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1999's Saint and Charteris News

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December 7, 1999: Death of a Saint

Noted Saint expert, Paul M. James passed away peacefully on Saturday, 12/4/99, at 1:02 PM. He had been back in the hospital since Monday 11/29/99. He will be buried on Thursday, 12/9/99, at 11:00 in the Maryland Veterans Cemetery.

Paul was one of the world's leading experts on The Saint, who Leslie Charteris often referred to as "the person who knows more about me than I know myself." Paul James was a huge help in my research, and was a fabulous correspondent.

Burl Barer writes, "A decade ago, when I began research into the life and career of Leslie Charteris, it was Charteris himself who directed me to Paul James. Mr. James was not only a fountain of knowledge, resources, and information, he was kind, generous, and eager to share. I owe a good portion of the success of my book, THE SAINT: A COMPLETE HISTORY, to Mr. James' suggestions, guidance, and contributions. Although we never met face to face, I considered Paul James a true friend. As such, he will be missed."

November 18, 1999: Saint Who?

With Michael French apparently out of the running (see November 17th news below), the latest rumor is that Paul McGann of "Doctor Who" fame is a potential Saint for a new British TV series. Caroline Langrishe could certainly still be slated for the Patricia Holm role.

November 17, 1999: Michael French Series Debunked

Michael French and his agent Roxana Vaka have apparently had numerous calls about the Saint series since the August 22nd rumor broke. They have told everyone that they know nothing about it and no one had contacted them. They conceded that it might be possible that "someone has him in mind for a future project and hasn't contacted us yet. Obviously Michael would be keen to hear about it if he could fit it into his schedule. The Saint is a dream role for any actor".

When asked if there was definitely no truth to the rumour, Roxana replied, "Well if Michael is playing the Saint I don't know anything about it... and I am his agent..." Well, I'd say that was a pretty good "no", wouldn't you.

Caroline Langrishe's agent was also completely unaware of the project. She said that, "No one has contacted us at this point, and I was completely unaware of the series. Still it would be nice to see The Saint return and one always appreciates that people enjoy the work of one our actors".

When told that the role they have rumoured for Caroline is the Saint's long-time lover who appeared in the books, Caroline's agent agreed that Caroline would be good in the part. "Caroline has all the right qualities for Patricia Holm. I think it is too soon after the Val Kilmer movie for there to be anything definite yet. It usually takes a while to put these things together".

It was very interesting that Caroline's agent knew the name of Patricia Holm without prompting. Perhaps she is just a big fan of Charteris' books!

October 14, 1999: Happy Birthday Saint Roger

Happy birthday to Saint Roger Moore who is 72 today!

Roger is a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, and currently appears in "The Dream Team" television show.

September 30, 1999: Max Allan Collins' Hindenburg

According to an interview in January Magazine, Leslie Charteris will be a featured character in the upcoming book, "The Hindenburg Murders," by Max Allan Collins. The story is a fictionalized murder mystery on the last flight of the Hindenburg. Leslie Charteris was used because he was actually on board the maiden flight of the Hindenburg, and he makes a great "Saintly" character (the book will even include classically lengthy Charteris-like chapter titles.

Read the entire interview on January's website.

September 22, 1999: Saint Books for Sale

For those of you interested in buying some Saint books, I have added and updated the lots available on my sales shelves.

If I don't have what you are looking for, you can always search Amazon.com for books that you would like to buy:

Search:

Enter keywords...

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September 22, 1999: Saintly Gadgets

Here are a few gadgets that I have recently considered, bought, or used. I think they are all quite suitable for the Saint. Check them out!
  • Palm V organizer from 3COM. A really sophisticated handheld device with a cool anodized-aluminum case.
  • Garmin GPS III Plus Personal Navigator for tracking your current location using global satelite positioning. This is a serious tool, and well worth the price.
  • Panasonic Portable DVD Player, model DVD-L50 PalmTheater. This lets you watch movies or listen to audio CD's out in the field.
  • Motorola TalkAbout 280 SLK-AA 2-Way Radio. You will need two of these; they have up to a two-mile range.
  • Uniden BC245XLT Handheld Scanner for listening in on 300 channels, 12 bands--including police, fire, air, marine, railroad, and other frequencies. Track multiple trunked radio systems simultaneously!
  • Diamond Rio 500 64-MB USB MP3 Player. This little gadget allows you to play two hours of MP3 music files or 32 hours of spoken word--plenty to get the complete lowdown and background on any Saintly scenario. Color: "Teal"... of course.

September 6, 1999: Writers on Writing

Saintly author Burl Barer was recently interviewed for a half-hour on the L.A. area radio program, Writers on Writing. He discussed and read from THE SAINT (movie novelization), and discussed the unique structure and stylistic challenges of writing CAPTURE THE SAINT. The program was so well received that Barer will soon be invited back for an entire full hour segment.

Burl's next book, Murder in the Family, is coming in June 2000 from Pinnacle True Crime

Saint Errant August 23, 1999: Saint Errant Reprinted

Chivers has just recently reprinted "Saint Errant" under their Black Dagger imprint. Apparently the reprint was prompted because, "...there is supposed to be a film version of The Saint in the pipeline, so there will be renewed interest."

Order it today from Amazon.com booksellers.

August 22, 1999: New Saint TV Show Rumors

Rumors of a new show are not a million miles off target. Talks are presently ongoing with a number of interested parties.

Michael French is an English actor who rose to fame starring as an East-end wideboy in the BBC soap opera EASTENDERS. He's currently starring as a doctor in the BBC's medical soap HOLBY CITY (and the English press love to think of him as the UK's answer to George Clooney).

The plotline for French's Saint has him as a Goverment agent based in the basement of a computer warehouse. The initial 2 hour pilot will contain 'techinical wizardry' to assist Templar.

There are a number of other interested parties, one of whom has suggested a 2 hour pilot based on John Goldsmith's THE SAINT STEPS OUT.

Michael French August 20, 1999: An East End Saint?

From "TV Times", an UK television magazine, dated August 20th, 1999:

Former EastEnders star Michael French is set to follow in the footsteps of both Roger Moore and Ian Ogilvy--by becoming the latest incarnation of TV hero The Saint.

Leslie Charteris' creation Simon Templar was a sensation throughout the Sixties and Seventies and is hoped to win a whole new audience when it returns with a fresh Nineties twist. The news comes despite the failure of Val Kilmer's film version.

Templar will now be a "ghost"--a Government agent whose identity is totally erased so that he's untraceable. With a hidden underground base in a computer warehouse, Templar uses technical wizardry to infiltrate a variety of corrupt business empires and terrorist groups.

With an initial two-hour movie pilot being planned, if it's a success that will allow time to create the elaborate special computer effects that the stories will require. Templar uses a virtual reality world at one point of the first story, to locate a missing woman's body.

The Saint will also now have a partner for the first time, with Lovejoy's ex-girlfriend, Caroline Langrishe, a favourite contender for the part.

The character will be an art gallery owner whom Templar is dating, only for him to discover she's a spy as well.

August 19, 1999: Saint Goldsmith Polishes Niven

Former Saint scribe John Goldsmith is busy finishing a television film adaptation of David Niven's best- selling memoirs, The Moon's a Balloon.

Due to be written by the end of September, the film will tell the story of Niven's early life in the Army and his first forays into Hollywood. It will be made by a major broadcaster.

To make the film, producer Tony Virgo has set up a company called Old Field Productions with Nigel Havers - who will play Niven - and the actor's American agent Russ Lister. Ah, what might have been if Niven had ever played The Saint.

August 18, 1999: Roger Moore Part Of Action 'Team'

HOLLYWOOD--(Variety)--Aug. 18, 1999--Former James Bond star Roger Moore, who spends his time these days as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, is slated to return to the television landscape next month in a syndicated action show called "The Dream Team."

Moore, 71, will play the leader of an elite squadron of intelligence agents fighting evil, with Jeff Kaake, Angie Everhart, Traci Bingham and Eva Halina starring as the buff warriors. It is set for a Sept. 25 debut, and is cleared in 85% of the country.

In addition to working in seven Bond movies, Moore starred in such TV series as "The Saint" and cult hit "The Persuaders" with Tony Curtis.

August 17, 1999: Roger Moore Joins 'The Dream Team'

It's An International Coup! Roger Moore Joins 'The Dream Team'

LOS ANGELES--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Aug. 17, 1999--Roger Moore, the personification of style, class and international prestige, has joined the cast of "The Dream Team," the new syndicated show from Hamilton Entertainment which begins airing Sept. 25 across the United States.

Hamilton's European partner, Expand, will distribute the show throughout Europe.

Moore will play the mysterious leader of "The Dream Team," an elite squadron of intelligence agents fighting an enemy that knows only revenge, opportunity and greed. Assembled from both sides of the cold war, they're a 'dream team' of criminal interdiction, but a nightmare for drug lords and rogue terrorists.

Based in tropical Puerto Rico, "The Dream team" operates under the cover of a high-profile commercial production studio of the same name. Fusing elements of classic TV crime and spy dramas like "Miami Vice," "Charlie's Angels" and "Mission: Impossible," "The Dream Team" delivers thrilling action, explosive stunts, exotic locations and gorgeous talent to an international audience.

The show also stars well-known TV star Jeff Kaake ("Viper," "Dynasty"), actress/supermodel Angie Everhart ("Jade," "Last Action Hero"), Traci Bingham ("Baywatch") and former Miss Poland Eva Halina.

Moore is best known for playing James Bond, Agent 007, in the internationally acclaimed film series. He has appeared in seven Bond films: "Live and Let Die," "The Man With the Golden Gun," "The Spy Who Loved Me," "For Your Eyes Only," "Moonraker," "Octopussy" and "A View to A Kill."

His first picture in the United States was "The Last Time I Saw Paris" for MGM with Elizabeth Taylor and Van Johnson, which was followed by "Interrupted Melody," "Diane" with Lana Turner, "The Wild Geese" with Richard Burton, "Ffolkes," "The Sea Wolves" with Gregory Peck and "The Cannonball Run" with Burt Reynolds.

Moore has also starred in such television shows as "The Saint," "The Persuaders" with Tony Curtis, "The Alaskans," "Ivanhoe" and "Maverick." "The Dream Team" marks his first return to television in 16 years.

Dean Hamilton, executive producer and president of Hamilton Entertainment, commented, "Roger Moore is one of the most recognizable actors in the world and we are honored that he has chosen to join us."

Moore is currently the roving ambassador for UNICEF, traveling throughout the world giving speeches and raising funds for the international children's charity.

"The Dream Team" will air across the United States and is currently cleared in 85% of the markets, including WWOR-TV/New York -- the No. 1 market in the United States in the prime slot of Sunday at 4 p.m.; WCIU-TV/Chicago, Sunday at 3 p.m.; and on KCOP-TV/Los Angeles, in a key time slot.

July 4, 1999: Fan List

I have been going through old e-mails, and have added some more people to my ever-growing list of Saint fans. If you are a devoted fan of Leslie Charteris and the Saint, please e-mail me with the details of your collection, interests, Saint-related anecdotes, and any contact information you'd like listed.

July 1, 1999: The Saint on Kenyan TV

The Saint, starring Roger Moore, is on a local television station in Kenya.

June 10, 1999: New Swedish Saint Site

In Swedish, "the saint" is translated to "helgonet". Therefore, some Swedish Saint fans have created the domain "helgo.net" devoted to Simon Templar.

Take a look at http://helgo.net/simon/

May 12, 1999: Happy Birthday LC

Today, May 12th, would have been Leslie Charteris' 92nd birthday. Born Leslie Charles Bowyer Yin in Singapore (then a British colony) on May 12, 1907, Leslie legally changed his name by deed-poll to Leslie Charteris in 1926. He died in Windsor, England on April 15, 1993 at age 85. For more information, check out the biography section of this web site.

May 7, 1999: Entrapment

If you are a Saint fan looking for a film to see this month, you should go see Sean Connery in Entrapment. Sean Connery plays a wealthy thief, very much in the line with The Saint. Okay, so he is much older than any Saint, and he drives a Jaguar instead of a Volvo, but so did Ian Ogilvy in Return of the Saint. I know the comparisons are tenuous, but Sean was James Bond, and so was Roger Moore.

It is strange that most film critics do not compare Entrapment to the Saint--most try to write it as an older 007 in their reviews. James Bond wasn't a thief, he was a spy. When Val Kilmer's The Saint came out, many critics called it a spy thriller... The Saint isn't a spy, he is a thief.

Entrapment also has the same guy in that black "bondage" suit jumping off a roof...

April 26, 1999: Saintly Flashes

In a recent episode of the Fox series Millennium, Frank Black's daughter, Jordan, began having psychic flashes. She kept repeating the name Simon over and over again. Later in the episode, Emma Hollis was in the computer labs at the FBI when the screens in the room began flashing photos of famous Simons. A couple of quick glimpses of Roger Moore were obvious, but in an over the shoulder shot of the PC behind Emma, the viewer could clearly read "Simon Templar" as it flashed. It was done very quickly, but it's there.

March 9, 1999: Saint Roger at Her Majesty's Service

Saint Roger Moore received a CBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace this week for his services to charity. Roger has been a special ambassador for the United Nations children's charity Unicef for nine years and travels the world fund-raising and campaigning to end cruelty to children.

After the investiture, he said: "I was a bit nervous, mainly because you don't get a rehearsal for this and I am used to having rehearsals before I perform.

"The Queen asked me if I had discovered many things in my years working for Unicef and I told her I had learnt a lot in the past nine years.

"Working with Unicef made me grow up and realise how fortunate I am."

But he said the Queen did not mention whether she had seen any of his films. "I think the Queen has rather different viewing tastes," he added.

Full details, and photograph can be found on the BBC website.

March 7, 1999: Roger Moore Sues Over ITC Deal

In an action that raises a red flag about the rerun rights to the films in the ITC television and film library that the U.K.'s Carlton Communications has agreed to buy from Universal, actor Roger Moore has filed suit in London over the '70s series The Persuaders. Moore alleges in the suit that ITC made a deal with him last year to allow it to sell rerun rights to his earlier series, The Saint, to Granada Sky Broadcasting. However, he said, ITC, without his consent -- and without additional payment to him -- also included The Persuaders in the GSkyB package. Moore's fame -- and worth -- soared after the two TV series when he took over the role of James Bond in the MGM movie franchise. His legal action comes as Carlton, which agreed to buy the ITC library less than two weeks ago, is conducting due diligence over the deal.

February 28, 1999: Saintly Author Update

Saintly author Burl Barer has signed a new contract with Kensington Publishing for MURDER IN THE FAMILY. This non-fiction book will be published by Pinnacle True Crime as part of their own going series of original true crime paperbacks. MURDER IN THE FAMILY concerns the 1987 murder of Nancy Newman and her two young children, and how Anchorage police finally nabbed the culprit -- the Newman's 23 year old nephew. "This is not as much fun to write as a rousing Saint adventure," admits Barer, "but it is a tesitimony to the dedication and perserverance of those who devoted themselves to stopping one of the most ungodly killers ever to panic an entire town before he killed again."

A more lighthearted short story, LUMINA, graces the back cover of the March issue of Murderous Intent Magazine, available soon at better newsstands and bookstores everywhere.

February 8, 1999: The Saint on Pakistani TV

Pakistan Television Corporation's 'PTV World' channel began airing the Roger Moore series of The Saint since 28th January 1999. The show airs every Thursday at 11:35p.m. PST ( Pakistan Standard Time which is +5 GMT). The color episodes are crystal clear & there are no commercial breaks.

The most interesting thing is that this "free to air channel" is available through terrestrial signal in Pakistan & via AsiaSat 1 Satellite to 38 other Asian countries, that means billions of viewers.

Presently the episodes aired are of the last 1968-69 series. The first one shown on 28th January was "Legacy for the Saint" followed by "The Organisation man" on 4th February.

January 20, 1999: The Saint Sold!

Carlton buys TV, film library for $150 mln

LONDON, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Carlton Communications Plc said on Tuesday it would buy the prestigious ITC television and film library from Universal Studios Inc. for $150 million.

The library, which includes over 300 films and over 5,000 hours of mainly British television programs, more than doubles Carlton's programming catalogue to strengthen the company's position as the largest commercial distributor of British TV programmes and films, Carlton said.

It boasts such feature films as On Golden Pond and The Eagle Has Landed, as well as small screen favorites like The Saint, Thunderbirds and the Persuaders.

"We have always believed content is king -- and the ITC library is the jewel in the crown," Carlton's Chairman Michael Green said. "We can now re-unite it with the other gems from Britain's film and television heritage in our excellent library."

The deal expands Carlton's library catalogue to over 15,000 hours of TV programmes, including over 2,200 films.

The transaction, expected to be completed by the end of March, will be cash-financed and Carlton expects its new purchase to be at least earnings enhancing in the current financial year.

Universal inherited the ITC library from Polygram NV, which it acquired last month for about $10.2 billion.

January 6, 1999: Murderous Intent

Saintly author Burl Barer discusses his love for the Immortal Works of Leslie Charteris in the Winter 1998 issue of Murderous Intent Mystery Magazine, now on sale at better bookstores.

A new short story by Burl Barer, "Lumina," will be featured in the March issue of Murderous Intent.

The opening chapter of Burl Barer's new novel (non-Saint) HEADLOCK is featured in the latest issue of THRILLING DETECTIVE, an on-line mystery magazine.

January 3, 1999: The Saint's Renault

Eagle-eyed Saints may raise an eyebrow at the latest UK ad campaign for the Renault Scenic.

The TV ad features a montage of clips from old movies and the like, the one constant is the Renault Scenic which is being driven through all the scenes. Towards the very end a lovely young lady climbs into the car which is being driven by a very Saintly Roger Moore in a clip taken from the 60s TV show.

You'll have to keep your eyes open as it's a short clip--there's just enough time for Roger to smile at the lady and raise an eyebrow before they cut to the end of the ad.

News and Rumors Archives

If you want more Saint news, there was lots of news in 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, late 1997, early 1997, 1996, and 1995. As always, be sure to check The Saint's News and Rumors Blog on a regular basis.

 

 

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