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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.
Please e-mail any current news and rumors about The Saint to: 
Friday, June 29, 2007
The Lipstick Chronicles (where the Book Tarts talk love, laughter, laundry and the mysteries of writing life) has just published a nice essay by William Simon on Black and White Heroes that has provoked a lot of excitement and response. The basic premise is that in the days of old, heroes were heroes and you could tell them from the bad guys without too much effort. Nowadays, in an effort to be dark and realistic, all the good guys are much darker shades of grey and not that much different than the evil that they are fighting.
This will be a bigger issue when the Saint returns to TV in the near future on TNT. How will a modern-day Saint still retain the gentleman touch and yet still be able to relate to the new darker side of the underworld with the good humor and aplomb we have come to know and love?
William's essay ends with: Back to the point, look around today and we have no heroes on television. We have sociopathic psychos with badges who ram guns down people's throats and yell "Suck THIS, pal!", and they are usually some sort of recovering addict, be it alcohol/drugs, sex, or gambling. We have characters who kill as easily as they sneeze. Stealing is perfectly acceptable, as long as no one gets caught. No damsel needs rescuing, and if she does it's usually a setup to try and kill the protagonist. It is entertaining for him to slap/hit/threaten her, usually while screaming her marked resemblance to a female canine at the top of his lungs. Lie, cheat, steal, hurt, no matter; it's okay, the end justifies the means. Results are what count, not the methods to achieve them, and if you don't believe that, take a close look at the Business World today.
Heroes should be above the crowd; polished but not effete, superior but not snide, capable but not arrogant, strong but not uncaring.
Special.
Today, we have no Bogart, or Gable, or Cooper. We don't have a Gardner, a Bacall, a Hepburn.
Hell, we don't even have a Saint anymore… [ Read full essay... ]Labels: 2007, Roger Moore, TNT
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for The Lipstick Chronicles: Black and White Heroes  
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
 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... Labels: 2007, Geoffrey Moore, Roger Moore, TNT, TV, William J. MacDonald
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for No Son of The Saint
Monday, March 26, 2007
The question on everyone's mind is, who will star as Simon Templar in the new series of The Saint on TNT?
Roger Moore's son, Geoffrey Moore is co-producing the show with Producer William J. MacDonald, and while there was some initial speculation that Geoffrey might take the role on himself, it appears that they are still casting for the role.
Who will be The Saint? Who do you think would make a great Saint for 2007? Please comment below!Labels: 2007, Geoffrey Moore, Roger Moore, TNT, William J. MacDonald
9 comments
for Who Will Be The Saint?
Friday, March 23, 2007
 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!
read more | digg storyLabels: 2007, Roger Moore, TNT, TV, Val Kilmer
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for New Volvo S60 fit for a Saint?
Monday, March 19, 2007
Lots of news last week about the new version of The Saint series that is in development for TNT. Roger Moore's son, Geoffrey Moore, has teamed up with producer William J. MacDonald to create a new series for television. Jorge Zamacona is working on the script for a 90-minute pilot, and they are getting consulting advice from such notable long-time Saints as Ian Dickerson and Burl Barer -- both who are huge fans of the Leslie Charteris books, and hopefully can exert some influence in keeping with the gentleman thief character of Simon Templar.
There is certainly some concern, as William (Bill) J. MacDonald was one of the producers (along with Robert Evans) of the Val Kilmer Saint film by Paramount back in 1997 – a movie so un-Saint-like, that Leslie Charteris’ name was removed from the credits. The Saint (1997) was a tough movie for die-hard fans as the character that they knew and loved didn’t actually show up until the end of the movie – such is the problem with “origin stories.” That said, Bill MacDonald has surrounded himself with some great Saint this time, including Roger’s son, and we are very hopeful for a clever gentleman with his own code of moral values to emerge without the need to spend any time telling the story of how Simon Templar became The Saint.
As yet, nobody has been cast as the Saint. There was some initial speculation that it might be Geoffrey Moore himself, and that option has not been completely taken off the table as they look for The Saint of 2007.
Your thoughts? Comment below.Labels: 2007, Burl Barer, Geoffrey Moore, Ian Dickerson, Ian Ogilvy, Jorge Zamacona, Leslie Charteris, Simon Dutton, TNT, William J. MacDonald
3 comments
for New series of The Saint coming to TNT
Friday, March 16, 2007
 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. Labels: 2007, Burl Barer, Ian Ogilvy, Leslie Charteris, Roger Moore, Simon Dutton, TNT, TV, William J. MacDonald
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for Burl Barer to Consult on TNT Saint Show
Thursday, March 15, 2007
 From today's TV Guide web page: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/Labels: 2007, TNT, TV
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for TV Guide on TNT remake of The Saint
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
 Author Ed Gorman reports on his blog: 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.
Read full story... Labels: 2007, George Sanders, Leslie Charteris, Roger Moore, TNT, TV, William J. MacDonald
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for Ed Gorman Reports: The Saint on TNT
 Glenn Hauman of ComicNews reports:TNT drama series in development
They may know drama, but do they know genre?
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...
Published Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:31PM Labels: 2007, Jorge Zamacona, Roger Moore, TNT, TV, William J. MacDonald
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for ComicMix reports that The Saint is coming back to TV
 Lee Goldberg, the author of a number of Monk and Diagnosis Murder books, reports on A Writer's Life that: 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. Labels: 2007, Jorge Zamacona, Lee Goldberg, Leslie Charteris, TNT, TV, William J. MacDonald
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for New Show Will Be Loyal to Leslie Charteris
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
 Variety reports that William J. MacDonald will be producing a new series of The Saint for TNT. Two other one-hour projects emerged in the upfront, presided over by Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks, and Michael Wright, senior VP of original programming for TNT and TBS: "The Saint," from the exec producer William J. McDonald ("Rome"), a remake of the 1960s British series that starred Roger Moore as a debonair international thief; and "A.D." (working title), a family drama from Angelo Pizzo and David Anspaugh ("Hoosiers," "Rudy"). Labels: 2007, Roger Moore, TNT, Variety, William J. MacDonald
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for William J. MacDonald to produce The Saint on TNT
 Release Date: 3/13/2007
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.Labels: 2007, Jorge Zamacona, Return of The Saint, TNT, TV, William J. MacDonald
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for TNT Announces new TV series of The Saint
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