted the following confirmation: "We can do is confirm that there are moves afoot. If it comes off in line with what Sir Roger's said and in line with some of the material we've seen, then we think Saint fans will be very, very happy but things such as this have a long way to go before they get in front of a camera and all it needs is some cocky American producer to pick up on Val Kilmer's recent comments that he'd like to return to the role for it all to go horribly wrong."
The Saint 6-DVD Box Set #3 Simon Templar is THE SAINT - adored by women, feared by his adversaries and a constant thorn in the side of police forces everywhere. A smooth-talking adventurer, THE SAINT goes in where angels fear to tread. Always where the action is, he courts danger with a smile, but his charm can sometimes be a lethal weapon. His code of conduct, however, is unfailingly constant ? suave, chivalrous & utterly heroic. Roger Moore returns as THE SAINT in the series that set new trends in television adventure. Produced by ITC, THE SAINT became one of the hottest action series of the decade, running 118 episodes until 1969. Umbrella Entertainment presents the final 23 episodes from the original black & white era of THE SAINT, all adapted from original stories by Leslie Charteris, complete, uncut & digitally remastered for the first time. Special Features:
Exclusive Audio Commentary With Sir Roger Moore.
Exclusive Audio Commentary With Guest Star Jane Merrow
Original Itc Pressbook (text Feature)
Talent Profiles
Production Notes
Isolated Music & Effects Tracks On Selected Episodes
Original Itc Story Information
Released: Monday, 17 January 2005 Actors: Roger Moore Audio: Dolby Digital Mono Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Fullscreen Transfer Format: 4:3 (Black and White) Category: Box Sets Region: 1,2,3,4,5,6 Format: DVD Year: 1964 Distributor: Shock Rating: PG Languages: English Running Time: 1150 mins
This month The Saint is avalaible in Spain a seven DVD pack with complete 5th season (plus 2 of 6th season) of the Roger Moore series. Extras: photos and TV trailers. Visit DVDenlard.com for more information and pictures.
Blurb: Suevia Films pondrá a la venta el próximo 25 de septiembre un pack de 7 dvds con 28 capítulos de la mítica serie El Santo protagonizada por Roger Moore . Todos los capítulos contenidos en este pack son de la época en que se emitieron en color.
Dutch TV channels have been re-running the complete series for a long time and are now up to the 1969 episodes. They are broadcast on these channels at the following times: SBS6 15:30(BST). Then the episode is repeated the following morning on NET5 10:05(BST). These Dutch TV stations are available on the Astra satellite beaming to Europe and they are free to air channels
The first 39 black and white episodes from the Roger Moore Saint TV series are being released in the UK today. This 10-disc DVD set is also in region two format, like the recent French editions. Order today from Amazon UK!
This set contains all the episodes from the 1962 season:
Spy Television (Released January 30, 2004) By Wesley Britton Praeger Press $39.95
What is Spy Television? Spy Television is the first full-length overview of every TV spy show broadcast from 1951 to the present. For fans of series such as The Man From U.N.C.L.E., The Avengers, Get Smart, The Wild Wild West, The Prisoner, The Saint, I Spy, the X-Files, La Femme Nikita, Alias and 24, you'll find information and insights that will please the most die-hard expert as well as casual watchers. Lovers of short-lived and almost forgotten series like VR5, I Led Three Lives, The Protectors, The Sandbaggers and The A-Team will learn how these shows came to be and why they disappeared. Friends of Macgyver, The Equalizer, and even Wonder Woman will learn how Hollywood saw their series as more than prime time entertainment--spy shows tell us much about how Hollywood thinks we think.
From cover to cover, Spy Television is more than behind-the-scenes information, production histories, and revelations from casts and producers. Extensively researched, Spy Television explains the contexts in which spy shows were created, explores the influence of spy TV on our culture, and points to unexpected connections between actual espionage and our feelings about undercover operatives, past and present.
Spy Television is a book for experts, fans, and students of TV, popular culture, the history of the Cold War, and what's really going on in shadowy government agencies. Lovers of science-fiction and detective shows will find surprising connections between their favorite shows and the secret worlds of secret agents. And lovers of 007 will find pages and pages showing how the world's most famous secret agent was part of TV history from the 1950s to the present. Spy Television is a book for school and public libraries as well as bookshelves of aficionados of every aspect of the genre, from the influence of old-time radio to the impact of 9/11.
What's in Spy Television? The Table of Contents shows the scope of Spy Television:
Acknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1: Defining a Genre Chapter 2: The Roots of a Family Tree (1900-1961) Chapter 3: Bond, Beatles, and Camp: The Men From U.N.C.L.E. Chapter 4: More British Than Bond: John Steed, The Avengers, and Feminist role-playing Chapter 5: Cold War Sports and Games: I Spy and Racial Politics Chapter 6: The Cold War and Existential Fables: Danger Man, Secret Agent, and The Prisoner Chapter 7: The Page and the Screen: The Saint and Robin Hood Spies Chapter 8: Interchangeable Parts: Missions: Impossible Chapter 9: Bond on the Prairie: From The Wild Wild West to the Secret Adventures of Jules Verne Chapter 10: Tongues in Cheek to Tongues Sticking Out: Get Smart and the Spoofing of a Genre Chapter 11: Also Rans and New Branches: Network Secret Agents From 1963-1980 Chapter 12: Reagan, Le Carre, Clancy, Cynicism, and Cable: Down to Earth in the 1980s and 1990s Chapter 13: The Return of Fantasy and the Dark Nights of Spies: The X-Files, La Femme Nikita, and the New Millennium Chapter 14: Active and Inactive FILES: Alias, 24, The Agency and 21st Century Spies Conclusion The Past, Present, and Future of TV Espionage: Why Spies? Chapter Notes References
How to Get Spy Television Order Spy Television from Amazon USA today!
Endorsements from the Experts "Britton has conducted an exhaustive analysis of a unique time in our cultural history--the spy craze of the 1960s and its subsequent ripple effects over the years. He's left no stone unturned in digging up not only the classic entries in this genre, but also the obscure, the forgotten, and the one-season wonders. I thought I knew every entry in this genre, but his book reminded me of many I'd forgotten, and informed me on many I had missed completely. This book is the definitive history of the spy phenomenon that was a cultural outgrowth of the Cold War." -- Jon Heitland, author of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Book: The Behind the Scenes Story of a Television Classic
"Wesley Britton has his finger squarely on the pulse of the TV spy. A wonderfully comprehensive examination of the numerous spies who have passed through our living rooms over the decades, Britton's SPY TELEVISION covers the espionage gamut from AVENGERS to WILD WILD WEST. A must-have for anyone interested in the history of this all-important TV genre." -- Danny Biederman, Writer/director of the James Bond featurette "A Spy For All Seasons," Author, "The Best of Bond...James Bond" (EMI Publishing), Author, "The James Bond Collection" (Warner Bros. Publishing), Screenwriter, "The Avengers: The Journey Back," "Gavilan" (MGM)
Umbrella Entertainment in Australia has already released the first 24 black and white episodes of the Roger Moore Saint series. Their website now reports that they will be releasing a second set on July 21st. Like the first six-DVD set, we expect this one to also be region-free.
Umbrella Entertainment presents the next 24 episodes from the original black and white era of THE SAINT, all adapted from original stories by Leslie Charteris, complete, uncut, and digitally remastered for the first time.
With special features including exclusive audio commentaries with Sir Roger Moore, Producer Robert S. Baker, Production Supervisor Johnny Goodman, Director Roy Ward Baker, and Guest Star Sue Lloyd, plus production notes, original publicity & extensive photo galleries featuring rarely seen images, this is the definitive edition of a cult TV classic.
A defining moment in the career of the film producer Robert S Baker, who has died aged 93, was the day he met Leslie Charteris, the author of a series of novels featuring the gentleman thief Simon Templar, alias the Saint. It was 1961 and Baker, in conjuction with the producer Monty Berman, had already made dozens of British B-movies of varying quality, including several films in the Hammer horror tradition, the most commercially successful being Jack the Ripper (1959), which the pair also directed.
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from Network is now available for pre-order from Amazon UK for release on January 29, 2007.
, in that John Mannering, alias The Baron, is an American cattle baron who runs an antique store and sometimes helps out the British Secret Service -- just to make him for respectable for the 1960's television audience. 
