SPY BLOGS AND ONLINE FILES: AN ANNOTATED DIRECTORY
By Wesley Britton
spywise@verizon.net
I'm a frequent online searcher looking to uncover the latest news in the world of espionage . Often, I've found that, beyond established websites, nuggets of information are most often buried in avalanches of hits to blogs and forums that are essentially personal in purpose, opinionated without necessarily being informed, or often just nuts.
Over time, I collected a list of the most reliable places that are worth bookmarking as well as those of casual interest. In the main, the best reading comes from blogs, forums, and websites posting declassified documents, news stories, feeds from news services, and bulletins from organizations focused on a number of special interests. Blogs and forums that go beyond repeating what they find in international journals and periodicals also often contain perspectives and updates overlooked in mainstream media. Below is a directory of the best I've found to date along with notes on blogs more mysterious in their origins and purposes.
Note: Blogs and websites devoted to spy fiction and film tend to be very topic specific, that is they share material on one actor, author, TV series, and are easy to find with no need for listing here. I admit, I know of only one website that attempts to be interesting to readers, viewers, and news-hounds alike--and this is the place. If 007 is your thing, then a separate file
JAMES BOND ON THE WEB: AN ANNOTATED DIRECTORY
Is posted at this site. In addition, if your interest is Israeli intelligence, then check out--
THE MOSSAD: AN ANNOTATED DIRECTORY OF ONLINE SOURCES AND PRINT ARTICLES
I welcome notes and suggestions about sites that should be added to any of these files.
This directory is in alphabetical order. For most listings, I include descriptions taken from the source itself followed by my opinion of it. Additions will appear as addenda.
---
AboveTopSecret.livejournal.com
"Our areas of interest include the intelligence community (foreign and U.S.), espionage (including tradecraft, practices, and political ramifications), secrecy policy, the Freedom of Information Act, terrorism and counterterrorism, and conspiracy theory."
Postings tend to be of very high-quality and the site's archives and links include a long list of useful resources.
---
The Black Vault
www.bvalphaserver.com/content-21.html - 67k -
About The Black Vault Government Document Archive:
"For over 7 years, The Black Vault has striven to be the best source for U.S. Government documents online! Even the U.S. Government's databases, in some cases, are so hard to use -- many can not find use out of them. This is where The Black Vault is trying to help. With index categories and sub-categories, The Black Vault has put organization to an unorganized world -- Government Secrecy. Throughout The Black Vault's archive -- you will have access to well over 100,000 pages of material."
Essentially, this site is one of many collections of documents on CIA mind control experiments.
---
Center for the Study of Intelligence
https://www.cia.gov/redirects/ciaredirect.html - 6k -
The CIA page includes public information about the agency--including how to get hired. Among the many useful publications are the renowned "World Factbook," articles on the history of intelligence, and declassified issues of Studies in Intelligence.
cloaknet.blogspot.com
Eric Jackson says his blog provides "intelligence news for all of us. Disclaimers: We are not a government entity nor do we attempt to represent one. We do not
perform actual intelligence work, and have not acquired this information via spying. Info presented in this blog is for information and education, not
crime or action. If you choose to engage in spywork, be prepared for the consequences (detainment, incarceration, etc.). You are responsible for your own
actions."
Eric's most recent posts are reviews and discussions of spy equipment,methods,and books on these topics.
---
Congressional Research Service - Intelligence & Related Reports Archived by FAS
www.fas.org/sgp/crs/index.html - 5k -
Invaluable resource for reports, articles, links, and databases often correctly marked "Required Reading."
---
counterterrorismblog.org
" The first multi-expert blog dedicated solely to counterterrorism issues, serving as a gateway to the community for policymakers and serious researchers. Designed to provide realtime information about terrorism cases and policy developments."
With articles and postings by a group of distinguished contributing experts, the site also includes the CT Library, information about the Counterterrorism Foundation, lists of Websites & Centers, Syndicate, and Archives.
---
CRIMES AND CORRUPTIONS OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER NEWS
http://mparent7777.blogspot.com/
and http://mparent7777-2.blogspot.com/
marc parent's blog has comments, responses, criticism, and both lively and angry discussions of policy and intelligence reports in the media. Various posters have varying levels of credibility, but this is a place representing what the Blogisphere is all about.
---
cryptome.org
In depth collection of articles on intelligence with a technological bent. One announcement:
"Donate $25 for a DVD of the Cryptome 10+-years archives of 39,000 files from June 1996 to December 2006 (~4.1 GB). Click Paypal or mail check/MO made
out to John Young, 251 West 89th Street, New York, NY 10024. Archives include all files of cryptome.org, cryptome2.org, jya.com, cartome.org, eyeball-series.org
and iraq-kill-maim.org. Cryptome offers with the Cryptome DVD an INSCOM DVD of about 18,000 pages of counter-intelligence dossiers declassified by the
US Army Information and Security Command, dating from 1945 to 1985. No additional contribution required -- $25 for both. The DVDs will be sent anywhere
worldwide without extra cost."
---
Early Warning - William Arkin's Blog
Posted at WashingtonPost.com
blog.washingtonpost.com/earlywarning/2007/
"Starting Sept. 14 [2005], Early Warning will report daily on the comings and goings of the national security community -- military, special ops, intelligence, homeland security -- part blog, part investigative journalism (a jog!). Here I can post documents, go into great detail, stick with a story when others have moved on, and introduce one that has escaped the mainstream media.
"My basic philosophy is that government is more incompetent than diabolical, that the military gets way too much of a free ride . . . and that official secrecy is the greatest threat citizens actually face today."
---
www.globalsecurity.org
An outstanding archive of articles on: Military, WMD, Intelligence, and Homeland Security. Under "Intelligence," categories include: Systems, Operations, Countries, Hot Documents, News, Reports, Policy, Budget, Congress, Imagery and Links.
---
Global Incident Map Displaying Terrorist Acts, Suspicious Activity, and General Terrorism News
www.globalincidentmap.com/home.php - 266k -
This group post terrorism Events and Other Suspicious Activity and automatically reloads every 240 seconds.
---
I am SPY
Espionage and theory of conspiracy news
http://www.spy.im
More conspiracy theory than espionage, this blogger posts news articles touching on a range of topics. Erratic.
---
Intelligence Community Enterprise Services - Operations Center
http://ra.intelink.gov/
Note: Access to this database is restricted. For those eligible--
DNI-U is the network infrastructure portion of the system formerly known as the Open Source Information System (OSIS). In mid 2006, the name OSIS which
referred to both the network and the content was retired. The network and content portions were decoupled. The network piece is now named DNI-U while the
content piece is named Intelink-U.
The DNI-U network is maintained by the DNI-CIO Intelligence Community Enterprise Services office (ICES). FOR ASSISTANCE PLEASE CONTACT:
Office of the Director of National Intelligence - CIO
Intelligence Community Enterprise Services - Operations Center
Phone: 1-301-688-1800
Email: accounts AT intelink.gov
---
Intelligence History - Dalhousie University Libraries
www.library.dal.ca/subjects/Intelligence.htm - 16k -
"This web page is designed to be useful for research in Intelligence history by students at Dalhousie University, specifically to `enhance student's understanding of national intelligence communities in Britain, Canada, Russia and the United States.'"
While not updated since 2003, the holdings in this collection partially include:
Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS)
"ForeignRelations volumes contain documents from Presidential libraries, Departments of State and Defense, National Security Council, Central Intelligence Agency, Agency for International Development, and other foreign affairs agencies as well as the private papers of individuals involved in formulating U.S. foreign policy . . . particularly those involved with intelligence activity and covert actions." Volumes from recent years are available online including 1945-1950, Emergence of the Intelligence Establishment.
intel/index
"This latter volume is the result of a massive retrospective attempt to gather the archival record of the intelligence institutions and their relationships to the Department of State."
Intelligence Forum
"a forum dedicated to the scholarly study of intelligence, history, theory and practice. The
News & Notes section offers numerous links to diverse news media around the world."
The Literature of Intelligence: a Bibliography of materials, with Essays, Reviews, and Comments Compiled by a former CIA officer, useful for its geographic breakdown, including links to Canada, United Kingdom,and Russia.
The U.S. Intelligence Community
(from Columbia University)"an excellent academic website devoted to library resources available for research on U.S. agencies involved in intelligence activities. It includes links to actual documents as well as agency web sites."
Gulflink
"a searchable collection of declassified military and intelligence documents concerning Gulf War Illnesses; includes a useful Guide to Intelligence outlining the intelligence process from raw information sources to finished intelligence products."
Liquidmatrix Security Digest
http://www.liquidmatrix.org/blog
Specializes in internet security, but also post news related to internet and online spying.
---
Loyola Homepage on Strategic Intelligence
www.loyola.edu/dept/politics/intel.html - 78k -
Includes many documents and articles on military and economic espionage collected from print magazines, government agencies, institutes, and scholarly reports.
---
The Memory Hole
www.thememoryhole.org/ - 17k -
According to Russ Kick, "The Memory Hole exists to preserve and spread material that is in danger of being lost, is hard to find, or is not widely known . . . The emphasis is on material that exposes things that we're not supposed to know (or that we're supposed to forget)."
Recent notes indicate that Kick's postings may slow down as he's involved in other projects, but this remains a source to watch. Can subscribe to e-mail notifications of postings.
---
Metro Spirit national security blog: Don't Look Here!
http://augustans.blogspot.com/2007/02/dont-look-here.html
Apparently, the principal poster here is Corey Pein whose blog mixes news reports with lively commentary. Subjects include security at the NSA and political rants.
---
NARDIC Publications
www.hqda.army.mil/library/publications.htm - 72k -
The Pentagon Library has catalogues, bibliographies, online sources, databases,even an "Ask a Librarian" link. Also has news about events and speakersat the library.
---
The National Security Archive
Gelman Library, The George Washington University
nsarchiv@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu
http//www.seas.gwu.edu/nsarchive. html
"The National Security Archive is a non-governmental research institute and library that collects and publishes declassified documents obtained through the U.S. Freedom of Information Act, a public interest law firm defending and expanding public access to government information through the FOIA, and an indexer and publisher of the documents in books, microfische, and electronic formats.
"The National Security Archive was founded in 1985 by a group of journalists and scholars who had obtained documentation under the FOIA and sought a centralized
repository for these materials. Over the past twelve years, the Archive has become the world's largest non-governmental library of declassified documents."
In the main, this is one of many collections with CIA declassified documents about mind-control experiments.
---
Secrecy News Blog
http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/
Items from the Federation of American Scientists Project on Government Secrecy are typically de-classified or cleared by military sources for public distribution. Also accessible through a link at Above Top Secret.livejournal.com.
---
Spy Blog - Watching Them, Watching Us
http://SpyBlog.org.uk
While I was unable to find out who's behind this one, browsing through the postings was quite interesting. Obviously, the focus is on British intelligence, and the blog is a mix of news items and reader responses.
---
terrorizethis.org
I was unable to find who established this or any clear mission for the blog. The postings are more political statements on a myriad of topics, some related to terrorism, many not.
---
thespyreport.livejournal.com
This blog is my own extension for this site (SpyWise.net), sharing news and views on all aspects of espionage from books to the media to news items gleaned from a variety of sources. Thespyreport has no political, ideological, or any such agenda but I do offer reviews of spy projects on which I do have an opinion. Naturally, I recommend it strongly!
---
Tom Heneghan Intelligence Briefing - MySpace Blog
www.myspace.com/tom_heneghan_intel
One endorsement at the blog claims:
"If you are not yet aware, be apprised that International Intelligence Expert, Tom Heneghan, has hundreds of highly credible sources inside American and
European Intelligence Agencies and INTERPOL, sources who are putting their very lives on the line, 24/7, for you and I and our loved ones to SAVE America
and the World from Traitors-Treason-Tyranny." --Mary Schneider, Court adjudicated Federal Whistleblower
Posts claim, among other things, that both Bush and Hillary Clinton use Mossad hit squads in the U.S. and that Heneghan himself has been a target. Apparently, among others, so was Sonny Bono. Ah ha.
---
www.whatreallyhappened.com
The purpose of this site is to "expose lies" and is thus a mix of information with short, speculative essays on topics in the categories of: 9/11, The "War on Terror," US Bankruptcy and Vote Fraud, Israel, Conspiracies, Cover-Ups, and Deceptions, and Assassinations.
For related articles on espionage, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Before Munich: Black September on TV and Film
Before Munich: Black September on TV and Film
By Wesley Britton
On September 5, 1972, what became known as "Black Sunday" or the "Munich Olympic Massacre" took place when Eight Palestinian "Black September" terrorists seized eleven Israeli athletes in the Olympic Village in Munich, West Germany. In a bungled rescue attempt by West German authorities, nine of the hostages and five terrorists were killed. (note 1) In subsequent years, these events have been explored and dramatized in various media projects. The response to the tragedy by the Israeli government has also found its way into film scripts, most recently Steven Spielberg's December 2005 Munich.
The range of such projects has included simple exploitation to insightful explorations into the human motivations that say much about our responses to violence. On one extreme, during the 1970s, "Black September" became a group useful for fictional adventures as in Black Sunday (1977), a thriller so violent even its scriptwriter, Earnest Lehman, had to turn his head when viewing it in a theatre. True enough, Robert Shaw and Bruce Dern were graphic in this story about Palestinian terrorists plotting to blow up Americans at the Super Bowl. In this release, there was no pretense of capturing history, and the big-screen spectacle prefiguring 9/11 was unintentional prophecy no one then dreamed was possible. On a much smaller scale, The Olympic tragedy was rumored to have inspired ABC to shift its 1972 projected series, Assignment: Munich to Vienna. (note 2) Later, “Black September” was the title of one episode of Return of The Saint (1978) in which Simon Templar (Ian Ogilvy) aided the Israelis battling Palestinian terrorists. But the actual historical events have not been neglected on the small and large screen and some projects are of special interest.
One Day in September
Narrated by Michael Douglas, One Day in September was a 1999 Arthur Cohn documentary including promos, newscasts, and interviews with athletes and survivors of the actual 1972 tragedy. Directed by Kevin McDonald, this straight-forward production Focused on the hours leading up to the attack, what transpired at the Olympics, but said little about the aftermath which would become the subject of Munich.
To begin, the film makes clear these Olympics were of historical importance even before the terrorist took their hostages. As the 1972 games occurred just 30 miles from the site of the Dachau concentration camp, Israeli competitors were thrilled to march under the Star of David flag unfurled in Germany for the first time since World War II. For Germans, these games were intended to erase old memories as the Nazis had used the Olympics to promote their world vision. So hopefulness was, in the words of one participant, in "overdrive." For example, even though Israel and Lebanon were at war, their athletes were able to meet and compare competition results, illustrating what the Olympics are all about.
Without editorial comment, in One Day, we learn how such goodwill was destroyed. In the moments leading up to the attack, we get glimpses into the men whose lives were about to change from jubilant success to fearful captivity. We learn the Israeli team viewed a production of Fiddler on the Roof the evening of the takeover of their quarters. One of them had nearly missed the train from Holland to attend that night, and we hear the words of his girlfriend who described her last happy hours with him. Later, we would hear her memories as she saw her last view of her boyfriend on television, a gun at his head as he stood on the balcony in the Olympic village hours before his murder.
According to the film, it was the East German team who allowed the Black September group to sneak into the grounds to survey the apartment building where the Israelis were staying. The report showed how the terrorists first captured a coach who led the gunmen to the apartment where the wrestlers and weight-lifters were housed, the coach thinking they might have the best chance of fighting back. He was the first to die. Then, Black September demanded some 200 political prisoners be freed or the hostages would be killed.
One Day then focuses more on what happened around the captives rather then what transpired behind the doors of the Olympic village. Of course, during these hours, little was known about what happened in the apartments, the number of captives and captors not certain until much later. If the documentary is accurate, it quickly became apparent the West German government was ill-equipped to handle the situation. The Olympic committee, in turn, was reluctant to let the events altar the schedule. While American swimmer Mark Spitz, winner of seven Gold Medals was spirited away as he was Jewish, the games were not, at first, postponed or affected in any way. While international anger grew, the committee felt the hostage crisis had nothing to do with the games. One sad moment in the film is when cheering crowds respond to the games while negotiators try to get the terrorists to delay their deadline. Later scenes showed athletes swimming and sunning themselves in a pond not 200 yards from the apartment building. One observer described the attitude as "selfish and obscene."
Then the horror mounts--again, not seen in the violence by Black September--but by the authorities charged with dealing with them. While the Israeli government offered to send in a rescue team, the West German government said no. The Germans did send in an untrained team of snipers in a ploy to get the terrorists out in the open, all the while an astonishing amount of security information was being broadcast over television. Other blunders included only five marksman being set up at the airport where the hostages were taken by helicopter even though eight terrorists were involved. While four of the five snipers fired their guns, none hit their targets until it was too late and these shots were not coordinated. The security squad in the plane allegedly there to take the kidnappers and their hostages to Egypt voted to abandon their mission just seconds before the group arrived. The police had forgotten to order armored cars which were then caught in traffic and did not arrive in time. Two security officers were shot by snipers, mistaken for terrorists. To compound blunders of action, an official made the statement the events were unfortunate and would hopefully be forgotten in a few weeks.
Again, without commentary, the film noted the West German government of Willy Brandt apparently colluded with the terrorists to get the imprisoned members quickly out of Germany. According to an interview with one surviving terrorist, the Germans agreed to exchange the three terrorists for kidnapped Germans in what he claimed to be a set-up. Why else the haste the Germans went through to get his group out of Germany?
At film's end, few viewers would think justice, on any level, had taken place before or after September 5, 1972. Rather, one might wonder why Israel didn't close their German embassy in disgust. After viewing this account, who would blame Israeli intelligence for taking the actions detailed in Spielberg's film?
21 Hours in Munich
With a very different spin, many of these same events had been dramatized in the earlier Orion Pictures 21 Hours in Munich (1976), a re-creation filmed in the actual locations in West Germany. Like One Day, starring William Holden, Shirley Knight, and Franco Nero, the story begins with the hope of the games, the setting described as more "Hansel and Gretel than Hitler and Goebbels." In Edward Feldman's rather bare-bones production--Israelis, Germans, and Arabs all speaking with decidedly American accents--viewers do see different perspectives from One Day.
For one example, the Olympic committee is shown in a better light. Its spokesman said the games had been going on for centuries and no hoodlums should be permitted to molest them. In the script, the committee feared if the games were stopped, crowds would descend on the secure area, complicating security matters. Perhaps more notably, the lead Arab is portrayed sympathetically, saying he desires no harm to anyone but only wants his brothers freed. This point is repeated throughout the film, making the Palestinians as much victims as their hostages.
Whether by design or a lack of direction, 21 Hours is no tense drama. Much of the focus is the dialogue between the West German negotiator and the lead terrorist which implies the Black September group were attempting to escape peacefully but were betrayed by the Germans. In this version of events, the German negotiator led the kidnappers to believe they could execute their hostages in Egypt even though that government had rejected the German request to let the plane come to them. The Egyptian Prime Minister apparently knew the Germans merely wanted the crisis to move off their soil. Still, the production showed German law enforcement as far more efficient than shown in the documentary, the final blunders tragedies no one could have predicted. On its own, 21 Hours points fingers at West German authorities, but all else were victims, including the driven Black September gunmen. From this view, they were more guerilla fighters than members of what would become known as terrorism.
The Sword of Gideon
Moving to events after September 1972, the 1986 HBO production, The Sword of Gideon (based on the George Jonas book, Vengeance) is well-known as the inspiration for Spielberg's Munich. (note 3) Produced by Robert Lantos, like Munich, the events in the Olympic village are dispatched quickly in a pre-title sequence as the story is about the Israeli response to the murders and not what happened to set this revenge in motion.
While the cast included the likes of Steven Bauer, Robert Joy, Leslie Hope, Rod Steiger, Michael York, Leno Ventura, and Colleen Dewhurst, the acting is not on the same scale as Munich although we do learn more about the Israeli team than the later version of the same events. Many situations are better handled in Munich. For example, in the scenes when the unit encounters the French "honey trap" killer, Sword rushes through the episode with no glimpses into character reactions. We don't get the killer protesting her death saying her murder would be "a waste of talent." But we do see her termination in the light of one directive the team was given, that no innocent bystanders should be hurt. What if a gun is pulled? Then you're no longer a bystander, an idea that is the theme of the entire mission.
As with Munich, the hunters become the hunted but this idea is better developed in Sword. As the mission progresses, the killings have less and less connection to the events that inspired them. At the end of the second kill, they cry "For Munich"--the shooting of the French assassin is for themselves. The purpose of it all gradually dissipates in this comparatively stream-lined account.
Perhaps stream-lined is not the best term. The running time of both Sword and Munich is roughly the same, but the episodes in Sword are fewer but longer. The old warning that once you're in, you can't get out frames Sword with the lead agent being warned by his father in the opening scenes, and the long denouement is of this agent being unscrupulously pressured by his chief to continue the job--a rather different conclusion than in Munich with more global themes and less personal interconnections. In short, Sword ends up as the story of an agent too good to return to a normal life.
Munich
When Munich premiered in 2005, the film seemed a clear metaphor for current issues regarding Middle-Eastern themes. For example, the list of 11 names to be hunted down evoked the playing card deck of Iraqis sought by U.S. forces in the first months of that war. The theme of violence responded to with violence in an endless cycle certainly pointed to ongoing bloodshetting between Israel and groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and Fatah. In one scene in Munich, a German tells the Israelis that the Palestinians have the long-term upper-hand as their population will swell over the next century. This monologue reminded me of a recent Atlantic Monthly article spelling out the same conclusion. The birthrate is apparently certain to be in the Arab's favor.
And images from the movie connected with themes from the past. The bom-maker, a former toy-maker, echoed Hitchcock’s 1936 Sabotage, especially the scene where a bomb maker worked on his craft surrounded by children's toys and ordinary laundry. In Munich, we see the bom-maker apparently blow himself up, a scene reminiscent of the Hitchcock project and the Joseph Conrad novel on which it was based where a young child is also exploded accidentally.
For those interested, each of the projects described above are available on DVD or video. (note 4) for those wanting to learn more about the background for Munich, I recommend One Day in September as a story that does not duplicate events in Munich but rather sets the stage for that project. It seems appropriate to remember what happened in 1972 and those who senselessly lost their lives in the early days of the Palestine/ Israeli conflict. Then, we didn't know what was to come. In hindsight, Black September were the first seeds of the blood to characterize the opening years of a new century.
Notes
1. For many more details about related films, see "Defining Terrorism: A Short History of Fact, Fiction, and Film" also posted at this website.
2. For more information, see my interview with Robert Conrad posted at this website.
3. For reviews of books dealing with Munich and its aftermath, see “The Mossad and Israeli Intelligence: An Annotated Bibliography (Books)” also posted at this website. Related movies are listed in “THE MOSSAD ON SCREEN: A FILMOGRAPHY.”
4. For those living in the Dallas, Texas area, One Day, 21 Hours, and Sword are available for rent at Starlight Video.
For related articles, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
By Wesley Britton
On September 5, 1972, what became known as "Black Sunday" or the "Munich Olympic Massacre" took place when Eight Palestinian "Black September" terrorists seized eleven Israeli athletes in the Olympic Village in Munich, West Germany. In a bungled rescue attempt by West German authorities, nine of the hostages and five terrorists were killed. (note 1) In subsequent years, these events have been explored and dramatized in various media projects. The response to the tragedy by the Israeli government has also found its way into film scripts, most recently Steven Spielberg's December 2005 Munich.
The range of such projects has included simple exploitation to insightful explorations into the human motivations that say much about our responses to violence. On one extreme, during the 1970s, "Black September" became a group useful for fictional adventures as in Black Sunday (1977), a thriller so violent even its scriptwriter, Earnest Lehman, had to turn his head when viewing it in a theatre. True enough, Robert Shaw and Bruce Dern were graphic in this story about Palestinian terrorists plotting to blow up Americans at the Super Bowl. In this release, there was no pretense of capturing history, and the big-screen spectacle prefiguring 9/11 was unintentional prophecy no one then dreamed was possible. On a much smaller scale, The Olympic tragedy was rumored to have inspired ABC to shift its 1972 projected series, Assignment: Munich to Vienna. (note 2) Later, “Black September” was the title of one episode of Return of The Saint (1978) in which Simon Templar (Ian Ogilvy) aided the Israelis battling Palestinian terrorists. But the actual historical events have not been neglected on the small and large screen and some projects are of special interest.
One Day in September
Narrated by Michael Douglas, One Day in September was a 1999 Arthur Cohn documentary including promos, newscasts, and interviews with athletes and survivors of the actual 1972 tragedy. Directed by Kevin McDonald, this straight-forward production Focused on the hours leading up to the attack, what transpired at the Olympics, but said little about the aftermath which would become the subject of Munich.
To begin, the film makes clear these Olympics were of historical importance even before the terrorist took their hostages. As the 1972 games occurred just 30 miles from the site of the Dachau concentration camp, Israeli competitors were thrilled to march under the Star of David flag unfurled in Germany for the first time since World War II. For Germans, these games were intended to erase old memories as the Nazis had used the Olympics to promote their world vision. So hopefulness was, in the words of one participant, in "overdrive." For example, even though Israel and Lebanon were at war, their athletes were able to meet and compare competition results, illustrating what the Olympics are all about.
Without editorial comment, in One Day, we learn how such goodwill was destroyed. In the moments leading up to the attack, we get glimpses into the men whose lives were about to change from jubilant success to fearful captivity. We learn the Israeli team viewed a production of Fiddler on the Roof the evening of the takeover of their quarters. One of them had nearly missed the train from Holland to attend that night, and we hear the words of his girlfriend who described her last happy hours with him. Later, we would hear her memories as she saw her last view of her boyfriend on television, a gun at his head as he stood on the balcony in the Olympic village hours before his murder.
According to the film, it was the East German team who allowed the Black September group to sneak into the grounds to survey the apartment building where the Israelis were staying. The report showed how the terrorists first captured a coach who led the gunmen to the apartment where the wrestlers and weight-lifters were housed, the coach thinking they might have the best chance of fighting back. He was the first to die. Then, Black September demanded some 200 political prisoners be freed or the hostages would be killed.
One Day then focuses more on what happened around the captives rather then what transpired behind the doors of the Olympic village. Of course, during these hours, little was known about what happened in the apartments, the number of captives and captors not certain until much later. If the documentary is accurate, it quickly became apparent the West German government was ill-equipped to handle the situation. The Olympic committee, in turn, was reluctant to let the events altar the schedule. While American swimmer Mark Spitz, winner of seven Gold Medals was spirited away as he was Jewish, the games were not, at first, postponed or affected in any way. While international anger grew, the committee felt the hostage crisis had nothing to do with the games. One sad moment in the film is when cheering crowds respond to the games while negotiators try to get the terrorists to delay their deadline. Later scenes showed athletes swimming and sunning themselves in a pond not 200 yards from the apartment building. One observer described the attitude as "selfish and obscene."
Then the horror mounts--again, not seen in the violence by Black September--but by the authorities charged with dealing with them. While the Israeli government offered to send in a rescue team, the West German government said no. The Germans did send in an untrained team of snipers in a ploy to get the terrorists out in the open, all the while an astonishing amount of security information was being broadcast over television. Other blunders included only five marksman being set up at the airport where the hostages were taken by helicopter even though eight terrorists were involved. While four of the five snipers fired their guns, none hit their targets until it was too late and these shots were not coordinated. The security squad in the plane allegedly there to take the kidnappers and their hostages to Egypt voted to abandon their mission just seconds before the group arrived. The police had forgotten to order armored cars which were then caught in traffic and did not arrive in time. Two security officers were shot by snipers, mistaken for terrorists. To compound blunders of action, an official made the statement the events were unfortunate and would hopefully be forgotten in a few weeks.
Again, without commentary, the film noted the West German government of Willy Brandt apparently colluded with the terrorists to get the imprisoned members quickly out of Germany. According to an interview with one surviving terrorist, the Germans agreed to exchange the three terrorists for kidnapped Germans in what he claimed to be a set-up. Why else the haste the Germans went through to get his group out of Germany?
At film's end, few viewers would think justice, on any level, had taken place before or after September 5, 1972. Rather, one might wonder why Israel didn't close their German embassy in disgust. After viewing this account, who would blame Israeli intelligence for taking the actions detailed in Spielberg's film?
21 Hours in Munich
With a very different spin, many of these same events had been dramatized in the earlier Orion Pictures 21 Hours in Munich (1976), a re-creation filmed in the actual locations in West Germany. Like One Day, starring William Holden, Shirley Knight, and Franco Nero, the story begins with the hope of the games, the setting described as more "Hansel and Gretel than Hitler and Goebbels." In Edward Feldman's rather bare-bones production--Israelis, Germans, and Arabs all speaking with decidedly American accents--viewers do see different perspectives from One Day.
For one example, the Olympic committee is shown in a better light. Its spokesman said the games had been going on for centuries and no hoodlums should be permitted to molest them. In the script, the committee feared if the games were stopped, crowds would descend on the secure area, complicating security matters. Perhaps more notably, the lead Arab is portrayed sympathetically, saying he desires no harm to anyone but only wants his brothers freed. This point is repeated throughout the film, making the Palestinians as much victims as their hostages.
Whether by design or a lack of direction, 21 Hours is no tense drama. Much of the focus is the dialogue between the West German negotiator and the lead terrorist which implies the Black September group were attempting to escape peacefully but were betrayed by the Germans. In this version of events, the German negotiator led the kidnappers to believe they could execute their hostages in Egypt even though that government had rejected the German request to let the plane come to them. The Egyptian Prime Minister apparently knew the Germans merely wanted the crisis to move off their soil. Still, the production showed German law enforcement as far more efficient than shown in the documentary, the final blunders tragedies no one could have predicted. On its own, 21 Hours points fingers at West German authorities, but all else were victims, including the driven Black September gunmen. From this view, they were more guerilla fighters than members of what would become known as terrorism.
The Sword of Gideon
Moving to events after September 1972, the 1986 HBO production, The Sword of Gideon (based on the George Jonas book, Vengeance) is well-known as the inspiration for Spielberg's Munich. (note 3) Produced by Robert Lantos, like Munich, the events in the Olympic village are dispatched quickly in a pre-title sequence as the story is about the Israeli response to the murders and not what happened to set this revenge in motion.
While the cast included the likes of Steven Bauer, Robert Joy, Leslie Hope, Rod Steiger, Michael York, Leno Ventura, and Colleen Dewhurst, the acting is not on the same scale as Munich although we do learn more about the Israeli team than the later version of the same events. Many situations are better handled in Munich. For example, in the scenes when the unit encounters the French "honey trap" killer, Sword rushes through the episode with no glimpses into character reactions. We don't get the killer protesting her death saying her murder would be "a waste of talent." But we do see her termination in the light of one directive the team was given, that no innocent bystanders should be hurt. What if a gun is pulled? Then you're no longer a bystander, an idea that is the theme of the entire mission.
As with Munich, the hunters become the hunted but this idea is better developed in Sword. As the mission progresses, the killings have less and less connection to the events that inspired them. At the end of the second kill, they cry "For Munich"--the shooting of the French assassin is for themselves. The purpose of it all gradually dissipates in this comparatively stream-lined account.
Perhaps stream-lined is not the best term. The running time of both Sword and Munich is roughly the same, but the episodes in Sword are fewer but longer. The old warning that once you're in, you can't get out frames Sword with the lead agent being warned by his father in the opening scenes, and the long denouement is of this agent being unscrupulously pressured by his chief to continue the job--a rather different conclusion than in Munich with more global themes and less personal interconnections. In short, Sword ends up as the story of an agent too good to return to a normal life.
Munich
When Munich premiered in 2005, the film seemed a clear metaphor for current issues regarding Middle-Eastern themes. For example, the list of 11 names to be hunted down evoked the playing card deck of Iraqis sought by U.S. forces in the first months of that war. The theme of violence responded to with violence in an endless cycle certainly pointed to ongoing bloodshetting between Israel and groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and Fatah. In one scene in Munich, a German tells the Israelis that the Palestinians have the long-term upper-hand as their population will swell over the next century. This monologue reminded me of a recent Atlantic Monthly article spelling out the same conclusion. The birthrate is apparently certain to be in the Arab's favor.
And images from the movie connected with themes from the past. The bom-maker, a former toy-maker, echoed Hitchcock’s 1936 Sabotage, especially the scene where a bomb maker worked on his craft surrounded by children's toys and ordinary laundry. In Munich, we see the bom-maker apparently blow himself up, a scene reminiscent of the Hitchcock project and the Joseph Conrad novel on which it was based where a young child is also exploded accidentally.
For those interested, each of the projects described above are available on DVD or video. (note 4) for those wanting to learn more about the background for Munich, I recommend One Day in September as a story that does not duplicate events in Munich but rather sets the stage for that project. It seems appropriate to remember what happened in 1972 and those who senselessly lost their lives in the early days of the Palestine/ Israeli conflict. Then, we didn't know what was to come. In hindsight, Black September were the first seeds of the blood to characterize the opening years of a new century.
Notes
1. For many more details about related films, see "Defining Terrorism: A Short History of Fact, Fiction, and Film" also posted at this website.
2. For more information, see my interview with Robert Conrad posted at this website.
3. For reviews of books dealing with Munich and its aftermath, see “The Mossad and Israeli Intelligence: An Annotated Bibliography (Books)” also posted at this website. Related movies are listed in “THE MOSSAD ON SCREEN: A FILMOGRAPHY.”
4. For those living in the Dallas, Texas area, One Day, 21 Hours, and Sword are available for rent at Starlight Video.
For related articles, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
Friday, June 29, 2007
Sisters of Mata Hari
SISTERS OF MATA HARI: REVIEWS OF BOOKS ON LADY SPIES
Review: Yellen, Emily. Our Mother's War: American Women at Home and at the Front During World War II (2004); Moran, Lindsay. Blowing My Cover: My Life as a CIA Spy (2005). Adapted from posts that first appeared at thespyreport.livejournal.com, various months, 2006.
By Wesley Britton
Did you know the first spy film series ever made featured a girl? In 1909 and 1910, the four very short "Girl Spy" movies starred forgotten silent film actress Jean Gauntiett as a Civil War heroine fighting on behalf of the Confederacy. In fact, during the first three decades of Hollywood, there were probably more lady spies than men in the days of Victorian melodramas. In those days, little girls fought the "Huns" during World War I and older heroines battled to save their fathers, lovers, and country at the risk of losing life, limb, and--worst of all--their virtue. (note 1)
All this was mostly wild fiction with little connection to any historical fact. For most of the 20th Century, the number of real Mati Haris in actual espionage was quite small. But according to Emily Yellen's 2004 Our Mother's War: American Women at Home and at the Front During World War II, lady spies contributed much to the war effort in the 1940s.
To be fair, the bulk of Yellen's lengthy overview of the roles of women during the war years doesn't focus on spies. Many detailed chapters explore female workers in industry, the government, racial dimensions, and nearly every aspect of life at home and abroad during this period. Yellen's overview of female agents is primarily in one chapter, "Behind Enemy Lines: Spies, Propaganda Workers, and Those Who Worked for the Enemy." First are the numbers. Out of 13,000 employees in the O.S.S. (Office of Strategic Services), 4,000 were women. Most were file clerks and support staff--some very helpful in breaking codes-- in the overtly sexist organization, the predecessor to the CIA. Yellen described one Naval division devoted to code-breaking called OP 20G. By early 1944, 2,813 women worked for OP 20G, and 600 of them worked on the Top Secret program to break the famous German Enigma Code. Under the cover of working for the National Cash Register Co., these women were hired to build and keep the experimental machines going, 200 per shift for around the clock labors. They worked at a secret warehouse called "Sugar Hill" in Dayton, Ohio, but none knew for sure what they were working on. Some figured part of it out. Making wheels with 26 spokes was a clue. And the fact they were told if they said anything, they'd be shot was another.
Then Yellen provides a series of brief sketches of noted agents and operatives, and here is where readers can gain insights into what the real Sydney Bristos of their time were doing. Yellen believes the best of the lot was Virginia Hall who scoped out enemy movements, looked for good parachute drop sites, and helped create escape routes in France--all the while disguised as an elderly French woman. Code-named Diane, Hall was known as "The Limping Lady" because, in the middle of the 1930s, her left leg had been amputated from the knee down. The enemy knew what the thirty-something spy looked like, so disguises were needed. Posing as a stooped older woman was perfect for this unlikely agent. She was trained by the British S.O.E. (Special Operations Executive) as America was slow to put women into such roles. The Brits didn't see Hall or similar operatives as spies as they mainly organized networks rather than tried to get secret information.
Sexual escapades? Of course. Another American lady, Amy Pack, procured Navy codes from the Vichy embassy in Washington. At first, she was able to access confidential information during travels with her diplomat husband. Due to their unhappy marriage, she had a series of affairs and so uncovered Axis plans for North Africa from her lovers. Later, she pretended to be the daughter of one of her older amours, even helped by his wife, until the spouse found out the relationship was more than spycraft. The O.S.S. dispatched the wife off to Mexico telling her she was doing important intelligence work. But this was a ruse to keep her from blowing Amy's cover.
Some O.S.S. officers became celebrities. According to Yellen, former tennis star Alice Marble was recruited to go to Switzerland and spy on a former boyfriend. After a series of personal tragedies, Marble felt this would be her way to contribute to the war effort. So she slept with the enemy to find out about treasures Nazis were hoping to smuggle out along with their escape routes during the final months of the war. Like the later pair on television's I Spy, under the cover of tennis exhibition matches, she met her ex, photographed lists in his safe, and bolted out the front door, narrowly escaping.
Josephine Baker was another celebrity to help the cause, in this case an African-American singer-dancer who'd emigrated to Paris. She smuggled messages across Europe that were written in the margins of her sheet music in invisible ink. Notes about what she observed were said to have been hidden in her underwear. Julia McWilliams--later the famous "French Chef" Julia Childs--was rejected by the military for ordinary duty as she stood over six feet--no uniforms were made for such as she. She began work as a research assistant, then helped develop a shark repellent that kept Jaws and his brethren from prematurely exploding mines and ultimately bothering astronauts in splashed-down NASA spacecraft. For the O.S.S., she became an office worker, said there was nothing heroic about it, and that she did jobs men wouldn't. "It was all that was available for women," she said, but the job was the best opportunity to travel overseas. In the Far East, she met her future husband, Paul Childs, a fellow O.S.S. officer.
Elizabeth P. Macintosh was another American who served in the China/Burma/India theatre. A former journalist, she was sent out to provide morale busting propaganda among Japanese troops. This was "Black Propaganda"--lies, rumors, and innuendoes
supposedly coming from the enemy's own headquarters. ("White Propaganda," of course, was the truth dispensed from Allied channels.) One of Macintosh's operations was to alter postcards Allies had captured from Japanese soldiers. As they already had the censor's stamp on them, she cleverly had the messages changed to tell stories of defeat and poor morale and then smuggled them back into the enemy's mail delivery. Some of these operators paid the cost of covert work. Mildred Fishe Harnack was an American living in Germany who helped smuggle Jews out of the country. After providing intelligence to both the Americans and Russians, she was captured in 1942 and was the only woman executed by special order of Adolf Hitler.
Yellen also provides sketches of Mata Haris not always working for the Allies."The Red Spy Queen," Elizabeth Bently, was an American traitor who worked for the Soviet Union before and during WW II. She was one of the figures later sparking the McCarthy Era in the 1950s. She helped coordinate a large espionage ring in the U.S. against the Fascists for the KGB, but turned on them after World War II and reported to the FBI. Another traitor was Mildred Gillors, an American who served as a disc jockey for Hitler during the war. Known as "Axis Sally," she went into POW camps posing as a Red Cross worker and got captured Gis to record tape messages saying they were for the folks back home. Instead, she took the tapes and broadcast them, interjecting her own commentary that was invectives against President Roosevelt and Jews.
Later in her book, Yellen described the lives of women who didn't know what their husbands were doing in Chapter 11, "Inside the Secret City: Wives and WACS in Los Alamos." These were the wives of scientists and military personnel on the hidden mesa in New Mexico where the atomic bomb was created. Here, she describes the inadequate housing, provisions, mud, cold, dust, and isolation of a community sharply divided and mysterious. All the mail was routed to PO Box 1663--the only address listed on birth certificates issued at Los Alamos--a town that technically did not exist. Oddly, townspeople below wondered what was going on--are they making window wipers for submarines up there? So a covert mission was created. Women were sent into town to leak it was all about a new electronic rocket. They thought the natives would report the leaks to the military police. Surprisingly, no one cared. No reports were filed. So the electronic rocket mission was a failure in counter-espionage.
In this wide canvas, Yellen doesn't always provide in-depth background on various topics. For example, her chapter on movie actresses is surprisingly thin. She maintained that Hollywood movies of the era changed women from leisure, luxury-loving dolls into harder females showing they could take it on the chin alongside the boys, ready to do their bit for the war effort. Then again, she notes, the pin-up industry went into high gear during the war, with Hollywood's finest garter-belted legs and polished smiles on display in footlockers all over the globe. Betty Grable, the queen of the pin-ups, perhaps best represented the American ideal of womanhood--the sexy girl next door who was both alluring and accessible. But Yellen's short notes on moviedom don't support such claims, as there were ample examples of hard-bitten, determined women leads long before the propaganda films beginning after Pearl Harbor. Before then, Greta Garbo was Mata Hari in 1931, Marlene Dietrich was Dishonored in 1934, and Alfred Hitchcok began his use of independent leading ladies in The 39 Steps in 1935, to cite but a few. 2 On this topic, at least, it seems clear Yellen's focused research on the 1940s didn't include much digging into what came before.
Still, the book is a fine contribution to histories of the war years, adding much to a better understanding of the culture of this dramatic era. For espionage buffs, Yellen's short sketches might intrigue readers to look for more about these overlooked heroines of times past. Any female interested in what their mothers--or grandmothers--lived like during the 1940s, well, this book is indispensable.
---
"`I hope it's all worth it.' Emma had turned from me and was looking out toward the misty rain flicked street. `I mean, you would know. I am just counting on that fact. That you, and whoever it is you work for, that you guys know more than someone like me.' As it turned out, neither I nor the people I worked for knew any more than Emma. The myth of the all-knowing, omnipotent Central Intelligence Agency turned out to be just that, a myth. And it was shattered not just for all its employees but for all the Americans whom we failed in a single day."
(Lindsey Moran, Blowing My Cover, 2005)
Turning from World War Ii to the Cold War, if Lindsey Moran's Blowing My Cover: My Life as a CIA Spy (2005) were ever to be filmed, it would most likely be destined for the Lifetime Channel with some title like "The Spy Who Couldn't Get A Date" or "Sleeping Alone for the CIA." While there are glimmers into actual undercover work with few revelations into areas not already widely known, Moran's autobiography is probably of most interest for any young woman pondering joining the CIA. It's not a world Sydney Bristo would recognize.
The memoir opens with Moran's early thoughts about becoming a spy, a mix of Bondish dreams and misgivings about what the job would actually be. After sharing her education and first attempts to join the CIA, Moran describes the training at "The Farm "and her learning her life would now be a series of lies to friends, family, and potential boyfriends. We pick up tidbits such as Mormons make for good recruits because of their squeaky-clean past and that the disguise experts, in her opinion, are over-hyped hairdressers.
Then, because of her previous time spent in Bulgaria as a student, Moran was assigned to that region where she learned her work would be boring and banal. She notes if the American taxpayer knew how much money was wasted on useless informants and exorbitant dinners at high-class restaurants, there'd be a revolt. Her job, like all case officers, wasn't to do any actual espionage but rather recruit natives to do the work through entrapment, appeals to patriotism, or, mainly, bribes. While she served in Macedonia during the period when Albanian rebels created unrest, we learn next to nothing about the political contexts of what was going on. We do get quick glimpses into embassy attacks and the unpopularity of Americans as the Macedonians resented the U.S. supporting the rush of Albanian refugees into their country. While the locals poison American cats as a protest, and we learn bands played in gloating refrains after 9/11, rarely is Lindsey in a life-or-death situation. And that only happened by misadventure as when three Macedonian soldiers mistake her on a bicycle for a unit of Albanian guerillas. More telling, she said while her superiors knew her assets and contacts were fruitless and pointless, she was told to keep running them as it was a "good career move." Sadly, this observation has turned out to be rather typical of her era in spycraft as has been explored in many books on the slide of the CIA during the 1990s.
More personal revelations crop up along the way as when Moran told of how having a foreign-born boyfriend endangered her original signing on for the agency, that her love-life was run by paperwork she had to fill out for every weekend retreat, and that simple intimacy was thwarted by her vague responses to men asking about her employment. With this as a backdrop, Moran resigned from the CIA in the wake of the Second Iraq War as she knew well it was a diversion from anything to do with any real war on terror and then found herself happy in a more normal life. To her credit, the tone of her book isn't the bitter, angry exposes published from the 1960s onward but rather reads like a look back at years of disappointment on every level. It's a human portrait, not an attempt to tell readers that undercover operations are dirty work. The CIA is shown as a sexist, lumbering bureaucracy which enjoyed the gamesmanship of the Cold War but completely inept In understanding how to deal with groups who despise U.S. interests on other grounds. On the other hand, it's difficult not to see her many passages on failed relationships as whining. From the get-go, she knew deception was part of the game and you'd think agents would expect rather intrusive interests in outside relationships. Again, little is new here, but this perspective might be eye-opening for those wondering just what CIA case officers actually do and what life might be like should a reader have their own fantasies about becoming an agent in the 21st century.
Notes
1. A number of these films are discussed in Chapter One, "When Spies Were Silent I: Leading Ladies and Victorian Melodramas (1898-1929)" from my Onscreen and Undercover: The Ultimate Book of Movie Espionage (Praeger, 2006). Chapter Five, "Fighting Hitler and His Heirs: Film Nazis from the 1930s to 2005" looks at movies including female characters.
In addition, among other sections, Chapter One, "THE 39 STEPS: Creating a Genre" from my 2005 Beyond Bond: Spies in Fiction and Film notes the neglected attention given to the important roles of independent women in early spy films.
See related articles at
http://www.wesleybritton.com/
Review: Yellen, Emily. Our Mother's War: American Women at Home and at the Front During World War II (2004); Moran, Lindsay. Blowing My Cover: My Life as a CIA Spy (2005). Adapted from posts that first appeared at thespyreport.livejournal.com, various months, 2006.
By Wesley Britton
Did you know the first spy film series ever made featured a girl? In 1909 and 1910, the four very short "Girl Spy" movies starred forgotten silent film actress Jean Gauntiett as a Civil War heroine fighting on behalf of the Confederacy. In fact, during the first three decades of Hollywood, there were probably more lady spies than men in the days of Victorian melodramas. In those days, little girls fought the "Huns" during World War I and older heroines battled to save their fathers, lovers, and country at the risk of losing life, limb, and--worst of all--their virtue. (note 1)
All this was mostly wild fiction with little connection to any historical fact. For most of the 20th Century, the number of real Mati Haris in actual espionage was quite small. But according to Emily Yellen's 2004 Our Mother's War: American Women at Home and at the Front During World War II, lady spies contributed much to the war effort in the 1940s.
To be fair, the bulk of Yellen's lengthy overview of the roles of women during the war years doesn't focus on spies. Many detailed chapters explore female workers in industry, the government, racial dimensions, and nearly every aspect of life at home and abroad during this period. Yellen's overview of female agents is primarily in one chapter, "Behind Enemy Lines: Spies, Propaganda Workers, and Those Who Worked for the Enemy." First are the numbers. Out of 13,000 employees in the O.S.S. (Office of Strategic Services), 4,000 were women. Most were file clerks and support staff--some very helpful in breaking codes-- in the overtly sexist organization, the predecessor to the CIA. Yellen described one Naval division devoted to code-breaking called OP 20G. By early 1944, 2,813 women worked for OP 20G, and 600 of them worked on the Top Secret program to break the famous German Enigma Code. Under the cover of working for the National Cash Register Co., these women were hired to build and keep the experimental machines going, 200 per shift for around the clock labors. They worked at a secret warehouse called "Sugar Hill" in Dayton, Ohio, but none knew for sure what they were working on. Some figured part of it out. Making wheels with 26 spokes was a clue. And the fact they were told if they said anything, they'd be shot was another.
Then Yellen provides a series of brief sketches of noted agents and operatives, and here is where readers can gain insights into what the real Sydney Bristos of their time were doing. Yellen believes the best of the lot was Virginia Hall who scoped out enemy movements, looked for good parachute drop sites, and helped create escape routes in France--all the while disguised as an elderly French woman. Code-named Diane, Hall was known as "The Limping Lady" because, in the middle of the 1930s, her left leg had been amputated from the knee down. The enemy knew what the thirty-something spy looked like, so disguises were needed. Posing as a stooped older woman was perfect for this unlikely agent. She was trained by the British S.O.E. (Special Operations Executive) as America was slow to put women into such roles. The Brits didn't see Hall or similar operatives as spies as they mainly organized networks rather than tried to get secret information.
Sexual escapades? Of course. Another American lady, Amy Pack, procured Navy codes from the Vichy embassy in Washington. At first, she was able to access confidential information during travels with her diplomat husband. Due to their unhappy marriage, she had a series of affairs and so uncovered Axis plans for North Africa from her lovers. Later, she pretended to be the daughter of one of her older amours, even helped by his wife, until the spouse found out the relationship was more than spycraft. The O.S.S. dispatched the wife off to Mexico telling her she was doing important intelligence work. But this was a ruse to keep her from blowing Amy's cover.
Some O.S.S. officers became celebrities. According to Yellen, former tennis star Alice Marble was recruited to go to Switzerland and spy on a former boyfriend. After a series of personal tragedies, Marble felt this would be her way to contribute to the war effort. So she slept with the enemy to find out about treasures Nazis were hoping to smuggle out along with their escape routes during the final months of the war. Like the later pair on television's I Spy, under the cover of tennis exhibition matches, she met her ex, photographed lists in his safe, and bolted out the front door, narrowly escaping.
Josephine Baker was another celebrity to help the cause, in this case an African-American singer-dancer who'd emigrated to Paris. She smuggled messages across Europe that were written in the margins of her sheet music in invisible ink. Notes about what she observed were said to have been hidden in her underwear. Julia McWilliams--later the famous "French Chef" Julia Childs--was rejected by the military for ordinary duty as she stood over six feet--no uniforms were made for such as she. She began work as a research assistant, then helped develop a shark repellent that kept Jaws and his brethren from prematurely exploding mines and ultimately bothering astronauts in splashed-down NASA spacecraft. For the O.S.S., she became an office worker, said there was nothing heroic about it, and that she did jobs men wouldn't. "It was all that was available for women," she said, but the job was the best opportunity to travel overseas. In the Far East, she met her future husband, Paul Childs, a fellow O.S.S. officer.
Elizabeth P. Macintosh was another American who served in the China/Burma/India theatre. A former journalist, she was sent out to provide morale busting propaganda among Japanese troops. This was "Black Propaganda"--lies, rumors, and innuendoes
supposedly coming from the enemy's own headquarters. ("White Propaganda," of course, was the truth dispensed from Allied channels.) One of Macintosh's operations was to alter postcards Allies had captured from Japanese soldiers. As they already had the censor's stamp on them, she cleverly had the messages changed to tell stories of defeat and poor morale and then smuggled them back into the enemy's mail delivery. Some of these operators paid the cost of covert work. Mildred Fishe Harnack was an American living in Germany who helped smuggle Jews out of the country. After providing intelligence to both the Americans and Russians, she was captured in 1942 and was the only woman executed by special order of Adolf Hitler.
Yellen also provides sketches of Mata Haris not always working for the Allies."The Red Spy Queen," Elizabeth Bently, was an American traitor who worked for the Soviet Union before and during WW II. She was one of the figures later sparking the McCarthy Era in the 1950s. She helped coordinate a large espionage ring in the U.S. against the Fascists for the KGB, but turned on them after World War II and reported to the FBI. Another traitor was Mildred Gillors, an American who served as a disc jockey for Hitler during the war. Known as "Axis Sally," she went into POW camps posing as a Red Cross worker and got captured Gis to record tape messages saying they were for the folks back home. Instead, she took the tapes and broadcast them, interjecting her own commentary that was invectives against President Roosevelt and Jews.
Later in her book, Yellen described the lives of women who didn't know what their husbands were doing in Chapter 11, "Inside the Secret City: Wives and WACS in Los Alamos." These were the wives of scientists and military personnel on the hidden mesa in New Mexico where the atomic bomb was created. Here, she describes the inadequate housing, provisions, mud, cold, dust, and isolation of a community sharply divided and mysterious. All the mail was routed to PO Box 1663--the only address listed on birth certificates issued at Los Alamos--a town that technically did not exist. Oddly, townspeople below wondered what was going on--are they making window wipers for submarines up there? So a covert mission was created. Women were sent into town to leak it was all about a new electronic rocket. They thought the natives would report the leaks to the military police. Surprisingly, no one cared. No reports were filed. So the electronic rocket mission was a failure in counter-espionage.
In this wide canvas, Yellen doesn't always provide in-depth background on various topics. For example, her chapter on movie actresses is surprisingly thin. She maintained that Hollywood movies of the era changed women from leisure, luxury-loving dolls into harder females showing they could take it on the chin alongside the boys, ready to do their bit for the war effort. Then again, she notes, the pin-up industry went into high gear during the war, with Hollywood's finest garter-belted legs and polished smiles on display in footlockers all over the globe. Betty Grable, the queen of the pin-ups, perhaps best represented the American ideal of womanhood--the sexy girl next door who was both alluring and accessible. But Yellen's short notes on moviedom don't support such claims, as there were ample examples of hard-bitten, determined women leads long before the propaganda films beginning after Pearl Harbor. Before then, Greta Garbo was Mata Hari in 1931, Marlene Dietrich was Dishonored in 1934, and Alfred Hitchcok began his use of independent leading ladies in The 39 Steps in 1935, to cite but a few. 2 On this topic, at least, it seems clear Yellen's focused research on the 1940s didn't include much digging into what came before.
Still, the book is a fine contribution to histories of the war years, adding much to a better understanding of the culture of this dramatic era. For espionage buffs, Yellen's short sketches might intrigue readers to look for more about these overlooked heroines of times past. Any female interested in what their mothers--or grandmothers--lived like during the 1940s, well, this book is indispensable.
---
"`I hope it's all worth it.' Emma had turned from me and was looking out toward the misty rain flicked street. `I mean, you would know. I am just counting on that fact. That you, and whoever it is you work for, that you guys know more than someone like me.' As it turned out, neither I nor the people I worked for knew any more than Emma. The myth of the all-knowing, omnipotent Central Intelligence Agency turned out to be just that, a myth. And it was shattered not just for all its employees but for all the Americans whom we failed in a single day."
(Lindsey Moran, Blowing My Cover, 2005)
Turning from World War Ii to the Cold War, if Lindsey Moran's Blowing My Cover: My Life as a CIA Spy (2005) were ever to be filmed, it would most likely be destined for the Lifetime Channel with some title like "The Spy Who Couldn't Get A Date" or "Sleeping Alone for the CIA." While there are glimmers into actual undercover work with few revelations into areas not already widely known, Moran's autobiography is probably of most interest for any young woman pondering joining the CIA. It's not a world Sydney Bristo would recognize.
The memoir opens with Moran's early thoughts about becoming a spy, a mix of Bondish dreams and misgivings about what the job would actually be. After sharing her education and first attempts to join the CIA, Moran describes the training at "The Farm "and her learning her life would now be a series of lies to friends, family, and potential boyfriends. We pick up tidbits such as Mormons make for good recruits because of their squeaky-clean past and that the disguise experts, in her opinion, are over-hyped hairdressers.
Then, because of her previous time spent in Bulgaria as a student, Moran was assigned to that region where she learned her work would be boring and banal. She notes if the American taxpayer knew how much money was wasted on useless informants and exorbitant dinners at high-class restaurants, there'd be a revolt. Her job, like all case officers, wasn't to do any actual espionage but rather recruit natives to do the work through entrapment, appeals to patriotism, or, mainly, bribes. While she served in Macedonia during the period when Albanian rebels created unrest, we learn next to nothing about the political contexts of what was going on. We do get quick glimpses into embassy attacks and the unpopularity of Americans as the Macedonians resented the U.S. supporting the rush of Albanian refugees into their country. While the locals poison American cats as a protest, and we learn bands played in gloating refrains after 9/11, rarely is Lindsey in a life-or-death situation. And that only happened by misadventure as when three Macedonian soldiers mistake her on a bicycle for a unit of Albanian guerillas. More telling, she said while her superiors knew her assets and contacts were fruitless and pointless, she was told to keep running them as it was a "good career move." Sadly, this observation has turned out to be rather typical of her era in spycraft as has been explored in many books on the slide of the CIA during the 1990s.
More personal revelations crop up along the way as when Moran told of how having a foreign-born boyfriend endangered her original signing on for the agency, that her love-life was run by paperwork she had to fill out for every weekend retreat, and that simple intimacy was thwarted by her vague responses to men asking about her employment. With this as a backdrop, Moran resigned from the CIA in the wake of the Second Iraq War as she knew well it was a diversion from anything to do with any real war on terror and then found herself happy in a more normal life. To her credit, the tone of her book isn't the bitter, angry exposes published from the 1960s onward but rather reads like a look back at years of disappointment on every level. It's a human portrait, not an attempt to tell readers that undercover operations are dirty work. The CIA is shown as a sexist, lumbering bureaucracy which enjoyed the gamesmanship of the Cold War but completely inept In understanding how to deal with groups who despise U.S. interests on other grounds. On the other hand, it's difficult not to see her many passages on failed relationships as whining. From the get-go, she knew deception was part of the game and you'd think agents would expect rather intrusive interests in outside relationships. Again, little is new here, but this perspective might be eye-opening for those wondering just what CIA case officers actually do and what life might be like should a reader have their own fantasies about becoming an agent in the 21st century.
Notes
1. A number of these films are discussed in Chapter One, "When Spies Were Silent I: Leading Ladies and Victorian Melodramas (1898-1929)" from my Onscreen and Undercover: The Ultimate Book of Movie Espionage (Praeger, 2006). Chapter Five, "Fighting Hitler and His Heirs: Film Nazis from the 1930s to 2005" looks at movies including female characters.
In addition, among other sections, Chapter One, "THE 39 STEPS: Creating a Genre" from my 2005 Beyond Bond: Spies in Fiction and Film notes the neglected attention given to the important roles of independent women in early spy films.
See related articles at
http://www.wesleybritton.com/
Don DeLillo's Libra: America's Best Spy Novel?
Don DeLillo's Libra-- America's Best Spy Novel?
By Wesley Britton
"Someday, this operation would be studied at the highest levels of intelligence, in Langley and the Pentagon . . . Astonish them. Create coincidence so bizarre they have to believe it. Create a loneliness that beats with violent desire. This kind of man, an arrest, the false name, a stolen credit card, stalking a victim can be a way of organizing one's loneliness, making a network out of it, a fabric of connections. Desperate men give their solitude a purpose and a destiny."
(Don DeLillo, Libra, 1988)
In July 2006, The New York Times Book Review devoted one issue to what over 100 authors and critics felt are the best 25 American novels published over the last quarter century. Toni Morrison's Beloved topped the list; Philip Roth had the largest number of titles.
Such a list might not seem the most likely source to look for American spy fiction. Whenever critical discussions of espionage in literature take place, it's usually the Brits who take the top prizes. W. Somerset Maugham, John Le Carre', and Graham Green, in particular, are considered writers who used what Le Carre' called the "furniture of espionage" as a means to explore themes with literary depth. Their books looked at the ramifications of the Cold War, the meaning of secret lives, the costs of sacrificing innocents and professionals alike, the unknowns of choices made at the highest levels, and the depths of misguided human motives.
In contrast, American writers didn't contribute much to spy fiction until after the Bond boom made espionage a central focus of popular culture. Even then, excepting atomic age defectors and traitors popping up in headlines during the 1950s, the world of spycraft was largely Euro-centered in cities like Berlin and Moscow. The CIA and U.S. based books were mainly the pulp thrillers of Donald Hamilton and others wanting an American slice of the Bond pie. Not until the post-Watergate era did we see much serious use of secret ways in American literature. Then the themes were typically pointing to fears of the U.S. government being at best no better than the Reds or, at worst, conspiring against its own citizens. But, from time to time, noted writers who worked in wider spheres took a hand with spy stories, from Kurt Vonnegut Jr. to William Buckley to Norman Mailer.
What has all this to do with the New York Times Top 25 list? Two titles, both by Don DeLillo. The list included his 1997's Underworld, in which J. Edgar Hoover is one character. DeLillo's Libra got one vote as well. While no one would suggest Underworld would qualify as a spy novel, if The New York Times Book Review mention is a clue, Libra could be the best American espionage novel in contemporary literature.
Analysis of an Assassination
In my Beyond Bond: Spies in Fiction and Film (2005), I noted that in Mao II (1991),
"DeLillo claimed that the powerful exercise and retain their control in secret which forces the powerless to act in more dramatic ways. This concern was a continuation of themes expressed in DeLillo's most overt nod to espionage, Libra (1988), a novel on the life of Lee Harvey Oswald. The book is told from the point of view of Nicholas Branch, a retired senior CIA analyst who has been hired to write the secret history of the Kennedy assassination. According to Branch, disgraced and overzealous CIA agents hatched a plan to undo the disaster of the Bay of Pigs by staging an assassination attempt on President Kennedy. With a carefully manufactured trail leading to Fidel Castro, they hoped to provoke the United States into a full-scale second invasion of Cuba. Two agents think they're planning a surgical miss; a third intends to make the murder real and finds his gunman in the cipher, Lee Harvey Oswald. In this account, Oswald is a man who, in both fact and fiction, eludes easy description." *1*
Without question, DiLillo's creative intentions went far beyond most reality-based spy stories. DeLillo seemed to indicate that he saw Libra as an epic project when he had Nicholas Branch refer to his work as reviewing "the megaton novel James Joyce would have written if he'd moved to Iowa City and lived to be a hundred. Everything is here . . . this is the Joyceian book of America . . . the novel in which nothing is left out." Forced to examine the most minute of documents along with the 26 volumes of The Warren Report, Libra is the dramatization of what Branch studies. The fragments of events and mindsets over three decades and speculations of motives and coincidences all cumulatively demonstrate that forces beyond easily graspable truths shaped the death of a president.
DeLillo's Branch surely reflected DeLillo's own task as a writer, author and character both researching the historical record for starting points. Facts: Oswald--who was never known as Lee Harvey until he became headline news--was a high-school dropout, twice court-martialed in the Marines, an unwanted defector, and a failed suicide. DeLillo's Oswald was someone drawn to Marxism as the ideology demands the individual disappear in favor of the greater good. He is a survivor treated badly at worst and ignored at best. One memorable scene has Oswald in the Marine brig, forced to stand behind a white line and ask permission to use a urinal. He is senselessly beaten while he stoically tries again and again to comply with harsh rules that are unfairly enforced.
This Oswald became an unreliable spy. After defecting to Russia, thinking it the home he never had in the U.S., he invented information about u-2 spyplanes to make himself seem more important than he was to his interrogators. Later, his claims about the height of U-2 flights are measured against those of pilot Francis Gary Powers who actually flew the plane. While he doesn't know it, Oswald has begun to become part of history, in the form of a man who is already blurring and confusing reality with his own ill-defined identity. "He'd be a real defector posing as a false defector posing as a real defector" trained intensively as a Russian agent in naval intelligence-at least in his imigination. In his thoughts, he'd be like TV FBI informant Herbert Philbric on I Led Three Lives. Instead, he is given menial work in a radio factory as the Russians have no idea what to do with him. When he later decides to return home, they give him his permits in but 48 hours, an unusual fulfillment of such a request. Are they setting loose their agent--an unlikely scenario--or jettisoning an enigmatic émigré?
This Oswald continues to see himself as a secret agent, although without apparent acceptance by any agency. DeLillo's Oswald is an excellent forger, able to create documents for various aliases and may, or maybe not, was a sharp-shooter. His Mother believes he was an American agent in Russia who married a KGB spy. Not likely. But he becomes the observed pawn in the game of rogue elephants who want to get America back into Cuba. He's now in a world of secret layers, a world in which the Mob manipulates the CIA by doing patriotic duties to keep prosecutors--and Robert Kennedy--off their backs. This CIA is, in one character's view, "the best organized church in the Christian world. A mission to collect and store everything that everyone has ever said and then reduce it to a microdot and call it God. "
In Libra, mysterious spymasters are indeed playing God-games. From a small town in Texas, the ex-CIA conspirators first seek a shooter who will give them a "spectacular, surgical miss" of JFK before deciding history determines he should die. The hit is wrapped in mazes to confuse future investigators and Oswald is just too good a figure not to use. Without explanation, the puppet-masters seem to know Oswald was the would-be assassin of right-wing General Ted Walker who gets a minor wound when Oswald tries to murder him in Dallas. *2* They think the hit on the president should be in Miami but history seems to favor them by bringing Kennedy to Dealy Plaza. Something beyond the schemes of men with limited vision is pulling the threads together.
Logically, why Oswald would interest this group makes little sense. He disappears for long periods of time, and they can't keep tabs on him. For him to show up in New Orleans and walk into the office of their chief recruiter was just one of many striking coincidences. The FBI is watching him as well for their purposes--for a conspiracy to align themselves with a man under surveillance isn't a likely choice. Oswald even bungles his alleged FBI cover by calling the bureau in for assistance when he's arrested for disorderly conduct. The conspirators have to manipulate his motives as Oswald wanted to shoot Walker as he thought Castro would consider it a favor and allow him to defect to Cuba, but he has no anti-Kennedy feelings. In fact, this Oswald reads James Bond books when he learns Kennedy likes them. True, Oswald is being set up as the "traceable artifact" and another rifleman is assumed will get in the actual kill shots. But no one could have predicted he'd be working at the Texas Book Depository in the month just before the presidential trip. In short, as one character put it, history is a force greater than what analysis will yield.
But the plotters don't get it all their way. They plan to murder Oswald in a movie theatre after the assassination where he goes thinking he's making the contact to take him to Cuba. Instead, he pointlessly murders a policeman and is arrested. Which brings Jack Ruby into the drama, a man who thinks of the assassination as akin to the crucifixion of Christ. Like fellow Dallasites, he's overwhelmed with the grief and fear their city is now forever tainted. History has found him and will make him a hero for killing the killer--and gangsters nudge history by offering Ruby a means out of his financial debt. But his motive is deeper, to erase Oswald from consciousness. Ruby's failure was that he was now forever linked to what he wanted to wipe clean.
In the end, we hear the testimony of Oswald's mother who remained convinced her son was a U.S. agent in Russia and that some force began shaping Lee as early as high school. Her muddled certainty is juxtaposed against the backdrop of coincidence piled on coincidence even beyond the biographies of those involved. After all, who can explain the parallels of the deaths of Presidents Lincoln and Kennedy? Who can explain the mysterious deaths of so many participants in the years after the assassination?
The Unresolvable Epic
In his "Afterword" for Libra, DeLillo admitted he was not attempting to present historical truth and created all of his intelligence officers and Mafia figures. "After reading parts of the Warren Commission Report and visiting sites where Oswald lived, DeLillo's fictional biography and thoughts on the aftermath of the murders in Dallas resulted in the author's conclusions that the killing led to Americans living in a culture of national paranoia from which we have not recovered. He claims that his novels, ultimately unresolveable, could not have been written in the world before the Kennedy assassination. In later interviews, DeLillo stated Libra was a story without end as new theories, new suspects, and new documents appear that keep conspiracy fears alive." *3*
In my Beyond Bond, I made one note putting the novel in the context of spy literature:
"On another level, DeLillo's intellectual fiction can be seen as the other side of books in the John Buchan tradition where independent agents are drawn into defending their homeland. The dark side of covert loners, the terrorists and assassins in DeLillo's works, choose a secret life that empowers them in ways writers of fiction no longer have as a means to address social grievances."
To elaborate on this point, in much spy fiction, heroes and rogues alike take on secret missions reluctantly, drawn into the covert world for revenge, to understand events that have disrupted their lives, or for simple patriotic adventure. In Libra, DiLillo looks from the other side of the "Great Game"--examining individuals who see their outsiderness as a basis for striking back at a social order they are alienated from. In addition, one perennial theme of spy fiction--as in Le Carre's The Spy Who Came in From the Cold--is that agents often pursue assignments without knowing the true purpose of their mission or what the "endgame" is for their masters. DiLillo's Oswald is even more the patsy, unaware he's been herded into a clandestine corral he has no stake in. He has indeed become a secret agent, but one who believes he will finally find honor and acceptance from a dictator who knows nothing about him. Instead, his path to alienation is complete and fatal.
Beyond Libra, Exploring themes of menace and meaning, violence and paranoia, DeLillo has frequently touched on cultural reactions to events many associate with the covert world. For example, his Running Dog (1978), an imaginative tale about a useless quest to find a secret pornographic film of Adolf Hitler, was partly a statement about the inquisitive nature of Americans who uncover things they no longer care about once the secrets are discovered. His 1985 White Noise is the story of a history professor with many secrets--as in being a Hitler scholar who can't speak German--and has several ex-wives who were involved in intelligence. The meaning of terrorism was dealt with in The Names (1982), set in Greece and the Middle East.
While Underground (1997) doesn't directly deal with espionage, it has much to say on the meaning of intelligence gathering during the Cold War. According to Laura Miller, Underground is the story of America's awakening from the dream of the Cold War, "which like most dreams seemed so convincing and compelling in the moment, only to strike us as utterly pointless later." It was but a contest akin to a baseball game. "Picking up a theme that runs through Libra," Miller says, "DeLillo suggests that the contest was little more than an excuse to lay plots and keep secrets, that the Cold War supported covert activities, not the other way around. Secrets are DeLillo's great passion, and the reason why his (male) characters love the Mafia, nuclear weapons research, intelligence work, conspiracy theories, dossiers and even baseball trivia so much." *4*
In Miller's view, characters fantasize about locating the Underworld where secrets are hidden and they study varieties of "Dietrologia, the science of what is behind something. For main character Nick Shay, God is powerful precisely because he keeps his secrets from us. But, echoing ideas expressed in Running Dog, uncovering the meanings of these secrets is not satisfying. "Like the precious enigmas of the Cold War, `all the banned words, the secrets kept in white-washed vaults, the half-forgotten plots,' Nick's sequestered soul turns out to be something outdated, pretentious and ultimately banal."
Other Contenders
If Libra is the best of the offerings for American spy literature, who else would be contenders for the top rankings? Norman Mailer's 1991 Harlot's Ghost springs to mind, an epic of over 1,000 pages. The story of the Hubbard family, involved in the CIA from the inception to 1963, was unfinished as Mailer claimed his opus was but part 1 of his saga. Unlike Libra, Mailer's canvas is much wider in its reach, a scope Robert Litell mirrored in The Company: A Novel of the CIA (2002) which also took on the story of the agency from its roots but took it through the fall of the Soviet Empire. Of these two, Litell's is a more straight-forward multi-generational story and was not intended for serious intellectual musings; Harlot's Ghost defies a full analysis as it is incomplete with missing background and hints at what is to come in part two. On it's own, Harlot should probably rank as Number Two in the Top 10 of American spy novels, but the jury must remain out until Mailer finishes his long-delayed project.
It can be said the most thoughtful American fiction has dealt with looking back to find the meaning of the Cold War and the costs of its covert games. But, for the most part, American spy writers from Tom Clancy, Charles McCarry, William Sapphire, to William Buckly have used the "furniture of espionage" to showcase ideologies supporting the need for these covert warriors, despite obvious misgivings with its misuse and fumbles. Most offer excellent reads and should be measured within the goals of genre writers. Few attempt to match the intentions of a DeLillo, and there is no dictum that says they need to try.
All this being said, it is useful to sort through the published contributions of the last 25 years as the Cold War novel is now historical fiction. Looking at the impact of the undercover world on American consciousness is important to an understanding of our culture, and Don DeLillo best exemplifies our search for meaning when truth is illusory, the secrets are more significant when not told, and what we believe about the powerful and manipulative in a vacuum of information. If there's a better contender for Number One American spy novel than Libra, it's hard to imagine what it would be.
Notes
1. Britton, Wesley. Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction. Westport, CT: Praeger Pub, 2005. DeLillo is discussed on pages 186-8.
2. Ironically, this Walker was a darling of the John Birch Society and Christian Crusade--for which FBI informant Matt Cvedic contributed articles. Samples of these are attached to my " They Were Communists for the FBI: The Stories of Matt Cvetic and Herbert Philbric" posted at this website.
In the same piece, there's a note about Herbert Philbric's thoughts on Oswald and the Paine family in Dallas which he included in one edition of his book, I Led Three Lives.
3. Qtd. From Beyond Bond. DeLillo's continuing interest in possible CIA involvement with the JFK assassination was demonstrated in a 2003 letter he co-signed with Norman Mailer, among others, requesting that the CIA release "all relevant records on the activities of a career CIA operations officer named George E. Joannides." For more information, see:
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/16865.
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/18193.
4. Miller, Laura. "One Nation, Under Cover." Salon magazine. Sept. 26, 1997.
www.salon.com/sept97/delillo970926.html - 7k -
--
For related articles, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
By Wesley Britton
"Someday, this operation would be studied at the highest levels of intelligence, in Langley and the Pentagon . . . Astonish them. Create coincidence so bizarre they have to believe it. Create a loneliness that beats with violent desire. This kind of man, an arrest, the false name, a stolen credit card, stalking a victim can be a way of organizing one's loneliness, making a network out of it, a fabric of connections. Desperate men give their solitude a purpose and a destiny."
(Don DeLillo, Libra, 1988)
In July 2006, The New York Times Book Review devoted one issue to what over 100 authors and critics felt are the best 25 American novels published over the last quarter century. Toni Morrison's Beloved topped the list; Philip Roth had the largest number of titles.
Such a list might not seem the most likely source to look for American spy fiction. Whenever critical discussions of espionage in literature take place, it's usually the Brits who take the top prizes. W. Somerset Maugham, John Le Carre', and Graham Green, in particular, are considered writers who used what Le Carre' called the "furniture of espionage" as a means to explore themes with literary depth. Their books looked at the ramifications of the Cold War, the meaning of secret lives, the costs of sacrificing innocents and professionals alike, the unknowns of choices made at the highest levels, and the depths of misguided human motives.
In contrast, American writers didn't contribute much to spy fiction until after the Bond boom made espionage a central focus of popular culture. Even then, excepting atomic age defectors and traitors popping up in headlines during the 1950s, the world of spycraft was largely Euro-centered in cities like Berlin and Moscow. The CIA and U.S. based books were mainly the pulp thrillers of Donald Hamilton and others wanting an American slice of the Bond pie. Not until the post-Watergate era did we see much serious use of secret ways in American literature. Then the themes were typically pointing to fears of the U.S. government being at best no better than the Reds or, at worst, conspiring against its own citizens. But, from time to time, noted writers who worked in wider spheres took a hand with spy stories, from Kurt Vonnegut Jr. to William Buckley to Norman Mailer.
What has all this to do with the New York Times Top 25 list? Two titles, both by Don DeLillo. The list included his 1997's Underworld, in which J. Edgar Hoover is one character. DeLillo's Libra got one vote as well. While no one would suggest Underworld would qualify as a spy novel, if The New York Times Book Review mention is a clue, Libra could be the best American espionage novel in contemporary literature.
Analysis of an Assassination
In my Beyond Bond: Spies in Fiction and Film (2005), I noted that in Mao II (1991),
"DeLillo claimed that the powerful exercise and retain their control in secret which forces the powerless to act in more dramatic ways. This concern was a continuation of themes expressed in DeLillo's most overt nod to espionage, Libra (1988), a novel on the life of Lee Harvey Oswald. The book is told from the point of view of Nicholas Branch, a retired senior CIA analyst who has been hired to write the secret history of the Kennedy assassination. According to Branch, disgraced and overzealous CIA agents hatched a plan to undo the disaster of the Bay of Pigs by staging an assassination attempt on President Kennedy. With a carefully manufactured trail leading to Fidel Castro, they hoped to provoke the United States into a full-scale second invasion of Cuba. Two agents think they're planning a surgical miss; a third intends to make the murder real and finds his gunman in the cipher, Lee Harvey Oswald. In this account, Oswald is a man who, in both fact and fiction, eludes easy description." *1*
Without question, DiLillo's creative intentions went far beyond most reality-based spy stories. DeLillo seemed to indicate that he saw Libra as an epic project when he had Nicholas Branch refer to his work as reviewing "the megaton novel James Joyce would have written if he'd moved to Iowa City and lived to be a hundred. Everything is here . . . this is the Joyceian book of America . . . the novel in which nothing is left out." Forced to examine the most minute of documents along with the 26 volumes of The Warren Report, Libra is the dramatization of what Branch studies. The fragments of events and mindsets over three decades and speculations of motives and coincidences all cumulatively demonstrate that forces beyond easily graspable truths shaped the death of a president.
DeLillo's Branch surely reflected DeLillo's own task as a writer, author and character both researching the historical record for starting points. Facts: Oswald--who was never known as Lee Harvey until he became headline news--was a high-school dropout, twice court-martialed in the Marines, an unwanted defector, and a failed suicide. DeLillo's Oswald was someone drawn to Marxism as the ideology demands the individual disappear in favor of the greater good. He is a survivor treated badly at worst and ignored at best. One memorable scene has Oswald in the Marine brig, forced to stand behind a white line and ask permission to use a urinal. He is senselessly beaten while he stoically tries again and again to comply with harsh rules that are unfairly enforced.
This Oswald became an unreliable spy. After defecting to Russia, thinking it the home he never had in the U.S., he invented information about u-2 spyplanes to make himself seem more important than he was to his interrogators. Later, his claims about the height of U-2 flights are measured against those of pilot Francis Gary Powers who actually flew the plane. While he doesn't know it, Oswald has begun to become part of history, in the form of a man who is already blurring and confusing reality with his own ill-defined identity. "He'd be a real defector posing as a false defector posing as a real defector" trained intensively as a Russian agent in naval intelligence-at least in his imigination. In his thoughts, he'd be like TV FBI informant Herbert Philbric on I Led Three Lives. Instead, he is given menial work in a radio factory as the Russians have no idea what to do with him. When he later decides to return home, they give him his permits in but 48 hours, an unusual fulfillment of such a request. Are they setting loose their agent--an unlikely scenario--or jettisoning an enigmatic émigré?
This Oswald continues to see himself as a secret agent, although without apparent acceptance by any agency. DeLillo's Oswald is an excellent forger, able to create documents for various aliases and may, or maybe not, was a sharp-shooter. His Mother believes he was an American agent in Russia who married a KGB spy. Not likely. But he becomes the observed pawn in the game of rogue elephants who want to get America back into Cuba. He's now in a world of secret layers, a world in which the Mob manipulates the CIA by doing patriotic duties to keep prosecutors--and Robert Kennedy--off their backs. This CIA is, in one character's view, "the best organized church in the Christian world. A mission to collect and store everything that everyone has ever said and then reduce it to a microdot and call it God. "
In Libra, mysterious spymasters are indeed playing God-games. From a small town in Texas, the ex-CIA conspirators first seek a shooter who will give them a "spectacular, surgical miss" of JFK before deciding history determines he should die. The hit is wrapped in mazes to confuse future investigators and Oswald is just too good a figure not to use. Without explanation, the puppet-masters seem to know Oswald was the would-be assassin of right-wing General Ted Walker who gets a minor wound when Oswald tries to murder him in Dallas. *2* They think the hit on the president should be in Miami but history seems to favor them by bringing Kennedy to Dealy Plaza. Something beyond the schemes of men with limited vision is pulling the threads together.
Logically, why Oswald would interest this group makes little sense. He disappears for long periods of time, and they can't keep tabs on him. For him to show up in New Orleans and walk into the office of their chief recruiter was just one of many striking coincidences. The FBI is watching him as well for their purposes--for a conspiracy to align themselves with a man under surveillance isn't a likely choice. Oswald even bungles his alleged FBI cover by calling the bureau in for assistance when he's arrested for disorderly conduct. The conspirators have to manipulate his motives as Oswald wanted to shoot Walker as he thought Castro would consider it a favor and allow him to defect to Cuba, but he has no anti-Kennedy feelings. In fact, this Oswald reads James Bond books when he learns Kennedy likes them. True, Oswald is being set up as the "traceable artifact" and another rifleman is assumed will get in the actual kill shots. But no one could have predicted he'd be working at the Texas Book Depository in the month just before the presidential trip. In short, as one character put it, history is a force greater than what analysis will yield.
But the plotters don't get it all their way. They plan to murder Oswald in a movie theatre after the assassination where he goes thinking he's making the contact to take him to Cuba. Instead, he pointlessly murders a policeman and is arrested. Which brings Jack Ruby into the drama, a man who thinks of the assassination as akin to the crucifixion of Christ. Like fellow Dallasites, he's overwhelmed with the grief and fear their city is now forever tainted. History has found him and will make him a hero for killing the killer--and gangsters nudge history by offering Ruby a means out of his financial debt. But his motive is deeper, to erase Oswald from consciousness. Ruby's failure was that he was now forever linked to what he wanted to wipe clean.
In the end, we hear the testimony of Oswald's mother who remained convinced her son was a U.S. agent in Russia and that some force began shaping Lee as early as high school. Her muddled certainty is juxtaposed against the backdrop of coincidence piled on coincidence even beyond the biographies of those involved. After all, who can explain the parallels of the deaths of Presidents Lincoln and Kennedy? Who can explain the mysterious deaths of so many participants in the years after the assassination?
The Unresolvable Epic
In his "Afterword" for Libra, DeLillo admitted he was not attempting to present historical truth and created all of his intelligence officers and Mafia figures. "After reading parts of the Warren Commission Report and visiting sites where Oswald lived, DeLillo's fictional biography and thoughts on the aftermath of the murders in Dallas resulted in the author's conclusions that the killing led to Americans living in a culture of national paranoia from which we have not recovered. He claims that his novels, ultimately unresolveable, could not have been written in the world before the Kennedy assassination. In later interviews, DeLillo stated Libra was a story without end as new theories, new suspects, and new documents appear that keep conspiracy fears alive." *3*
In my Beyond Bond, I made one note putting the novel in the context of spy literature:
"On another level, DeLillo's intellectual fiction can be seen as the other side of books in the John Buchan tradition where independent agents are drawn into defending their homeland. The dark side of covert loners, the terrorists and assassins in DeLillo's works, choose a secret life that empowers them in ways writers of fiction no longer have as a means to address social grievances."
To elaborate on this point, in much spy fiction, heroes and rogues alike take on secret missions reluctantly, drawn into the covert world for revenge, to understand events that have disrupted their lives, or for simple patriotic adventure. In Libra, DiLillo looks from the other side of the "Great Game"--examining individuals who see their outsiderness as a basis for striking back at a social order they are alienated from. In addition, one perennial theme of spy fiction--as in Le Carre's The Spy Who Came in From the Cold--is that agents often pursue assignments without knowing the true purpose of their mission or what the "endgame" is for their masters. DiLillo's Oswald is even more the patsy, unaware he's been herded into a clandestine corral he has no stake in. He has indeed become a secret agent, but one who believes he will finally find honor and acceptance from a dictator who knows nothing about him. Instead, his path to alienation is complete and fatal.
Beyond Libra, Exploring themes of menace and meaning, violence and paranoia, DeLillo has frequently touched on cultural reactions to events many associate with the covert world. For example, his Running Dog (1978), an imaginative tale about a useless quest to find a secret pornographic film of Adolf Hitler, was partly a statement about the inquisitive nature of Americans who uncover things they no longer care about once the secrets are discovered. His 1985 White Noise is the story of a history professor with many secrets--as in being a Hitler scholar who can't speak German--and has several ex-wives who were involved in intelligence. The meaning of terrorism was dealt with in The Names (1982), set in Greece and the Middle East.
While Underground (1997) doesn't directly deal with espionage, it has much to say on the meaning of intelligence gathering during the Cold War. According to Laura Miller, Underground is the story of America's awakening from the dream of the Cold War, "which like most dreams seemed so convincing and compelling in the moment, only to strike us as utterly pointless later." It was but a contest akin to a baseball game. "Picking up a theme that runs through Libra," Miller says, "DeLillo suggests that the contest was little more than an excuse to lay plots and keep secrets, that the Cold War supported covert activities, not the other way around. Secrets are DeLillo's great passion, and the reason why his (male) characters love the Mafia, nuclear weapons research, intelligence work, conspiracy theories, dossiers and even baseball trivia so much." *4*
In Miller's view, characters fantasize about locating the Underworld where secrets are hidden and they study varieties of "Dietrologia, the science of what is behind something. For main character Nick Shay, God is powerful precisely because he keeps his secrets from us. But, echoing ideas expressed in Running Dog, uncovering the meanings of these secrets is not satisfying. "Like the precious enigmas of the Cold War, `all the banned words, the secrets kept in white-washed vaults, the half-forgotten plots,' Nick's sequestered soul turns out to be something outdated, pretentious and ultimately banal."
Other Contenders
If Libra is the best of the offerings for American spy literature, who else would be contenders for the top rankings? Norman Mailer's 1991 Harlot's Ghost springs to mind, an epic of over 1,000 pages. The story of the Hubbard family, involved in the CIA from the inception to 1963, was unfinished as Mailer claimed his opus was but part 1 of his saga. Unlike Libra, Mailer's canvas is much wider in its reach, a scope Robert Litell mirrored in The Company: A Novel of the CIA (2002) which also took on the story of the agency from its roots but took it through the fall of the Soviet Empire. Of these two, Litell's is a more straight-forward multi-generational story and was not intended for serious intellectual musings; Harlot's Ghost defies a full analysis as it is incomplete with missing background and hints at what is to come in part two. On it's own, Harlot should probably rank as Number Two in the Top 10 of American spy novels, but the jury must remain out until Mailer finishes his long-delayed project.
It can be said the most thoughtful American fiction has dealt with looking back to find the meaning of the Cold War and the costs of its covert games. But, for the most part, American spy writers from Tom Clancy, Charles McCarry, William Sapphire, to William Buckly have used the "furniture of espionage" to showcase ideologies supporting the need for these covert warriors, despite obvious misgivings with its misuse and fumbles. Most offer excellent reads and should be measured within the goals of genre writers. Few attempt to match the intentions of a DeLillo, and there is no dictum that says they need to try.
All this being said, it is useful to sort through the published contributions of the last 25 years as the Cold War novel is now historical fiction. Looking at the impact of the undercover world on American consciousness is important to an understanding of our culture, and Don DeLillo best exemplifies our search for meaning when truth is illusory, the secrets are more significant when not told, and what we believe about the powerful and manipulative in a vacuum of information. If there's a better contender for Number One American spy novel than Libra, it's hard to imagine what it would be.
Notes
1. Britton, Wesley. Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction. Westport, CT: Praeger Pub, 2005. DeLillo is discussed on pages 186-8.
2. Ironically, this Walker was a darling of the John Birch Society and Christian Crusade--for which FBI informant Matt Cvedic contributed articles. Samples of these are attached to my " They Were Communists for the FBI: The Stories of Matt Cvetic and Herbert Philbric" posted at this website.
In the same piece, there's a note about Herbert Philbric's thoughts on Oswald and the Paine family in Dallas which he included in one edition of his book, I Led Three Lives.
3. Qtd. From Beyond Bond. DeLillo's continuing interest in possible CIA involvement with the JFK assassination was demonstrated in a 2003 letter he co-signed with Norman Mailer, among others, requesting that the CIA release "all relevant records on the activities of a career CIA operations officer named George E. Joannides." For more information, see:
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/16865.
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/18193.
4. Miller, Laura. "One Nation, Under Cover." Salon magazine. Sept. 26, 1997.
www.salon.com/sept97/delillo970926.html - 7k -
--
For related articles, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
Review: The Avengers on Radio
REVIEW: THE AVENGERS ON RADIO
By Wesley Britton
(Note: To obtain the full series discussed below, your best source is Jon Foulk at OTRCAT.COM. He also has MP3s of many other spy radio shows listed elsewhere at this site.)
In 1969, one of the most beloved and longest lasting spy series on television ended its original run. The Avengers, which had introduced Patrick Macnee as John Steed, Honor Blackman as Cathy Gale, Diana Rigg as Mrs. Emma Peel, and Linda Thorson as Tara King seemingly rode off into the syndication sunset. But some epics don't just fade away in reruns or become simply immortalized in video and DVD releases. The Avengers, for example, were re-born in novels, comic books, as The New Avengers on television, and, ah, in a film about which the less said, the better. Other series from the '60s can claim the same, but in most cases, new versions rarely captured the magic of the originals.
Uniquely, as discussed in my Spy Television (Praeger, 2004), The Avengers also became a stage play in 1971. Few fans ever saw it. In 1972, Sonovision Ltd. Went one better and produced The Avengers for radio in 15 minute episodes broadcast daily, Monday through Friday. Unless you lived in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, or New York during that year, you likely haven't heard these "new Avengers starring Donald Monat as John Steed and Diane Appleby as Mrs. Emma Peel. After its 18 month run, the show was the stuff of legend and it was thought only 13 episodes survived.
Luckily, this wasn't the case. Thanks to efforts by South African broadcast companies, radio series of the era are available now and The Avengers are again ready for your listening pleasure. The question is--are these stories worthy of your time and cash? How do 15 minute serialized cliff-hangers fare against other incarnations of the show?
Judging from the 22 stories I’ve heard, one important point is that most of The Avengers radio scripts are re-workings of original TV broadcasts. But this isn't to say nothing new was added to The Avengers legacy. True, only two adventures, including the first five-part drama, "Getaway," were the only original stories. "Getaway," a tale of prison inmates drinking special potions that made them invisible was never a televised drama. "Straight from the Shoulder," the last of the series from the set I purchased, was a yarn with a long car chase, an extended duel on a target range between Emma Peel and a one-shot crack killer, and the end of an arms-for-sale ring. All other yarns were adaptations of stories both from the Steed-Peel years and many more from the Steed-King season.
This means over half of the scripts were slightly altered to have Peel saying and doing things Tara King had done back in 1968 and 1969. For the most part, little change was needed in the plots or dialogue to accommodate the switch in the female role. However, as the radio Avengers used the character of "Mother"--who appeared only once in a Peel story, her last, writers added new scenes to include the oafish boss in tales in which the character had not been part of before. Sometimes, this added new twists as in the radio version of the Steed-Peel "Escape in Time." In the spirit of the King season, during which "Mother" popped up in unusual places, the head of this section of British Intelligence set up his headquarters in the Tower of London. This allowed for some historical commentary on old weapons that fit in with the time travel motif.
Some alterations provided other new settings as in "Too Many Oles," a re-telling of the Steed-King television story, "They Keep Killing Steed." In the radio version, this took Steed and Peel to Spain and we heard the final battle in a bullfight ring. This shift in setting and character accents gives the script a freshness that would add new interest for even the most knowledgeable fan. In addition, many stories restructured the plots to emphasize, or cut, scenes from the TV productions. For example, "Nothing to Sneeze At," a re-working of the Steed-King "You'll Catch Your Death," spent more time in the laboratories of the germ clinic than in the original King outing. Writer and director Dennis Falby made many such changes to create new circumstances for our heroes. Steed didn’t speak while wearing a gas mask on television, and neither Mrs. Peel nor Tara King were forced to wear straight-jackets or sneezed just before falling through an air duct. The ladies were tortured in many ways, but the televised episodes never had either suspended from a beam tied to one hand. Looking for such differences, of course, is a sport for the most die-hard of fans. Are there other pleasures?
Of course, radio drama is a different medium from television, and we gain insights into this from Donald Monat's short introduction taped for the new release. He said that, normally on Thursday or Friday afternoons, a cast of seven or eight actors gathered to record a week's worth of episodes in the Johannesburg studios. He claimed the actors didn't see the scripts beforehand, that 7 or 8 actors played up to 20 roles between them, and that the taping took only 3 to 4 hours including speaking the parts and adding the sound effects. Editing would later pull the process together. One noticeable difference between the TV outings and these remakes were the added lines for the uncredited narrators. Happily, the writers provided more than plot exposition and we heard both wry commentary on the character's actions as well as comic warnings about what was about to happen. One example: Steed "followed the shapely form of the nurse down the corridor. Steed privately decided that he quite liked women with ample flesh on their bones. When the matron appeared, Steed wondered if quite so much flesh was necessary." Supervised by producer David Goodan, the production qualities were quite good,
so the music, sound effects, and editing were all first-rate. This remains true in the new
releases. So the series works simply on the level of listenable entertainment.
For many reasons, new audiences don't need to be familiar with the original Avengers to enjoy these stories. While one reason The Avengers remains timeless is its fantasy elements, avoiding topical issues which can date more grounded efforts, some stories were unintended prophecy. In both the TV and radio versions of "Who Shot George XLR40," for example, we saw and heard a scene any contemporary audience should respond to with an ironic smile--that of cybernetic doctors desperately laboring at an operating table to keep a computer alive, a computer shot by a ruthless assassin. Well, computers still have one limitation. As Mrs. Peel observed, "They can't duck." In the aforementioned "Nothing to Sneeze About," The killers mailed empty envelopes laced with deadly germs, a foreshadowing of the anthrax terrorism that occurred in the same fashion in fall 2001. Even listeners not born when either the TV or radio versions were produced can draw parallels between strange fiction and the post-9/11 world.
But what of actors playing roles so identified with Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg? Admittedly, this call is a matter of taste. For my money, Donald Monat comes off as a very credible Major John Steed. As we're talking radio, it's easy to hear a new voice and still see the face and mannerisms of Patrick Macnee. It takes a bit to get used to, perhaps, but Monat seems to be Steed and not merely an actor standing in for the real McCoy, er, maybe McSteed. I wasn't so convinced with Appleby's version of Emma Peel. Perhaps she lacked some of the sauciness of Diana Rigg, perhaps she seems too proper and upper-crust in her vocalizations. Again, this is a matter of preference, but this Mrs. Peel sounds like a good detective but not quite full of the vitality that suggests a woman of action.
Well, as Patrick Macnee's dandified Steed prove to a wide variety of televised adversaries, appearances can be deceiving. So can voices. To be fair, Appleby's Emma Peel "wheed" with delight while sliding down a banister to join the fray and, as one narration put it, "Kicks like a mule, and moves like lightening, does our Mrs. Peel." Perhaps Applyby was simply underused in many stories. In these Avengers, Steed is frequently the star of the show and Mrs. Peel a supporting character knocked out, gassed, imprisoned, or with simply less to do. Perhaps Falby was more comfortable with the male point-of-view. We hear much about what Steed is thinking and looking at, less so for Peel. However any listener responds to the inflections of Monat and Appleby, it was a smile to hear one scene that clarified one point debated in Avengers circles--indeed Steed and Peel were amorous. I leave it to new listeners to find the evidence.
Beyond this incident, the set I purchased included an additional live, on stage comic scene in which Steed and Peel were retired, clearly living together, and called into action one more time. Mostly, the short scene--unexplained as to when and why it was made--allowed for sexual jokes. For example, Mrs. Peel learns Steed has been wearing his bowler all those years in bed and she'd been fingering his brim at night.
Of course, 15 minute episodes with cliff-hangers are not suited for much character development of any kind to begin with, so these adventures are more plot driven, trying to build mysteries to keep listeners tuning in to discover what all these clues and murders add up to. By comparison with the original TV broadcasts, these incarnations are often on the thin side. Some stories translate better than others, and this often depends on how good the original scripts were in the first place. Still, while fans of the original show have the pleasure of comparing and contrasting what changes were made, or not, listeners less familiar with the first broadcasts can enjoy the stories just like the first South African audiences with one decided advantage--you don't have to wait to hear each episode over the period of five or six days.
If there's one major disadvantage, it's the fact most of these episodes include the original commercials. At first, it's quaint to hear ads that explain how over a million South African housewives live better with the wonders of Cold Water Omo in their wash. We hear how well "Shield for Sportsman" deodorant actually works for men whose only sports are changing tires and trimming hedges. For those who didn't know, "lovely actress Jill St. John" loves creamy Lux soap in her bath. We learn South Africans need toothpaste to fight tooth decay and the candies that cause it. After awhile, the charm wears off. Well, this affliction is edited out of the later episodes and that's one way to spell r.e.l.i.e.f.
So, alongside the DVDs of the series that started it all, these clever artifacts of a more innocent time are more than worthy of joining your spy collection. Fans of The Avengers now have an opportunity to enjoy old friends and old stories performed and produced in a different mold retaining much of the flavor and spirit of what made the concept so popular in the first place. One of the pleasures of radio drama is allowing the mind to fill in the pictures that go with what we hear. In this case, we get to plug in visuals firmly part of our memories into something like an alternate universe. I was glad to go there.
For more interviews, articles, and reviews on TV spy shows, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
By Wesley Britton
(Note: To obtain the full series discussed below, your best source is Jon Foulk at OTRCAT.COM. He also has MP3s of many other spy radio shows listed elsewhere at this site.)
In 1969, one of the most beloved and longest lasting spy series on television ended its original run. The Avengers, which had introduced Patrick Macnee as John Steed, Honor Blackman as Cathy Gale, Diana Rigg as Mrs. Emma Peel, and Linda Thorson as Tara King seemingly rode off into the syndication sunset. But some epics don't just fade away in reruns or become simply immortalized in video and DVD releases. The Avengers, for example, were re-born in novels, comic books, as The New Avengers on television, and, ah, in a film about which the less said, the better. Other series from the '60s can claim the same, but in most cases, new versions rarely captured the magic of the originals.
Uniquely, as discussed in my Spy Television (Praeger, 2004), The Avengers also became a stage play in 1971. Few fans ever saw it. In 1972, Sonovision Ltd. Went one better and produced The Avengers for radio in 15 minute episodes broadcast daily, Monday through Friday. Unless you lived in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, or New York during that year, you likely haven't heard these "new Avengers starring Donald Monat as John Steed and Diane Appleby as Mrs. Emma Peel. After its 18 month run, the show was the stuff of legend and it was thought only 13 episodes survived.
Luckily, this wasn't the case. Thanks to efforts by South African broadcast companies, radio series of the era are available now and The Avengers are again ready for your listening pleasure. The question is--are these stories worthy of your time and cash? How do 15 minute serialized cliff-hangers fare against other incarnations of the show?
Judging from the 22 stories I’ve heard, one important point is that most of The Avengers radio scripts are re-workings of original TV broadcasts. But this isn't to say nothing new was added to The Avengers legacy. True, only two adventures, including the first five-part drama, "Getaway," were the only original stories. "Getaway," a tale of prison inmates drinking special potions that made them invisible was never a televised drama. "Straight from the Shoulder," the last of the series from the set I purchased, was a yarn with a long car chase, an extended duel on a target range between Emma Peel and a one-shot crack killer, and the end of an arms-for-sale ring. All other yarns were adaptations of stories both from the Steed-Peel years and many more from the Steed-King season.
This means over half of the scripts were slightly altered to have Peel saying and doing things Tara King had done back in 1968 and 1969. For the most part, little change was needed in the plots or dialogue to accommodate the switch in the female role. However, as the radio Avengers used the character of "Mother"--who appeared only once in a Peel story, her last, writers added new scenes to include the oafish boss in tales in which the character had not been part of before. Sometimes, this added new twists as in the radio version of the Steed-Peel "Escape in Time." In the spirit of the King season, during which "Mother" popped up in unusual places, the head of this section of British Intelligence set up his headquarters in the Tower of London. This allowed for some historical commentary on old weapons that fit in with the time travel motif.
Some alterations provided other new settings as in "Too Many Oles," a re-telling of the Steed-King television story, "They Keep Killing Steed." In the radio version, this took Steed and Peel to Spain and we heard the final battle in a bullfight ring. This shift in setting and character accents gives the script a freshness that would add new interest for even the most knowledgeable fan. In addition, many stories restructured the plots to emphasize, or cut, scenes from the TV productions. For example, "Nothing to Sneeze At," a re-working of the Steed-King "You'll Catch Your Death," spent more time in the laboratories of the germ clinic than in the original King outing. Writer and director Dennis Falby made many such changes to create new circumstances for our heroes. Steed didn’t speak while wearing a gas mask on television, and neither Mrs. Peel nor Tara King were forced to wear straight-jackets or sneezed just before falling through an air duct. The ladies were tortured in many ways, but the televised episodes never had either suspended from a beam tied to one hand. Looking for such differences, of course, is a sport for the most die-hard of fans. Are there other pleasures?
Of course, radio drama is a different medium from television, and we gain insights into this from Donald Monat's short introduction taped for the new release. He said that, normally on Thursday or Friday afternoons, a cast of seven or eight actors gathered to record a week's worth of episodes in the Johannesburg studios. He claimed the actors didn't see the scripts beforehand, that 7 or 8 actors played up to 20 roles between them, and that the taping took only 3 to 4 hours including speaking the parts and adding the sound effects. Editing would later pull the process together. One noticeable difference between the TV outings and these remakes were the added lines for the uncredited narrators. Happily, the writers provided more than plot exposition and we heard both wry commentary on the character's actions as well as comic warnings about what was about to happen. One example: Steed "followed the shapely form of the nurse down the corridor. Steed privately decided that he quite liked women with ample flesh on their bones. When the matron appeared, Steed wondered if quite so much flesh was necessary." Supervised by producer David Goodan, the production qualities were quite good,
so the music, sound effects, and editing were all first-rate. This remains true in the new
releases. So the series works simply on the level of listenable entertainment.
For many reasons, new audiences don't need to be familiar with the original Avengers to enjoy these stories. While one reason The Avengers remains timeless is its fantasy elements, avoiding topical issues which can date more grounded efforts, some stories were unintended prophecy. In both the TV and radio versions of "Who Shot George XLR40," for example, we saw and heard a scene any contemporary audience should respond to with an ironic smile--that of cybernetic doctors desperately laboring at an operating table to keep a computer alive, a computer shot by a ruthless assassin. Well, computers still have one limitation. As Mrs. Peel observed, "They can't duck." In the aforementioned "Nothing to Sneeze About," The killers mailed empty envelopes laced with deadly germs, a foreshadowing of the anthrax terrorism that occurred in the same fashion in fall 2001. Even listeners not born when either the TV or radio versions were produced can draw parallels between strange fiction and the post-9/11 world.
But what of actors playing roles so identified with Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg? Admittedly, this call is a matter of taste. For my money, Donald Monat comes off as a very credible Major John Steed. As we're talking radio, it's easy to hear a new voice and still see the face and mannerisms of Patrick Macnee. It takes a bit to get used to, perhaps, but Monat seems to be Steed and not merely an actor standing in for the real McCoy, er, maybe McSteed. I wasn't so convinced with Appleby's version of Emma Peel. Perhaps she lacked some of the sauciness of Diana Rigg, perhaps she seems too proper and upper-crust in her vocalizations. Again, this is a matter of preference, but this Mrs. Peel sounds like a good detective but not quite full of the vitality that suggests a woman of action.
Well, as Patrick Macnee's dandified Steed prove to a wide variety of televised adversaries, appearances can be deceiving. So can voices. To be fair, Appleby's Emma Peel "wheed" with delight while sliding down a banister to join the fray and, as one narration put it, "Kicks like a mule, and moves like lightening, does our Mrs. Peel." Perhaps Applyby was simply underused in many stories. In these Avengers, Steed is frequently the star of the show and Mrs. Peel a supporting character knocked out, gassed, imprisoned, or with simply less to do. Perhaps Falby was more comfortable with the male point-of-view. We hear much about what Steed is thinking and looking at, less so for Peel. However any listener responds to the inflections of Monat and Appleby, it was a smile to hear one scene that clarified one point debated in Avengers circles--indeed Steed and Peel were amorous. I leave it to new listeners to find the evidence.
Beyond this incident, the set I purchased included an additional live, on stage comic scene in which Steed and Peel were retired, clearly living together, and called into action one more time. Mostly, the short scene--unexplained as to when and why it was made--allowed for sexual jokes. For example, Mrs. Peel learns Steed has been wearing his bowler all those years in bed and she'd been fingering his brim at night.
Of course, 15 minute episodes with cliff-hangers are not suited for much character development of any kind to begin with, so these adventures are more plot driven, trying to build mysteries to keep listeners tuning in to discover what all these clues and murders add up to. By comparison with the original TV broadcasts, these incarnations are often on the thin side. Some stories translate better than others, and this often depends on how good the original scripts were in the first place. Still, while fans of the original show have the pleasure of comparing and contrasting what changes were made, or not, listeners less familiar with the first broadcasts can enjoy the stories just like the first South African audiences with one decided advantage--you don't have to wait to hear each episode over the period of five or six days.
If there's one major disadvantage, it's the fact most of these episodes include the original commercials. At first, it's quaint to hear ads that explain how over a million South African housewives live better with the wonders of Cold Water Omo in their wash. We hear how well "Shield for Sportsman" deodorant actually works for men whose only sports are changing tires and trimming hedges. For those who didn't know, "lovely actress Jill St. John" loves creamy Lux soap in her bath. We learn South Africans need toothpaste to fight tooth decay and the candies that cause it. After awhile, the charm wears off. Well, this affliction is edited out of the later episodes and that's one way to spell r.e.l.i.e.f.
So, alongside the DVDs of the series that started it all, these clever artifacts of a more innocent time are more than worthy of joining your spy collection. Fans of The Avengers now have an opportunity to enjoy old friends and old stories performed and produced in a different mold retaining much of the flavor and spirit of what made the concept so popular in the first place. One of the pleasures of radio drama is allowing the mind to fill in the pictures that go with what we hear. In this case, we get to plug in visuals firmly part of our memories into something like an alternate universe. I was glad to go there.
For more interviews, articles, and reviews on TV spy shows, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
Review: The New Avengers on DVD
Review: The New Avengers on DVD. Vol. 1. (A&E, 2003)
By Wesley Britton
Without much question, if TV spy fans were polled and asked to choose one secret agent series that would be "the best," "most popular," or simply "classic" television, The Avengers would either head the lists or at least be in the Top Five in any category. In particular, the pairings of Patrick Macnee's Major John Steed with his leading ladies--Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg, and Linda Thorson--remain the most frequently
Aired spy adventures and are the dramas most available on VHS and DVD.
However, rating the 1976-78 follow-up, The New Avengers, is another matter. In America, few aficionados ever saw the original broadcasts starring Patrick Macnee as Steed with new partners Purdee (Joanna Lumley) and Mike Gambit (Gareth Hunt). Much to the distress of the show's backers, CBS had opted to air the new episodes only late-night in competition against the then king of post-prime-time programming, Johnny Carson. In the years afterward, few viewers had much to remember the show by beyond the print overviews published by such Avengers experts as Dave Rogers and John Peel. In 1989, actress Joanna Lumley, the witty "Purdee" of the series, published her fond memories of her Avengers days in Stare Back and Smile (Viking). Such sources helped me assemble my own discussion of the show in my Spy Television (Praeger, 2004) along with my assortment of bootleg videos gathered at various conventions and antique fairs. But such publications and collector's items were of interest primarily for diehard fans but of little inspiration for the general public.
Now, with the first set of New Avengers DVDs, perhaps it's time to investigate the series anew, to see if a show seemingly so disappointing in its first appearance can reach a fresh audience in the 21st century. Are The New Avengers worth rediscovering in their new format? Was this simply a series that suffered in comparison with its namesake or should it be relegated to the artifacts of minor TV spy efforts?
The Avengers as a Trio
To begin, I felt it only fair to watch the first 13 episodes of The New Avengers on DVD largely disregarding the title. If there's one truism about the show that's hard to debate, it's that the 1970s incarnation of John Steed and his new partners worked in a far different world than the best loved escapades of the Peel-King years. As I observed in Spy Television:
"For one matter, the feel of the show had lost most of the elements that gave the original series its flavor. Gone were the surreal, over-the-top bad guys. Gone were the quaint backwater British villages. In the original series, Steed’s garb and cars were anachronistic, and Peel and King wore and drove their own unconventional fashions and stylized sports cars. But the realism of the new team would ultimately make this series look more dated than its predecessor. Its emphasis on topical issues such as drugs also dates the series in an era not fondly remembered for its fashions or artistic milieu. By design, the opponents were far too believable, at least by 1970s standards . . . To a large extent, the original show had drawn viewers into a mythological England which is precisely the element giving those episodes the timelessness they continue to enjoy. With the loss of quirky local color and surprising supporting characters, The Avengers were out of sync with what had made them unique. Producer {Brian} Clemens, with the help of original Avengers scriptwriter Dennis Spooner, felt these changes were needed as audiences were more sophisticated. He saw no sense in repeating what had already been done."
So, just as Laurie Johnson's New Avengers title music began with the strains of his original Avengers theme before jumping into the percussive march composed for the new series, let me quickly observe a few notable connections between the shows of the two decades before looking at The New Avengers on their own terms. First, the single lynchpin that mattered was the role of Patrick Macnee's Major John Steed. From 1961 to 1969, Steed had progressed from a character who'd been created largely to play second-fiddle to series lead Ian Hendry to becoming a pop culture icon impossible to imitate. As others have noted before, the Steed in The New Avengers wasn't the Steed fans remembered. Instead, he played a respectable gentlemen leading his private team while maintaining contacts at the highest levels. But as this Steed no longer cavorted in anachronistic clothes with his trademark eccentricities, the character could have been
any seasoned mentor for younger agents. Any English actor of Macnee's generation could have played the role with few changes in scripts or characterization.
Occasional nods to the past were fleeting, as in one scene when Steed mistook one lady friend's interest in photos which he thought were of his three favorite horses. In fact, the lady was looking at pictures of Cathy Gale, Emma Peel, and Tara King.
Beyond this comic moment, in the first 13 episodes, only two adventures were overt nods to the past, and these were two of the best. "The Last of the Cybernauts" was an episode in which the robot-men Steed and Peel had battled twice in the old days were reactivated one more time. This comeback inspired frequent mentions of the old adventures as Mike Gambit admonished Purdee about her reluctance to even mention Mrs. Peel. Unlike other villains in The New Avengers, the wheelchair-bound Caine wearing masks with different expressions was memorable, the best--or the worst--mad man in this DVD set. A more oblique reference to the past occurred in "To Catch A Rat" when the actor who played the original Avenger, Dr. David Kiel, returned. In this case, Ian Hendry didn't play his old character but instead another agent who had been out in the cold for 17 years. In the final moments, Macnee was able to say, "It's been 17 years, but welcome back." While few modern viewers might be aware of this inside joke, the script and acting of this hour make it one of the best of the batch.
Beyond these two outings, looking at The New Avengers as essentially a series unto itself is simple enough. True, "Sleeper," a yarn about bandits who put all of London to sleep with only the three heroes awake to foil them, was a plot already used in the Steed-King season. The final episode of the first DVD set, "Dirtier by the Dozen," was about the two younger agents infiltrating a private army of mercenaries. This was another situation well-trodden in the original series, not to mention other '60s shows like The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and the Saint. Had an ounce of originality been injected into the scripts, re-working these old devices could have had their points of interest. Beyond the witty rebuffs of Purdee to Gambit and secondary characters alike, there's not much to mark these retreads as anything special.
In my view, "Cybernauts," the fourth aired episode, was the first to show any flair at all. The series debuted with "The Eagle's Nest," a story with an old but intriguing twist. A plane of Nazi's, fleeing in the last days of World War II, had crashed onto a British island where the Germans had taken over a monastery, preserved "Germany's greatest treasure"--the frozen body of Adolf Hitler--and planned on a comeback. In typical Avengers style, this hidden army had unusual killers, in this case soldiers expert in using fishing lines to snag escapees and spies. But this premise fell flat. The second outing, "The Midas Touch," featured a killer infected with a deadly virus he conveys by touch. Again, a premise on paper didn't come alive on the small screen.
As the series progressed, there were occasional moments that spiced up the storylines. In "Cat Amongst the Pigeons," a story about a badguy able to control birds made overt and subtle references to Alfred Hitchcock's film, The Birds. Had Hitchcock only known--killer birds are no match for the ordinary housecat. Alongside "Cybernauts," another standout hour is "Target," a clever tale about agents killed on a target range by mysterious pinpricks that infect both Steed and Purdee. But, in the main, all the other episodes, from "House of Cards" to "The Tale of the Big Y," are about ordinary secret agents and counter-agents with little twists that make them more detective stories than spy adventure. On the other extreme, we get "To Catch a Rat" in which the enemy is a giant rodent roaming around London sewers. Viewers, then and now, are more likely to know what's going on long before our heroes do. Had such a script been played with a tongue-in-cheek tone, maybe, maybe, this might not have been among the worst hours in the secret agent genre.
But we're supposed to take this stuff seriously, and that's the central problem with The New Avengers. Modern viewers would likely have never heard of this show if it had been called anything else. If Brian Clemens felt audiences of the '70s were more sophisticated, then those in the 21st century are even more so. Given a choice between Sidney Bristo and Purdee, I suspect Sidney would win every bout, even without the quips that make Joanna Lumley's impudent feminist the best aspect of a show without focus or fresh tone.
While no one is likely to follow my advice, The New Avengers seems a series that would be better presented in a "Best of" collection offering the most successful episodes. Four DVD sets are to complete the run, and on each there will be two or three nuggets indeed worthy of new appreciation. But how many collectors will find themselves wanting or needing the entire series with so many hours of rather mundane and ordinary encounters? On video, there were collections of "the best of" the original Avengers which whetted the appetites for having the entire series issued and rightly so. The Saint and The Wild Wild West have also been offered in such VHS collections, both series worthy of being available on DVD from first to last. But lesser productions of interest shouldn't be dismissed outright but instead offered anew in less comprehensive form. Adding new features, particularly interviews with producers and actors, would add value to these collections, but none are on set 1 of this series.
True, The New Avengers have their supporters. I know of one fan who saw this series in the '70s before even hearing about the original. For him, Mike Gambit was a childhood hero and the concept of three agents working together makes the pairings of Steed and one partner seem a bit thin. For other fans, John Steed in any context is better than no Steed. Nostalgia is always one key factor in marketing old material, so there are those who'll grab up the New Avengers collections just as many of us await other TV memories to find their way into the DVD library. For the most part, however, The New Avengers is for completists only. Knowledgeable folks may pick and choose from future sets to have the episodes they know are of special interest, such as "K is for Kill," the two-parter with a short Diana Rigg cameo. Still, I suspect few viewers who aren’t already predisposed to this show will find it worthwhile to find much new in The New Avengers.
For more articles, reviews, and interviews on TV spies, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
By Wesley Britton
Without much question, if TV spy fans were polled and asked to choose one secret agent series that would be "the best," "most popular," or simply "classic" television, The Avengers would either head the lists or at least be in the Top Five in any category. In particular, the pairings of Patrick Macnee's Major John Steed with his leading ladies--Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg, and Linda Thorson--remain the most frequently
Aired spy adventures and are the dramas most available on VHS and DVD.
However, rating the 1976-78 follow-up, The New Avengers, is another matter. In America, few aficionados ever saw the original broadcasts starring Patrick Macnee as Steed with new partners Purdee (Joanna Lumley) and Mike Gambit (Gareth Hunt). Much to the distress of the show's backers, CBS had opted to air the new episodes only late-night in competition against the then king of post-prime-time programming, Johnny Carson. In the years afterward, few viewers had much to remember the show by beyond the print overviews published by such Avengers experts as Dave Rogers and John Peel. In 1989, actress Joanna Lumley, the witty "Purdee" of the series, published her fond memories of her Avengers days in Stare Back and Smile (Viking). Such sources helped me assemble my own discussion of the show in my Spy Television (Praeger, 2004) along with my assortment of bootleg videos gathered at various conventions and antique fairs. But such publications and collector's items were of interest primarily for diehard fans but of little inspiration for the general public.
Now, with the first set of New Avengers DVDs, perhaps it's time to investigate the series anew, to see if a show seemingly so disappointing in its first appearance can reach a fresh audience in the 21st century. Are The New Avengers worth rediscovering in their new format? Was this simply a series that suffered in comparison with its namesake or should it be relegated to the artifacts of minor TV spy efforts?
The Avengers as a Trio
To begin, I felt it only fair to watch the first 13 episodes of The New Avengers on DVD largely disregarding the title. If there's one truism about the show that's hard to debate, it's that the 1970s incarnation of John Steed and his new partners worked in a far different world than the best loved escapades of the Peel-King years. As I observed in Spy Television:
"For one matter, the feel of the show had lost most of the elements that gave the original series its flavor. Gone were the surreal, over-the-top bad guys. Gone were the quaint backwater British villages. In the original series, Steed’s garb and cars were anachronistic, and Peel and King wore and drove their own unconventional fashions and stylized sports cars. But the realism of the new team would ultimately make this series look more dated than its predecessor. Its emphasis on topical issues such as drugs also dates the series in an era not fondly remembered for its fashions or artistic milieu. By design, the opponents were far too believable, at least by 1970s standards . . . To a large extent, the original show had drawn viewers into a mythological England which is precisely the element giving those episodes the timelessness they continue to enjoy. With the loss of quirky local color and surprising supporting characters, The Avengers were out of sync with what had made them unique. Producer {Brian} Clemens, with the help of original Avengers scriptwriter Dennis Spooner, felt these changes were needed as audiences were more sophisticated. He saw no sense in repeating what had already been done."
So, just as Laurie Johnson's New Avengers title music began with the strains of his original Avengers theme before jumping into the percussive march composed for the new series, let me quickly observe a few notable connections between the shows of the two decades before looking at The New Avengers on their own terms. First, the single lynchpin that mattered was the role of Patrick Macnee's Major John Steed. From 1961 to 1969, Steed had progressed from a character who'd been created largely to play second-fiddle to series lead Ian Hendry to becoming a pop culture icon impossible to imitate. As others have noted before, the Steed in The New Avengers wasn't the Steed fans remembered. Instead, he played a respectable gentlemen leading his private team while maintaining contacts at the highest levels. But as this Steed no longer cavorted in anachronistic clothes with his trademark eccentricities, the character could have been
any seasoned mentor for younger agents. Any English actor of Macnee's generation could have played the role with few changes in scripts or characterization.
Occasional nods to the past were fleeting, as in one scene when Steed mistook one lady friend's interest in photos which he thought were of his three favorite horses. In fact, the lady was looking at pictures of Cathy Gale, Emma Peel, and Tara King.
Beyond this comic moment, in the first 13 episodes, only two adventures were overt nods to the past, and these were two of the best. "The Last of the Cybernauts" was an episode in which the robot-men Steed and Peel had battled twice in the old days were reactivated one more time. This comeback inspired frequent mentions of the old adventures as Mike Gambit admonished Purdee about her reluctance to even mention Mrs. Peel. Unlike other villains in The New Avengers, the wheelchair-bound Caine wearing masks with different expressions was memorable, the best--or the worst--mad man in this DVD set. A more oblique reference to the past occurred in "To Catch A Rat" when the actor who played the original Avenger, Dr. David Kiel, returned. In this case, Ian Hendry didn't play his old character but instead another agent who had been out in the cold for 17 years. In the final moments, Macnee was able to say, "It's been 17 years, but welcome back." While few modern viewers might be aware of this inside joke, the script and acting of this hour make it one of the best of the batch.
Beyond these two outings, looking at The New Avengers as essentially a series unto itself is simple enough. True, "Sleeper," a yarn about bandits who put all of London to sleep with only the three heroes awake to foil them, was a plot already used in the Steed-King season. The final episode of the first DVD set, "Dirtier by the Dozen," was about the two younger agents infiltrating a private army of mercenaries. This was another situation well-trodden in the original series, not to mention other '60s shows like The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and the Saint. Had an ounce of originality been injected into the scripts, re-working these old devices could have had their points of interest. Beyond the witty rebuffs of Purdee to Gambit and secondary characters alike, there's not much to mark these retreads as anything special.
In my view, "Cybernauts," the fourth aired episode, was the first to show any flair at all. The series debuted with "The Eagle's Nest," a story with an old but intriguing twist. A plane of Nazi's, fleeing in the last days of World War II, had crashed onto a British island where the Germans had taken over a monastery, preserved "Germany's greatest treasure"--the frozen body of Adolf Hitler--and planned on a comeback. In typical Avengers style, this hidden army had unusual killers, in this case soldiers expert in using fishing lines to snag escapees and spies. But this premise fell flat. The second outing, "The Midas Touch," featured a killer infected with a deadly virus he conveys by touch. Again, a premise on paper didn't come alive on the small screen.
As the series progressed, there were occasional moments that spiced up the storylines. In "Cat Amongst the Pigeons," a story about a badguy able to control birds made overt and subtle references to Alfred Hitchcock's film, The Birds. Had Hitchcock only known--killer birds are no match for the ordinary housecat. Alongside "Cybernauts," another standout hour is "Target," a clever tale about agents killed on a target range by mysterious pinpricks that infect both Steed and Purdee. But, in the main, all the other episodes, from "House of Cards" to "The Tale of the Big Y," are about ordinary secret agents and counter-agents with little twists that make them more detective stories than spy adventure. On the other extreme, we get "To Catch a Rat" in which the enemy is a giant rodent roaming around London sewers. Viewers, then and now, are more likely to know what's going on long before our heroes do. Had such a script been played with a tongue-in-cheek tone, maybe, maybe, this might not have been among the worst hours in the secret agent genre.
But we're supposed to take this stuff seriously, and that's the central problem with The New Avengers. Modern viewers would likely have never heard of this show if it had been called anything else. If Brian Clemens felt audiences of the '70s were more sophisticated, then those in the 21st century are even more so. Given a choice between Sidney Bristo and Purdee, I suspect Sidney would win every bout, even without the quips that make Joanna Lumley's impudent feminist the best aspect of a show without focus or fresh tone.
While no one is likely to follow my advice, The New Avengers seems a series that would be better presented in a "Best of" collection offering the most successful episodes. Four DVD sets are to complete the run, and on each there will be two or three nuggets indeed worthy of new appreciation. But how many collectors will find themselves wanting or needing the entire series with so many hours of rather mundane and ordinary encounters? On video, there were collections of "the best of" the original Avengers which whetted the appetites for having the entire series issued and rightly so. The Saint and The Wild Wild West have also been offered in such VHS collections, both series worthy of being available on DVD from first to last. But lesser productions of interest shouldn't be dismissed outright but instead offered anew in less comprehensive form. Adding new features, particularly interviews with producers and actors, would add value to these collections, but none are on set 1 of this series.
True, The New Avengers have their supporters. I know of one fan who saw this series in the '70s before even hearing about the original. For him, Mike Gambit was a childhood hero and the concept of three agents working together makes the pairings of Steed and one partner seem a bit thin. For other fans, John Steed in any context is better than no Steed. Nostalgia is always one key factor in marketing old material, so there are those who'll grab up the New Avengers collections just as many of us await other TV memories to find their way into the DVD library. For the most part, however, The New Avengers is for completists only. Knowledgeable folks may pick and choose from future sets to have the episodes they know are of special interest, such as "K is for Kill," the two-parter with a short Diana Rigg cameo. Still, I suspect few viewers who aren’t already predisposed to this show will find it worthwhile to find much new in The New Avengers.
For more articles, reviews, and interviews on TV spies, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
Review: Robert Vaughn and The Protectors on DVD
Review: Robert Vaughn and The Protectors on DVD
By Wesley Britton
In January 2006, American fans of Robert Vaughn were delighted when Amc began airing episodes of the British-produced hustle in which Vaughn played a senior statesman of, well, high-dollar grifting. In many interviews promoting the show, Vaughn stated he saw his new role as an updating of what might have happened to his iconic character from the 1960s--the elegant Napoleon Solo, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
The year before, Vaughn had been interviewed by magazines like Cinema Retro when DVDs for his second TV series, The Protectors, were finally made available for the U.S. market. Back in 2002, I'd asked him about this little known syndicated series, one he acted in during his self-imposed exile from the U.S. during 1972 to 1973. (note 1) He told me Sir Lew Grade, who ran all the commercial programming in England at that time, had called his agent in England and asked if Vaughn would be interested in doing a spy show there. "I said I wasn't very interested," he told me, "and then they said, `Well it's only a half-hour show, you'd only be here one year,' and they offered a pretty good deal. I didn't realize that in England, it took them five to six to seven days to shoot a half-hour show whereas in America it would take only three days. I wound up doing a second season, so I was there almost three years. "
While neither of us knew it during our talk, the circumstances of filming The Protectors would foreshadow his work on Hustle. "I lived in London," he said with fondness. "Every weekend we spent in some place in England, Ireland, or Scotland. We did a lot of filming, actually, on the continent in Spain, Italy, Germany, Denmark, and just about every country available in Europe. " But, of course, drawing too many connections between The Protectors and Hustle wouldn't be fair to the actor or his current project. Hustle is earning well-deserved critical praise and Vaughn himself didn't think much of his '70s show. For many viewers, The Protectors was a transitional series that demonstrated, for one thing, the glories of the '60s spy renaissance were over. Still, the show is worth some exploration even if few modern fans will find DVD sets indispensable additions to their libraries. And, whatever Vaughn is claiming, his current role in hustle has more in common with The Protectors' Harry Rule than U.N.C.L.E.s Mr. Solo.
Creating The Protectors
In the beginning, as they say, the concept came from very creative minds. British ITV head, Sir Lew Grade, the man who'd brought us The Saint, Danger Man, and The Prisoner, Got backing from Faberge for a project produced by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, then best known for their puppet shows. (note 2) Writers and directors included the likes of Ralph Smart, Brian Clemens, Dennis Spooner, and Donald James whose credits included Danger Man, The Avengers, and The Champions.
Despite such talent, the show's conception was a mixed bag. From the onset, one problem was determining just what The Protector organization was. Apparently, Harry Rule (Vaughn) was the head of a group that had agents based in European cities including Rome and Paris. It's never clear how these "Protectors" got their credentials. They're apparently independent operatives who work for private clients, governments, and carry enough clout to get the U.S. and Russian governments to airlift Contessa Caroline di Contini (Nyree Dawn porter) halfway across the world to help a dictator's wife.
In addition, while the casting might have seemed just right for a new spy series, both Vaughn and co-lead Nyree Dawn Porter were brought in at nearly the last minute, which meant their personalities and characters were ill defined. Porter, for example, brought elegance to her part but it wasn't clear what skills she had beyond good shooting. According to DVD commentary by director John Hough for the first episode, "2000 Feet to Die," This conflict was ongoing and a source of tension between Vaughn and producer Gerry Anderson. For his part, Hough had been brought in because of his experience with stunts, and The Protectors was intended to have more of them than usually seen on television. According to Hough, Bond connections were subtle, as in scenes in the title sequence based on similar shots in From Russia With Love. While he didn't make the connection, Hough used filming techniques Sidney Furie had employed in The Ipcress File. Bringing Furie's cinematic approach to television, Hough said he wanted unusual camera angles, especially reflections from mirrors and windows. At the time, Haugh clamed, such filming was innovative.
Perhaps. Hough had worked on such shows as Danger Man, The Saint and especially The Avengers, a show that loomed very large in the backdrop of the new series. Along with the writers and directors mentioned above, Terence Fieley, a frequent scripter for The Avengers, wrote the first episode. In both shows, the leads flirted and the male of the species clearly had occasional amorous intentions. Porter, who'd been considered for the role of Cathy Gale and did guest-star on The Avengers, now played a character who had a late husband, a parallel to Mrs. Peel thinking she's a widow throughout her run. One episode in particular, "Disappearing Trick," also Seemed to point to The Avengers. In the 1966 black-and-white season of the Patrick Macnee/Diana Rigg pairing, an introduction for American audiences was used identifying Macnee's JohnSteed as a "top professional" and Emma Peel as a "talented amateur." In the early moments of "Disappearing Trick," we hear Caroline and Rule saying:
"You're a 24 hour surveillance machine."
"I'm a professional."
"What am I? Just a talented amateur?"
This set up one of the better story lines in the series when the Contessa, wanting to prove herself, accepts a job in spite of Rule's objections and finds herself in need of rescue from her team. In another outing, slightly reminiscent of "Return of the Cybernauts" in The Avengers, Caroline and Harry butt heads again when she's reluctant to believe an ex-boyfriend is behind an attempted coup d'etat on an island country. (One last Avenger connection was a rare guest-star appearance by one of the original leads, Ian Hendry.)
Looking Back
For most viewers, The Protectors were too realistic with too little flair of the better '60s fantasy series. With little originality, story lines seem like Saint episodes with two savvy Saint's for the price of one; in others, the plot seemed like a watered down Mission: Impossible. In many episodes, Caroline and Harry take turns setting up cons or discovering they're victims of them. Hmm, expert cons? Shades of Hustle! In most cases, as in "Quick Brown Fox," an interesting premise--in this case about yet another group of neo-Nazis--fizzles into a brawl at episode's end. There were the occasional over-the-top bad guys, like the nutcase who kidnapped the Contessa because she'd testified against him in a court. In one episode, criminal cartels pool their resources and hire a group to take out the Protector organization. Several agents are killed while Rule is tortured to get the names of all the Protectors who had access to then cutting-edge computer technology. Such episodes suggest some series should be issued in "Best of" sets and not first-to-last season runs.
One contribution to the spy genre was the notable theme song, "Avenues and Alleyways," with music by Mitch Murray and lyrics by Peter Callander. Viewers could be forgiven for thinking the singer in the end-credits was Tom Jones as the actual vocalist, Tony Christie, was as close to a sound-alike for Jones as one can imagine. But, in the end, The Protectors remains a series with almost bloated potential that never jelled. Perhaps the 30 minute format didn't allow for character development that connected the audience with the attractive leads. Perhaps the vagueness of the premises were too confusing and not the mysterious milieu the creators had in mind. Whatever the case, The Protectors does have its friends and defenders. For them, the DVD incarnation is a treat. For my money, I await the real Robert Vaughn treasure surprisingly not on store shelves--of course, the show that started it all, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Notes
1. See "Robert Vaughn, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., is Alive and Kicking" also posted at this website.
2. As discussed in my Spy Television (2004), ITV and Gerry Anderson also produced a sister series to The Protectors. Actor Gene Barry, attempting to recapture the style of his Amos Burke, Secret Agent, starred in the syndicated The Adventurer. Like The Protectors, "Barry’s series exploited the marquee draw of star names with production values from the syndicated bargain basement." Barry played Jim Bradly, a multi-millionaire who pretended to be an international film star to work on secret missions near film locations or pleasure resorts. Ex-Fugitive detective, Barry Morse, played his contact, Mr. Parminter. He passed himself off as Bradly’s producer/manager. Filmed in the south of France and England, the 26 short episodes couldn't answer one question. How does one pretend to be a film star, Barry’s ostensible cover? "More likely, the series perished as the ‘60s spy boom was waning, and the show couldn’t survive despite theme music by Bond composer John Barry and production input by Saint producer, Monte Berman."
For more reviews, articles, and interviews on TV spies, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
By Wesley Britton
In January 2006, American fans of Robert Vaughn were delighted when Amc began airing episodes of the British-produced hustle in which Vaughn played a senior statesman of, well, high-dollar grifting. In many interviews promoting the show, Vaughn stated he saw his new role as an updating of what might have happened to his iconic character from the 1960s--the elegant Napoleon Solo, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
The year before, Vaughn had been interviewed by magazines like Cinema Retro when DVDs for his second TV series, The Protectors, were finally made available for the U.S. market. Back in 2002, I'd asked him about this little known syndicated series, one he acted in during his self-imposed exile from the U.S. during 1972 to 1973. (note 1) He told me Sir Lew Grade, who ran all the commercial programming in England at that time, had called his agent in England and asked if Vaughn would be interested in doing a spy show there. "I said I wasn't very interested," he told me, "and then they said, `Well it's only a half-hour show, you'd only be here one year,' and they offered a pretty good deal. I didn't realize that in England, it took them five to six to seven days to shoot a half-hour show whereas in America it would take only three days. I wound up doing a second season, so I was there almost three years. "
While neither of us knew it during our talk, the circumstances of filming The Protectors would foreshadow his work on Hustle. "I lived in London," he said with fondness. "Every weekend we spent in some place in England, Ireland, or Scotland. We did a lot of filming, actually, on the continent in Spain, Italy, Germany, Denmark, and just about every country available in Europe. " But, of course, drawing too many connections between The Protectors and Hustle wouldn't be fair to the actor or his current project. Hustle is earning well-deserved critical praise and Vaughn himself didn't think much of his '70s show. For many viewers, The Protectors was a transitional series that demonstrated, for one thing, the glories of the '60s spy renaissance were over. Still, the show is worth some exploration even if few modern fans will find DVD sets indispensable additions to their libraries. And, whatever Vaughn is claiming, his current role in hustle has more in common with The Protectors' Harry Rule than U.N.C.L.E.s Mr. Solo.
Creating The Protectors
In the beginning, as they say, the concept came from very creative minds. British ITV head, Sir Lew Grade, the man who'd brought us The Saint, Danger Man, and The Prisoner, Got backing from Faberge for a project produced by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, then best known for their puppet shows. (note 2) Writers and directors included the likes of Ralph Smart, Brian Clemens, Dennis Spooner, and Donald James whose credits included Danger Man, The Avengers, and The Champions.
Despite such talent, the show's conception was a mixed bag. From the onset, one problem was determining just what The Protector organization was. Apparently, Harry Rule (Vaughn) was the head of a group that had agents based in European cities including Rome and Paris. It's never clear how these "Protectors" got their credentials. They're apparently independent operatives who work for private clients, governments, and carry enough clout to get the U.S. and Russian governments to airlift Contessa Caroline di Contini (Nyree Dawn porter) halfway across the world to help a dictator's wife.
In addition, while the casting might have seemed just right for a new spy series, both Vaughn and co-lead Nyree Dawn Porter were brought in at nearly the last minute, which meant their personalities and characters were ill defined. Porter, for example, brought elegance to her part but it wasn't clear what skills she had beyond good shooting. According to DVD commentary by director John Hough for the first episode, "2000 Feet to Die," This conflict was ongoing and a source of tension between Vaughn and producer Gerry Anderson. For his part, Hough had been brought in because of his experience with stunts, and The Protectors was intended to have more of them than usually seen on television. According to Hough, Bond connections were subtle, as in scenes in the title sequence based on similar shots in From Russia With Love. While he didn't make the connection, Hough used filming techniques Sidney Furie had employed in The Ipcress File. Bringing Furie's cinematic approach to television, Hough said he wanted unusual camera angles, especially reflections from mirrors and windows. At the time, Haugh clamed, such filming was innovative.
Perhaps. Hough had worked on such shows as Danger Man, The Saint and especially The Avengers, a show that loomed very large in the backdrop of the new series. Along with the writers and directors mentioned above, Terence Fieley, a frequent scripter for The Avengers, wrote the first episode. In both shows, the leads flirted and the male of the species clearly had occasional amorous intentions. Porter, who'd been considered for the role of Cathy Gale and did guest-star on The Avengers, now played a character who had a late husband, a parallel to Mrs. Peel thinking she's a widow throughout her run. One episode in particular, "Disappearing Trick," also Seemed to point to The Avengers. In the 1966 black-and-white season of the Patrick Macnee/Diana Rigg pairing, an introduction for American audiences was used identifying Macnee's JohnSteed as a "top professional" and Emma Peel as a "talented amateur." In the early moments of "Disappearing Trick," we hear Caroline and Rule saying:
"You're a 24 hour surveillance machine."
"I'm a professional."
"What am I? Just a talented amateur?"
This set up one of the better story lines in the series when the Contessa, wanting to prove herself, accepts a job in spite of Rule's objections and finds herself in need of rescue from her team. In another outing, slightly reminiscent of "Return of the Cybernauts" in The Avengers, Caroline and Harry butt heads again when she's reluctant to believe an ex-boyfriend is behind an attempted coup d'etat on an island country. (One last Avenger connection was a rare guest-star appearance by one of the original leads, Ian Hendry.)
Looking Back
For most viewers, The Protectors were too realistic with too little flair of the better '60s fantasy series. With little originality, story lines seem like Saint episodes with two savvy Saint's for the price of one; in others, the plot seemed like a watered down Mission: Impossible. In many episodes, Caroline and Harry take turns setting up cons or discovering they're victims of them. Hmm, expert cons? Shades of Hustle! In most cases, as in "Quick Brown Fox," an interesting premise--in this case about yet another group of neo-Nazis--fizzles into a brawl at episode's end. There were the occasional over-the-top bad guys, like the nutcase who kidnapped the Contessa because she'd testified against him in a court. In one episode, criminal cartels pool their resources and hire a group to take out the Protector organization. Several agents are killed while Rule is tortured to get the names of all the Protectors who had access to then cutting-edge computer technology. Such episodes suggest some series should be issued in "Best of" sets and not first-to-last season runs.
One contribution to the spy genre was the notable theme song, "Avenues and Alleyways," with music by Mitch Murray and lyrics by Peter Callander. Viewers could be forgiven for thinking the singer in the end-credits was Tom Jones as the actual vocalist, Tony Christie, was as close to a sound-alike for Jones as one can imagine. But, in the end, The Protectors remains a series with almost bloated potential that never jelled. Perhaps the 30 minute format didn't allow for character development that connected the audience with the attractive leads. Perhaps the vagueness of the premises were too confusing and not the mysterious milieu the creators had in mind. Whatever the case, The Protectors does have its friends and defenders. For them, the DVD incarnation is a treat. For my money, I await the real Robert Vaughn treasure surprisingly not on store shelves--of course, the show that started it all, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Notes
1. See "Robert Vaughn, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., is Alive and Kicking" also posted at this website.
2. As discussed in my Spy Television (2004), ITV and Gerry Anderson also produced a sister series to The Protectors. Actor Gene Barry, attempting to recapture the style of his Amos Burke, Secret Agent, starred in the syndicated The Adventurer. Like The Protectors, "Barry’s series exploited the marquee draw of star names with production values from the syndicated bargain basement." Barry played Jim Bradly, a multi-millionaire who pretended to be an international film star to work on secret missions near film locations or pleasure resorts. Ex-Fugitive detective, Barry Morse, played his contact, Mr. Parminter. He passed himself off as Bradly’s producer/manager. Filmed in the south of France and England, the 26 short episodes couldn't answer one question. How does one pretend to be a film star, Barry’s ostensible cover? "More likely, the series perished as the ‘60s spy boom was waning, and the show couldn’t survive despite theme music by Bond composer John Barry and production input by Saint producer, Monte Berman."
For more reviews, articles, and interviews on TV spies, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
Collecting TV Spy Music
COLLECTING TV SPY MUSIC
By Wesley Britton
Before listing what I consider the hits and misses of "spy music," I must confess there are those who don't see secret agent themes as a genre unto itself. In 2002, I SPY theme composer Earl Hagen told me, “If there is a 'secret agent' genre, I am not aware of it . . . When you analyze the themes and scores to shows like MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE and compare them to SECRET AGENT or THE AVENGERS, you have to come to the conclusion that the film dictates the style of the music.”
However, a number of composers have indeed shaped a distinctive tone and feel for television and film spy projects. In America, Jerry Goldsmith, Lalo Schfrin, and Mort Stevens were especially significant in the '60s; in England, Edwin Astley, Ron Grainer, and Laurie Johnson were equally influential. Many do see themes and motifs in musical styles that identify them as "spy music" beyond their being included in soundtracks and as incidental tracks for the large and small screen. (For a fuller discussion on these points, see "SPY GUITAR: FROM VIC FLICK TO SPY-FI" at this website.)
Of course, sampling these melodies is but a mouse-click away--from title music posted at YouTube to downloadable ring-tones for your cell phone. Below are notes and suggestions for collecting the old-fashioned way--on CD and even vinyl. I welcome your responses--write me at--
spywise@verizon.net
---
24
In 2004, EMI Music released the first soundtrack for 24 by composer Sean Callery. After winning two Emmys for his work on the show, Callery then issued 24: Seasons Four and Five to wide critical acclaim. Callery had earned his role as composer after distinguished scores for Le Femme Nikita. He later contributed his music for the 2004 James Bond video game, Everything or Nothing and 24: The Game created for Sony's
PlayStation 2 in 2006.
---
Alias
Alias: Original Television Soundtrack (Touchstone Television Prod., 2003) mainly includes tracks by composer Michael Giacchino, although the main title theme was written by series creator, J.J. Abrams. The Hollywood Studio Symphony performs the varied menu, which should surprise no one familiar with the pumped-up beat for Agent Bristo's smash-mouth fight and escape scenes. In the liner notes, Abrams praises Giacchino saying his music adds a "high-budget" movie feel to each episode of the series.
Perhaps. One disappointment is the extremely short title music which is well worth a longer version for a CD like this. Listening to the short cut, I remembered a few sentences composer Earl Hagan shared with me regarding TV scores: "music for films is now vastly superior to music for TV. Composers in TV no longer have the time or money to indulge in a decent sized orchestra. Most TV shows are done with synthesized music. An average main title is now less than a half minute where shows in the sixties had a full minute. It makes an enormous difference in making a statement.”
---
The Avengers
Laurie Johnson’s The Avengers title music has long been a favorite for collectors, and it has been available on a number of compilations in various incarnations (see below). Leika and the Cosmonauts, a Danish instrumental band, issued one unique version of The Avengers theme on their “Colossal Band” CD (Upstart Rec.) in 1995. The most recent and extended version was on the soundtrack to the 1998 film. Like the soundtrack for the film version of THE SAINT, the CD includes collectible title music along with a number of songs not in the movie and are obvious "padding" to justify issuing such albums.
Some material available on old-fashioned vinyl may never appear on CD. For example, one unusual version of THE AVENGERS theme appeared on one album by CBS group, Jerry Murad and the Harmonicats. A mix of gunshots and Murad playing the Johnson melody on the harmonica, this track belongs on a future CD of the oddest renditions of spy music. Lauri Johnson issued an "official" soundtrack likely in 1977. This project was more a promotion for two then new series Johnson had commercial interest in, THE NEW AVENGERS and the sister cop show production, THE PROFESSIONALS. One side of the disc has AVENGERS and NEW AVENGERS music and the other features THE PROFESSIONALS.
---
Get Smart
The GET SMART theme, along with the comic "Max" and "99" by Barbara Feldon, are on the Raven Records GET SMART CD, a reissue of the original LP. Not a soundtrack collection, this souvenir of '60s popular culture is primarily a collection of audio-clips from the series linked with added narration by Don Adams. Details about the CD, along with the cover art, are on a collectibles page:
http://www.wouldyoubelieve.com/collect.html
---
I Spy
Thanks to Film Score Monthly, an excellent two-CD set of original I Spy music was released in 2003. According to I Spy expert Debbie Lazar, theme composer Earle Hagen published his book, Memoirs of a
Famous Composer-Nobody Ever Heard Of, by Xlibris Press in 2003. According to Debbie, the discussion on I Spy music runs "way over 40 - 45 pages . . . He begins with the round the world
trip he and his wife took with Sheldon Leonard and his wife, while scouting locations before the actual filming began until the final days when the show was canceled."
---
The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Noted composer Jerry Goldsmith scribed two important spy themes including the frequently anthologized OUR MAN FLINT film title and the original music for The MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. in 1964. For years, Goldsmith's original tracks were popular bootlegs in the collector's market while the two "official" MGM vinyl soundtracks were known more for their covers than contents. In 1997, the best of the MGM tracks were released on THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.: THE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK AFFAIR CD (BMG). I recommend it for the rousing Hugo Montenegro rendition of the title melody, although the rest of the album pleases few U.N.C.L.E. fans.
In 2003, two outstanding 2-CD sets of original U.N.C.L.E. themes and incidental music were issued by Film Score Monthly after their successful CD of original music from I SPY, also released that year. Widely praised by fans, FSM issued two more sets, Volume 4 released in December 2006. Serious collectors will appreciate the detailed liner notes in these releases describing the many composers who contributed to the flavor of the series.
In the 1990s, a short version of the U.N.C.L.E. title music Was part of a TV theme medley on THE SOUNDTRACKS OF JERRY GOLDSMITH (Deram/Decca Rec.). In 2000, he conducted yet another version of the U.N.C.L.E. theme on his THE FILM MUSIC OF JERRY GOLDSMITH (Telard SADD). Film buffs should enjoy either of these collections, but only diehard collectors should seek out the alleged soundtrack album for THE GIRL FROM U.N.C.L.E. (MGM, 1968). Male voyeurs will appreciate the go-go boots in the leggy cover art, but not one track on the vinyl album came from the series, not even the lackluster mutation of the title music. For display, not replay.
---
Mission: Impossible
While there are numerous offerings of the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE theme, the best is, appropriately, The Best of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE (GNP/Crescendo). This CD is a compilation of the two albums issued by Lalo Schfrin in the 1960s, music from the 1988 remake, and live versions of the title track. An added feature is an interview with Peter Graves who discusses the music of the series, production of the 1988 revival, and his other work. (Lalo Schifrin also wrote for The MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., and samples of his work can be heard on the Original Soundtrack Affair CD.)
---
The Prisoner
Of special interest are three soundtrack albums of music from the short, 17 episode British series, THE PRISONER (Silva Screen Records). The genesis for these recordings began with the most influential and prolific fan club in the spy genre, the “Prisoner Appreciation Society” or “Six of One.” In November 1978, they got principal composer Ron Grainer to re-master his original tapes, and for some time only members of this club had ready access to the soundtrack albums. Now more available through internet sales, most critics praise the first two collections, dismissing Volume 3 as a mere anthology of classical music heard in the series.
For the record, as it were, rock group Iron Maiden made two references to THE PRISONER in their music. On their album, Power Slaves, one cut was called “Back to the Village.” Another song, “Number of the Beast,” begins with the opening title music of the show. A thorough look at the music in the show and links to more research areas can be found at:
http://www.the-prisoner-6.freeserve.co.uk/index_music_archive.htm
---
Secret Agent/Danger Man and The Saint
One of the most recognized, and most re-worked, spy melodies was the television theme to SECRET AGENT, the American title for the British series, DANGER MAN. American hit-makers P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri (responsible for 1960s hits for Barry McGuire and the Grassroots, among others) crafted the guitar-driven "Secret Agent Man" title as sung by Johnny Rivers. In subsequent years, the song was redone at least 26 times by various artists such as Devo and was used in films such as AUSTIN POWERS, INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY.
One non-Rivers version is on SECRET AGENT (Bmg, 1997), the official and excellent soundtrack performed by composer Edwin Astley who wrote all the show's music beyond the American hit. Some of this music appeared on a 1966 vinyl album, SECRET AGENT MEETS THE SAINT, as Astley was responsible for both series. On CD, THE SAINT (BMG, 1997), also conducted by Astley, offers genuine music from the series, with a program of genuine musicality and international flavor. The 1998 soundtrack for Val Kilmer’s THE SAINT includes an excellent, percussive extended re-interpretation of Astley’s television theme by Orbital, although this theme was only heard in the film for less than a minute.
As it happened, the first whistle-tune for THE SAINT was actually composed by Simon Templar's literary creator, Leslie Charteris, for the radio versions of Saint adventures. For those wishing to hear the short, original Charteris theme, there are numerous cassette tapes and MP3 editions of the radio shows issued by various companies. The video releases of the 1938-1941 films also include the whistle theme, and the films starring George Saunders feature him walking into scenes whistling the signature bars.
---
The Wild Wild West
As of this writing, no soundtrack album for the original series of THE WILD WILD WEST was ever released, but Mort Stevens and Richard Markowitch’s theme can be found on many compilation albums including those noted below. It also appears on the 1999 GREATEST SCIENCE FICTION HITS
IV SOUNDTRACKS (Crescendo). (Morton Stevens, a principal composer for W3, also worked for U.N.C.L.E., and samples of his music can be heard on the ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACKS AFFAIR CD discussed above.)
Two CDs were released with music from the film version of THE WILD WILD WEST, but Elmer Bernstein's score isn't highly regarded, and the Will Smith raps are more for fans of this musical genre and contribute nothing to spy music. The theme to the original series appears briefly, and late, in the film. After Film Score Monthly released its first two sets of music from THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., a number of fans requested that THE WILD WILD WEST be considered for similar treatment, so perhaps FSM will be the company to remedy this gap.
---
The X-Files
THE X-FILES: SONGS IN THE KEY OF X (Warner Bros., 1996)is one of the most imaginative TV soundtracks issued to date, and it is also the easiest to track down. After the Mark Snow theme, the album includes songs used in the series along with material written for the album by Cheryl Crow, Fu Fighters, Soul Coughing, Nik Cave and the Bad Seeds, Filter, Mean Puppets, Frank Black, Danzig, Alice Cooper, Screaming Jay Hawkins, Elvis Costello, Brian Eno, among others. The late Beat poet William S. Burroughs provided one of his last gravel-voiced readings, backed by REM, shortly before his death. The album also includes the “hidden track” by Chris Carter 10 minutes and 15 seconds after the last listed song. It's a strange disc, perhaps more appropriate for folks into Goth, spooky things, and sci-fi.
---
Compilations
Without question, spy music has been most popular on vinyl and CD compilations of theme tunes, both on collections of more general interest and those geared for spy music buffs. Some collections are of original recordings, others remakes in a variety of styles.
In the former category, The MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., GET SMART, The WILD WILD WEST, and virtually every American TV theme melody are on various volumes of TELEVISION'S GREATEST HITS (TeeVee Records). Varying in sound quality, each theme is only the original, short title music, usually one minute or less.
TV CLASSIC THEMES (Breakable Records, 1998) not only features themes from U.N.C.L.E., I SPY, THE PRISONER, and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, but spoken word clips from the stars introduce most themes in full album-length cuts, including an extended spliced tape rendition of the 3rd season version of THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Interesting interpretations of the U.N.C.L.E. theme and other spy title tunes are also available on various collections by the instrumental guitar group, The Ventures. Doing the old band one better, Thomas Pervanje's Ohio-based "Spy-Fi" has issued two tributes to the surf sound and spy themes. Volume One, Music for Spies, Thighs, and Private Eyes: The Thigh Who Loved Me (Silve Records, 2003) is indispensable for those loving this genre. Volume Two, AKA Music for Spies, Thighs, and Private Eyes: Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (Silve Records, 2003)contains similar material including medleys of classic TV themes. A detailed review of these discs, and ordering information is in "SPY GUITAR: FROM VIC FLICK TO SPY-FI" at this website.
Compilations of strictly spy music include vinyl and CD versions of SECRET AGENT FILES (GNP/Crescendo, 1992) with some lively re-workings of both movie and TV spy themes. A collection of special interest is JAMES BOND AND BEYOND: CLASSIC THEMES FOR SECRET AGENTS (Spyguise Inc., 2002). Arranged by Michael Boldt, the CD includes excellent versions of 007 title tracks, TV themes, and a number of original radio spots promoting THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., OUR MAN FLINT, and the Robert Vaughn feature film, THE VENETIAN AFFAIR. This treasure-trove is only available through the SpyGuise website, the world's largest distributor of vintage and new spy products.
Other compilations of note include the two CD set, CULT Files (Silva Screen Records, 1996), and MISSION: ACCOMPLISHED--THEMES FOR SPIES AND COPS (MCA Special Markets and Products, 1996). The latter is a mix of tracks from various soundtrack albums, lackluster versions of famous themes, original music from no film nor television score, and songs with a spy mentioned in the title. Similarly, MUSIC TO SPY BY, created for the International Spy Museum, has 19 tracks including Henry Mancini's "theme from "The Pink Panther," which seems as acceptable as PETER GUNN in terms of '60s cool, and the much, much overused song, "Agent
Double-O Soul". It can be ordered through the Acorn online catalogue or at:
http://store.yahoo.net/spymuseumstore/0673.html
One superior collection is THE ABC’s OF BRITISH TV (Vol. 1. Play It Again, 1992). On it, the themes to The Avengers, THE CHAMPIONS, DANGER MAN, The NEW AVENGERS, THE RETURN OF THE SAINT, THE SAINT, and Ron Grainer's highly treasured MAN IN A SUITCASE are contained in one Superlative package. Similarly, The Avengers AND OTHER TOP 60s TV THEMES (Sequel Records) is a two-CD set featuring the Emma Peel version of the theme as well as MAN IN A SUITCASE, DANGER MAN, THE SAINT, THE CHAMPIONS, THE SENTIMENTAL AGENT, DEPARTMENT S, and TOP SECRET’s Laurie Johnson title melody. (The TOP SECRET theme, “Sucu Sucu,” was a Top 10 hit in England in 1961.)
For the collector who wants it all, Barbara Feldon’s comic “99” and Nancy Sinatra’s Thunderball parody, “The Last of the Secret Agents,” are most readily available on the uneven SPY MUSIC (Rhino, 1994). Like other odd anthologies, this package is filled with popular tunes that use the word “spy” in the title, which ostensibly qualifies them as spy music. Not to me. However, this CD also provides excellent versions of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, Secret Agent, and PETER GUNN. As noted by many collectors, PETER GUNN wasn't a spy program, but Henry Mancini's trumpet fanfare does include many elements associated with secret agent adventure. Ironically, Mancini was surprised by popular reception to the melody, which he'd originally recorded merely as music to serve as background when the lead character walked from scene to scene in the series.
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Notes
1. For those who still have usable turntables, or for collectors who enjoy cover art as much as the black vinyl discs they protect, there are many record albums out there I didn't mention here. My purpose was to review music most listeners can find and enjoy now on CD. For listeners who want it all, during the 1960s, a number of record companies issued a plethora of film and TV music albums, most cheap knockoffs of Bond themes, TV title music, and original instrumental tracks performed by both orchestras and big bands. Few are memorable.
2. One interesting insight into TV music can be seen in the fact that, during the '60s, the three networks regularly recycled music among the shows they made in-house. For example, music from first season HAWAII FIVE-O episodes can be heard in fourth-season WILD WILD WEST adventures. “Wave “ music from FIVE-O’s second outing, “Strangers in Our Own Land,” was re-used in “The Night of the Raven Part II” in WWW for one of the "box" pieces of music. ("Wave" and "box" refer to music just before the commercial break when each program would show its title logo). Many shows, like THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., often recycled scores penned for one episode in later outings. As U.N.C.L.E. fan Janet Wilson noted, parts of the MFU episode music for composer Gerald Fried's score for "test-tube Killers Affair" were recycled for STAR TREK; the motif used for the climax of TTK appeared in a similarly climactic scene in the ST episode "Friday's Child." Reportedly, Lauri Johnson scored each episode of THE AVENGERS individually to give the adventures distinct feels. Many more notes on TV music can be found in my SPY TELEVISION. I hereby thank spy and music expert bill koenig for the information about "box" and "wave" music in HAWAII FIVE-O and WWW--he has many more examples of this overlap for those interested.
Related articles are posted at
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
By Wesley Britton
Before listing what I consider the hits and misses of "spy music," I must confess there are those who don't see secret agent themes as a genre unto itself. In 2002, I SPY theme composer Earl Hagen told me, “If there is a 'secret agent' genre, I am not aware of it . . . When you analyze the themes and scores to shows like MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE and compare them to SECRET AGENT or THE AVENGERS, you have to come to the conclusion that the film dictates the style of the music.”
However, a number of composers have indeed shaped a distinctive tone and feel for television and film spy projects. In America, Jerry Goldsmith, Lalo Schfrin, and Mort Stevens were especially significant in the '60s; in England, Edwin Astley, Ron Grainer, and Laurie Johnson were equally influential. Many do see themes and motifs in musical styles that identify them as "spy music" beyond their being included in soundtracks and as incidental tracks for the large and small screen. (For a fuller discussion on these points, see "SPY GUITAR: FROM VIC FLICK TO SPY-FI" at this website.)
Of course, sampling these melodies is but a mouse-click away--from title music posted at YouTube to downloadable ring-tones for your cell phone. Below are notes and suggestions for collecting the old-fashioned way--on CD and even vinyl. I welcome your responses--write me at--
spywise@verizon.net
---
24
In 2004, EMI Music released the first soundtrack for 24 by composer Sean Callery. After winning two Emmys for his work on the show, Callery then issued 24: Seasons Four and Five to wide critical acclaim. Callery had earned his role as composer after distinguished scores for Le Femme Nikita. He later contributed his music for the 2004 James Bond video game, Everything or Nothing and 24: The Game created for Sony's
PlayStation 2 in 2006.
---
Alias
Alias: Original Television Soundtrack (Touchstone Television Prod., 2003) mainly includes tracks by composer Michael Giacchino, although the main title theme was written by series creator, J.J. Abrams. The Hollywood Studio Symphony performs the varied menu, which should surprise no one familiar with the pumped-up beat for Agent Bristo's smash-mouth fight and escape scenes. In the liner notes, Abrams praises Giacchino saying his music adds a "high-budget" movie feel to each episode of the series.
Perhaps. One disappointment is the extremely short title music which is well worth a longer version for a CD like this. Listening to the short cut, I remembered a few sentences composer Earl Hagan shared with me regarding TV scores: "music for films is now vastly superior to music for TV. Composers in TV no longer have the time or money to indulge in a decent sized orchestra. Most TV shows are done with synthesized music. An average main title is now less than a half minute where shows in the sixties had a full minute. It makes an enormous difference in making a statement.”
---
The Avengers
Laurie Johnson’s The Avengers title music has long been a favorite for collectors, and it has been available on a number of compilations in various incarnations (see below). Leika and the Cosmonauts, a Danish instrumental band, issued one unique version of The Avengers theme on their “Colossal Band” CD (Upstart Rec.) in 1995. The most recent and extended version was on the soundtrack to the 1998 film. Like the soundtrack for the film version of THE SAINT, the CD includes collectible title music along with a number of songs not in the movie and are obvious "padding" to justify issuing such albums.
Some material available on old-fashioned vinyl may never appear on CD. For example, one unusual version of THE AVENGERS theme appeared on one album by CBS group, Jerry Murad and the Harmonicats. A mix of gunshots and Murad playing the Johnson melody on the harmonica, this track belongs on a future CD of the oddest renditions of spy music. Lauri Johnson issued an "official" soundtrack likely in 1977. This project was more a promotion for two then new series Johnson had commercial interest in, THE NEW AVENGERS and the sister cop show production, THE PROFESSIONALS. One side of the disc has AVENGERS and NEW AVENGERS music and the other features THE PROFESSIONALS.
---
Get Smart
The GET SMART theme, along with the comic "Max" and "99" by Barbara Feldon, are on the Raven Records GET SMART CD, a reissue of the original LP. Not a soundtrack collection, this souvenir of '60s popular culture is primarily a collection of audio-clips from the series linked with added narration by Don Adams. Details about the CD, along with the cover art, are on a collectibles page:
http://www.wouldyoubelieve.com/collect.html
---
I Spy
Thanks to Film Score Monthly, an excellent two-CD set of original I Spy music was released in 2003. According to I Spy expert Debbie Lazar, theme composer Earle Hagen published his book, Memoirs of a
Famous Composer-Nobody Ever Heard Of, by Xlibris Press in 2003. According to Debbie, the discussion on I Spy music runs "way over 40 - 45 pages . . . He begins with the round the world
trip he and his wife took with Sheldon Leonard and his wife, while scouting locations before the actual filming began until the final days when the show was canceled."
---
The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Noted composer Jerry Goldsmith scribed two important spy themes including the frequently anthologized OUR MAN FLINT film title and the original music for The MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. in 1964. For years, Goldsmith's original tracks were popular bootlegs in the collector's market while the two "official" MGM vinyl soundtracks were known more for their covers than contents. In 1997, the best of the MGM tracks were released on THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.: THE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK AFFAIR CD (BMG). I recommend it for the rousing Hugo Montenegro rendition of the title melody, although the rest of the album pleases few U.N.C.L.E. fans.
In 2003, two outstanding 2-CD sets of original U.N.C.L.E. themes and incidental music were issued by Film Score Monthly after their successful CD of original music from I SPY, also released that year. Widely praised by fans, FSM issued two more sets, Volume 4 released in December 2006. Serious collectors will appreciate the detailed liner notes in these releases describing the many composers who contributed to the flavor of the series.
In the 1990s, a short version of the U.N.C.L.E. title music Was part of a TV theme medley on THE SOUNDTRACKS OF JERRY GOLDSMITH (Deram/Decca Rec.). In 2000, he conducted yet another version of the U.N.C.L.E. theme on his THE FILM MUSIC OF JERRY GOLDSMITH (Telard SADD). Film buffs should enjoy either of these collections, but only diehard collectors should seek out the alleged soundtrack album for THE GIRL FROM U.N.C.L.E. (MGM, 1968). Male voyeurs will appreciate the go-go boots in the leggy cover art, but not one track on the vinyl album came from the series, not even the lackluster mutation of the title music. For display, not replay.
---
Mission: Impossible
While there are numerous offerings of the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE theme, the best is, appropriately, The Best of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE (GNP/Crescendo). This CD is a compilation of the two albums issued by Lalo Schfrin in the 1960s, music from the 1988 remake, and live versions of the title track. An added feature is an interview with Peter Graves who discusses the music of the series, production of the 1988 revival, and his other work. (Lalo Schifrin also wrote for The MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., and samples of his work can be heard on the Original Soundtrack Affair CD.)
---
The Prisoner
Of special interest are three soundtrack albums of music from the short, 17 episode British series, THE PRISONER (Silva Screen Records). The genesis for these recordings began with the most influential and prolific fan club in the spy genre, the “Prisoner Appreciation Society” or “Six of One.” In November 1978, they got principal composer Ron Grainer to re-master his original tapes, and for some time only members of this club had ready access to the soundtrack albums. Now more available through internet sales, most critics praise the first two collections, dismissing Volume 3 as a mere anthology of classical music heard in the series.
For the record, as it were, rock group Iron Maiden made two references to THE PRISONER in their music. On their album, Power Slaves, one cut was called “Back to the Village.” Another song, “Number of the Beast,” begins with the opening title music of the show. A thorough look at the music in the show and links to more research areas can be found at:
http://www.the-prisoner-6.freeserve.co.uk/index_music_archive.htm
---
Secret Agent/Danger Man and The Saint
One of the most recognized, and most re-worked, spy melodies was the television theme to SECRET AGENT, the American title for the British series, DANGER MAN. American hit-makers P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri (responsible for 1960s hits for Barry McGuire and the Grassroots, among others) crafted the guitar-driven "Secret Agent Man" title as sung by Johnny Rivers. In subsequent years, the song was redone at least 26 times by various artists such as Devo and was used in films such as AUSTIN POWERS, INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY.
One non-Rivers version is on SECRET AGENT (Bmg, 1997), the official and excellent soundtrack performed by composer Edwin Astley who wrote all the show's music beyond the American hit. Some of this music appeared on a 1966 vinyl album, SECRET AGENT MEETS THE SAINT, as Astley was responsible for both series. On CD, THE SAINT (BMG, 1997), also conducted by Astley, offers genuine music from the series, with a program of genuine musicality and international flavor. The 1998 soundtrack for Val Kilmer’s THE SAINT includes an excellent, percussive extended re-interpretation of Astley’s television theme by Orbital, although this theme was only heard in the film for less than a minute.
As it happened, the first whistle-tune for THE SAINT was actually composed by Simon Templar's literary creator, Leslie Charteris, for the radio versions of Saint adventures. For those wishing to hear the short, original Charteris theme, there are numerous cassette tapes and MP3 editions of the radio shows issued by various companies. The video releases of the 1938-1941 films also include the whistle theme, and the films starring George Saunders feature him walking into scenes whistling the signature bars.
---
The Wild Wild West
As of this writing, no soundtrack album for the original series of THE WILD WILD WEST was ever released, but Mort Stevens and Richard Markowitch’s theme can be found on many compilation albums including those noted below. It also appears on the 1999 GREATEST SCIENCE FICTION HITS
IV SOUNDTRACKS (Crescendo). (Morton Stevens, a principal composer for W3, also worked for U.N.C.L.E., and samples of his music can be heard on the ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACKS AFFAIR CD discussed above.)
Two CDs were released with music from the film version of THE WILD WILD WEST, but Elmer Bernstein's score isn't highly regarded, and the Will Smith raps are more for fans of this musical genre and contribute nothing to spy music. The theme to the original series appears briefly, and late, in the film. After Film Score Monthly released its first two sets of music from THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., a number of fans requested that THE WILD WILD WEST be considered for similar treatment, so perhaps FSM will be the company to remedy this gap.
---
The X-Files
THE X-FILES: SONGS IN THE KEY OF X (Warner Bros., 1996)is one of the most imaginative TV soundtracks issued to date, and it is also the easiest to track down. After the Mark Snow theme, the album includes songs used in the series along with material written for the album by Cheryl Crow, Fu Fighters, Soul Coughing, Nik Cave and the Bad Seeds, Filter, Mean Puppets, Frank Black, Danzig, Alice Cooper, Screaming Jay Hawkins, Elvis Costello, Brian Eno, among others. The late Beat poet William S. Burroughs provided one of his last gravel-voiced readings, backed by REM, shortly before his death. The album also includes the “hidden track” by Chris Carter 10 minutes and 15 seconds after the last listed song. It's a strange disc, perhaps more appropriate for folks into Goth, spooky things, and sci-fi.
---
Compilations
Without question, spy music has been most popular on vinyl and CD compilations of theme tunes, both on collections of more general interest and those geared for spy music buffs. Some collections are of original recordings, others remakes in a variety of styles.
In the former category, The MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., GET SMART, The WILD WILD WEST, and virtually every American TV theme melody are on various volumes of TELEVISION'S GREATEST HITS (TeeVee Records). Varying in sound quality, each theme is only the original, short title music, usually one minute or less.
TV CLASSIC THEMES (Breakable Records, 1998) not only features themes from U.N.C.L.E., I SPY, THE PRISONER, and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, but spoken word clips from the stars introduce most themes in full album-length cuts, including an extended spliced tape rendition of the 3rd season version of THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Interesting interpretations of the U.N.C.L.E. theme and other spy title tunes are also available on various collections by the instrumental guitar group, The Ventures. Doing the old band one better, Thomas Pervanje's Ohio-based "Spy-Fi" has issued two tributes to the surf sound and spy themes. Volume One, Music for Spies, Thighs, and Private Eyes: The Thigh Who Loved Me (Silve Records, 2003) is indispensable for those loving this genre. Volume Two, AKA Music for Spies, Thighs, and Private Eyes: Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (Silve Records, 2003)contains similar material including medleys of classic TV themes. A detailed review of these discs, and ordering information is in "SPY GUITAR: FROM VIC FLICK TO SPY-FI" at this website.
Compilations of strictly spy music include vinyl and CD versions of SECRET AGENT FILES (GNP/Crescendo, 1992) with some lively re-workings of both movie and TV spy themes. A collection of special interest is JAMES BOND AND BEYOND: CLASSIC THEMES FOR SECRET AGENTS (Spyguise Inc., 2002). Arranged by Michael Boldt, the CD includes excellent versions of 007 title tracks, TV themes, and a number of original radio spots promoting THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., OUR MAN FLINT, and the Robert Vaughn feature film, THE VENETIAN AFFAIR. This treasure-trove is only available through the SpyGuise website, the world's largest distributor of vintage and new spy products.
Other compilations of note include the two CD set, CULT Files (Silva Screen Records, 1996), and MISSION: ACCOMPLISHED--THEMES FOR SPIES AND COPS (MCA Special Markets and Products, 1996). The latter is a mix of tracks from various soundtrack albums, lackluster versions of famous themes, original music from no film nor television score, and songs with a spy mentioned in the title. Similarly, MUSIC TO SPY BY, created for the International Spy Museum, has 19 tracks including Henry Mancini's "theme from "The Pink Panther," which seems as acceptable as PETER GUNN in terms of '60s cool, and the much, much overused song, "Agent
Double-O Soul". It can be ordered through the Acorn online catalogue or at:
http://store.yahoo.net/spymuseumstore/0673.html
One superior collection is THE ABC’s OF BRITISH TV (Vol. 1. Play It Again, 1992). On it, the themes to The Avengers, THE CHAMPIONS, DANGER MAN, The NEW AVENGERS, THE RETURN OF THE SAINT, THE SAINT, and Ron Grainer's highly treasured MAN IN A SUITCASE are contained in one Superlative package. Similarly, The Avengers AND OTHER TOP 60s TV THEMES (Sequel Records) is a two-CD set featuring the Emma Peel version of the theme as well as MAN IN A SUITCASE, DANGER MAN, THE SAINT, THE CHAMPIONS, THE SENTIMENTAL AGENT, DEPARTMENT S, and TOP SECRET’s Laurie Johnson title melody. (The TOP SECRET theme, “Sucu Sucu,” was a Top 10 hit in England in 1961.)
For the collector who wants it all, Barbara Feldon’s comic “99” and Nancy Sinatra’s Thunderball parody, “The Last of the Secret Agents,” are most readily available on the uneven SPY MUSIC (Rhino, 1994). Like other odd anthologies, this package is filled with popular tunes that use the word “spy” in the title, which ostensibly qualifies them as spy music. Not to me. However, this CD also provides excellent versions of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, Secret Agent, and PETER GUNN. As noted by many collectors, PETER GUNN wasn't a spy program, but Henry Mancini's trumpet fanfare does include many elements associated with secret agent adventure. Ironically, Mancini was surprised by popular reception to the melody, which he'd originally recorded merely as music to serve as background when the lead character walked from scene to scene in the series.
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Notes
1. For those who still have usable turntables, or for collectors who enjoy cover art as much as the black vinyl discs they protect, there are many record albums out there I didn't mention here. My purpose was to review music most listeners can find and enjoy now on CD. For listeners who want it all, during the 1960s, a number of record companies issued a plethora of film and TV music albums, most cheap knockoffs of Bond themes, TV title music, and original instrumental tracks performed by both orchestras and big bands. Few are memorable.
2. One interesting insight into TV music can be seen in the fact that, during the '60s, the three networks regularly recycled music among the shows they made in-house. For example, music from first season HAWAII FIVE-O episodes can be heard in fourth-season WILD WILD WEST adventures. “Wave “ music from FIVE-O’s second outing, “Strangers in Our Own Land,” was re-used in “The Night of the Raven Part II” in WWW for one of the "box" pieces of music. ("Wave" and "box" refer to music just before the commercial break when each program would show its title logo). Many shows, like THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., often recycled scores penned for one episode in later outings. As U.N.C.L.E. fan Janet Wilson noted, parts of the MFU episode music for composer Gerald Fried's score for "test-tube Killers Affair" were recycled for STAR TREK; the motif used for the climax of TTK appeared in a similarly climactic scene in the ST episode "Friday's Child." Reportedly, Lauri Johnson scored each episode of THE AVENGERS individually to give the adventures distinct feels. Many more notes on TV music can be found in my SPY TELEVISION. I hereby thank spy and music expert bill koenig for the information about "box" and "wave" music in HAWAII FIVE-O and WWW--he has many more examples of this overlap for those interested.
Related articles are posted at
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
The TV Spies Bookshelf: An Annotated Directory
The TV Spies Bookshelf: An Annotated Directory of Non-Fiction Sources
By Wesley Britton
An important inspiration and invaluable resource for my SPY TELEVISION (Praeger, 2004) was the number of non-fiction books published since the 1980s on specific television series. Since its publication, of course, a few new titles have appeared as well as more general studies of the genre. Here, I provide an annotated bibliography for readers. In addition, some non-spy specific books might be of special interest and useful for fans, so I added them here to assist aficionados and future researchers. From time to time, I also mention websites and videos based on TV spy series I think are worth "Honorable Mentions." (Helpful information is also included in "Novelizing TV Spies: Paperback Adventures Never Broadcast," another file posted at this website.)
I will provide updates when information crosses my desk. Please advise me of anything I omitted by writing--
spywise@verizon.net
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GENERAL OVERVIEWS
Beiderman, Danny. The Incredible World of Spy-Fi: Wild and Crazy Spy Gadgets, Props and Artifacts, From TV and the Movies. San Francisco: Chronicle Books,
2004. Enjoyable coffee-table editions showcasing Beiderman's extensive collection of items. Gives background on shows and films including anecdotes not published elsewhere.
Britton, Wesley. Spy Television. Westport, CT: Praeger Pub. 2004. The most comprehensive history in print. Begins with influences from Old Time Radio on early shows of the 1950s, provides full chapters on major series of the 1960s, and traces changes through series debuting in 2001 including Alias, 24, and The Agency. (New material was included in Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction, Praeger, 2005.)
Buxton, David. From THE AVENGERS to Miami Vice: Form and Ideology in Television Series. Manchester: Manchester UP. 1990. Buxton's scholarly study is especially useful when tracing ideological dimensions in such shows as DANGER MAN, THE AVENGERS, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, and The MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. Page 8 has a list of spy trappings broken down into binary opposites for those seeking AN ACADEMIC analysis of the genre. For those into theory and doctoral dissertations on TV spies, this is worth a quick lookover. Not for the general reader.
Kackman, Michael. Citizen Spy: Television, Espionage, and Cold War Culture. University of Minnesota Press. 2005. The publisher's description reads: "Looking at secret agents on television in the 1950s and 1960s, Kackman explores how Americans see themselves in times of political and cultural crisis. From parodies such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Get Smart to the more complicated situations of I Spy and Mission: Impossible, Kackman situates espionage television within the culture of the times."
Lisanti, Tom and Louis Paul. Film Fatales: Women in Espionage Films and Television, 1962-1973. Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co. 2001. At first glance, one might think this is an elaborate pin-up book of beautiful actresses who starred in both major and obscure spy films. A careful reading reveals many details about television episodes and Euro-films not readily available in other sources. Indispensable.
Miller, Toby. Spy Screen: Espionage on Film and TV from the 1930s to the 1960s. Oxford, NY: Oxford UP. 2003. While largely a textual
and cultural study for students of film, general readers should find
passages of interest in between long sections designed for theorists and scholars. Miller adds some interesting notes on fandoms for The
Avengers, the subject of an earlier Miller study. (See review below.) Miller spends little time with Danger Man and The Prisoner, but devotes considerable page space to The Man From U.N.C.L.E., although with no new information. This one is better for
those interested in important films like Gilda, The 39 Steps, The Third Man and cultural benchmarks like Honey West and Modesty Blaise. For library shelves.
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24
Cassar, Jon. 24: Behind the Scenes. Foreword by Keifer Sutherland. Insight Editions; Pap/DVD edition (October 24, 2006). Photographer, Director, and Co -Executive Producer of 24 Cassar provides a photographic retrospective of the first 5 seasons of the show. Candid shots on the set and on locations are organized into sections including "Making `24'" and "Production Design and Celebrity Guests." Along with the anecdotal text, a bonus DVD includes commentary by cast and crew. A high quality addition for collectors.
Dilullo, Tara. 24: The Official Companion Seasons 1 and 2. Client Distribution Services, Sept. 30, 2006. This photo-fest is organized along the same lines as the show, that is each page has a time-line with the plot, characters, and trivia. Considered a useful reference for the first two seasons despite its short length, 136 pages.
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Alias
For several decades, overviews of TV shows tended to be fond looks into the past by authors who focused on only one or two series. Once The X-Files opened the publishing market for both official and unsanctioned books on a series still on the air, the genre changed.
Alias is a case in point. Contributors to the show helped shape "insiders" episode guides with behind-the-scenes glimpses into various seasons. At the same time, a new generation of TV fan writers cranked out books on multiple series covering everything from West Wing and Star Trek to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and even Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Authors of such books also looked to sources like Alias magazine and put together some of the titles listed here.
Ruditis, Paul and J. J. Abrams. Authorized Personnel Only (Alias). Simon Spotlight Entertainment. (2005). Closely related to the Simon Spotlight series of novels, this purported "nonfiction" paperback claims to give secrets about the agents, operations, and biographies of participants in the show.
Clapham, Mark and Lance Parkin. Secret Identities: The Unofficial and Unauthorized Guide to Alias. Virgin Books. (2003). Early entry in the Alias cash-in cash cow.
Stafford, Nikki and Robyn Burnett. Uncovering Alias: An Unofficial Guide to the Show. ECW Press. (2004). Fans of Buffy, Angel, and Lost offer an overview of the first 3 seasons.
Vaz, Mark. Alias Declassified: The Official Companion. Hyperion Books. (2005). Sanctioned reference guide for the first 3 seasons.
Weisman, Kevin, ed. Alias Assumed: Sex, Lies and SD6. Independent Publishers Group, Smart Pop series. (2005). Actor Kevin Weisman, who played Marshall J. Flinkman on Alias, can't really be called the editor of this collection of essays as his introduction spells out his wonder at reading all the essays given to him. A tongue-in-cheek read, not to be taken seriously.
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THE AVENGERS
The best Avengers website, THE AVENGERS Forever, is far more reliable than any of the print sources listed here. In fact, it contains a "Bloopers" list for a number of the sources listed below. The site’s address is:
http://theavengers.tv/forever
Another useful source is the official Patrick Macnee website administered by his son, Rupert, at:
http://www.patrickmacnee.com
Also of special interest is the25 minute documentary, "Avenging THE AVENGERS," originally produced by England's Channel 4 for their program "Without Walls" in 1992. Contender released it in 2000 as part of the boxed set "The Monochrome Collection" with an extra 15 minutes that had been deleted from the broadcast versions. It's a wonderful documentary, and copies pop up from time to time on E-Bay. No Avengers fan should be without it.
Carraze, Alain and Jean-Luc Putheaud. THE AVENGERS Companion. London: Titan Books. 1987. This offbeat exploration of THE AVENGERS is interesting, but not indispensable. The theme is a discussion of the series as an icon of popular culture. It includes surprisingly long episode summaries of shows long and easily available on video and DVD. It's a book for its photos, not its content.
Cornell, Paul, Martin Day, and Keith Topping. THE AVENGERS Dossier: The Definitive, Unauthorized Guide. London: Virgin Pub. 1998. This late entry into Avengers analysis has met with mixed response from experts and critics. Definitive? No, not hardly. Still, this quirky episode guide has its strong suits, including corrections of previously published errors regarding production and episode events. These writers were too preoccupied with the occurrences of champagne, bondage, and kinky elements to be considered “definitive.”
Lumley, Joanna. Stare Back and Smile. New York: Viking. 1989. Lumley was the leggy "Purdey" in the 1977 "New Avengers," and her autobiography contains more in print about that series than any other source beyond Dave Rogers THE AVENGERS ANEW. In one interview, Patrick Macnee admitted there were things he didn't know about the show until he read Lumley's memoirs. Hopefully, most of her important points are referred to in SPY TELEVISION.
Macnee, Patrick and Dave Rogers. THE AVENGERS and Me. New York: TB Books. 1997. While other books by Macnee’s partner, Dave Rogers (see below) are more detailed in terms of story lines and production credits, John Steed himself is extremely enlightening in descriptions of what most readers will find interesting in behind the scenes glimpses. After the book’s publication, Macnee admitted he was somewhat reserved in his comments about his co-stars because they told him their memories were quite different from his, and he did not wish to tread into areas that could lead to possible lawsuits. Still, this is a very human, very candid look at The Avengers by the one actor who was there in all its incarnations. (In 1989, Macnee published another memoir, BLIND IN ONE EAR, which only briefly mentions THE AVENGERS. Clearly, Macnee had intended to be free to write a book specifically on his years as John Steed.)
Miller, Toby. THE AVENGERS. British Film Institute. 1998. I confess the folks at THE AVENGERS Forever website think very little of this study. However, I found it a fascinating academic overview of the series with information I didn't see in other sources. It's now a hard book to find, but worth tracking down if you are looking for books that are thoughtful and something more than production and episode summaries.
Rogers, Dave. The Complete Avengers. New York: St. Martins. 1989. For decades now, under many covers and in many ways, Dave Rogers has told and retold the story of THE AVENGERS from little privately published magazines to over-size episode summaries. The 1987 Complete Avengers is the most extensive collection released in the U.S. (In the UK, he went one step further and later issued The Ultimate Avengers in 1995.) While not 100% reliable, the Rogers' books are works of love, contain many great photos, and belong on any fans bookshelf.
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GET SMART
As most of the details regarding Get Smart in my chapter on that series came from two books, I will discuss them together here. In addition, fans of this show were delighted by the 2002 "TV-land" documentary which confirmed many points well-known in the print media and is a very good hour of insights and memories.
Green, Joey. The Get Smart Handbook. Collier Books of Canada. 1993.
McCrohan, Donna. The Life and Times of Maxwell Smart. New York: St. Martins. 1988.
When Joey Green's The Get Smart Handbook appeared in 1993, reviewers claimed it was superior to Donna McCrohan’s 1988 The Life and Times of Maxwell Smart for a number of reasons, although both books were noted for obvious overlapping. Green includes many quotes from show participants not in McCrohan’s book, and he adds considerable humor in the early sections and a spy quiz at the end of his text. Other clever inserts include responses from world leaders from Jimmy Carter to Colin Powell explaining how they would destroy KAOS. Green’s Handbook does contain some factual errors, and fans note he missed listing some KAOS agents and gadgets. As his book has been out of print for some time, The Get Smart Handbook has become something of a minor collector’s item, a hot commodity on E-Bay auctions.
Still, McCrohan‘s account goes beyond detailing the cast, production, and analysis of Get Smart. She too provides a wealth of information about television and popular culture in the 1960s. She lists numerous examples of jokes, and one interesting section compares the television gadgets with real-world technological devices. it's a matter of taste as to which book a fan will find most readable. I know one GS fan who describes the McCrohan work as "the Get Smart dissertation."
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I SPY
Cushman, Marc and Linda J. LaRosa. I Spy: A History and Episode Guide, 1965-1968. Jefferson, NC: Mcfareland and Co. 2007. For the full story behind this new title, see "Uncovering I Spy: An Interview with Marc Cushman, Author of the First Full-length History of a Classic Series" posted at this website.
Leonard, Sheldon. And the Show Goes On: Broadway and Hollywood. New York: Limelight Editions. 1995. This autobiography from an important contributor to American entertainment discusses a long career featuring many, many projects. So I SPY is but one TV series briefly mentioned in these reminisces. However, while Leonard claimed that his remembrances were 90% accurate, some of his memories fall short of that percentage. For example, his claim I Spy would be unique by using location footage makes little sense considering the number of ‘50s series filmed in Europe, including those produced by British studios. If he meant non-European locations, as in the Far East, he would have been closer to fact. In one passage of his memoir, Leonard described a garden pub scene shot in England and how an unnamed actor was getting more and more drunk with each re-shoot. There is no evidence any I Spy scene was ever shot in England. The few English actors who appeared on the show, including Maurice Evans, Peter Lawford, and Boris Karloff, had no scenes similar to the setting Leonard recalled. Because of the number of projects in which Leonard was involved, the anecdote possibly occurred on another film or television set. In one TV Guide interview, Leonard claimed Robert Culp didn’t write any scripts until the second season. Again, this is far from correct--Culp's first script was, in fact, the first aired episode of the series. So readers need use caution when reading this entertaining memoir.
One important contribution of I SPY was the casting of Bill Cosby as an African-American lead, so it's worth noting two studies that discuss the role of black actors in television. Detailed discussions on Bill Cosby in I SPY and Greg Morris in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE are in Donald Bogle's excellent 2001 Prime Time Blues (New York: Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux). Indispensable observations on both these series is also in J. Fred Macdonald's 1983 Blacks and White TV: Afro-Americans in Television since 1948 (Chicago: Nelson-Hall).
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LA FEMME NIKITA
The wonderful DVD boxed sets of LFN include commentary tracks on the first and last episodes of each season.
Edwards, Ted. La Femme Nikita X-posed. The Unauthorized Biography of Peta Wilson and Her On Screen Character. Rocklin, California: Prima Books. 1998. Relying only on rumor, it's my understanding that Edwards(pen name for researcher Ed Gross) isn't highly regarded by other authors in the field. I understand why. This book, which covers the creation of the television series, its first season, and three episodes into the second, relies primarily on online sources which are sandwiched together. It also contains a loopy section called "Idiot's Guide to Section One" which seems like padding to justify putting out a book for a series which was still in its early stages. Such material seems wildly inappropriate for a series noted for its lack of humor. For diehards only.
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THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Anderson, Robert. The U.N.C.L.E. Tribute Book. Las Vegas: Pioneer. 1993. Experts on MFU complain about this book as many feel it's a plagiarized collection of articles and information collected from private fanzines which aren’t credited by Anderson. Of course, those who never saw the original publications can't find some of this information anywhere else. It's worthy of a place on fan bookshelves although Jon Heitland's study is the first place to go for information on this underappreciated series.
Heitland, Jon. The Man From U.N.C.L.E.: The Behind the Scenes Story of a Television Classic. London: Titan Books. 1988. Gratefully, this excellent book is still in print and readily available. In my opinion, it's a book for more than those seeking the story of THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.--it contains a banquet of background on TV production of the period and the thought processes in network decision making. Indispensable.
Pacquette, Brian and Paul Howley. The Toys From U.N.C.L.E.: a Memorabilia and Collectors Guide. (self-published) 1990. This price guide features over 140 pages of photos and information on almost everything released in the USA about The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Although the pricing information is obviously outdated, the descriptions, photos, and information is still useful for collectors. For example, I was startled to learn the bubblegum cards were one thing, but the wrappers they came in are even more collectible. Just looking over these pages is a tour of how spy shows permeated popular culture in the 1960s.
Peel, John and Glenn A. Magee. The U.N.C.L.E. Files Magazines." Canoga Park, CA: New Media Books. 1985. During the 1980s, John Peel and various collaborators issued magazine-sized episode guides for not only MFU, but nearly every other classic spy series of the 1960s as well as the James Bond films released up to that time. For U.N.C.L.E., Peel also issued several "Technical Manuals" which were good for photographs but built on imagination of the authors, not the original plans of the series' creators. Each of the guides for individual seasons included episode summaries--a staple of all such publications--as well as opinionated introductions which, of course, are debatable regarding the expressed points of view. Word has it some of these were knocked out over a weekend's worth of work. Nonetheless, these Files were a valuable service for fans in the days before video and DVD releases and can still be found quite cheaply wherever used books are sold. They're fun reading and neat little souvenirs of the "spy renaissance" of the 1980s.
Walker, Cynthia. “The Gun as Star and the U.N.C.L.E. Special.” Bang Bang, Shoot Shoot: Essays on Guns in Popular Culture. Murray Pomerance and John Sakeris, eds. Needham Heights, Mass.: Simon and Schuster. 1999. Pps. 187-97. If you're into guns through the prism of scholarly theory, this is the book for you. In the case of Walker's article, U.N.C.L.E. fans will gain insights into the merchandising of the show, responses of viewers and the government to the unique "U.N.C.L.E. Special," and other aspects of the show. This is a book for libraries, but I imagine there are readers who'd enjoy the book who aren’t just into MFU.
(Note: As of this writing, Cynthia Walker is negotiating with an academic press to publish her doctoral dissertation, "A Dialogic Model of Creativity in Mass Communication." Her 2001 study proposed a new dialogic/collaborative model of mass communication using THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. as a case study. For those interested in a copy of Cindy's work now, contact the dissertation hotline at 800-521-0600 ext 7044. The operator will need to know the title's order number which is 30828000. The operator will also go over the various formats that are available as well as pricing.)
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MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE
(See notes about I SPY above).
Beatie, Bruce. “The Myth of the hero: From Mission: Impossible to Magdalenian Caves.” In, Browne, Ray B., and Marshall W. Fishwick, editors. The Hero in Transition. Kentucky: Bowling Green University Popular Press. 1983. Pps. 46-9. This academic article compares MI's plotlines to ancient legends. I discuss this in SPY TV, but fellow researchers may find points here of special interest.
White, Patrick J. The Complete Mission: Impossible Dossier. New York: Avon. 1991. Patrick White’s study is widely felt to be one of the best books on television published to date, and this reputation is well deserved. Of all the Secret Agent shows of the ‘60s, MI’s history, production, and evolution was certainly the most complex. White’s explanation of the process is exactly what any interested reader could ask for. Extremely indispensable.
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THE PRISONER
Any fan of this thoughtful series cannot afford to not own the excellent boxed sets of the show on DVD and the special features it contains. The show inspired the longest running fan club, "The Prisoner Appreciation Society," which has published an ongoing magazine, "Six of One," for decades. Serious fans should consult their website:
ww.the-prisoner-6.freeserve.co.uk
Carraze, Alain and Helene Oswald. The Prisoner: A Televisionary Masterpiece. New York: Barnes and Noble by arrangement with Virgin Pub. 1995. Unlike their unusual book on THE AVENGERS (see above), the authors of this overview created, in my opinion, the best book out there on THE PRISONER. It includes a discussion with the main creator of the show, Patrick McGoohan, episode summaries and analysis, and one of the better discussions on how the show, SECRET AGENT, connected with THE PRISONER. Indispensable.
Langley, Roger. Patrick Mcgoohan--Danger Man or The Prisoner? (Tomahawk Books, scheduled for 2007). According to the publisher's website, this "is the definitive tribute to one of Britain’s brightest stars, affirming his cult status as a guiding light
in international film, television and theatre . . . Lavishly illustrated with never before seen images," they claim this biography "explains the enigma that is McGOOHAN!"
Rakof, Ian. Inside The Prisoner: Radical Television and Film in the 1960s. London: Somerset, Butler and Tanner LTD for B.T. Bates Ford Ltd. 1998. For my money, this is one of the oddest books related to spy TV. It's surprising it's one of the easiest books to find in local bookstores. This book is more about Rakof himself than THE PRISONER as the former tape editor only helped cut two episodes, “The General” and “It’s your Funeral,” before writing one episode, “Living in Harmony.” Over two-thirds of this book is about Rakof’s life and non-Prisoner projects making the title of this autobiography somewhat disingenuous. Still, he is indeed insightful regarding the post-production process of THE PRISONER. The book contains many abbreviated interviews with those who participated in the production. Useful for researchers, but few general readers will find this required reading.
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THE SAINT
If you're a fan of Leslie Charteris's Simon Templar, you already know about The Saint Club, a long-established British society honoring the books, films, radio dramas, and television series featuring THE SAINT. If not, they have a handy website where you can find quick and reliable help from the Honorary Secretary of the Club, Ian Dickerson. For more information, see "`A SAINT I AIN'T': Q&A WITH IAN DICKERSON of The Saint Club" posted at this website.
Barer, Beryl. The Saint in Print, Radio, Film, and Television, 1928-1992. Jefferson NC and London: Macfarland and Co. 1993. Because of the long history of The Saint--beginning with the first books in the 1920s--Barer's book is chockfull of history on literature, film, and every other incarnation in which Simon Templar appeared. For fans of the Roger Moore series and subsequent "sequels" to it, Barer provides rich detail regarding the production, the response of Leslie Charteris to the various series, and a complete episode guide to all the different programs. Well-written, this book deserves awards for its content and readability. (An interview with Barer, ""The Saint" in Fact and Fiction: An Interview with Historian and Novelist Burl Barer" is posted at this website.)
Donovan, Paul. Roger Moore: A Biography. London: W. H. Allen. 1983. While it's now hard to find, Donovan's biography of Sir Roger Moore is a very readable edition for those interested in both the TV Saint and 007. While it only covers the years up to its publication date, this book is detailed and personable, and worthy to be in any fan's archives.
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THE WILD WILD WEST
(See my interview with Robert Conrad also posted at this website.)
Cangey, R. M. Inside The Wild Wild West. Foreword by Robert Conrad. Cypress, CA: Cangey Press. 1996. Fans of WWW mourned the death of Richard Cangey in November 2003 as he had long been a favorite of devotees to the series. The stuntman and stand-in for Robert Conrad published his memoirs in 1996 which, as a whole, is a fascinating revelation into the life of a stuntman in Hollywood. His memories of his work on WWW are both personal and insightful. While not indispensable, I enjoyed the book and recommend it for readers interested in Cangey's topics.
Kesler, Susan E. The Wild Wild West: The Series. Downey, CA: Arnett Press. 1988. I hereby freely admit 75% of the information I used in SPY TV regarding the production history of WWW came from Kesler's study. The heart of Kesler’s overview is a detailed episode-by-episode chronological synopsis of the series, including critical responses to each episode, some flattering, some not. She also provides all needed behind-the-scenes information. I asked Robert Conrad what he thought of the book, and I can tell you the star of WWW thinks highly of it, even if he disagrees with some of the sentiments expressed by producers of the show.
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THE X-FILES
During its heyday, THE X-FILES popularity resulted in so many unauthorized books that its creator, Chris Carter, took a number of writers to court to block the exploitation of his property. The number and variety of these books is so great I see no purpose in cataloguing them all here. So here are three titles I think are representative of the trends in these publications.
Edwards, Ted. The X-Files Confidential: The Unauthorized X-Philes Compendium. Boston: Little, Brown and Co. 1997. Despite my uncomplimentary thoughts on Edward's book on LA FEMME NIKITA (see above), I think this coffee-table effort was one of the best overviews of the series up to the copyright year. Covering the first five seasons, Edwards has much to offer about the creation of the show. The episode guide is especially interesting as various production team members comment on each program with a variety of perspectives. As many knockoffs on THE X-FILES appeared while the show was still ongoing, one can't take away points for such projects being incomplete. Compliments should go to books that focus on the creative process and the behind-the-scenes workers that contributed to the show's success. While outdated, this book represents the devotion of a true fan--one who did his homework and pulled all the notes together into a readable flow.
Genge, N. E. The Unofficial X-Files Companion, Part 2. Minneapolis, Minn.: Audioscope. 1995. (audiobook) An odd offshoot of the X-FILES phenomena were books that weren't looks inside the show, but were instead speculations about how events in the show reflected, or might reflect, possibilities in science. If an episode featured a voodoo-stricken zombie, then what is the history of creating these creatures? Genge also tossed in such details as the distinctions between all the various types of aliens then shown in the series. "Companion" is an apt descriptor as these books added to the scope of the show rather than explaining what was going on in the real world.
Meisler, Anthony. Resist or Serve: The Official Guide to the X-Files. New York: Harper Collins. 1999. For my money, the "official" guides weren't all that revealing. I found them annoying as they messed around with different typesets, spent a lot of time on the likes and loves of secondary and guest characters, and bogged down in information only the truly devoted would want. I thought I was a fan, but, for once, found a limit to my interest. I must leave it to real diehards to appreciate these books and I know they're out there. But there's fewer of them as time goes by.
For related resources on spies on TV, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
By Wesley Britton
An important inspiration and invaluable resource for my SPY TELEVISION (Praeger, 2004) was the number of non-fiction books published since the 1980s on specific television series. Since its publication, of course, a few new titles have appeared as well as more general studies of the genre. Here, I provide an annotated bibliography for readers. In addition, some non-spy specific books might be of special interest and useful for fans, so I added them here to assist aficionados and future researchers. From time to time, I also mention websites and videos based on TV spy series I think are worth "Honorable Mentions." (Helpful information is also included in "Novelizing TV Spies: Paperback Adventures Never Broadcast," another file posted at this website.)
I will provide updates when information crosses my desk. Please advise me of anything I omitted by writing--
spywise@verizon.net
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GENERAL OVERVIEWS
Beiderman, Danny. The Incredible World of Spy-Fi: Wild and Crazy Spy Gadgets, Props and Artifacts, From TV and the Movies. San Francisco: Chronicle Books,
2004. Enjoyable coffee-table editions showcasing Beiderman's extensive collection of items. Gives background on shows and films including anecdotes not published elsewhere.
Britton, Wesley. Spy Television. Westport, CT: Praeger Pub. 2004. The most comprehensive history in print. Begins with influences from Old Time Radio on early shows of the 1950s, provides full chapters on major series of the 1960s, and traces changes through series debuting in 2001 including Alias, 24, and The Agency. (New material was included in Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction, Praeger, 2005.)
Buxton, David. From THE AVENGERS to Miami Vice: Form and Ideology in Television Series. Manchester: Manchester UP. 1990. Buxton's scholarly study is especially useful when tracing ideological dimensions in such shows as DANGER MAN, THE AVENGERS, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, and The MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. Page 8 has a list of spy trappings broken down into binary opposites for those seeking AN ACADEMIC analysis of the genre. For those into theory and doctoral dissertations on TV spies, this is worth a quick lookover. Not for the general reader.
Kackman, Michael. Citizen Spy: Television, Espionage, and Cold War Culture. University of Minnesota Press. 2005. The publisher's description reads: "Looking at secret agents on television in the 1950s and 1960s, Kackman explores how Americans see themselves in times of political and cultural crisis. From parodies such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Get Smart to the more complicated situations of I Spy and Mission: Impossible, Kackman situates espionage television within the culture of the times."
Lisanti, Tom and Louis Paul. Film Fatales: Women in Espionage Films and Television, 1962-1973. Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co. 2001. At first glance, one might think this is an elaborate pin-up book of beautiful actresses who starred in both major and obscure spy films. A careful reading reveals many details about television episodes and Euro-films not readily available in other sources. Indispensable.
Miller, Toby. Spy Screen: Espionage on Film and TV from the 1930s to the 1960s. Oxford, NY: Oxford UP. 2003. While largely a textual
and cultural study for students of film, general readers should find
passages of interest in between long sections designed for theorists and scholars. Miller adds some interesting notes on fandoms for The
Avengers, the subject of an earlier Miller study. (See review below.) Miller spends little time with Danger Man and The Prisoner, but devotes considerable page space to The Man From U.N.C.L.E., although with no new information. This one is better for
those interested in important films like Gilda, The 39 Steps, The Third Man and cultural benchmarks like Honey West and Modesty Blaise. For library shelves.
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24
Cassar, Jon. 24: Behind the Scenes. Foreword by Keifer Sutherland. Insight Editions; Pap/DVD edition (October 24, 2006). Photographer, Director, and Co -Executive Producer of 24 Cassar provides a photographic retrospective of the first 5 seasons of the show. Candid shots on the set and on locations are organized into sections including "Making `24'" and "Production Design and Celebrity Guests." Along with the anecdotal text, a bonus DVD includes commentary by cast and crew. A high quality addition for collectors.
Dilullo, Tara. 24: The Official Companion Seasons 1 and 2. Client Distribution Services, Sept. 30, 2006. This photo-fest is organized along the same lines as the show, that is each page has a time-line with the plot, characters, and trivia. Considered a useful reference for the first two seasons despite its short length, 136 pages.
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Alias
For several decades, overviews of TV shows tended to be fond looks into the past by authors who focused on only one or two series. Once The X-Files opened the publishing market for both official and unsanctioned books on a series still on the air, the genre changed.
Alias is a case in point. Contributors to the show helped shape "insiders" episode guides with behind-the-scenes glimpses into various seasons. At the same time, a new generation of TV fan writers cranked out books on multiple series covering everything from West Wing and Star Trek to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and even Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Authors of such books also looked to sources like Alias magazine and put together some of the titles listed here.
Ruditis, Paul and J. J. Abrams. Authorized Personnel Only (Alias). Simon Spotlight Entertainment. (2005). Closely related to the Simon Spotlight series of novels, this purported "nonfiction" paperback claims to give secrets about the agents, operations, and biographies of participants in the show.
Clapham, Mark and Lance Parkin. Secret Identities: The Unofficial and Unauthorized Guide to Alias. Virgin Books. (2003). Early entry in the Alias cash-in cash cow.
Stafford, Nikki and Robyn Burnett. Uncovering Alias: An Unofficial Guide to the Show. ECW Press. (2004). Fans of Buffy, Angel, and Lost offer an overview of the first 3 seasons.
Vaz, Mark. Alias Declassified: The Official Companion. Hyperion Books. (2005). Sanctioned reference guide for the first 3 seasons.
Weisman, Kevin, ed. Alias Assumed: Sex, Lies and SD6. Independent Publishers Group, Smart Pop series. (2005). Actor Kevin Weisman, who played Marshall J. Flinkman on Alias, can't really be called the editor of this collection of essays as his introduction spells out his wonder at reading all the essays given to him. A tongue-in-cheek read, not to be taken seriously.
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THE AVENGERS
The best Avengers website, THE AVENGERS Forever, is far more reliable than any of the print sources listed here. In fact, it contains a "Bloopers" list for a number of the sources listed below. The site’s address is:
http://theavengers.tv/forever
Another useful source is the official Patrick Macnee website administered by his son, Rupert, at:
http://www.patrickmacnee.com
Also of special interest is the25 minute documentary, "Avenging THE AVENGERS," originally produced by England's Channel 4 for their program "Without Walls" in 1992. Contender released it in 2000 as part of the boxed set "The Monochrome Collection" with an extra 15 minutes that had been deleted from the broadcast versions. It's a wonderful documentary, and copies pop up from time to time on E-Bay. No Avengers fan should be without it.
Carraze, Alain and Jean-Luc Putheaud. THE AVENGERS Companion. London: Titan Books. 1987. This offbeat exploration of THE AVENGERS is interesting, but not indispensable. The theme is a discussion of the series as an icon of popular culture. It includes surprisingly long episode summaries of shows long and easily available on video and DVD. It's a book for its photos, not its content.
Cornell, Paul, Martin Day, and Keith Topping. THE AVENGERS Dossier: The Definitive, Unauthorized Guide. London: Virgin Pub. 1998. This late entry into Avengers analysis has met with mixed response from experts and critics. Definitive? No, not hardly. Still, this quirky episode guide has its strong suits, including corrections of previously published errors regarding production and episode events. These writers were too preoccupied with the occurrences of champagne, bondage, and kinky elements to be considered “definitive.”
Lumley, Joanna. Stare Back and Smile. New York: Viking. 1989. Lumley was the leggy "Purdey" in the 1977 "New Avengers," and her autobiography contains more in print about that series than any other source beyond Dave Rogers THE AVENGERS ANEW. In one interview, Patrick Macnee admitted there were things he didn't know about the show until he read Lumley's memoirs. Hopefully, most of her important points are referred to in SPY TELEVISION.
Macnee, Patrick and Dave Rogers. THE AVENGERS and Me. New York: TB Books. 1997. While other books by Macnee’s partner, Dave Rogers (see below) are more detailed in terms of story lines and production credits, John Steed himself is extremely enlightening in descriptions of what most readers will find interesting in behind the scenes glimpses. After the book’s publication, Macnee admitted he was somewhat reserved in his comments about his co-stars because they told him their memories were quite different from his, and he did not wish to tread into areas that could lead to possible lawsuits. Still, this is a very human, very candid look at The Avengers by the one actor who was there in all its incarnations. (In 1989, Macnee published another memoir, BLIND IN ONE EAR, which only briefly mentions THE AVENGERS. Clearly, Macnee had intended to be free to write a book specifically on his years as John Steed.)
Miller, Toby. THE AVENGERS. British Film Institute. 1998. I confess the folks at THE AVENGERS Forever website think very little of this study. However, I found it a fascinating academic overview of the series with information I didn't see in other sources. It's now a hard book to find, but worth tracking down if you are looking for books that are thoughtful and something more than production and episode summaries.
Rogers, Dave. The Complete Avengers. New York: St. Martins. 1989. For decades now, under many covers and in many ways, Dave Rogers has told and retold the story of THE AVENGERS from little privately published magazines to over-size episode summaries. The 1987 Complete Avengers is the most extensive collection released in the U.S. (In the UK, he went one step further and later issued The Ultimate Avengers in 1995.) While not 100% reliable, the Rogers' books are works of love, contain many great photos, and belong on any fans bookshelf.
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GET SMART
As most of the details regarding Get Smart in my chapter on that series came from two books, I will discuss them together here. In addition, fans of this show were delighted by the 2002 "TV-land" documentary which confirmed many points well-known in the print media and is a very good hour of insights and memories.
Green, Joey. The Get Smart Handbook. Collier Books of Canada. 1993.
McCrohan, Donna. The Life and Times of Maxwell Smart. New York: St. Martins. 1988.
When Joey Green's The Get Smart Handbook appeared in 1993, reviewers claimed it was superior to Donna McCrohan’s 1988 The Life and Times of Maxwell Smart for a number of reasons, although both books were noted for obvious overlapping. Green includes many quotes from show participants not in McCrohan’s book, and he adds considerable humor in the early sections and a spy quiz at the end of his text. Other clever inserts include responses from world leaders from Jimmy Carter to Colin Powell explaining how they would destroy KAOS. Green’s Handbook does contain some factual errors, and fans note he missed listing some KAOS agents and gadgets. As his book has been out of print for some time, The Get Smart Handbook has become something of a minor collector’s item, a hot commodity on E-Bay auctions.
Still, McCrohan‘s account goes beyond detailing the cast, production, and analysis of Get Smart. She too provides a wealth of information about television and popular culture in the 1960s. She lists numerous examples of jokes, and one interesting section compares the television gadgets with real-world technological devices. it's a matter of taste as to which book a fan will find most readable. I know one GS fan who describes the McCrohan work as "the Get Smart dissertation."
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I SPY
Cushman, Marc and Linda J. LaRosa. I Spy: A History and Episode Guide, 1965-1968. Jefferson, NC: Mcfareland and Co. 2007. For the full story behind this new title, see "Uncovering I Spy: An Interview with Marc Cushman, Author of the First Full-length History of a Classic Series" posted at this website.
Leonard, Sheldon. And the Show Goes On: Broadway and Hollywood. New York: Limelight Editions. 1995. This autobiography from an important contributor to American entertainment discusses a long career featuring many, many projects. So I SPY is but one TV series briefly mentioned in these reminisces. However, while Leonard claimed that his remembrances were 90% accurate, some of his memories fall short of that percentage. For example, his claim I Spy would be unique by using location footage makes little sense considering the number of ‘50s series filmed in Europe, including those produced by British studios. If he meant non-European locations, as in the Far East, he would have been closer to fact. In one passage of his memoir, Leonard described a garden pub scene shot in England and how an unnamed actor was getting more and more drunk with each re-shoot. There is no evidence any I Spy scene was ever shot in England. The few English actors who appeared on the show, including Maurice Evans, Peter Lawford, and Boris Karloff, had no scenes similar to the setting Leonard recalled. Because of the number of projects in which Leonard was involved, the anecdote possibly occurred on another film or television set. In one TV Guide interview, Leonard claimed Robert Culp didn’t write any scripts until the second season. Again, this is far from correct--Culp's first script was, in fact, the first aired episode of the series. So readers need use caution when reading this entertaining memoir.
One important contribution of I SPY was the casting of Bill Cosby as an African-American lead, so it's worth noting two studies that discuss the role of black actors in television. Detailed discussions on Bill Cosby in I SPY and Greg Morris in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE are in Donald Bogle's excellent 2001 Prime Time Blues (New York: Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux). Indispensable observations on both these series is also in J. Fred Macdonald's 1983 Blacks and White TV: Afro-Americans in Television since 1948 (Chicago: Nelson-Hall).
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LA FEMME NIKITA
The wonderful DVD boxed sets of LFN include commentary tracks on the first and last episodes of each season.
Edwards, Ted. La Femme Nikita X-posed. The Unauthorized Biography of Peta Wilson and Her On Screen Character. Rocklin, California: Prima Books. 1998. Relying only on rumor, it's my understanding that Edwards(pen name for researcher Ed Gross) isn't highly regarded by other authors in the field. I understand why. This book, which covers the creation of the television series, its first season, and three episodes into the second, relies primarily on online sources which are sandwiched together. It also contains a loopy section called "Idiot's Guide to Section One" which seems like padding to justify putting out a book for a series which was still in its early stages. Such material seems wildly inappropriate for a series noted for its lack of humor. For diehards only.
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THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Anderson, Robert. The U.N.C.L.E. Tribute Book. Las Vegas: Pioneer. 1993. Experts on MFU complain about this book as many feel it's a plagiarized collection of articles and information collected from private fanzines which aren’t credited by Anderson. Of course, those who never saw the original publications can't find some of this information anywhere else. It's worthy of a place on fan bookshelves although Jon Heitland's study is the first place to go for information on this underappreciated series.
Heitland, Jon. The Man From U.N.C.L.E.: The Behind the Scenes Story of a Television Classic. London: Titan Books. 1988. Gratefully, this excellent book is still in print and readily available. In my opinion, it's a book for more than those seeking the story of THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.--it contains a banquet of background on TV production of the period and the thought processes in network decision making. Indispensable.
Pacquette, Brian and Paul Howley. The Toys From U.N.C.L.E.: a Memorabilia and Collectors Guide. (self-published) 1990. This price guide features over 140 pages of photos and information on almost everything released in the USA about The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Although the pricing information is obviously outdated, the descriptions, photos, and information is still useful for collectors. For example, I was startled to learn the bubblegum cards were one thing, but the wrappers they came in are even more collectible. Just looking over these pages is a tour of how spy shows permeated popular culture in the 1960s.
Peel, John and Glenn A. Magee. The U.N.C.L.E. Files Magazines." Canoga Park, CA: New Media Books. 1985. During the 1980s, John Peel and various collaborators issued magazine-sized episode guides for not only MFU, but nearly every other classic spy series of the 1960s as well as the James Bond films released up to that time. For U.N.C.L.E., Peel also issued several "Technical Manuals" which were good for photographs but built on imagination of the authors, not the original plans of the series' creators. Each of the guides for individual seasons included episode summaries--a staple of all such publications--as well as opinionated introductions which, of course, are debatable regarding the expressed points of view. Word has it some of these were knocked out over a weekend's worth of work. Nonetheless, these Files were a valuable service for fans in the days before video and DVD releases and can still be found quite cheaply wherever used books are sold. They're fun reading and neat little souvenirs of the "spy renaissance" of the 1980s.
Walker, Cynthia. “The Gun as Star and the U.N.C.L.E. Special.” Bang Bang, Shoot Shoot: Essays on Guns in Popular Culture. Murray Pomerance and John Sakeris, eds. Needham Heights, Mass.: Simon and Schuster. 1999. Pps. 187-97. If you're into guns through the prism of scholarly theory, this is the book for you. In the case of Walker's article, U.N.C.L.E. fans will gain insights into the merchandising of the show, responses of viewers and the government to the unique "U.N.C.L.E. Special," and other aspects of the show. This is a book for libraries, but I imagine there are readers who'd enjoy the book who aren’t just into MFU.
(Note: As of this writing, Cynthia Walker is negotiating with an academic press to publish her doctoral dissertation, "A Dialogic Model of Creativity in Mass Communication." Her 2001 study proposed a new dialogic/collaborative model of mass communication using THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. as a case study. For those interested in a copy of Cindy's work now, contact the dissertation hotline at 800-521-0600 ext 7044. The operator will need to know the title's order number which is 30828000. The operator will also go over the various formats that are available as well as pricing.)
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MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE
(See notes about I SPY above).
Beatie, Bruce. “The Myth of the hero: From Mission: Impossible to Magdalenian Caves.” In, Browne, Ray B., and Marshall W. Fishwick, editors. The Hero in Transition. Kentucky: Bowling Green University Popular Press. 1983. Pps. 46-9. This academic article compares MI's plotlines to ancient legends. I discuss this in SPY TV, but fellow researchers may find points here of special interest.
White, Patrick J. The Complete Mission: Impossible Dossier. New York: Avon. 1991. Patrick White’s study is widely felt to be one of the best books on television published to date, and this reputation is well deserved. Of all the Secret Agent shows of the ‘60s, MI’s history, production, and evolution was certainly the most complex. White’s explanation of the process is exactly what any interested reader could ask for. Extremely indispensable.
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THE PRISONER
Any fan of this thoughtful series cannot afford to not own the excellent boxed sets of the show on DVD and the special features it contains. The show inspired the longest running fan club, "The Prisoner Appreciation Society," which has published an ongoing magazine, "Six of One," for decades. Serious fans should consult their website:
ww.the-prisoner-6.freeserve.co.uk
Carraze, Alain and Helene Oswald. The Prisoner: A Televisionary Masterpiece. New York: Barnes and Noble by arrangement with Virgin Pub. 1995. Unlike their unusual book on THE AVENGERS (see above), the authors of this overview created, in my opinion, the best book out there on THE PRISONER. It includes a discussion with the main creator of the show, Patrick McGoohan, episode summaries and analysis, and one of the better discussions on how the show, SECRET AGENT, connected with THE PRISONER. Indispensable.
Langley, Roger. Patrick Mcgoohan--Danger Man or The Prisoner? (Tomahawk Books, scheduled for 2007). According to the publisher's website, this "is the definitive tribute to one of Britain’s brightest stars, affirming his cult status as a guiding light
in international film, television and theatre . . . Lavishly illustrated with never before seen images," they claim this biography "explains the enigma that is McGOOHAN!"
Rakof, Ian. Inside The Prisoner: Radical Television and Film in the 1960s. London: Somerset, Butler and Tanner LTD for B.T. Bates Ford Ltd. 1998. For my money, this is one of the oddest books related to spy TV. It's surprising it's one of the easiest books to find in local bookstores. This book is more about Rakof himself than THE PRISONER as the former tape editor only helped cut two episodes, “The General” and “It’s your Funeral,” before writing one episode, “Living in Harmony.” Over two-thirds of this book is about Rakof’s life and non-Prisoner projects making the title of this autobiography somewhat disingenuous. Still, he is indeed insightful regarding the post-production process of THE PRISONER. The book contains many abbreviated interviews with those who participated in the production. Useful for researchers, but few general readers will find this required reading.
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THE SAINT
If you're a fan of Leslie Charteris's Simon Templar, you already know about The Saint Club, a long-established British society honoring the books, films, radio dramas, and television series featuring THE SAINT. If not, they have a handy website where you can find quick and reliable help from the Honorary Secretary of the Club, Ian Dickerson. For more information, see "`A SAINT I AIN'T': Q&A WITH IAN DICKERSON of The Saint Club" posted at this website.
Barer, Beryl. The Saint in Print, Radio, Film, and Television, 1928-1992. Jefferson NC and London: Macfarland and Co. 1993. Because of the long history of The Saint--beginning with the first books in the 1920s--Barer's book is chockfull of history on literature, film, and every other incarnation in which Simon Templar appeared. For fans of the Roger Moore series and subsequent "sequels" to it, Barer provides rich detail regarding the production, the response of Leslie Charteris to the various series, and a complete episode guide to all the different programs. Well-written, this book deserves awards for its content and readability. (An interview with Barer, ""The Saint" in Fact and Fiction: An Interview with Historian and Novelist Burl Barer" is posted at this website.)
Donovan, Paul. Roger Moore: A Biography. London: W. H. Allen. 1983. While it's now hard to find, Donovan's biography of Sir Roger Moore is a very readable edition for those interested in both the TV Saint and 007. While it only covers the years up to its publication date, this book is detailed and personable, and worthy to be in any fan's archives.
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THE WILD WILD WEST
(See my interview with Robert Conrad also posted at this website.)
Cangey, R. M. Inside The Wild Wild West. Foreword by Robert Conrad. Cypress, CA: Cangey Press. 1996. Fans of WWW mourned the death of Richard Cangey in November 2003 as he had long been a favorite of devotees to the series. The stuntman and stand-in for Robert Conrad published his memoirs in 1996 which, as a whole, is a fascinating revelation into the life of a stuntman in Hollywood. His memories of his work on WWW are both personal and insightful. While not indispensable, I enjoyed the book and recommend it for readers interested in Cangey's topics.
Kesler, Susan E. The Wild Wild West: The Series. Downey, CA: Arnett Press. 1988. I hereby freely admit 75% of the information I used in SPY TV regarding the production history of WWW came from Kesler's study. The heart of Kesler’s overview is a detailed episode-by-episode chronological synopsis of the series, including critical responses to each episode, some flattering, some not. She also provides all needed behind-the-scenes information. I asked Robert Conrad what he thought of the book, and I can tell you the star of WWW thinks highly of it, even if he disagrees with some of the sentiments expressed by producers of the show.
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THE X-FILES
During its heyday, THE X-FILES popularity resulted in so many unauthorized books that its creator, Chris Carter, took a number of writers to court to block the exploitation of his property. The number and variety of these books is so great I see no purpose in cataloguing them all here. So here are three titles I think are representative of the trends in these publications.
Edwards, Ted. The X-Files Confidential: The Unauthorized X-Philes Compendium. Boston: Little, Brown and Co. 1997. Despite my uncomplimentary thoughts on Edward's book on LA FEMME NIKITA (see above), I think this coffee-table effort was one of the best overviews of the series up to the copyright year. Covering the first five seasons, Edwards has much to offer about the creation of the show. The episode guide is especially interesting as various production team members comment on each program with a variety of perspectives. As many knockoffs on THE X-FILES appeared while the show was still ongoing, one can't take away points for such projects being incomplete. Compliments should go to books that focus on the creative process and the behind-the-scenes workers that contributed to the show's success. While outdated, this book represents the devotion of a true fan--one who did his homework and pulled all the notes together into a readable flow.
Genge, N. E. The Unofficial X-Files Companion, Part 2. Minneapolis, Minn.: Audioscope. 1995. (audiobook) An odd offshoot of the X-FILES phenomena were books that weren't looks inside the show, but were instead speculations about how events in the show reflected, or might reflect, possibilities in science. If an episode featured a voodoo-stricken zombie, then what is the history of creating these creatures? Genge also tossed in such details as the distinctions between all the various types of aliens then shown in the series. "Companion" is an apt descriptor as these books added to the scope of the show rather than explaining what was going on in the real world.
Meisler, Anthony. Resist or Serve: The Official Guide to the X-Files. New York: Harper Collins. 1999. For my money, the "official" guides weren't all that revealing. I found them annoying as they messed around with different typesets, spent a lot of time on the likes and loves of secondary and guest characters, and bogged down in information only the truly devoted would want. I thought I was a fan, but, for once, found a limit to my interest. I must leave it to real diehards to appreciate these books and I know they're out there. But there's fewer of them as time goes by.
For related resources on spies on TV, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
Secret Agent Television Shows, 1951-2007
SECRET AGENT TELEVISION SHOWS, 1951-2007
SECRET AGENT TELEVISION SHOWS, 1951-2007
By Wesley Britton
Spywise@verizon.net
The list of spy shows below provides basic facts about series discussed in Spy Television (Praeger, 2004) along with updates added after publication of ST. Each item includes network, years of original broadcast, and some, but not all, of the principal actors. Most dates reflect U.S. broadcasts except for series seen exclusively or primarily in England.
Those seeking detailed information and discussions about specific series should consult Spy Television where most of the series below are indexed. It
should be noted that SPY TV discusses a number of made-for TV movies and children's shows which are indexed in the book but are not listed here.
As discussed in Chapter 1 of Spy Television, many series can be considered straight-forward espionage drama while others, such as An American Embassy and
JAG, used enough covert activity to warrant overviews in my first book. Such series are listed below. Others, such as Hogan's Heroes and Hawaii 5-O, which
are mentioned in Spy Television, are not listed here but are indexed in ST.
In 2005, I updated this list to cover shows not discussed in ST but are mentioned in my second book, Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction (2005). A ** indicates these series. These are shows that debuted after the publication of Spy Television as well as miniseries I wasn't aware of when ST was published. In fall 2007, I added series broadcast since the last update. A *** indicates these.
For those interested in seeing some of the older series here, I've added a V (video) or DVD after the listing indicating if the series has been commercially released for American players as of fall 2007. A number of these shows are available for British DVD players, indicated by a B-DVD.
A
Adderly. (CBS) 1986-1988. Winston Rekert.
Adventurer, The. (Syndicated) 1972-1973. Gene Barry, Barry Morse.
Agency, The. (CBS) 2001-2003. Gil Bellows, Ronny Cox, Paige Turco, David Cleanen, Gloria Reuben, Beau Bridges.
Airwolf. (CBS) 1985-1986. Jan-Michael Vincent, Alex Cord, Ernest Borgnine, Deborah Pratt, Jean Bruce Scott. (USA) 1987. Barry Van Dyke, Michele Scarabelli,
Anthony Sherwood, Geraint Wyn Davies.
Alias (ABC) 2001-2006. Jennifer Garner, Victor Garber, Ron Rifkin. DVD
American Dad. (Fox) 2005- . Animated half-hour show. **
American Embassy. (Fox) 2002) Arija Bareikis, David Cubitt.
Amos Burke, Secret Agent. (ABC) Original title: Burke’s Law, 1963-1964. One season in new format, 1965. Gene Barry.
Assignment: Vienna. (ABC) 1972-1973. Robert Conrad. (Discussed in interview with Conrad at this website.)
A-Team, The. (NBC) 1983-1986. George Peppard, Mr. T., Dirk Benedict, Robert Vaughn. (Discussed in interview with Robert Vaughn posted at this website.)
Avengers, The. On British ABC, 1961-1966 starring Patrick Macnee, Ian Hendry, honor Blackman. From 1966-1969, aired both in England and on American ABC
starring Macnee, Diana Rigg, and Linda Thorson. The New Avengers. (CBS) 1978-1979. Patrick Macnee, Joanna Lumley, Gareth Hunt. V, DVD (Reviews of radio series and New Avengers posted at this website.)
B
Barbary Coast. (ABC) 1975-1976. William Shatner, Doug McClure, Richard Keel.
Baron, The. (ABC) 1966-1967. Steve Forrest, Colin Gordon, Sue Lloyd, Paul Ferris.
Behind Closed Doors. (NBC) 1958-1959. Bruce Gordon.
Biff Baker, U.S.A.(CBS) 1952-1953. Alan Hale Jr.
Bionic Woman. (ABC) 1976-1977. (NBC) 1977-1978. Lindsey Wagner, Richard Anderson. (NBC) 2007- . Michelle Ryanand. ***
Blue Light. (ABC) 1966. Robert Goulet, Christine Carere.
Burn Notice (USA (June 2007-- ). Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell, Sharon Gless. ***
C
Callan. (U.K. only) 1967-1973. Edward Woodward. B-DVD.
Champions, The. (NBC) 1968. Stuart Damon, William Gaunt, Alexandra Bastedo. B-DVD
Chuck. (NBC) 2007- . Zachary Levi, Joshua Gomez, Sarah Lancaster. ***
Cliffhangers. (NBC) 1979. Susan Anton, Jeffrey Scott.
Code Name: Foxfire. (NBC) 1985. Joanna Casidy, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Robin Thompson, John McCook.
Code Name: Kids Next Door. (The Cartoon Network) 2003- . Animated series. **
Coronet Blue. (CBS) 1967. Frank Converse. ***
Counterstrike. (USA) 1992-1993. Christopher Plummer, Simon MacCorkindale.
Cover Me: The True Life Story of an FBI Family. (USA) 2000-2001. Robert Dobson, Melora Hardin, Cameron Richardson, Antoinette Picatto, Michael Angarano.
Cover Up. (CBS) 1984-1985. Jennifer O'Neill, John Grik Hexum, Richard Anderson, Anthony Hamilton.
Covert One: The Hades Factor. SeeRobert Ludlum’s Covert One: The Hades Factor.
Cowboy G-Men. (Syndicated) 1952-1953. Russell Hayden, Jackie Coogan.
Crusader. (CBS) 1955-1956. Brian Keith.
D
Danger Man. See Secret Agent.
Dangerous Assignment. (Syndicated) 1951-1952. Brian Donlovy. DVD-- TV Favorites Megapack (Tree Line Prod.)
Delphi Bureau. (ABC) 1972-1973. Lawrence Luckinbill.
Department S. (U.K. only) 1968. Peter Wyngarde, Joel Fabiani, Rosemary Nicholls.
Doorway to Danger (aka Door With No Name). (NBC) 1951-1952. ABC) 1953. Mel Ruick, Roland Winters, Raymond Bramley.
Double Life Of Henry Phyfe, The. (ABC) 1966. Red Buttons.
E
Equalizer, The. (CBS) 1985-1989. Edward Woodward.
E-Ring. (NBC). 2005-2006. Benjamin Bratt, Dennis Hopper, Aunjanue Ellis, Kelsey Oldershaw, Kelly Rutherford.
Espionage. (ABC) 1963-1964. Anthology series with no recurring cast.
Exile, The. (CBS) 1991-1993. Jeffry meek.
F
The Falcon, Adventures of. (Syndicated) 1955. Charles Macgraw.
Family of Spies, A. ? 1989. Three-part miniseries. Powers Booth, Lesley Ann Warren. ** DVD
Five Fingers. (NBC) 1959-1960. David Hedison.
Foreign Intrigue. (NBC, Syndicated) 1951-1955. Jerome Thorn, Helen Davis.
Fortune Hunter. (Fox) 1994. Mark Frankel, John Robert Hoffman, Anne Francis.
Four Just men. (Syndicated) 1959. Dan Daily, Jack hawkins, Richard Conti, Vittoria Di Sica.
G
Game, Set, Match. (PBS) 1988. Ian Holm, Mel Martin. (13 part miniseries on Mystery!) **
Gavilan. (NBC) 1982-1983. Robert urich, Patrick Macnee, Kate Reid.
Gemini Man. (NBC) 1976. Ben Murphy, Catherine Crawford, William Sylvester.
Get Smart. (NBC) 1965-1969. (CBS) 1969-1970. Don Addams, Barbara Feldon, Edward Platt. DVD
Get Smart Returns. (Fox) 1995. Don Addams, Barbara Feldon, Andy Dick.
Girl From U.N.C.L.E. (NBC) 1966-1967. Stephanie Powers, Noel Harrison, Leo G. Carroll.
Grid, The. (TNT) 2004, limited series. Julian Margolis, Dylan McDermott. DVD **
H
Honey West. (ABC) 1965-1966. Anne Francis, John Erickson.
Hong Kong. (ABC) 1960-1961. Rod Taylor, Lloyd Bochner, Jack Krus Chen, Harold Fong.
Hunter. (various series) (CBS) 1952. Barry Nelson. (NBC) 1954. Keith Larsen. (CBS) 1977. James Franciscus, Linda Evans.
I
I Led Three Lives. (Syndicated) 1953-1956. Richard Carlson. (Discussed in "They Were Communists for the FBI" file at this website.)
Inside, The. (Fox) 2005- . Rachel Nichols. **
Invisible Man. (various series) (Syndicated) 1958-1961. (NBC) 1975. David McCalum, Melinda Fee, Craig Stevens. (Sci-Fi Channel) 2000-2002. Vincent Ventresca.
I Spy. (Syndicated) 1956. Anthology series hosted by Raymond Massey. (NBC) 1965-1968. Bill Cosby, Robert Culp. DVD (Discussed in two articles posted at this website.)
It Takes a Thief. (NBC) 1968-1970. Robert Wagner, Malachi Throne.
J
Jack of All Trades. (USA) 2000. Bruce Campbell, Angela Marie Dotchin.
JAG. (ABC) 1995-2005. David James Elliott, Stephen Culp.
Jake 2.o. (UPN) 2003-2004. (Sci-Fi Channel) 2007. Christopher Gorham, Keegan Connor Tracy, Judith Scott. **
Jane Doe. (Hallmark Channel) 2005- . Lea Thompson, Joe Penny. (Rotating TV movie series with other Hallmark Mysteries.) ***
Jericho. (CBS) 1966-1967. Don Francks, Marino Mase, John Leyton. (Soundtrack avail. From Film Score Monthly.)
L
La Femme Nikita. (USA) 1996-2001. Peta Wilson, Eugene R. Galver, Roy Dupuis, Don Francks, Alberta Watson. DVD
M
Macgyver. (ABC) 1985-1992. Richard Dean Anderson.
Mackenzie's Raiders (syndicated) 1958-1959. Richard Carlson. **
Man Called Sloane, A. (NBC) 1979-1980. Robert Conrad. (Discussed in interview with Conrad at this website.)
Man Called X. (Syndicated) 1955-1956. Barry Sullivan.
Man From Interpol, The. (NBC) 1960. John Longdon, Richard Wyler.
Man From U.N.C.L.E. (NBC) 1964-1968. Robert Vaughn, David McCallum, Leo G. Carroll. V, Movie versions on B-DVD. Released in U.S., Nov. 2007. (Various articles on series posted at this website.)
Man in a Suitcase. (Syndicated) 1967-1968. Richard Bradford.
Man of the World. (U.K. only) 1962-1963. Craig Stevens.
Man Who Never Was, The. (ABC) 1967. Robert Lansing, Dana Winter, Alex Davion, Murray Hamilton.
Mask of Janus, The. (U.K. only) 1965. Re-titled Spies, 1966. Dinsdale Landen, Simon Oates.
Masquerade. (ABC) 1983-1984. Rod Taylor, Kristie Alley, Greg Avegin
Matt Helm. (ABC) 1975-1976. Tony Franciosa.
MI5. See Spooks.
Mission: Impossible. (CBS) 1966-1973. Stephen Hill, Peter Graves, Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Greg Morris, Peter Lupis. Replacement actors: Leonard Nimoy,
Leslie Ann Warren, Linda Day George, Sam Elliott. (ABC) 1988-1990. Peter Graves, Phil Morris, Thaao Penghlis, Tony Hamilton, Terry Markwell, Jane Pradler.
V, DVD
Mr. and Mrs. Smith. (CBS) 1996. Scott Bakula, Maria Below.
N
New Avengers, The. See The Avengers.
Now and Again. (CBS) 1999-2000. John Goodman, Eric Close, Dennis Haysbert, Margaret Colin, Heather Matarazzo, Gerrit Graham.
O
OSS (ABC) 1957-1958. Lionel Murton, Ron Randell.
P
Paris 7000. (??) 1970. Gene Raymond, George Hamilton. ***
Passport to Danger. (Syndicated) 1954-1956. Caesar Romero.
Pentagon U.S.A. (later Pentagon Confidential) (CBS) 1953. Addison Richards, Larry Fletcher, Edward Bins.
Persuaders, The. (ABC) 1971-1972. Roger Moore, Tony Curtis. DVD (Review posted at this website.)
Prisoner, The. (CBS) 1968-1969. Patrick McGoohan. DVD
Protectors, The. (Syndicated) 1972-1973. Robert Vaughn, Nyree Dawn Porter. DVD (Discussed in review and an interview with Robert Vaughn posted at this website.)
R
“Reilly-Ace of Spies.” (PBS 12-part miniseries on Mystery) 1984. Sam Neill, Jeananne Crowley, Leo McKern. V, DVD
Robert Ludlum’s Covert One: The Hades Factor. (CBS) 2006. Two-part TV miniseries. Stephen Dorff, Mira Sorvino, Blair Underwood. DVD ***
S
Saint, The. (various actors) (Syndicated) 1962-1966. (NBC) 1967-1969. Roger Moore. V, DVD. Return of The Saint. (CBS) 1978. Ian Ogilvy. (Syndicated) 1989-1990.
Simon Dutton.
Sandbaggers, The. (U.K. only) 1978-1979. Roy Marsden, Elizabeth Bennett, Richard Bernon, Ray Lonmen, Diane Keen, Alan Macmaughtan. DVD
Scarecrow and Mrs. King. (CBS) 1983-1987. Bruce Boxleitner, Kate Jackson.
Scarecrow of Romney Marsh, The. (NBC) 1964. Patrick Mcoohan. (3 part miniseries on Wonderful World of Disney). ***
Scarlet Pimpernel, The. (A&E miniseries.) 1999. Richard E. Grant, Elizabeth McGovern. DVD **
Search. (NBC) 1973. Hugh O’Brien, Tony Franciosa, Doug McClure.
Secret Adventures of Jules Verne. (SciFi Channel) 1999-2001. Chris Demetral, Michael Praed, Francesca Hunt, Michel Courtemanche.
Secret Agent. (CBS) 1965-1966. Patrick McGoohan. (Renamed version of British Danger Man which had two series in England.) DVD
Secret Agent Man. (UPN) 1999-2000. Costas Mandylor, Dina Meyer.
Secret Files USA. (Syndicated) 1954-1955. Robert Alda.
Secret Service (U.K. only, children's show) 1969. Combined puppets with live actors. DVD
Sentimental Agent, The. (U.K. only) 1963. Carlos Thompson.
Seven Days. (UPN) 1998-2001. Jonathan LaPaglia, Justina Vial, Don Franklin, Nick Searcy, Alan Scarf.
She Spies. (NBC) 2003-2005. Kristen Miller, Natashia Williams, Natasha Henstridge, Carlos Jacott.
Sierra 9 (U.K. only, children's show) 1963. Max Kirby, David Sumner, Deborah Stanford.
Six Million Dollar Man. (ABC) 1974-1978. Lee Majors, Richard Anderson.
Smiley’s People. (BBC/PBS miniseries) 1982. Alec Guiness. DVD
Soldier of Fortune Inc. (later S.O.F., Special Ops Force) (Syndicated) 1997-1999. Brad Johnson, Tim Abell, Mark A. Shepard, David Selby, Dennis Rodman.
Soldiers of Fortune. (Syndicated) 1955. John Russell, Chic Chandler.
Spies. (See Mask of Janus.) Unrelated series with same title: (CBS( 1987. George Hamilton.
Spies, Lies, and the Superbomb. (National Geographic Channel) Sept. 2007. (Aired as Nuclear Secrets on BBC, Jan. 2007). Three-part docu-drama. ***
Spooks. (UK series beginning in 2002. Retitled MI5 for American broadcast, A&E, 2003-2006) Stephen Firth, Matthew Macfadyen, Keeley Hawen, David Oyelowo, Janie
Agutter, Elisa Faulkner. DVD
Spy Game. (ABC) 1997. Linden Ashly, Alison Smith.
Spy Master. (The Learning Channel) 2004, limited series. Reality show with no actors. **
T
Threat Matrix. (ABC) 2003-2004. James Denton, Will Lyman, Kelly Rutherford, Anthony Azizi, Melora Walters, Kurt Caceres, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali. **
Three. (WB) 1998. Jonathan Vance, Amanda Webb, Marcus Miller.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. (BBC/PBS miniseries) 1980. Alec Guiness. DVD
Tom Clancey’s Net Force. (ABC miniseries) 1998. Scott Bakula, Joanna Going, Kris Kristofferson, Brian Dennehy, Judge Reinhold.
Tom Clancey’s Ops Center. (ABC miniseries) 1995. Harry Hamlin, Wilfrod Brimley, John Savage, Rod Steiger, Carl Weathers.
Top Secret. (U.K. only) 1961-1962. William Franklyn, Patrick Cargill, Alan Rothwell.
Totally Spies. (Cartoon Network) 2003- . Animated series. **
21 Beacon St. (NBC) 1959. (ABC) 1959-1960. Dennis Morgan, Joanna Barnes, Brian Kelly, James Mahoney.
24. (Fox) 2001- . Keifer Sutherland, Mia Kirsner, Leslie Hope, Elisha Cuthbert, Dennis Haysbert, Sara Lively. DVD
U
Undercover. (ABC) 1990-1991. Anthony John Denison, Linda Purl.
V
VR5. (Fox) 1995. (Re-broadcast with 3 new episodes, SciFi Channel) 1997. Lori Singer, Michael Easton, David McCallum.
W
Wild Wild West. (CBS) 1965-1970. Robert Conrad, Ross Martin. V, DVD (Discussed in interview with Robert Conrad at this website.)
Wonder Woman. (ABC) 1976-1977. (CBS) 1977-1979. Lynda Carter, Lyle Waggoner.
World of Giants. (Syndicated) 1959-1960. Marshall Thompson, Arthur Fronz.
X
X-Files. (Fox) 1993-2002. David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Robert Patrick, Annabeth Gish. V, DVD
Z
Zorro, The Adventures of. (ABC) 1957-1959. Guy Williams. ***
SECRET AGENT TELEVISION SHOWS, 1951-2007
By Wesley Britton
Spywise@verizon.net
The list of spy shows below provides basic facts about series discussed in Spy Television (Praeger, 2004) along with updates added after publication of ST. Each item includes network, years of original broadcast, and some, but not all, of the principal actors. Most dates reflect U.S. broadcasts except for series seen exclusively or primarily in England.
Those seeking detailed information and discussions about specific series should consult Spy Television where most of the series below are indexed. It
should be noted that SPY TV discusses a number of made-for TV movies and children's shows which are indexed in the book but are not listed here.
As discussed in Chapter 1 of Spy Television, many series can be considered straight-forward espionage drama while others, such as An American Embassy and
JAG, used enough covert activity to warrant overviews in my first book. Such series are listed below. Others, such as Hogan's Heroes and Hawaii 5-O, which
are mentioned in Spy Television, are not listed here but are indexed in ST.
In 2005, I updated this list to cover shows not discussed in ST but are mentioned in my second book, Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction (2005). A ** indicates these series. These are shows that debuted after the publication of Spy Television as well as miniseries I wasn't aware of when ST was published. In fall 2007, I added series broadcast since the last update. A *** indicates these.
For those interested in seeing some of the older series here, I've added a V (video) or DVD after the listing indicating if the series has been commercially released for American players as of fall 2007. A number of these shows are available for British DVD players, indicated by a B-DVD.
A
Adderly. (CBS) 1986-1988. Winston Rekert.
Adventurer, The. (Syndicated) 1972-1973. Gene Barry, Barry Morse.
Agency, The. (CBS) 2001-2003. Gil Bellows, Ronny Cox, Paige Turco, David Cleanen, Gloria Reuben, Beau Bridges.
Airwolf. (CBS) 1985-1986. Jan-Michael Vincent, Alex Cord, Ernest Borgnine, Deborah Pratt, Jean Bruce Scott. (USA) 1987. Barry Van Dyke, Michele Scarabelli,
Anthony Sherwood, Geraint Wyn Davies.
Alias (ABC) 2001-2006. Jennifer Garner, Victor Garber, Ron Rifkin. DVD
American Dad. (Fox) 2005- . Animated half-hour show. **
American Embassy. (Fox) 2002) Arija Bareikis, David Cubitt.
Amos Burke, Secret Agent. (ABC) Original title: Burke’s Law, 1963-1964. One season in new format, 1965. Gene Barry.
Assignment: Vienna. (ABC) 1972-1973. Robert Conrad. (Discussed in interview with Conrad at this website.)
A-Team, The. (NBC) 1983-1986. George Peppard, Mr. T., Dirk Benedict, Robert Vaughn. (Discussed in interview with Robert Vaughn posted at this website.)
Avengers, The. On British ABC, 1961-1966 starring Patrick Macnee, Ian Hendry, honor Blackman. From 1966-1969, aired both in England and on American ABC
starring Macnee, Diana Rigg, and Linda Thorson. The New Avengers. (CBS) 1978-1979. Patrick Macnee, Joanna Lumley, Gareth Hunt. V, DVD (Reviews of radio series and New Avengers posted at this website.)
B
Barbary Coast. (ABC) 1975-1976. William Shatner, Doug McClure, Richard Keel.
Baron, The. (ABC) 1966-1967. Steve Forrest, Colin Gordon, Sue Lloyd, Paul Ferris.
Behind Closed Doors. (NBC) 1958-1959. Bruce Gordon.
Biff Baker, U.S.A.(CBS) 1952-1953. Alan Hale Jr.
Bionic Woman. (ABC) 1976-1977. (NBC) 1977-1978. Lindsey Wagner, Richard Anderson. (NBC) 2007- . Michelle Ryanand. ***
Blue Light. (ABC) 1966. Robert Goulet, Christine Carere.
Burn Notice (USA (June 2007-- ). Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell, Sharon Gless. ***
C
Callan. (U.K. only) 1967-1973. Edward Woodward. B-DVD.
Champions, The. (NBC) 1968. Stuart Damon, William Gaunt, Alexandra Bastedo. B-DVD
Chuck. (NBC) 2007- . Zachary Levi, Joshua Gomez, Sarah Lancaster. ***
Cliffhangers. (NBC) 1979. Susan Anton, Jeffrey Scott.
Code Name: Foxfire. (NBC) 1985. Joanna Casidy, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Robin Thompson, John McCook.
Code Name: Kids Next Door. (The Cartoon Network) 2003- . Animated series. **
Coronet Blue. (CBS) 1967. Frank Converse. ***
Counterstrike. (USA) 1992-1993. Christopher Plummer, Simon MacCorkindale.
Cover Me: The True Life Story of an FBI Family. (USA) 2000-2001. Robert Dobson, Melora Hardin, Cameron Richardson, Antoinette Picatto, Michael Angarano.
Cover Up. (CBS) 1984-1985. Jennifer O'Neill, John Grik Hexum, Richard Anderson, Anthony Hamilton.
Covert One: The Hades Factor. SeeRobert Ludlum’s Covert One: The Hades Factor.
Cowboy G-Men. (Syndicated) 1952-1953. Russell Hayden, Jackie Coogan.
Crusader. (CBS) 1955-1956. Brian Keith.
D
Danger Man. See Secret Agent.
Dangerous Assignment. (Syndicated) 1951-1952. Brian Donlovy. DVD-- TV Favorites Megapack (Tree Line Prod.)
Delphi Bureau. (ABC) 1972-1973. Lawrence Luckinbill.
Department S. (U.K. only) 1968. Peter Wyngarde, Joel Fabiani, Rosemary Nicholls.
Doorway to Danger (aka Door With No Name). (NBC) 1951-1952. ABC) 1953. Mel Ruick, Roland Winters, Raymond Bramley.
Double Life Of Henry Phyfe, The. (ABC) 1966. Red Buttons.
E
Equalizer, The. (CBS) 1985-1989. Edward Woodward.
E-Ring. (NBC). 2005-2006. Benjamin Bratt, Dennis Hopper, Aunjanue Ellis, Kelsey Oldershaw, Kelly Rutherford.
Espionage. (ABC) 1963-1964. Anthology series with no recurring cast.
Exile, The. (CBS) 1991-1993. Jeffry meek.
F
The Falcon, Adventures of. (Syndicated) 1955. Charles Macgraw.
Family of Spies, A. ? 1989. Three-part miniseries. Powers Booth, Lesley Ann Warren. ** DVD
Five Fingers. (NBC) 1959-1960. David Hedison.
Foreign Intrigue. (NBC, Syndicated) 1951-1955. Jerome Thorn, Helen Davis.
Fortune Hunter. (Fox) 1994. Mark Frankel, John Robert Hoffman, Anne Francis.
Four Just men. (Syndicated) 1959. Dan Daily, Jack hawkins, Richard Conti, Vittoria Di Sica.
G
Game, Set, Match. (PBS) 1988. Ian Holm, Mel Martin. (13 part miniseries on Mystery!) **
Gavilan. (NBC) 1982-1983. Robert urich, Patrick Macnee, Kate Reid.
Gemini Man. (NBC) 1976. Ben Murphy, Catherine Crawford, William Sylvester.
Get Smart. (NBC) 1965-1969. (CBS) 1969-1970. Don Addams, Barbara Feldon, Edward Platt. DVD
Get Smart Returns. (Fox) 1995. Don Addams, Barbara Feldon, Andy Dick.
Girl From U.N.C.L.E. (NBC) 1966-1967. Stephanie Powers, Noel Harrison, Leo G. Carroll.
Grid, The. (TNT) 2004, limited series. Julian Margolis, Dylan McDermott. DVD **
H
Honey West. (ABC) 1965-1966. Anne Francis, John Erickson.
Hong Kong. (ABC) 1960-1961. Rod Taylor, Lloyd Bochner, Jack Krus Chen, Harold Fong.
Hunter. (various series) (CBS) 1952. Barry Nelson. (NBC) 1954. Keith Larsen. (CBS) 1977. James Franciscus, Linda Evans.
I
I Led Three Lives. (Syndicated) 1953-1956. Richard Carlson. (Discussed in "They Were Communists for the FBI" file at this website.)
Inside, The. (Fox) 2005- . Rachel Nichols. **
Invisible Man. (various series) (Syndicated) 1958-1961. (NBC) 1975. David McCalum, Melinda Fee, Craig Stevens. (Sci-Fi Channel) 2000-2002. Vincent Ventresca.
I Spy. (Syndicated) 1956. Anthology series hosted by Raymond Massey. (NBC) 1965-1968. Bill Cosby, Robert Culp. DVD (Discussed in two articles posted at this website.)
It Takes a Thief. (NBC) 1968-1970. Robert Wagner, Malachi Throne.
J
Jack of All Trades. (USA) 2000. Bruce Campbell, Angela Marie Dotchin.
JAG. (ABC) 1995-2005. David James Elliott, Stephen Culp.
Jake 2.o. (UPN) 2003-2004. (Sci-Fi Channel) 2007. Christopher Gorham, Keegan Connor Tracy, Judith Scott. **
Jane Doe. (Hallmark Channel) 2005- . Lea Thompson, Joe Penny. (Rotating TV movie series with other Hallmark Mysteries.) ***
Jericho. (CBS) 1966-1967. Don Francks, Marino Mase, John Leyton. (Soundtrack avail. From Film Score Monthly.)
L
La Femme Nikita. (USA) 1996-2001. Peta Wilson, Eugene R. Galver, Roy Dupuis, Don Francks, Alberta Watson. DVD
M
Macgyver. (ABC) 1985-1992. Richard Dean Anderson.
Mackenzie's Raiders (syndicated) 1958-1959. Richard Carlson. **
Man Called Sloane, A. (NBC) 1979-1980. Robert Conrad. (Discussed in interview with Conrad at this website.)
Man Called X. (Syndicated) 1955-1956. Barry Sullivan.
Man From Interpol, The. (NBC) 1960. John Longdon, Richard Wyler.
Man From U.N.C.L.E. (NBC) 1964-1968. Robert Vaughn, David McCallum, Leo G. Carroll. V, Movie versions on B-DVD. Released in U.S., Nov. 2007. (Various articles on series posted at this website.)
Man in a Suitcase. (Syndicated) 1967-1968. Richard Bradford.
Man of the World. (U.K. only) 1962-1963. Craig Stevens.
Man Who Never Was, The. (ABC) 1967. Robert Lansing, Dana Winter, Alex Davion, Murray Hamilton.
Mask of Janus, The. (U.K. only) 1965. Re-titled Spies, 1966. Dinsdale Landen, Simon Oates.
Masquerade. (ABC) 1983-1984. Rod Taylor, Kristie Alley, Greg Avegin
Matt Helm. (ABC) 1975-1976. Tony Franciosa.
MI5. See Spooks.
Mission: Impossible. (CBS) 1966-1973. Stephen Hill, Peter Graves, Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Greg Morris, Peter Lupis. Replacement actors: Leonard Nimoy,
Leslie Ann Warren, Linda Day George, Sam Elliott. (ABC) 1988-1990. Peter Graves, Phil Morris, Thaao Penghlis, Tony Hamilton, Terry Markwell, Jane Pradler.
V, DVD
Mr. and Mrs. Smith. (CBS) 1996. Scott Bakula, Maria Below.
N
New Avengers, The. See The Avengers.
Now and Again. (CBS) 1999-2000. John Goodman, Eric Close, Dennis Haysbert, Margaret Colin, Heather Matarazzo, Gerrit Graham.
O
OSS (ABC) 1957-1958. Lionel Murton, Ron Randell.
P
Paris 7000. (??) 1970. Gene Raymond, George Hamilton. ***
Passport to Danger. (Syndicated) 1954-1956. Caesar Romero.
Pentagon U.S.A. (later Pentagon Confidential) (CBS) 1953. Addison Richards, Larry Fletcher, Edward Bins.
Persuaders, The. (ABC) 1971-1972. Roger Moore, Tony Curtis. DVD (Review posted at this website.)
Prisoner, The. (CBS) 1968-1969. Patrick McGoohan. DVD
Protectors, The. (Syndicated) 1972-1973. Robert Vaughn, Nyree Dawn Porter. DVD (Discussed in review and an interview with Robert Vaughn posted at this website.)
R
“Reilly-Ace of Spies.” (PBS 12-part miniseries on Mystery) 1984. Sam Neill, Jeananne Crowley, Leo McKern. V, DVD
Robert Ludlum’s Covert One: The Hades Factor. (CBS) 2006. Two-part TV miniseries. Stephen Dorff, Mira Sorvino, Blair Underwood. DVD ***
S
Saint, The. (various actors) (Syndicated) 1962-1966. (NBC) 1967-1969. Roger Moore. V, DVD. Return of The Saint. (CBS) 1978. Ian Ogilvy. (Syndicated) 1989-1990.
Simon Dutton.
Sandbaggers, The. (U.K. only) 1978-1979. Roy Marsden, Elizabeth Bennett, Richard Bernon, Ray Lonmen, Diane Keen, Alan Macmaughtan. DVD
Scarecrow and Mrs. King. (CBS) 1983-1987. Bruce Boxleitner, Kate Jackson.
Scarecrow of Romney Marsh, The. (NBC) 1964. Patrick Mcoohan. (3 part miniseries on Wonderful World of Disney). ***
Scarlet Pimpernel, The. (A&E miniseries.) 1999. Richard E. Grant, Elizabeth McGovern. DVD **
Search. (NBC) 1973. Hugh O’Brien, Tony Franciosa, Doug McClure.
Secret Adventures of Jules Verne. (SciFi Channel) 1999-2001. Chris Demetral, Michael Praed, Francesca Hunt, Michel Courtemanche.
Secret Agent. (CBS) 1965-1966. Patrick McGoohan. (Renamed version of British Danger Man which had two series in England.) DVD
Secret Agent Man. (UPN) 1999-2000. Costas Mandylor, Dina Meyer.
Secret Files USA. (Syndicated) 1954-1955. Robert Alda.
Secret Service (U.K. only, children's show) 1969. Combined puppets with live actors. DVD
Sentimental Agent, The. (U.K. only) 1963. Carlos Thompson.
Seven Days. (UPN) 1998-2001. Jonathan LaPaglia, Justina Vial, Don Franklin, Nick Searcy, Alan Scarf.
She Spies. (NBC) 2003-2005. Kristen Miller, Natashia Williams, Natasha Henstridge, Carlos Jacott.
Sierra 9 (U.K. only, children's show) 1963. Max Kirby, David Sumner, Deborah Stanford.
Six Million Dollar Man. (ABC) 1974-1978. Lee Majors, Richard Anderson.
Smiley’s People. (BBC/PBS miniseries) 1982. Alec Guiness. DVD
Soldier of Fortune Inc. (later S.O.F., Special Ops Force) (Syndicated) 1997-1999. Brad Johnson, Tim Abell, Mark A. Shepard, David Selby, Dennis Rodman.
Soldiers of Fortune. (Syndicated) 1955. John Russell, Chic Chandler.
Spies. (See Mask of Janus.) Unrelated series with same title: (CBS( 1987. George Hamilton.
Spies, Lies, and the Superbomb. (National Geographic Channel) Sept. 2007. (Aired as Nuclear Secrets on BBC, Jan. 2007). Three-part docu-drama. ***
Spooks. (UK series beginning in 2002. Retitled MI5 for American broadcast, A&E, 2003-2006) Stephen Firth, Matthew Macfadyen, Keeley Hawen, David Oyelowo, Janie
Agutter, Elisa Faulkner. DVD
Spy Game. (ABC) 1997. Linden Ashly, Alison Smith.
Spy Master. (The Learning Channel) 2004, limited series. Reality show with no actors. **
T
Threat Matrix. (ABC) 2003-2004. James Denton, Will Lyman, Kelly Rutherford, Anthony Azizi, Melora Walters, Kurt Caceres, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali. **
Three. (WB) 1998. Jonathan Vance, Amanda Webb, Marcus Miller.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. (BBC/PBS miniseries) 1980. Alec Guiness. DVD
Tom Clancey’s Net Force. (ABC miniseries) 1998. Scott Bakula, Joanna Going, Kris Kristofferson, Brian Dennehy, Judge Reinhold.
Tom Clancey’s Ops Center. (ABC miniseries) 1995. Harry Hamlin, Wilfrod Brimley, John Savage, Rod Steiger, Carl Weathers.
Top Secret. (U.K. only) 1961-1962. William Franklyn, Patrick Cargill, Alan Rothwell.
Totally Spies. (Cartoon Network) 2003- . Animated series. **
21 Beacon St. (NBC) 1959. (ABC) 1959-1960. Dennis Morgan, Joanna Barnes, Brian Kelly, James Mahoney.
24. (Fox) 2001- . Keifer Sutherland, Mia Kirsner, Leslie Hope, Elisha Cuthbert, Dennis Haysbert, Sara Lively. DVD
U
Undercover. (ABC) 1990-1991. Anthony John Denison, Linda Purl.
V
VR5. (Fox) 1995. (Re-broadcast with 3 new episodes, SciFi Channel) 1997. Lori Singer, Michael Easton, David McCallum.
W
Wild Wild West. (CBS) 1965-1970. Robert Conrad, Ross Martin. V, DVD (Discussed in interview with Robert Conrad at this website.)
Wonder Woman. (ABC) 1976-1977. (CBS) 1977-1979. Lynda Carter, Lyle Waggoner.
World of Giants. (Syndicated) 1959-1960. Marshall Thompson, Arthur Fronz.
X
X-Files. (Fox) 1993-2002. David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Robert Patrick, Annabeth Gish. V, DVD
Z
Zorro, The Adventures of. (ABC) 1957-1959. Guy Williams. ***
Before TV: Spies on Radio
BEFORE TV: SPIES ON RADIO
By Wesley Britton
“The stories in this book are told by a former member of the United States Secret Service known as K-7. His adventures in the air as well as on land and
sea in many countries is a thrilling document of the intrigue and espionage that exists among the nations of the world. Modesty compels the hero to disguise
himself under another name, K-7. But only the principal actors in such gripping dramas could report them in such detail.”
(From the 1940 novelization, Secret Agent K-7 [Adapted from the Radio Scripts by Gene Stafford. Akron, OH: Saalfield Pub])
While researching Spy Television (2004) and Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction (2005), I discovered just how important old-time radio dramas were on the formative years of film and TV spies. For example, not only were television series in the 1950s based on radio series, but pioneer producers and writers in the 1960s were often veterans of radio serials.
As spy radio shows are explored in depth in Chapters of both Spy Television and Beyond Bond, what is provided here is a short annotated list of these shows as no such list exists elsewhere. Details about networks, years of broadcast, and stars are provided when known. I've also added brief notes that are either mentions of other sources to consult or facts to provide some glimmer into what each show was about. For those seeking much more comprehensive information, I suggest consulting John Dunning's On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio (New York: Oxford UP) 1998.
While many of these shows are no longer available for listening, many others can be found through many sources. There's plenty of entertaining hours in OTR (Old Time Radio), so I hope this list will inspire newcomers to give these classic spies a try.
Note: Many World War II dramas, especially those broadcast after the war, were anthology shows with no recurring casts. Series listed below without cast names were likely in that category. It should be noted that, especially during World War II, many radio dramas took on spy trappings, particularly counter-espionage in the U.S. Such shows included Superman, The Shadow, and Sherlock Holmes. Many anthology series featured undercover stories such as Three Sheets to the Wind (NBC, 1950) featuring John Wayne as a drunken secret agent.
Many dramas and serials described as crime drama, mystery, or romance also included espionage elements. For example, Jack French's Private Eyelashes: Radio's Lady Detectives (2004) claimed to not discuss any lady spies, but that is only true if the definition excludes counter-intelligence agents or detectives who occasionally go on secret missions for the U.S. government. In many cases, especially regarding shows of the 1930s, content of many series is unclear as few or no tapes or scripts survive for examination.
A short discussion of Hitchcock radio dramas follows this directory. Notes and addendum will be added when new information crosses my desk. Please send corrections or additions to
spywise@verizon.net
"Black warfare. Espionage. International intrigue. These are the weapons of the OSS. Today's story . . . is suggested by actual incidents recorded in the Washington files of the Office of Strategic Services. A story that can now be told."
(Opening narration to radio drama, Cloak and Dagger, 1950)
A DIRECTORY OF RADIO SPY SHOWS
Armstrong of the S.B.I. 1950. Formerly Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy. For one season Jack was a counter-spy for the Scientific Bureau of Investigation.
Avengers, The. 1972. South African serial based on the TV program. Donald Monat, Diana Appleby. (See detailed review in "The Avengers on Radio" article posted at this website.)
Cloak and Dagger. 1950. Raymond Edward Johnson, Gilbert Mack. Behind the lines war operations loosely based on the book by Cory Ford and Alister McBain about Office of Strategic Services (OSS) missions.
Counterspy AKA David Harding, Counterspy. (NBC, CBS, Mutual, the Blue network)
1942-1957. Don MacLaughlin, Mandel Kramer battling Gestapo, Japanese, and criminals on American soil.
Dan Dunn, Secret Operative Number 48. (San Francisco) 1937. Lou Marcel. 15 min. serial. Featured character, Kay Fields, Secret Operative No. 185. Played by Lucille Meredith, 185 was the first female government agent on radio. Based on a comic strip, the show also inspired the first tie-in novels for young readers published by Big Little Books.
Dangerous Assignment. (NBC) 1948-1953. Brian Dunluvy as Steve Mitchell in fast-paced international stories. (Also a TV series--see "Secret Agent Television Shows" file at this website.)
Don Winslow of the Navy. 1937-1942. Raymond Edward Johnson. Children's serial with lead taking on enemy agents after Pearl Harbor.
Foreign Assignment. (Mutual) 1943-1944. Jay Jostyn, Vicki Vola. Created formula of reporters as spies fighting Gestapo.
Helen Holden, Government Girl. (Mutual) 1941. Nancy Boardway as agent in Washington DC. 15 minute serial aired six days a week. 300 episodes broadcast, none extant. (see note 1 below)
I Love Adventure. 1948. Spin-off of popular I Love a Mystery series. Jack Packard (Michael Laseto), formerly of American intelligence, went to London to work for the top secret "21 Old Men of 10 Gramercy Park" who met behind a large two-way mirror where Jack could hear but never see them. Jack was accompanied by his friends from I Love a Mystery, Reggie York (Tom Collins) and Doc Long (Barton Yarborough).
Intrigue. 1946. Anthology series with no recurring cast.
It's A Crime, Mr. Collins. 1956. Two cast, one U.S., one in Australia. In U.S., Mandall Kramer was Greg Collins, married to Jane, and pair went on occasional secret assignments for government.
I Was a Communist for the FBI. 1952-1954. Dana Andrews. (See detailed discussion in "They Were Communists for the FBI" article posted at this website.)
Man Called X, The. 1944-1952. Herbert Marshall as Ken Thurston dealing with international intrigue. Leon Belasco was comic relief. (Also TV series--see directory of "Secret Agent Television Shows" posted at this website.)
Man from G-2, The. (AKA Major North, Army Intelligence). 1945-1946. Staats Cotswoorth. Based on character and short stories created by F. Van Wyck Mason.
Modern Adventures of Casanova, The. 1952. Errol Flynn as Christopher Casanova, working for Worldpol to live down the reputation of his famous ancestor.
Ned Jordon Spy Stories. (Mutual) 1938-1942. Jack McCarthy. Espionage on the railroad.
Secret Agent K-7. 1939. Unknown cast playing unknown agents for unspecified countries in 15 minute serial that preached evils of spying.
Secret Missions. 1948-1949. Based on a book of the same name by Rear Admiral Ellis N. Zacoriase who narrated the anthology series about adventures in Naval Intelligence. (An unrelated series with the same name was broadcast during the 1950s.)
Secret Service Spy Stories. (NBC) 1932-1933. Among the first network espionage series.
Spy at Large. (NBC) 1938. Writer, George Ludlam.
Spy Catcher. (BBC) 1960-1961. Based on the memoirs of Lt. Col. Oreste Pinto of Allied Counterintelligence Services.
Spy Secrets. (NBC) 1938. Producer, Himan Brown.
Stories of the Black Chamber. (NBC) 1935. Gale Gordon. Based on actual "Black Chamber" codebreakers headed by Herbert Yardley.
Tennessee Jed. (ABC) 1945-1947. Johnny Thomas. Children's serial set in Old West.
Third Man, The. 1951-1952. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Unrelated to film, Fairbanks was agent for Departments of Commerce, Immigration, Transportation, but mostly secret unnamed government agencies.
Time for Love. (CBS) 1953-54. Marlene Dietrich as singer/government agent for unspecified country. (see note 2 below)
Top Secret. (NBC) 1950. Hungarian actress Ilona Massey in very dark series set around WWII.
Transcontinental Murder Mystery. (Transcribed by Transco, syndicated, 1932). Irene Donley. (see note 3 below)
Stratosphere Murder Mystery, The. (Transcribed by Transco, syndicated, 1932). Irene Donley. (see note 3 below)
Wendy Warren and the News. (CBS) 1946-58. Unique blend of actual news with Douglas Edwards mixed with 7 minute adventures with Florence Freeman as Warren, reporter and detective. After 1949, Warren became involved with counter-espionage.
---
Alfred Hitchcock
There were to adaptations of novelist John Buchan's 1915 The 39 Steps including Orson Welles 1938 version for his Mercury Theatre. Welles claimed his adaptation
was truer to the book than Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 film version which was in turn adapted into a 1937 CBS "Lux Radio Theatre" broadcast starring Robert
Montgomery and Ida Lupino. A detailed discussion of this hour, and how it foreshadowed many espionage themes in films and literature, can be found in the first chapter of my Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction (Praeger Pub., 2005).
In 2002, "Radio Spirits" issued three CD sets featuring radio adaptations of Alfred Hitchcock films. One included the 39 Steps broadcast; another set included the January 26, 1948 "Lux Radio Theatre" adaptation of Hitchcock's 1946 film, Notorious. In that broadcast, Ingrid Bergman reprised her role from the film while Joseph Cotton played the part of Devlin, which had originally been played by Cary Grant. The third
CD set included the 30 minute July 24, 1946 House of Squib Academy Award adaptation of Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent, which had been filmed in 1940.
While the star of the film, Joel McCrea, had been scheduled to reprise his starring role from the film, Joseph Cotton stepped in at the last minute as
McCrea had other obligations that week.
Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes was adapted for the Philip Morris Playhouse in 1940 starring Errol Flynn.
--
Notes from Jack French's Private Eyelashes.
1. Helen Holden was one of the first daytime serials with a war theme. She was "sworn to protect the homeland against enemy infiltration and aggression and faithfully carried out her tasks." According to French, Helen was the second of only two official female government agents on radio, the first Kay Fields in Dan Dunn.
2. French described Dietrich's character, Dionne LaVolta, as "akin to that of Mrs. Emma Peel, the associate of John Steed in television's superb '60s series, The Avengers." Meaning she seemed to have hidden and unspecified authority from the government. Other sources aren't so certain, saying her wanderings across four continents were private journeys that happened to get linked with crimes.
3. The occupation of Irene Donley--who used her own name as character--in the two limited series listed above is uncertain. She seemed to be an independent operator who investigated national crimes and classified government cases. But when she was on a secret mission for the "War Department" in Chicago, news reporters were seeking interviews with the famous investigator.
For more articles on espionage in the media, check out
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
By Wesley Britton
“The stories in this book are told by a former member of the United States Secret Service known as K-7. His adventures in the air as well as on land and
sea in many countries is a thrilling document of the intrigue and espionage that exists among the nations of the world. Modesty compels the hero to disguise
himself under another name, K-7. But only the principal actors in such gripping dramas could report them in such detail.”
(From the 1940 novelization, Secret Agent K-7 [Adapted from the Radio Scripts by Gene Stafford. Akron, OH: Saalfield Pub])
While researching Spy Television (2004) and Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction (2005), I discovered just how important old-time radio dramas were on the formative years of film and TV spies. For example, not only were television series in the 1950s based on radio series, but pioneer producers and writers in the 1960s were often veterans of radio serials.
As spy radio shows are explored in depth in Chapters of both Spy Television and Beyond Bond, what is provided here is a short annotated list of these shows as no such list exists elsewhere. Details about networks, years of broadcast, and stars are provided when known. I've also added brief notes that are either mentions of other sources to consult or facts to provide some glimmer into what each show was about. For those seeking much more comprehensive information, I suggest consulting John Dunning's On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio (New York: Oxford UP) 1998.
While many of these shows are no longer available for listening, many others can be found through many sources. There's plenty of entertaining hours in OTR (Old Time Radio), so I hope this list will inspire newcomers to give these classic spies a try.
Note: Many World War II dramas, especially those broadcast after the war, were anthology shows with no recurring casts. Series listed below without cast names were likely in that category. It should be noted that, especially during World War II, many radio dramas took on spy trappings, particularly counter-espionage in the U.S. Such shows included Superman, The Shadow, and Sherlock Holmes. Many anthology series featured undercover stories such as Three Sheets to the Wind (NBC, 1950) featuring John Wayne as a drunken secret agent.
Many dramas and serials described as crime drama, mystery, or romance also included espionage elements. For example, Jack French's Private Eyelashes: Radio's Lady Detectives (2004) claimed to not discuss any lady spies, but that is only true if the definition excludes counter-intelligence agents or detectives who occasionally go on secret missions for the U.S. government. In many cases, especially regarding shows of the 1930s, content of many series is unclear as few or no tapes or scripts survive for examination.
A short discussion of Hitchcock radio dramas follows this directory. Notes and addendum will be added when new information crosses my desk. Please send corrections or additions to
spywise@verizon.net
"Black warfare. Espionage. International intrigue. These are the weapons of the OSS. Today's story . . . is suggested by actual incidents recorded in the Washington files of the Office of Strategic Services. A story that can now be told."
(Opening narration to radio drama, Cloak and Dagger, 1950)
A DIRECTORY OF RADIO SPY SHOWS
Armstrong of the S.B.I. 1950. Formerly Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy. For one season Jack was a counter-spy for the Scientific Bureau of Investigation.
Avengers, The. 1972. South African serial based on the TV program. Donald Monat, Diana Appleby. (See detailed review in "The Avengers on Radio" article posted at this website.)
Cloak and Dagger. 1950. Raymond Edward Johnson, Gilbert Mack. Behind the lines war operations loosely based on the book by Cory Ford and Alister McBain about Office of Strategic Services (OSS) missions.
Counterspy AKA David Harding, Counterspy. (NBC, CBS, Mutual, the Blue network)
1942-1957. Don MacLaughlin, Mandel Kramer battling Gestapo, Japanese, and criminals on American soil.
Dan Dunn, Secret Operative Number 48. (San Francisco) 1937. Lou Marcel. 15 min. serial. Featured character, Kay Fields, Secret Operative No. 185. Played by Lucille Meredith, 185 was the first female government agent on radio. Based on a comic strip, the show also inspired the first tie-in novels for young readers published by Big Little Books.
Dangerous Assignment. (NBC) 1948-1953. Brian Dunluvy as Steve Mitchell in fast-paced international stories. (Also a TV series--see "Secret Agent Television Shows" file at this website.)
Don Winslow of the Navy. 1937-1942. Raymond Edward Johnson. Children's serial with lead taking on enemy agents after Pearl Harbor.
Foreign Assignment. (Mutual) 1943-1944. Jay Jostyn, Vicki Vola. Created formula of reporters as spies fighting Gestapo.
Helen Holden, Government Girl. (Mutual) 1941. Nancy Boardway as agent in Washington DC. 15 minute serial aired six days a week. 300 episodes broadcast, none extant. (see note 1 below)
I Love Adventure. 1948. Spin-off of popular I Love a Mystery series. Jack Packard (Michael Laseto), formerly of American intelligence, went to London to work for the top secret "21 Old Men of 10 Gramercy Park" who met behind a large two-way mirror where Jack could hear but never see them. Jack was accompanied by his friends from I Love a Mystery, Reggie York (Tom Collins) and Doc Long (Barton Yarborough).
Intrigue. 1946. Anthology series with no recurring cast.
It's A Crime, Mr. Collins. 1956. Two cast, one U.S., one in Australia. In U.S., Mandall Kramer was Greg Collins, married to Jane, and pair went on occasional secret assignments for government.
I Was a Communist for the FBI. 1952-1954. Dana Andrews. (See detailed discussion in "They Were Communists for the FBI" article posted at this website.)
Man Called X, The. 1944-1952. Herbert Marshall as Ken Thurston dealing with international intrigue. Leon Belasco was comic relief. (Also TV series--see directory of "Secret Agent Television Shows" posted at this website.)
Man from G-2, The. (AKA Major North, Army Intelligence). 1945-1946. Staats Cotswoorth. Based on character and short stories created by F. Van Wyck Mason.
Modern Adventures of Casanova, The. 1952. Errol Flynn as Christopher Casanova, working for Worldpol to live down the reputation of his famous ancestor.
Ned Jordon Spy Stories. (Mutual) 1938-1942. Jack McCarthy. Espionage on the railroad.
Secret Agent K-7. 1939. Unknown cast playing unknown agents for unspecified countries in 15 minute serial that preached evils of spying.
Secret Missions. 1948-1949. Based on a book of the same name by Rear Admiral Ellis N. Zacoriase who narrated the anthology series about adventures in Naval Intelligence. (An unrelated series with the same name was broadcast during the 1950s.)
Secret Service Spy Stories. (NBC) 1932-1933. Among the first network espionage series.
Spy at Large. (NBC) 1938. Writer, George Ludlam.
Spy Catcher. (BBC) 1960-1961. Based on the memoirs of Lt. Col. Oreste Pinto of Allied Counterintelligence Services.
Spy Secrets. (NBC) 1938. Producer, Himan Brown.
Stories of the Black Chamber. (NBC) 1935. Gale Gordon. Based on actual "Black Chamber" codebreakers headed by Herbert Yardley.
Tennessee Jed. (ABC) 1945-1947. Johnny Thomas. Children's serial set in Old West.
Third Man, The. 1951-1952. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Unrelated to film, Fairbanks was agent for Departments of Commerce, Immigration, Transportation, but mostly secret unnamed government agencies.
Time for Love. (CBS) 1953-54. Marlene Dietrich as singer/government agent for unspecified country. (see note 2 below)
Top Secret. (NBC) 1950. Hungarian actress Ilona Massey in very dark series set around WWII.
Transcontinental Murder Mystery. (Transcribed by Transco, syndicated, 1932). Irene Donley. (see note 3 below)
Stratosphere Murder Mystery, The. (Transcribed by Transco, syndicated, 1932). Irene Donley. (see note 3 below)
Wendy Warren and the News. (CBS) 1946-58. Unique blend of actual news with Douglas Edwards mixed with 7 minute adventures with Florence Freeman as Warren, reporter and detective. After 1949, Warren became involved with counter-espionage.
---
Alfred Hitchcock
There were to adaptations of novelist John Buchan's 1915 The 39 Steps including Orson Welles 1938 version for his Mercury Theatre. Welles claimed his adaptation
was truer to the book than Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 film version which was in turn adapted into a 1937 CBS "Lux Radio Theatre" broadcast starring Robert
Montgomery and Ida Lupino. A detailed discussion of this hour, and how it foreshadowed many espionage themes in films and literature, can be found in the first chapter of my Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction (Praeger Pub., 2005).
In 2002, "Radio Spirits" issued three CD sets featuring radio adaptations of Alfred Hitchcock films. One included the 39 Steps broadcast; another set included the January 26, 1948 "Lux Radio Theatre" adaptation of Hitchcock's 1946 film, Notorious. In that broadcast, Ingrid Bergman reprised her role from the film while Joseph Cotton played the part of Devlin, which had originally been played by Cary Grant. The third
CD set included the 30 minute July 24, 1946 House of Squib Academy Award adaptation of Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent, which had been filmed in 1940.
While the star of the film, Joel McCrea, had been scheduled to reprise his starring role from the film, Joseph Cotton stepped in at the last minute as
McCrea had other obligations that week.
Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes was adapted for the Philip Morris Playhouse in 1940 starring Errol Flynn.
--
Notes from Jack French's Private Eyelashes.
1. Helen Holden was one of the first daytime serials with a war theme. She was "sworn to protect the homeland against enemy infiltration and aggression and faithfully carried out her tasks." According to French, Helen was the second of only two official female government agents on radio, the first Kay Fields in Dan Dunn.
2. French described Dietrich's character, Dionne LaVolta, as "akin to that of Mrs. Emma Peel, the associate of John Steed in television's superb '60s series, The Avengers." Meaning she seemed to have hidden and unspecified authority from the government. Other sources aren't so certain, saying her wanderings across four continents were private journeys that happened to get linked with crimes.
3. The occupation of Irene Donley--who used her own name as character--in the two limited series listed above is uncertain. She seemed to be an independent operator who investigated national crimes and classified government cases. But when she was on a secret mission for the "War Department" in Chicago, news reporters were seeking interviews with the famous investigator.
For more articles on espionage in the media, check out
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
Thursday, June 28, 2007
The Rogue Director: A Spy-ography of Fritz Lang
THE ROGUE DIRECTOR: a Spy-ography of Fritz Lang
By Wesley Britton
The history of movie spies is full of famous names, and not all belong to the stars that have fascinated us for generations. For but a few examples, Bond fans know well the names of Albert "Cubby" Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, the first producers who brought 007 to the screen. Bond directors like Guy Hamilton and Lewis Gilbert also put their stamps on the spy mythos in films with and without 007. In recent years, Philip Noyce looked to literature and directed such projects as Patriot Games, The Saint, and The Quiet American. Without question, no director in film history can claim more impact on the genre than Alfred Hitchcock who created more templates for espionage movies than anyone.
But, to be fair, Hitch wasn't the first to do so. (note 1) One director preceded, and influenced, Hitchcock and many other directors by making secret agent movies in the era of silent films before going on to make espionage projects through World War II and the dawn of the ‘60s spy renaissance. Before Ian Fleming was old enough to drink, this German director was seducing women by making special martinis for them. He was a movie-maker who carried his Browning revolver with him everywhere he went. On film sets, he used his gun to shoot live ammo into car wind-shields and doors over the heads of his running actors.
And, like real agents, this former World War I reconnaissance operations officer knew something about keeping secrets and creating "legends" for himself. It's certain a bullet from his Browning killed his first wife. But no one knows if it was suicide, a quarrel, or murder to this day. Did Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels frighten him into leaving Germany taking few possessions with him? So Fritz Lang claimed--but there's room for doubt. When he promoted his 1946 film, Cloak and Dagger, he claimed he'd volunteered to serve for the O.S.S. during World War II but was turned down for his age. Certainly, this was mere Hollywood publicity. So the resume' of Fritz Lang is worth some exploration, both for his film work and its connections to actual espionage.
WHEN SPIES WERE SILENT
Director of 50 films over 44 years, Fritz Lang was born in Vienna on December 3, 1890. According to biographer Patrick McGilligan, it was an unprecedented time of technical and scientific growth in the great Austrian capital. The then modern marvels Lang witnessed as a young child likely influenced his interest In futuristic technology which his films would predict like television -like devices, criminal, police, and spy gadgets, and rocketships (15).
One new technology that changed the life of Fritz Lang was the then new-fangled form of
entertainment--movies. Apparently, it was while he served the Austrian army during
World War I that he saw his first short films and began dreaming of his own stories. One
director with a major influence on Lang was Louis Feuillade who made films full of
secret societies, gambling clubs, trapdoors, peepholes, and heroic avengers.
(McGilligan 33). While its not known what specific films Lang saw, other fantastic efforts
of the era demonstrating popular interest in science-fiction and mysterious characters
included The Black Box (1915) in which a detective invented a device allowing
him to see who is calling him on the telephone. The Secret of the Submarine (1916)
showed the hero and heroine cheating the Japanese out of a device that could extract
oxygen out of water (Baxter 70).
In this milieu, Lang followed current trends and made Die Spinnen (The Spiders) in 1919, an elaborate adventure featuring a sportsman explorer (Carl de Dogt.)
He had the finest wines at his disposal while fighting the secret organization, “The Spiders." Trying to steal lost Inca gold, they left tarantulas behind as calling cards. Like the popular "Clubland" novels of the period (which included John Buchan's The 39 Steps also in 1919), this film showcased sports clubs, hypnotism, cliffhangers, and underground tunnels. In one reviewer’s opinion, the serial “displays its folding mirrors, peepholes and spyglasses as the tools-of-trade of femme fatale Lio-Sha . . . It is as if Lang had decided to let the whole tragedy hinge on a trick taken straight out of Georges Méliès' box of movie magic, but played out on a stage that foreshadows the looking-glass worlds of . . . John Le Carré's Cold War double crosses." (“Fritz Lang”)
Doktor Mabuse and Spione
None of these early films, of course, were intended to be great art but rather visualized fantasies to bring in the viewing public. Another example of such fare was Lang's four-hour 1922 Doktor Mabuse, der Spieler (Dr. Mabuse, The Gambler), his adaptation of Norbot Jacques' 1921 novel. As the title implied, the story involved a Gambler who was a master criminal with a gang of terrorists stealing state secrets. Typical of stories of the period, the plot included an assassination of a courier and victims were hypnotized into overextending themselves at the gambling tables (McGilligan 82). (note 2) According to an unsigned critic at Sight and Sound:
“Doktor Mabuse was Lang's breakthrough film in Germany, as well as an early example of a marketing ploy in which the serialised novel and the film became each other's mutual selling points. Announcing itself in its title as a `portrait of its time’ (part one: The Gambler) and `of its men and women (part two: The Inferno)’ it was loosely based on motifs from Norbert Jacques' tabloid opus, peppered up with topical material by Lang and his then wife, the successful novelist and Germany's top screenwriter Thea von Harbou. The four-hour film starts at a furious pace, with a meticulously timed train robbery leading to a stock-exchange fraud. It then concentrates on Mabuse hypnotising a young American industrialist into running up large debts at gambling, after which the master criminal wins the favours of an aristocratic lady, drives her husband to suicide and eventually kidnaps her. Time and again outwitting the public prosecutor by a mixture of brutality, practical jokes and agent provocateur demagoguery, Mabuse is finally cornered in his secret hideout and either goes mad or feigns insanity when he is finally captured.” (“Fritz Lang”)
Spione
But Fritz Lang grew beyond these early endeavors. In a number of ways, Lang’s Spione (Spies, 1928) can be considered the first significant spy film ever made. Still highly regarded as a silent film classic, Spione was filmed in 15 weeks between 1927 and 1928 after Lang formed his own company to have control over every creative aspect of his project. Based on a von Harbou novel, Spione was a movie built around Lang's leading lady, Gerda Maurus, an actress Lang was in love with so she enjoyed warm and romantic photographic work. Maurus played a superspy named Sonja assigned to track and destroy opposing Agent No. 326 (Willie Fritsch). He's the good guy, she was manipulated by an arch-sinister financial wizard wanting to rule the world. In the book, the heroic agent only had a number--a common device for decades--but was given the name Tremaine for the film. Again, like "Clubland" heroes in British literature, Tremaine lived alone in one of the best hotels in Europe. He loved boxing, has a manservant, and drove a handsome car. Clearly, he would have been comfortable sharing an evening with his descendent, James Bond.
The villain of Spione, Haeha (Rudolf Klein-Rogge), also had typical characteristics and foreshadowed future adversaries during the Cold War. A master of disguises, he looked something like Soviet leader Vladimer Lenin. He had a city within a city with a network of secret passages. (haeha was based on an actual Russian spymaster who gave information to Russia at the beginning of WW I.) Of course, the agents who defeat him fall in love. Critics of the day said the movie was full of flashy effects, but was a noticeable step ahead of Lang's earlier juvenile adventures. In retrospect, Lang had also created a formula that would be repeated in many ways for decades.
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse (The Testament of Dr. Mabuse, 1933) was Fritz Lang's Final Film Before Fleeing Germany. Again based on a Norbert Jacques novel, the plot involved a Berlin police inspector investigating a case in which all clues lead to a man who's in a mental hospital, the infamous Dr. Mabuse (Rudolf Klein-Rogge). For some critics, the movie reflected continuing themes in Lang’s social vision. “. . . Lang's Mabuse films are indeed essays on the social symbolic represented by the new technologies of surveillance as dissembling machines at once fascinating and frightening . . . The social dimension emerges at the very beginning of the sound-film period Lang singles out the human voice via loudspeaker and gramophone to demonstrate
how readily it lends itself to the manipulation of presence (a dummy Mabuse, wired up to perform sinister deeds of simulated authority, issues commands
and bellows instructions, intimidating his gang into believing him to be the more powerful for being heard but not seen).” (“Fritz Lang”)
In the view of Lang himself, the film was an intentional commentary on the rise of Nazism. He claimed, "I have been able to put into the mouth of an insane criminal all the Nazi slogans. When the picture was finished, some henchmen of Dr. Goebbels came to the office and threatened to forbid it." He was summoned to Goebbel's office where The Nazi Minister of Propaganda wanted the ending changed. According to Lang, he wanted the doctor destroyed by the people. Goebbels told Lang Hitler had seen the film and wanted the director to supervise Nazi films for the Fuhrer (Sarris 312). While some doubt much of this story, it's certain Lang fled to America as he considered that meeting his last opportunity. Hitler's government censored the film and the production was not seen in its full form in Germany until many years later.
LANG IN HOLLYWOOD
In 1934, Lang made his first connections with Hollywood and began writing scenarios for MGM. His first concept was a script called "Tomorrow" which would have been about an out-of-work man who goes on a steamer thinking he's transporting pianos and musical instruments. Instead, he discovered the ship is run by global arms merchants selling machineguns and rifles. The story involved a Russian secret agent and an all-powerful organization, "the Asian Committee." But American producer David O. Selznick never took interest in the project, so the film never came to fruition (McGilligan 199).
But Lang wasn't done with espionage. In 1937, Lang considered another project titled Man Without a Country which would have involved an international espionage organization stealing secrets from American factories and government centers. A government clerk would have stopped the villainy assisted by a female secret agent protecting secret weapon "W222." Another futuristic comic-book, this project too was never completed (McGilligan 250). However, the scenario helped the director get a contract with Paramount Studios. At the time, his agent was Charles Feldman, later the producer who created the comic 1967 Casino Royale.
Manhunt
When Lang next took on a secret agent project, it was another film of special interest. After a series of Westerns, Lang turned to a project rejected by fellow director, John Ford. Manhunt (1941) was an adaptation of the 1938 Geoffrey Household classic novel, The Rogue Male, a significant book of the period. As reported in my Beyond Bond:
"Another writer to see his works adapted for popular media was Geoffrey Household whose Rogue Male (1938) was filmed, broadcast as a radio drama, and subject of a praised BBC film in 1976. Cited by Lars Sauerberg as an example of a hero seeking personal vengeance before turning professional, the plot involved an Englishmen, Sir Robert Hunter, ultimately given a one-man spy mission to hunt down and kill a dictator Thinly disguised for Adolf Hitler (1984 8). Later, the story was rumored to be the basis for an actual attempt to kill the Fuhrer (McCormick 1977 101) . . . According to Andrew Lycett, before The Rogue Male became something of a sensation, Ian Fleming liked Household's first novel, The Third Hour (1937). He sent at least six copies to friends (1995 86)." (note 3)
At the time, The Rogue Male was an example of speculative fiction about an Englishman who, for the sport of it, tries to shoot a clear literary version of Hitler. After capture and torture by the Nazis, he escapes to England where the tables are turned and he's the hunted prey. The Nazis want to exploit his assassination attempt to help justify their coming invasion of Great Britain (McGilligan 275). The well regarded film adaptation starred Walter Pidgeon, John Huston, and Joan Bennett as the Cockney prostitute who is the hunted man's only ally, although in the film she was toned down into a seamstress pretending to be a whore.
Despite the success of Manhunt, it would be some time before Lang was given another spy project. It was after his quasi-espionage The Hangmen Also Dies (1943) that Lang was assigned novelist Graham Greene's Ministry of Fear (book, 1943; film, 1944). This was marginally a Lang film as his input into the script was minimal. He also had little choice in casting. Ray Mailland was the man who escaped an insane asylum to encounter a group of dowager Nazi sympathizers. The very miscast Marjorie Reynolds was the innocent whose brother was a Nazi spy. The project was said to be a deliberate attempt to be Hitchcockian, but neither Greene nor Lang liked the final result (McGilligan 306).
Cloak and Dagger
Lang's next contribution to the spy genre was Cloak and Dagger (1946), a rushed attempt to get in a wartime film before the end, a movie also rushed to be the first film to capitalize on the reputation of the O.S.S. The film was loosely based on a book by Corey Ford and Alastair Macbain, the print version essentially a series of vignettes looking inside "Wild Bill Donovan's organization without a linking storyline. Lang's incarnation used several settings by having Albert Jasper (Gary Cooper) pulled into spycraft in the states before bumbling into secret service in Switzerland and Italy. Oddly, Cooper wanted to be believable as an atomic physicist, so he asked for simple lines because he couldn't be convincing if he had to say anything complicated. This casting was a bit of a stretch as were Jasper's moves from the Manhattan Project into dirty blackmail of a Nazi agent and finally into the love story with an Italian courier he hid out with for half the film. Secret door knocks and codes were added to add spy trappings in between the expositions explaining what the O.S.S. was, the nature of atomic science, and the motives of the various reluctant patriots. The enemy included Gestapo agents who know Jasper must be American because he likes dry martinis.
For the project, actual O.S.S. agents were brought in as advisors. Michael Burke, former OSS officer, had helped smuggle a anti-Nazi admiral out of Italy. Burke and fellow veteran Andreas Diamond met with Lang at his home where they discussed killing with bare hands. One evening, the former agents rolled around on Lang's floor as he tried to envision fights for the film (McGilligan 333-334). Also involved were notable scriptwriter, Ring Lardner, Jr., and actress Lili Palmer, who was cast as Gina, the heroic Italian who falls for Jasper.
Several endings were proposed for the film. In one, Cooper died from a heart attack from the stress of the mission. This was rejected--not a typical Hollywood happy ending. So a new scene was shot of an escape with an elderly scientist. Then, Lang wanted a coda showing Cooper going back to blow up the Nazi atomic bomb stash despite being told the Nazis didn't have such bombs. In the end, Cloak and Dagger wasn't a classic film, but rather an artifact of a time when one war was winding down and the nuclear age was just beginning.
However, it did have scenes foreshadowing the future. Jasper was called into duty when agents found information no one could understand--the O.S.S. learned it needed analysts to make the intelligence useful. Ethics explored in later Cold War dramas appeared in an early speech by Cooper, decrying the quick resources made available for bombs but not cures for cancer and tuberculosis.
Return of Dr. Mabuse
In his later years, Lang's connections with espionage were both limited and real. During the McCarthy era, like many in Hollywood, he endured FBI surveillance. They discovered, no secret at all, that he had a vile temper, screamed at co-workers, and broke things. But he was no Commie. Lang did have a few spy projects he wanted to film. "She Speaks LB2" was an idea about a whimsical spy stunt film with a mysterious voice making radio broadcasts claiming to be Hitler. Then, Lang wanted to do a Revolutionary War story about American spy Nathan Hale (McGilligan 410). But such stories were not to be.
According to Fritz Lang, the director had wanted his 1933 The Testament of Dr. Mabuse to be his final use of the character, but he was talked into one more story about a similar criminal twenty or thirty years later. The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse (1960) interested him as he wanted to use new film techniques and say new things about the times. After the atomic bomb, civilization could be destroyed and, in the rubble, a new realm of crime could be built up (Sarris 310). In this film, “it is through the array of television screens, video monitors and other surveillance devices that Lang presses home the notion of a
looking-glass world in which sight is not only the sense most easily deceived, but also the one most easily seduced." (“Fritz Lang”)
Starring Dawn Addams, Peter van Eyck, Gert Fröbe, and Wolfgang Preiss, this time Dr
Mabuse is running his criminal empire from the Hotel Luxor. His face is unseen as he gives orders leading to the takeover of a corporate empire using murder and blackmail. While most viewers saw the project as mere campy entertainment--it earned bad reviews and closed after ten days in the West End--critics have given the film special attention as it was Lang's swan song. From the opening shots of the film, in Paul Sarris's view, the "plain absurdity, and weird complexity are revealed" (310) As with the later Bond films and the sci-flavored technology they inspired in countless imitations, the mechanical devices show the omnipotence of the evil doctor, especially his surveillance gizmos allowing him to watch his prey. He had seemingly overriding power including TV cameras in every room in the hotel, and can thus regulate as well as survey movement (311). But, as with Bond, this power turned out to be illusory--one good man can overcome a fiend. Still, producers wanted more Mabuse films but Lang declined to participate. A new series using much of the same cast began, a subject for another time. (note 5)
LEGACY
If Fritz Lang had only directed Spione, his place in the espionage genre would remain important and trend-setting. Like novelist John Buchan, whose The 39 Steps is pointed to as the first modern spy novel despite there being many fictional espionage books before it, Lang's silent classic both pulled together elements popular at the time and established formulas that were inherent in later endeavors. None of the short silents before it can be considered, or were intended to be, major films that viewers today would recognize as part of the "secret agent" tradition, for lack of a better term. Still, as in non-spy films like Woman in the Moon, Lang “invented the countdown when trying to figure out how to create a sense of suspense around the launch. (Which means, the frequent countdowns in Bond pictures can be traced to Lang.)” (“Fritz Lang”)
Manhunt should be remembered as more than one adaptation of one of the landmark literary classics of the genre. Perhaps the book and film were not as trend-setting as some have claimed (the device of a hunter becoming the hunted can, again, be traced to Buchan's The 39 Steps), but both have been pointed to as inspirations for later projects. For but a few examples, Gavin Lyle's The Most Dangerous Game (1964) and Desmond Blakley's Running Blind (1970) have been cited as logical descendents of The Rogue Male (Lindner 61). Manhunt, too, can be seen as a neglected classic worthy of new interest.
On its own, Cloak and Dagger is perhaps of mere historical interest. (Ironically, its one of a handful of spy videos on sale at the International Spy Museum.) As noted above, it was part of a trend at the end of World War II when films about the O.S.S. were a popular sub-genre before the shift towards Cold War efforts in which Reds replaced the Nazis as big-screen bad guys. Like Hitchcock's Notorious, Lang's spy film can also be seen as a harbinger of things to come as fears of the atomic age would dominate more and more of public consciousness. So, from first to last, Fritz Lang can be seen as a filmmaker who looked to the future and helped contribute to one important aspect of the best of spy fiction--speculating about what might be.
Notes
1. For an analysis of Hitchcock’s spy films, see “Killers, Traitors, and 007: The Influences on and Failures of Alfred Hitchcock” also posted at this website.
2. When Kino released the DVD version of Doktor Mabuse: The Gambler in 2006, Sound and Vision rated this release with 3 1/2 bullets (out of a possible 5 )saying the film "personified the decadence of post World War I Berlin and the nefarious villain is a triumph expressionist set design, art direction, camera work, and lighting." The transfer, made from 3 existing 35 millimeter prints, is described as "remarkably seamless in its reconstruction of the films nearly 4 hour running time."
3. See Britton, Wesley. Spies in Film and Fiction. Westport, CT: Praeger Pub, 2005.
4. Other films which included participation of the Office of Strategic Services included 1946's O.S.S. starring Alan Ladd and Geraldine Fitzgerald. In the same year, the O.S.S. also provided realism by providing actual footage for 13 Rue Madeleine, a film starring James Cagney leading a group of French fighters battling the Gestapo in Paris. Both films are discussed in detail in my Beyond Bond.
5. A short discussion of the non-Lang Mabuse films is in “NEGLECTED NUGGETS AND OBSCURE CLASSICS: COLLECTING RARE SPY FILMS” also posted at this website.
Works Cited
Baxter, John. Science Fiction in the Cinema: A Complete Critical Review of SF Films from A Trip to the Moon (1902) to 2001: A Space Odyssey. New York: Paperback Library. 1970.
“Fritz Lang: The Illusion of Mastery." www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/feature/43 - 47k -
(Accessed June 2005; article is no longer accessible)
Linder, Christoph. The James Bond Phenomenon: A Critical Reader.
Manchester: Manchester UP. 2003.
Lycett, Andrew. Ian Fleming: The Man Behind James Bond. Atlanta: Turner Pub. Inc. 1995.
McCormick, Donald. Who's Who in Spy Fiction. New York: Taplinger. 1977.
McGilligan, Patrick. Fritz Lang: The Nature of the Beast.
New York: St. Martins. 1997.
Sarris, Andrew. Interviews with Film Directors. New York: Avon Books. 1969.
Sauerberg, Lars. Secret Agents in Fiction: Ian Fleming, John Le Carre, and Len Deighton. New York: St. Martins. 1984.
ROther articles on film espionage can be found at
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
By Wesley Britton
The history of movie spies is full of famous names, and not all belong to the stars that have fascinated us for generations. For but a few examples, Bond fans know well the names of Albert "Cubby" Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, the first producers who brought 007 to the screen. Bond directors like Guy Hamilton and Lewis Gilbert also put their stamps on the spy mythos in films with and without 007. In recent years, Philip Noyce looked to literature and directed such projects as Patriot Games, The Saint, and The Quiet American. Without question, no director in film history can claim more impact on the genre than Alfred Hitchcock who created more templates for espionage movies than anyone.
But, to be fair, Hitch wasn't the first to do so. (note 1) One director preceded, and influenced, Hitchcock and many other directors by making secret agent movies in the era of silent films before going on to make espionage projects through World War II and the dawn of the ‘60s spy renaissance. Before Ian Fleming was old enough to drink, this German director was seducing women by making special martinis for them. He was a movie-maker who carried his Browning revolver with him everywhere he went. On film sets, he used his gun to shoot live ammo into car wind-shields and doors over the heads of his running actors.
And, like real agents, this former World War I reconnaissance operations officer knew something about keeping secrets and creating "legends" for himself. It's certain a bullet from his Browning killed his first wife. But no one knows if it was suicide, a quarrel, or murder to this day. Did Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels frighten him into leaving Germany taking few possessions with him? So Fritz Lang claimed--but there's room for doubt. When he promoted his 1946 film, Cloak and Dagger, he claimed he'd volunteered to serve for the O.S.S. during World War II but was turned down for his age. Certainly, this was mere Hollywood publicity. So the resume' of Fritz Lang is worth some exploration, both for his film work and its connections to actual espionage.
WHEN SPIES WERE SILENT
Director of 50 films over 44 years, Fritz Lang was born in Vienna on December 3, 1890. According to biographer Patrick McGilligan, it was an unprecedented time of technical and scientific growth in the great Austrian capital. The then modern marvels Lang witnessed as a young child likely influenced his interest In futuristic technology which his films would predict like television -like devices, criminal, police, and spy gadgets, and rocketships (15).
One new technology that changed the life of Fritz Lang was the then new-fangled form of
entertainment--movies. Apparently, it was while he served the Austrian army during
World War I that he saw his first short films and began dreaming of his own stories. One
director with a major influence on Lang was Louis Feuillade who made films full of
secret societies, gambling clubs, trapdoors, peepholes, and heroic avengers.
(McGilligan 33). While its not known what specific films Lang saw, other fantastic efforts
of the era demonstrating popular interest in science-fiction and mysterious characters
included The Black Box (1915) in which a detective invented a device allowing
him to see who is calling him on the telephone. The Secret of the Submarine (1916)
showed the hero and heroine cheating the Japanese out of a device that could extract
oxygen out of water (Baxter 70).
In this milieu, Lang followed current trends and made Die Spinnen (The Spiders) in 1919, an elaborate adventure featuring a sportsman explorer (Carl de Dogt.)
He had the finest wines at his disposal while fighting the secret organization, “The Spiders." Trying to steal lost Inca gold, they left tarantulas behind as calling cards. Like the popular "Clubland" novels of the period (which included John Buchan's The 39 Steps also in 1919), this film showcased sports clubs, hypnotism, cliffhangers, and underground tunnels. In one reviewer’s opinion, the serial “displays its folding mirrors, peepholes and spyglasses as the tools-of-trade of femme fatale Lio-Sha . . . It is as if Lang had decided to let the whole tragedy hinge on a trick taken straight out of Georges Méliès' box of movie magic, but played out on a stage that foreshadows the looking-glass worlds of . . . John Le Carré's Cold War double crosses." (“Fritz Lang”)
Doktor Mabuse and Spione
None of these early films, of course, were intended to be great art but rather visualized fantasies to bring in the viewing public. Another example of such fare was Lang's four-hour 1922 Doktor Mabuse, der Spieler (Dr. Mabuse, The Gambler), his adaptation of Norbot Jacques' 1921 novel. As the title implied, the story involved a Gambler who was a master criminal with a gang of terrorists stealing state secrets. Typical of stories of the period, the plot included an assassination of a courier and victims were hypnotized into overextending themselves at the gambling tables (McGilligan 82). (note 2) According to an unsigned critic at Sight and Sound:
“Doktor Mabuse was Lang's breakthrough film in Germany, as well as an early example of a marketing ploy in which the serialised novel and the film became each other's mutual selling points. Announcing itself in its title as a `portrait of its time’ (part one: The Gambler) and `of its men and women (part two: The Inferno)’ it was loosely based on motifs from Norbert Jacques' tabloid opus, peppered up with topical material by Lang and his then wife, the successful novelist and Germany's top screenwriter Thea von Harbou. The four-hour film starts at a furious pace, with a meticulously timed train robbery leading to a stock-exchange fraud. It then concentrates on Mabuse hypnotising a young American industrialist into running up large debts at gambling, after which the master criminal wins the favours of an aristocratic lady, drives her husband to suicide and eventually kidnaps her. Time and again outwitting the public prosecutor by a mixture of brutality, practical jokes and agent provocateur demagoguery, Mabuse is finally cornered in his secret hideout and either goes mad or feigns insanity when he is finally captured.” (“Fritz Lang”)
Spione
But Fritz Lang grew beyond these early endeavors. In a number of ways, Lang’s Spione (Spies, 1928) can be considered the first significant spy film ever made. Still highly regarded as a silent film classic, Spione was filmed in 15 weeks between 1927 and 1928 after Lang formed his own company to have control over every creative aspect of his project. Based on a von Harbou novel, Spione was a movie built around Lang's leading lady, Gerda Maurus, an actress Lang was in love with so she enjoyed warm and romantic photographic work. Maurus played a superspy named Sonja assigned to track and destroy opposing Agent No. 326 (Willie Fritsch). He's the good guy, she was manipulated by an arch-sinister financial wizard wanting to rule the world. In the book, the heroic agent only had a number--a common device for decades--but was given the name Tremaine for the film. Again, like "Clubland" heroes in British literature, Tremaine lived alone in one of the best hotels in Europe. He loved boxing, has a manservant, and drove a handsome car. Clearly, he would have been comfortable sharing an evening with his descendent, James Bond.
The villain of Spione, Haeha (Rudolf Klein-Rogge), also had typical characteristics and foreshadowed future adversaries during the Cold War. A master of disguises, he looked something like Soviet leader Vladimer Lenin. He had a city within a city with a network of secret passages. (haeha was based on an actual Russian spymaster who gave information to Russia at the beginning of WW I.) Of course, the agents who defeat him fall in love. Critics of the day said the movie was full of flashy effects, but was a noticeable step ahead of Lang's earlier juvenile adventures. In retrospect, Lang had also created a formula that would be repeated in many ways for decades.
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse (The Testament of Dr. Mabuse, 1933) was Fritz Lang's Final Film Before Fleeing Germany. Again based on a Norbert Jacques novel, the plot involved a Berlin police inspector investigating a case in which all clues lead to a man who's in a mental hospital, the infamous Dr. Mabuse (Rudolf Klein-Rogge). For some critics, the movie reflected continuing themes in Lang’s social vision. “. . . Lang's Mabuse films are indeed essays on the social symbolic represented by the new technologies of surveillance as dissembling machines at once fascinating and frightening . . . The social dimension emerges at the very beginning of the sound-film period Lang singles out the human voice via loudspeaker and gramophone to demonstrate
how readily it lends itself to the manipulation of presence (a dummy Mabuse, wired up to perform sinister deeds of simulated authority, issues commands
and bellows instructions, intimidating his gang into believing him to be the more powerful for being heard but not seen).” (“Fritz Lang”)
In the view of Lang himself, the film was an intentional commentary on the rise of Nazism. He claimed, "I have been able to put into the mouth of an insane criminal all the Nazi slogans. When the picture was finished, some henchmen of Dr. Goebbels came to the office and threatened to forbid it." He was summoned to Goebbel's office where The Nazi Minister of Propaganda wanted the ending changed. According to Lang, he wanted the doctor destroyed by the people. Goebbels told Lang Hitler had seen the film and wanted the director to supervise Nazi films for the Fuhrer (Sarris 312). While some doubt much of this story, it's certain Lang fled to America as he considered that meeting his last opportunity. Hitler's government censored the film and the production was not seen in its full form in Germany until many years later.
LANG IN HOLLYWOOD
In 1934, Lang made his first connections with Hollywood and began writing scenarios for MGM. His first concept was a script called "Tomorrow" which would have been about an out-of-work man who goes on a steamer thinking he's transporting pianos and musical instruments. Instead, he discovered the ship is run by global arms merchants selling machineguns and rifles. The story involved a Russian secret agent and an all-powerful organization, "the Asian Committee." But American producer David O. Selznick never took interest in the project, so the film never came to fruition (McGilligan 199).
But Lang wasn't done with espionage. In 1937, Lang considered another project titled Man Without a Country which would have involved an international espionage organization stealing secrets from American factories and government centers. A government clerk would have stopped the villainy assisted by a female secret agent protecting secret weapon "W222." Another futuristic comic-book, this project too was never completed (McGilligan 250). However, the scenario helped the director get a contract with Paramount Studios. At the time, his agent was Charles Feldman, later the producer who created the comic 1967 Casino Royale.
Manhunt
When Lang next took on a secret agent project, it was another film of special interest. After a series of Westerns, Lang turned to a project rejected by fellow director, John Ford. Manhunt (1941) was an adaptation of the 1938 Geoffrey Household classic novel, The Rogue Male, a significant book of the period. As reported in my Beyond Bond:
"Another writer to see his works adapted for popular media was Geoffrey Household whose Rogue Male (1938) was filmed, broadcast as a radio drama, and subject of a praised BBC film in 1976. Cited by Lars Sauerberg as an example of a hero seeking personal vengeance before turning professional, the plot involved an Englishmen, Sir Robert Hunter, ultimately given a one-man spy mission to hunt down and kill a dictator Thinly disguised for Adolf Hitler (1984 8). Later, the story was rumored to be the basis for an actual attempt to kill the Fuhrer (McCormick 1977 101) . . . According to Andrew Lycett, before The Rogue Male became something of a sensation, Ian Fleming liked Household's first novel, The Third Hour (1937). He sent at least six copies to friends (1995 86)." (note 3)
At the time, The Rogue Male was an example of speculative fiction about an Englishman who, for the sport of it, tries to shoot a clear literary version of Hitler. After capture and torture by the Nazis, he escapes to England where the tables are turned and he's the hunted prey. The Nazis want to exploit his assassination attempt to help justify their coming invasion of Great Britain (McGilligan 275). The well regarded film adaptation starred Walter Pidgeon, John Huston, and Joan Bennett as the Cockney prostitute who is the hunted man's only ally, although in the film she was toned down into a seamstress pretending to be a whore.
Despite the success of Manhunt, it would be some time before Lang was given another spy project. It was after his quasi-espionage The Hangmen Also Dies (1943) that Lang was assigned novelist Graham Greene's Ministry of Fear (book, 1943; film, 1944). This was marginally a Lang film as his input into the script was minimal. He also had little choice in casting. Ray Mailland was the man who escaped an insane asylum to encounter a group of dowager Nazi sympathizers. The very miscast Marjorie Reynolds was the innocent whose brother was a Nazi spy. The project was said to be a deliberate attempt to be Hitchcockian, but neither Greene nor Lang liked the final result (McGilligan 306).
Cloak and Dagger
Lang's next contribution to the spy genre was Cloak and Dagger (1946), a rushed attempt to get in a wartime film before the end, a movie also rushed to be the first film to capitalize on the reputation of the O.S.S. The film was loosely based on a book by Corey Ford and Alastair Macbain, the print version essentially a series of vignettes looking inside "Wild Bill Donovan's organization without a linking storyline. Lang's incarnation used several settings by having Albert Jasper (Gary Cooper) pulled into spycraft in the states before bumbling into secret service in Switzerland and Italy. Oddly, Cooper wanted to be believable as an atomic physicist, so he asked for simple lines because he couldn't be convincing if he had to say anything complicated. This casting was a bit of a stretch as were Jasper's moves from the Manhattan Project into dirty blackmail of a Nazi agent and finally into the love story with an Italian courier he hid out with for half the film. Secret door knocks and codes were added to add spy trappings in between the expositions explaining what the O.S.S. was, the nature of atomic science, and the motives of the various reluctant patriots. The enemy included Gestapo agents who know Jasper must be American because he likes dry martinis.
For the project, actual O.S.S. agents were brought in as advisors. Michael Burke, former OSS officer, had helped smuggle a anti-Nazi admiral out of Italy. Burke and fellow veteran Andreas Diamond met with Lang at his home where they discussed killing with bare hands. One evening, the former agents rolled around on Lang's floor as he tried to envision fights for the film (McGilligan 333-334). Also involved were notable scriptwriter, Ring Lardner, Jr., and actress Lili Palmer, who was cast as Gina, the heroic Italian who falls for Jasper.
Several endings were proposed for the film. In one, Cooper died from a heart attack from the stress of the mission. This was rejected--not a typical Hollywood happy ending. So a new scene was shot of an escape with an elderly scientist. Then, Lang wanted a coda showing Cooper going back to blow up the Nazi atomic bomb stash despite being told the Nazis didn't have such bombs. In the end, Cloak and Dagger wasn't a classic film, but rather an artifact of a time when one war was winding down and the nuclear age was just beginning.
However, it did have scenes foreshadowing the future. Jasper was called into duty when agents found information no one could understand--the O.S.S. learned it needed analysts to make the intelligence useful. Ethics explored in later Cold War dramas appeared in an early speech by Cooper, decrying the quick resources made available for bombs but not cures for cancer and tuberculosis.
Return of Dr. Mabuse
In his later years, Lang's connections with espionage were both limited and real. During the McCarthy era, like many in Hollywood, he endured FBI surveillance. They discovered, no secret at all, that he had a vile temper, screamed at co-workers, and broke things. But he was no Commie. Lang did have a few spy projects he wanted to film. "She Speaks LB2" was an idea about a whimsical spy stunt film with a mysterious voice making radio broadcasts claiming to be Hitler. Then, Lang wanted to do a Revolutionary War story about American spy Nathan Hale (McGilligan 410). But such stories were not to be.
According to Fritz Lang, the director had wanted his 1933 The Testament of Dr. Mabuse to be his final use of the character, but he was talked into one more story about a similar criminal twenty or thirty years later. The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse (1960) interested him as he wanted to use new film techniques and say new things about the times. After the atomic bomb, civilization could be destroyed and, in the rubble, a new realm of crime could be built up (Sarris 310). In this film, “it is through the array of television screens, video monitors and other surveillance devices that Lang presses home the notion of a
looking-glass world in which sight is not only the sense most easily deceived, but also the one most easily seduced." (“Fritz Lang”)
Starring Dawn Addams, Peter van Eyck, Gert Fröbe, and Wolfgang Preiss, this time Dr
Mabuse is running his criminal empire from the Hotel Luxor. His face is unseen as he gives orders leading to the takeover of a corporate empire using murder and blackmail. While most viewers saw the project as mere campy entertainment--it earned bad reviews and closed after ten days in the West End--critics have given the film special attention as it was Lang's swan song. From the opening shots of the film, in Paul Sarris's view, the "plain absurdity, and weird complexity are revealed" (310) As with the later Bond films and the sci-flavored technology they inspired in countless imitations, the mechanical devices show the omnipotence of the evil doctor, especially his surveillance gizmos allowing him to watch his prey. He had seemingly overriding power including TV cameras in every room in the hotel, and can thus regulate as well as survey movement (311). But, as with Bond, this power turned out to be illusory--one good man can overcome a fiend. Still, producers wanted more Mabuse films but Lang declined to participate. A new series using much of the same cast began, a subject for another time. (note 5)
LEGACY
If Fritz Lang had only directed Spione, his place in the espionage genre would remain important and trend-setting. Like novelist John Buchan, whose The 39 Steps is pointed to as the first modern spy novel despite there being many fictional espionage books before it, Lang's silent classic both pulled together elements popular at the time and established formulas that were inherent in later endeavors. None of the short silents before it can be considered, or were intended to be, major films that viewers today would recognize as part of the "secret agent" tradition, for lack of a better term. Still, as in non-spy films like Woman in the Moon, Lang “invented the countdown when trying to figure out how to create a sense of suspense around the launch. (Which means, the frequent countdowns in Bond pictures can be traced to Lang.)” (“Fritz Lang”)
Manhunt should be remembered as more than one adaptation of one of the landmark literary classics of the genre. Perhaps the book and film were not as trend-setting as some have claimed (the device of a hunter becoming the hunted can, again, be traced to Buchan's The 39 Steps), but both have been pointed to as inspirations for later projects. For but a few examples, Gavin Lyle's The Most Dangerous Game (1964) and Desmond Blakley's Running Blind (1970) have been cited as logical descendents of The Rogue Male (Lindner 61). Manhunt, too, can be seen as a neglected classic worthy of new interest.
On its own, Cloak and Dagger is perhaps of mere historical interest. (Ironically, its one of a handful of spy videos on sale at the International Spy Museum.) As noted above, it was part of a trend at the end of World War II when films about the O.S.S. were a popular sub-genre before the shift towards Cold War efforts in which Reds replaced the Nazis as big-screen bad guys. Like Hitchcock's Notorious, Lang's spy film can also be seen as a harbinger of things to come as fears of the atomic age would dominate more and more of public consciousness. So, from first to last, Fritz Lang can be seen as a filmmaker who looked to the future and helped contribute to one important aspect of the best of spy fiction--speculating about what might be.
Notes
1. For an analysis of Hitchcock’s spy films, see “Killers, Traitors, and 007: The Influences on and Failures of Alfred Hitchcock” also posted at this website.
2. When Kino released the DVD version of Doktor Mabuse: The Gambler in 2006, Sound and Vision rated this release with 3 1/2 bullets (out of a possible 5 )saying the film "personified the decadence of post World War I Berlin and the nefarious villain is a triumph expressionist set design, art direction, camera work, and lighting." The transfer, made from 3 existing 35 millimeter prints, is described as "remarkably seamless in its reconstruction of the films nearly 4 hour running time."
3. See Britton, Wesley. Spies in Film and Fiction. Westport, CT: Praeger Pub, 2005.
4. Other films which included participation of the Office of Strategic Services included 1946's O.S.S. starring Alan Ladd and Geraldine Fitzgerald. In the same year, the O.S.S. also provided realism by providing actual footage for 13 Rue Madeleine, a film starring James Cagney leading a group of French fighters battling the Gestapo in Paris. Both films are discussed in detail in my Beyond Bond.
5. A short discussion of the non-Lang Mabuse films is in “NEGLECTED NUGGETS AND OBSCURE CLASSICS: COLLECTING RARE SPY FILMS” also posted at this website.
Works Cited
Baxter, John. Science Fiction in the Cinema: A Complete Critical Review of SF Films from A Trip to the Moon (1902) to 2001: A Space Odyssey. New York: Paperback Library. 1970.
“Fritz Lang: The Illusion of Mastery." www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/feature/43 - 47k -
(Accessed June 2005; article is no longer accessible)
Linder, Christoph. The James Bond Phenomenon: A Critical Reader.
Manchester: Manchester UP. 2003.
Lycett, Andrew. Ian Fleming: The Man Behind James Bond. Atlanta: Turner Pub. Inc. 1995.
McCormick, Donald. Who's Who in Spy Fiction. New York: Taplinger. 1977.
McGilligan, Patrick. Fritz Lang: The Nature of the Beast.
New York: St. Martins. 1997.
Sarris, Andrew. Interviews with Film Directors. New York: Avon Books. 1969.
Sauerberg, Lars. Secret Agents in Fiction: Ian Fleming, John Le Carre, and Len Deighton. New York: St. Martins. 1984.
ROther articles on film espionage can be found at
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
A Spy-ography of Michael Caine
From Harry Palmer to Austin Powers: A Spy-ography of Michael Caine
By Wesley Britton
Who's the Number One Film Spy of all time? Without question, Bond, James Bond. But who's the Number One Spy ACTOR of All Time? Ah, that's a different question.
Hmm. Sean Connery immediately springs to mind. Seven Bond films alone. He also had significant roles in Tom Clancey's Hunt for Red October and John Le Carre's Russia House (both 1990). He didn’t fare as well in outings like The Avengers (1998) and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003). All this places him in the first rank of moviehouse spies, far ahead of Roger Moore who also starred in seven 007 films along with a few "Saint" outings, only one of which can be considered espionage-oriented (being The Fiction Makers in 1966). Anyone else?
For my ticket price, one name stands out as being the man unquestionably involved in more quality spy projects than anyone else. Michael Caine. He turned out to be the spy for all seasons based on determination, talent, and a bit of luck. And perfect timing.
The Season for Spies
As every spy buff knows, the mid-60s was the zenith of interest in cinematic espionage. So actors like Sean Connery, Roger Moore, and Michael Caine were part of a generation of actors caught up in the wave of Bond and Bond-inspired films that began with Dr. No (1962). As a result, Caine had 007 connections even before the spy boom. For example, he made friends with Sean Connery before either of them had film success, the two meeting and dining together when Connery sang in a chorus line for a production of South Pacific. According to Caine's autobiography, the producer Josh Logan wanted burly men for realism in the men singing "There is Nothing Like a Dame.” So the call went out for bodybuilders, which is what Connery was doing at the time. Shortly after, Caine and Connery worked together on a British TV film, Requiem for a Heavyweight.
Then, Caine recalled meeting Roger Moore in 1960 on a street outside a theatre. At the time, Caine was starring in the single drama for the BBC, The Compartment. According to Caine, the slightly older Moore, then famous in England for his leading role in the TV series, Ivanhoe, approached him and complimented his work in The Compartment. "After 30 years of friendship with Roger," Caine wrote in 1992, "I can still count the differences between us on one hand, several of which were apparent that first time we met. He was famous, handsome, elegant, and generous. I was obscure, ugly, scruffy, and mean. I have caught up with him since on at least two counts. And two out of four is not bad." (Caine 45) (note 1)
Several other Bond connections occurred that helped Caine's start in films. In 1964, he appeared in his first movie, Zulu, a film scored by Bond composer John Barry. Shortly after Zulu's premiere, Caine went to dinner at the London Pickwick restaurant. He later wrote that, "in the two minutes that changed my life," Bond producer Harry Saltzman was also in the Pickwick. Saltzman, of course, was half of the production team that had brought us Dr. No, From Russia With Love, and the next film then in the pipeline, Goldfinger. Looking for another project, Saltzman had bought the rights to the novels of Len Deighton and made it clear he wanted a spy quite different from Sean Connery. A thinking man's spy, a character who doesn't always get the girls, a secret agent nervous around guns. A spy who doesn't want to be a spy at all. Who would be this new secret agent?
Well, Saltzman had seen Zulu and called Caine over to his table. Saltzman--no master of small talk, in Caine's opinion--liked the acting in Zulu. He asked Caine not only to star in his forthcoming The Ipcress File, but if Caine was interested in a seven year contract. Yes, were Caine's answers. Had he read Deighton's first novel, The Ipcress File? Yes, Caine answered, halfway through the novel. Short answers to small talk that changed his life.
THE "WORKING CLASS" SPY
As it happened, Caine hadn't been Saltzman's first choice. That honor had gone to Christopher Plummer who'd opted to co-star with Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music instead. (later, Plummer worked with Caine and Sean Connery in 1975s The Man Who Would Be King.) After getting the nod, Caine found becoming Harry Palmer an exciting opportunity. During early preparations for The Ipcress File, Caine briefly roomed with composer John Barry. He remembers one night when he heard Barry banging on the piano all night, keeping him awake. In the morning, the actor learned he was the first person to hear the theme to Goldfinger.
Another roommate was actor Terence Stamp who had a friend who had a friend who stopped by with a noticeable Russian accent. Several days later, agents of MI5 came calling to find out if Caine was a friend of the Russian. Turned out, he was a Soviet agent involved in the notorious Profumo affaire. Caine learned the Communist spy returned to the Soviet Union where he was shot a few weeks later. Caine thought this interesting if unintentional research for his upcoming role. (note 2)
In many ways, The Ipcress File, the first "Harry Palmer” film released in 1965, established the formula for much of the success of Michael Caine. As discussed in my Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction (2005):
"Palmer was a working class hero pulled into the world of intrigue, Responsible to people outside of his class and whom he did not trust. According to Lars Sauerberg, Palmer's character was miles apart from those of both Fleming and Le Carre who both used gentlemen of one breed or another; Deighton used a spy with an ironic attitude about the world around him (1984 65).
“Palmer didn't wish to operate like a gentleman and said he didn't like chess as he preferred games in which it was easier to cheat. Unlike Commander Bond of the British Royal Navy, Palmer was a Sergeant in the Army. He preferred tea to alcohol. He didn't report to an Admiral but rather Colonel Ross who saw his agent as `insubordinate, insolent, and prone to criminal tendencies.' 007 and Palmer shared one interest--gourmet food, although Palmer was as interested in cooking as eating. One secret meeting with his boss was in a grocery store, the one area he showed mastery of. His one high-brow taste was for classical music, a devotion Bond never showed interest in." (note 3)
While he didn't make the connection himself, this role was an extension of what Michael Caine felt about the "Swinging London" of the 1960s. According to his 1992 memoirs, in every endeavor from music to fashion to film, the '60s was a time when the British working class came into its own--"We are here." The Cockney Michael Caine (born in south London in 1933) was ideal to play the rebellious "Everyman" undercover agent. He too came from the poorer working class and, at the age of 31, had waited a long time for success in acting. Describing himself as ambitious and tough (he'd seen London bombed in World War II as a child and had seen combat in North Korea), Caine had both a drive and experience that gave depth to his on-screen performances. During a turbulent decade when one generation openly resented what was known as "The Establishment," a fictional secret agent who reflected similar attitudes easily struck a cord in movie goers. As Harry Palmer, and in later spy films, Caine thrived as an intelligent loner who, while not happy about being pulled into nasty business, often outthought and outmaneuvered adversaries and superiors alike. In short, at the beginning of his spy career, Caine was perfectly cast for a certain kind of spy.
As all readers of Len Deighton novels know, the character in the "Harry Palmer" books had no name in the novels. According to the actor, Saltzman, Caine, and others working on the film sat around one evening thinking of a name for the film version. Saltzman wanted the spy to be an ordinary man able to disappear in crowds, so he should have an ordinary name. "Harry," suggested Caine--before realizing he might have offended his new boss. But Saltzman quickly agreed, saying the most boring person he'd ever known was named Palmer. So Harry Palmer began to shape.
Again in the early stages, Caine's own attributes helped define the character. Saltzman liked the fact he wore eyeglasses, saying most actors don't and didn't know how to use them in film. In addition, eyeglasses made people look more ordinary. Caine liked the idea of wearing eyeglasses as this was something that would be part of the character of Harry Palmer and would help the actor not be too closely identified with Palmer, like Connery was becoming with Bond. In future roles, Caine could simply take off his eyeware to be someone different.
In discussions with Len Deighton, it was decided to make Palmer a spy who seduced women by cooking for them. Combining the eyeglass image with cooking, the girl (Sue Lloyd) would take the glasses off--making Palmer a sexual male. Palmer's creator, Len Deighton, also helped influence the movie incarnation of the narrator of his books. As Deighton was writing a cooking strip appearing in the London Observer, copies of this strip were plastered on the walls of Harry Palmer's kitchen. One trick the spy used, cracking two eggs together with one-hand, was beyond Caine's ability. Viewers of the film might notice Palmer's hands have dark hairs in that shot and not the blond follicles of Michael Caine--they were the hands of Len Deighton.
The Harry Palmer Sequels
After the dual success of The Ipcress File and the comedy Alfie, 32 year old Caine returned to playing Harry Palmer in Funeral in Berlin (1966). (Alfie, surprisingly, had two Bond connections. Harry Saltzman helped get Caine the role and the director was Lewis Gilbert, later responsible for one Connery and two Roger Moore 007 outings.) The director for Berlin was Guy Hamilton, a former intelligence officer fresh off with his success with Goldfinger. In Caine's view, Hamilton was more at home with the shaken cocktails of Bond than the gritty realism of Berlin. (note 4) Caine thought the actual German city had a special, mysterious ambiance which wasn't captured in the movie. During filming, he recalled, East German guards deliberately flashed lights into the camera lens, forcing the crew to move from Berlin Wall locations. As Checkpoint Charlie wasn't available to the company, a set had to be built nearby.
Location shooting was a different challenge for the third Harry Palmer project, Billion Dollar Brain (1967). Directed by the more spectacle-oriented Ken Russell, some scenes were shot in Helsinki, Finland, and the crew had to be careful on the ice on the waters. Caine felt the plot was obscure and, by the time the film was finished, the story would befuddle Einstein. Still, the movie had its moments and one clever twist. In the 1950s, anti-Red films had red-blooded Yanks as valiant heroes fighting the Soviet tide. In Brain, the deranged American general was spouting the same old rhetoric, but was now a nutcase battled by the British and Russians together. Times were changing.
“A nice polish, but getting old. Just like you.”
(Michael Caine’s Harry Palmer describing a fellow spy’s car in Funeral In Berlin.)
In subsequent decades, Caine starred in other important spy films, even if he didn't always like the results. Without question, Caine's on-screen film success as a secret agent has been uneven. In 1974, he starred in director Don Siegel's The Black Windmill. Audience and critical response has been mixed regarding this tale of an espionage agent (Caine) who finds his government won't help when his son is kidnapped and the ransom is diamonds. The script was based on a book by Clive Egleton, Seven Days to a Killing.
In the same decade, Caine was part of the ensemble cast in The Eagle Has Landed (1976), a film based on the important Jack Higgins' novel. (The cast included Donald Sutherland, another actor who has a legacy of many memorable roles in spy films.) (note 5) While Eagle earned high praise when it debuted, time has not been kind to a script that left out much that made the source material a landmark in espionage fiction. In Caine's opinion, the movie, filmed on the banks of the Themes, wasn’t bad, but suffered from a disinterested director, John Sturges. Apparently, Sturges only accepted work when he needed funds to go deep sea fishing. He didn't stick around to help with the editing and post-production process, an important task for directors.
The Jigsaw Man
Of course, as the years went by, the roles had to change. In the '60s, Caine could be the "angry young man": by films such as The Jigsaw Man (1983), Caine was becoming an elder statesman in spycraft. In this lackluster film, Caine co-starred with fellow veteran Laurence Olivier in a story about a British-Russian double-agent sent to England to retrieve a list of Soviet agents he'd left behind years before. According to Pete Stampede, “one of the reasons why The Jigsaw Man turned out to be such a mess was that it ran out of money halfway through, one of the principal investors being Johnson Matthey, a subsequently disgraced merchant banking corporation. In Britain it went straight to video, one of the first
films to do so despite the cast, and I think this may have been to write it
down as a tax loss or something. Laurence Olivier collapsed during its
making and had a team of nurses on hand throughout.”
Most reviewers of the film point to the script and not the acting as the principal problem with the film. (note 6) In addition, considering when the movie was made, the annoying and glaring soundtrack sounds amateurish, like canned punctuation from a '70s TV movie. Still, there are some interesting aspects worthy of discussion. For one, when Caine's character, Philip Kimberly, is introduced, he's an English defector who was once head of MI6 now living in Moscow. Comparisons to the actual traitors in "the Cambridge Spy Ring" are obvious, and the names of Philby, Burgess, Blount, and the rest are invoked often in the first minutes. In another attempt at verisimilitude, Caine is asked to play a bogus defector named Kazinski who will return to England to find a dossier of agents Kimberly had left behind. To make the deception work, he goes through plastic surgery for the mission. This ploy is clearly based on several actual defections from 1985 when several Soviets supposedly defected before returning to their embassies. To play his part, we hear Caine doing two accents. One as the English gentlemen he once was and later as the Russian he's pretending to be.
Then the convoluted plot breaks up any suspense or clear development of the story. Is Kimberly working for himself or the Russians? His daughter, Penny (Susan George), helps him even after the Reds kidnap a friend they think is her to pressure "Kazinski" to complete his mission. Will Kimberly go to jail after he's been uncovered or escape to Switzerland to go into business for himself? And has Penny found love with the agent who's been spying on her for years hoping to find the dossier? Well, admittedly, these questions won’t matter for most viewers.
But even in the '80s, Caine could still be an "Everyman" secret agent. In the excellent The Holcroft Covenant (1985), Caine played a naïve architect who found himself in the middle of a plot to re-invigorate the Nazi movement. Again starring in a role created by a master story-teller--in this case, Robert Ludlum--Caine contributed to a project distinguished by fast-paced direction, witty dialogue, and largely fine performances by the supporting cast. He played the innocent civilian who triumphs by guile, a savvy knack for reading human behavior, and a clear streak of decency and belief in just moral values.
However, Caine didn't like the film. He signed on as the director was to be John Frankenheimer, the man behind one of Caine's favorite films, The Manchurian Canidate. At first, James Caan was to play Holcroft but pulled out at the last minute. Caine was in wardrobe before he ever saw the script which he found incomprehensible. Well, sometimes actors aren't the best judge of their work.
Even when Caine played a professional spy, he typically demonstrated human dimensions in his characters. Such a classic performance was in novelist Frederick Forsythe's The Fourth Protocol (1987) in which Caine was pitted against future 007 Pierce Brosnan. Directed by John Mackenzie, who'd worked with Caine in Graham Greene's Honorary Consul, this suspenseful duel between professionals had Caine as the defender of his English homeland against the amoral plot by the Russians to heat up the Cold War. Again, Caine's character was more investigator than action-adventure hero who, in the last minutes, protests when Bronsan's KGB killer is shot and accuses his superiors of mixed motives. Even though he was associate producer for the film, Caine dismissed it in his memoirs precisely because it was a British film which "talked too much" and lacked the big-screen action so important to Hollywood success. Nothing else in his career could be more ironic--the James Bond films had long since been turned into special effects, minimal dialogue action escapism. Caine, the "thinking man's spy" in the guise of Harry Palmer, now wanted more Bond in his scripts.
Return of Harry Palmer
But nowhere was change more evident than in two 1995 films, Bullet to Beijing and Midnight in St. Petersburg where Caine's Harry Palmer returned. Once, Palmer had been blackmailed into spying for Her Majesty's Government and he didn't like spying on weekends. Now, post-Cold War downsizing forced Palmer into early retirement. In Bullet, Palmer set up his own private investigation agency in Moscow, turns down the seductive wiles of a younger female spy, and mentors a young protegee played by Jason Connnery, son of Sean. (And possibly the son of Palmer, if Connery's on-screen supposition is correct). (note 7) Not quite the big-splash type of movies Caine mentioned in his discussion of The Fourth Protocol, but quite decent fare for spy buffs interested in plot, character development, and good casting.
The Quiet American
Far from the Bond breed of spy, Caine starred in the highly regarded 2002 remake of The Quiet American, the first Hollywood movie to be filmed in Vietnam with the blessings of the Communist government. In this second adaptation of Graham Greene's 1955 novel, Caine played the jaded journalist Fowler "in a performance that seems to descend perfectly formed. There is no artifice in it, no unneeded energy, no tricks, no effort. It is there." (Ebert) According to critic Roger Ebert, "The film is narrated by Caine's character, in that conversational voice weary with wisdom; we are reminded of the tired cynicism of the opening narration in the great film of Greene's The Third Man."
In commentary for the DVD release, director Philip Noyce said Caine was cast as Fowler because he was an actor who could bring humanity and trust to a character that could be a potential problem for audiences. After all, Fowler was an older, married man involved with a much younger girl (19 years old). Casting Brenden Fraser as the third part of the romantic triangle was problematic as, in the novel, Alden Pyle was largely a polemic figure who spouted off idealistic phrases without much character depth. When a bomb he plants kills innocent civilians instead of a military parade, Greene's Pyle simply believes the cause of democracy must include such "collateral damage." All involved said this was the major change between novel and film, giving Fraser a more rounded character so he could be something of an equal with Caine for dramatic purposes. Actual CIA agents were brought in to make him more flesh-and-blood. (note 8)
As it turned out, the first test screenings of the movie in New York took place the night before 9/11. Not surprisingly, Merrimax distributors became reluctant to release a film with violence that would turn off movie goers in the U.S. (In Viet Nam, ticket sales were destroyed not because of public disfavor, but because so many bootleg copies became available with poor quality videos being sold outside of theatres.) But Michael Caine intervened with Harvey Weinstein at Merrimax to show The Quiet American at film festivals where critical response was high.
The Mentor Spy
Would Caine ever get his wish fore a big-budget Bondian blockbuster? Well, to cement the role of mentor, Caine became the father in Austin Powers: Goldmember (2002), the third outing in Mike Myer's cross-generational spy parody. Critically panned from every direction, Goldmember only shows that Caine can do lightly what he once did with a straighter face.
What is the formula for Michael Caine's success in spy films? For one matter, he's had the luck to work in movies based on books by some of espionage's finest storytellers--Len Deighton, Graham Greene, Robert Ludlum, Frederick Forsythe, Jack Higgins. He's worked with top directors and stellar co-stars from Robert Duvall to Laurence Olivier. And, while not a classically trained actor, Caine has been a consummate professional praised by his co-workers, critics, and audiences.
That is, when the films were good, and they often were. But beyond the seemingly obvious, Michael Caine has been fortunate to find roles geared for an actor more suitable for believable, accessible characters instead of movies relying more on spectacle and stunts than scripts. Beyond those eyeglasses, a mind was at work whether ferreting out traitors in his own department in The Ipcress File or learning he was a pawn in a larger game as in The Holcroft Covenant. So I nominate him for the "All-Time Movie Star Spy" and hearby swear him to secrecy about this award. I wouldn't want to blow his cover. Mike Myers might be plotting a sequel.
Notes
1. In an e-mail to this author, critic Pete Stampede observed: “The Compartment was written by Johnny Speight, creator of TILL DEATH US DO PART, which later
became Americanised as ALL IN THE FAMILY. Set on a train, it was a
two-hander for Caine as a Cockney eccentric and Frank Finlay as an uptight
businessman, Caine verbally intimidating Finlay and eventually pulling a gun
on him. Speight and Caine later did a sequel, PLAYMATES.”
In later years, Connery, Moore, and Caine shared another characteristic beyond acting roles. They all became tax exiles when the British Parliament started taking 82% of their incomes. The top agents of Her Majesty's Secret Service couldn't afford to stay in the country.
2. One anecdote recounted in Caine's memoirs described a dinner with Roger Moore during Moore's reign as 007. Sitting at the next table was the Russian ambassador to England. The jovial diplomat sent Moore a plate of candies with a note reading, "From Russia With Love." In Caine's view, this act was perhaps a moment of thawing during the Cold War. At the time, the two actors wondered if the candies were poisoned.
3. In his memoirs, Caine recalled rows with director Sidney Furie who was temperamental and interested in unusual camera angles, including shooting up Caine's nose. Furie's pioneer work in camera placement such as shots from under cars and through lampshades heavily influenced similar techniques in the television series, Mission: Impossible. Beyond looking experimental, these angles conveyed the clandestine, eavesdropping nature of the spy business.
For many more details about Len Deighton and the Harry Palmer books and films, see my Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction.
4. Other Bond connections included Lewis Gilbert directing Caine in Educating Rita (1983). Caine worked with Harry Saltzman and Guy Hamilton again in the Battle of Britain (1969). Caine co-starred with Lois Chiles in Alan Alda's Sweet Liberty (1986), an actress best known for her role as Holly Goodhead in Moonraker (1979). In The Jigsaw Man, Charles Gray plays a supporting character: he'd been a British agent in You Only Live Twice (1967) and Blofeld in Diamonds Are Forever (1971).
5. See “Snarling and Skulking: A Spy-ography of Donald Sutherland” also posted at this website.
6. One such damning review of The Jigsaw Man was by Dennis Schwartz a "Ozus' World Movie Reviews" online. For him, acting wasn't the problem in the film but rather a "green banana" convoluted script. A synopsis of the story is in that review. Apparently, Caine thought so little of the movie that he didn't mention it in his autobiography. A surprising omission as, in the film, Caine worked with personal friend, Laurence Olivier. Later, Caine was one of those chosen to participate in the great actor's funeral. He describes their other effort, Sleuth, in great detail. So this film is one Caine would prefer to forget.
7. For more on both Bullet to Beijing and Midnight in St. Petersburg, see my Spy Television (2004).
8. In Michael Caine's words regarding The Quiet American, "I was a secret agent, just like I assume Graham Greene was a secret agent." Caine could not have been speaking literally. Fowler was a spy for no one but rather a marginally employed reporter for the London Times. But Fowler acts in ways easily associated with undercover operatives, so the metaphorical description fits.
Works Cited
Britton, Wesley. Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction. Wesport, CT: Praeger, scheduled for fall 2005.
Caine, Michael. What's It All About? An Autobiography of Michael Caine. Stokes Films Ltd. 1992.
Ebert, Roger. "Review: The Quiet American." Feb. 2003. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2003302070304
Sauerberg, Lars. Secret Agents in Fiction: Ian Fleming, John Le Carre, and Len Deighton. New York: St. Martins. 1984.
For other articles on film espionage, check out
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
By Wesley Britton
Who's the Number One Film Spy of all time? Without question, Bond, James Bond. But who's the Number One Spy ACTOR of All Time? Ah, that's a different question.
Hmm. Sean Connery immediately springs to mind. Seven Bond films alone. He also had significant roles in Tom Clancey's Hunt for Red October and John Le Carre's Russia House (both 1990). He didn’t fare as well in outings like The Avengers (1998) and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003). All this places him in the first rank of moviehouse spies, far ahead of Roger Moore who also starred in seven 007 films along with a few "Saint" outings, only one of which can be considered espionage-oriented (being The Fiction Makers in 1966). Anyone else?
For my ticket price, one name stands out as being the man unquestionably involved in more quality spy projects than anyone else. Michael Caine. He turned out to be the spy for all seasons based on determination, talent, and a bit of luck. And perfect timing.
The Season for Spies
As every spy buff knows, the mid-60s was the zenith of interest in cinematic espionage. So actors like Sean Connery, Roger Moore, and Michael Caine were part of a generation of actors caught up in the wave of Bond and Bond-inspired films that began with Dr. No (1962). As a result, Caine had 007 connections even before the spy boom. For example, he made friends with Sean Connery before either of them had film success, the two meeting and dining together when Connery sang in a chorus line for a production of South Pacific. According to Caine's autobiography, the producer Josh Logan wanted burly men for realism in the men singing "There is Nothing Like a Dame.” So the call went out for bodybuilders, which is what Connery was doing at the time. Shortly after, Caine and Connery worked together on a British TV film, Requiem for a Heavyweight.
Then, Caine recalled meeting Roger Moore in 1960 on a street outside a theatre. At the time, Caine was starring in the single drama for the BBC, The Compartment. According to Caine, the slightly older Moore, then famous in England for his leading role in the TV series, Ivanhoe, approached him and complimented his work in The Compartment. "After 30 years of friendship with Roger," Caine wrote in 1992, "I can still count the differences between us on one hand, several of which were apparent that first time we met. He was famous, handsome, elegant, and generous. I was obscure, ugly, scruffy, and mean. I have caught up with him since on at least two counts. And two out of four is not bad." (Caine 45) (note 1)
Several other Bond connections occurred that helped Caine's start in films. In 1964, he appeared in his first movie, Zulu, a film scored by Bond composer John Barry. Shortly after Zulu's premiere, Caine went to dinner at the London Pickwick restaurant. He later wrote that, "in the two minutes that changed my life," Bond producer Harry Saltzman was also in the Pickwick. Saltzman, of course, was half of the production team that had brought us Dr. No, From Russia With Love, and the next film then in the pipeline, Goldfinger. Looking for another project, Saltzman had bought the rights to the novels of Len Deighton and made it clear he wanted a spy quite different from Sean Connery. A thinking man's spy, a character who doesn't always get the girls, a secret agent nervous around guns. A spy who doesn't want to be a spy at all. Who would be this new secret agent?
Well, Saltzman had seen Zulu and called Caine over to his table. Saltzman--no master of small talk, in Caine's opinion--liked the acting in Zulu. He asked Caine not only to star in his forthcoming The Ipcress File, but if Caine was interested in a seven year contract. Yes, were Caine's answers. Had he read Deighton's first novel, The Ipcress File? Yes, Caine answered, halfway through the novel. Short answers to small talk that changed his life.
THE "WORKING CLASS" SPY
As it happened, Caine hadn't been Saltzman's first choice. That honor had gone to Christopher Plummer who'd opted to co-star with Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music instead. (later, Plummer worked with Caine and Sean Connery in 1975s The Man Who Would Be King.) After getting the nod, Caine found becoming Harry Palmer an exciting opportunity. During early preparations for The Ipcress File, Caine briefly roomed with composer John Barry. He remembers one night when he heard Barry banging on the piano all night, keeping him awake. In the morning, the actor learned he was the first person to hear the theme to Goldfinger.
Another roommate was actor Terence Stamp who had a friend who had a friend who stopped by with a noticeable Russian accent. Several days later, agents of MI5 came calling to find out if Caine was a friend of the Russian. Turned out, he was a Soviet agent involved in the notorious Profumo affaire. Caine learned the Communist spy returned to the Soviet Union where he was shot a few weeks later. Caine thought this interesting if unintentional research for his upcoming role. (note 2)
In many ways, The Ipcress File, the first "Harry Palmer” film released in 1965, established the formula for much of the success of Michael Caine. As discussed in my Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction (2005):
"Palmer was a working class hero pulled into the world of intrigue, Responsible to people outside of his class and whom he did not trust. According to Lars Sauerberg, Palmer's character was miles apart from those of both Fleming and Le Carre who both used gentlemen of one breed or another; Deighton used a spy with an ironic attitude about the world around him (1984 65).
“Palmer didn't wish to operate like a gentleman and said he didn't like chess as he preferred games in which it was easier to cheat. Unlike Commander Bond of the British Royal Navy, Palmer was a Sergeant in the Army. He preferred tea to alcohol. He didn't report to an Admiral but rather Colonel Ross who saw his agent as `insubordinate, insolent, and prone to criminal tendencies.' 007 and Palmer shared one interest--gourmet food, although Palmer was as interested in cooking as eating. One secret meeting with his boss was in a grocery store, the one area he showed mastery of. His one high-brow taste was for classical music, a devotion Bond never showed interest in." (note 3)
While he didn't make the connection himself, this role was an extension of what Michael Caine felt about the "Swinging London" of the 1960s. According to his 1992 memoirs, in every endeavor from music to fashion to film, the '60s was a time when the British working class came into its own--"We are here." The Cockney Michael Caine (born in south London in 1933) was ideal to play the rebellious "Everyman" undercover agent. He too came from the poorer working class and, at the age of 31, had waited a long time for success in acting. Describing himself as ambitious and tough (he'd seen London bombed in World War II as a child and had seen combat in North Korea), Caine had both a drive and experience that gave depth to his on-screen performances. During a turbulent decade when one generation openly resented what was known as "The Establishment," a fictional secret agent who reflected similar attitudes easily struck a cord in movie goers. As Harry Palmer, and in later spy films, Caine thrived as an intelligent loner who, while not happy about being pulled into nasty business, often outthought and outmaneuvered adversaries and superiors alike. In short, at the beginning of his spy career, Caine was perfectly cast for a certain kind of spy.
As all readers of Len Deighton novels know, the character in the "Harry Palmer" books had no name in the novels. According to the actor, Saltzman, Caine, and others working on the film sat around one evening thinking of a name for the film version. Saltzman wanted the spy to be an ordinary man able to disappear in crowds, so he should have an ordinary name. "Harry," suggested Caine--before realizing he might have offended his new boss. But Saltzman quickly agreed, saying the most boring person he'd ever known was named Palmer. So Harry Palmer began to shape.
Again in the early stages, Caine's own attributes helped define the character. Saltzman liked the fact he wore eyeglasses, saying most actors don't and didn't know how to use them in film. In addition, eyeglasses made people look more ordinary. Caine liked the idea of wearing eyeglasses as this was something that would be part of the character of Harry Palmer and would help the actor not be too closely identified with Palmer, like Connery was becoming with Bond. In future roles, Caine could simply take off his eyeware to be someone different.
In discussions with Len Deighton, it was decided to make Palmer a spy who seduced women by cooking for them. Combining the eyeglass image with cooking, the girl (Sue Lloyd) would take the glasses off--making Palmer a sexual male. Palmer's creator, Len Deighton, also helped influence the movie incarnation of the narrator of his books. As Deighton was writing a cooking strip appearing in the London Observer, copies of this strip were plastered on the walls of Harry Palmer's kitchen. One trick the spy used, cracking two eggs together with one-hand, was beyond Caine's ability. Viewers of the film might notice Palmer's hands have dark hairs in that shot and not the blond follicles of Michael Caine--they were the hands of Len Deighton.
The Harry Palmer Sequels
After the dual success of The Ipcress File and the comedy Alfie, 32 year old Caine returned to playing Harry Palmer in Funeral in Berlin (1966). (Alfie, surprisingly, had two Bond connections. Harry Saltzman helped get Caine the role and the director was Lewis Gilbert, later responsible for one Connery and two Roger Moore 007 outings.) The director for Berlin was Guy Hamilton, a former intelligence officer fresh off with his success with Goldfinger. In Caine's view, Hamilton was more at home with the shaken cocktails of Bond than the gritty realism of Berlin. (note 4) Caine thought the actual German city had a special, mysterious ambiance which wasn't captured in the movie. During filming, he recalled, East German guards deliberately flashed lights into the camera lens, forcing the crew to move from Berlin Wall locations. As Checkpoint Charlie wasn't available to the company, a set had to be built nearby.
Location shooting was a different challenge for the third Harry Palmer project, Billion Dollar Brain (1967). Directed by the more spectacle-oriented Ken Russell, some scenes were shot in Helsinki, Finland, and the crew had to be careful on the ice on the waters. Caine felt the plot was obscure and, by the time the film was finished, the story would befuddle Einstein. Still, the movie had its moments and one clever twist. In the 1950s, anti-Red films had red-blooded Yanks as valiant heroes fighting the Soviet tide. In Brain, the deranged American general was spouting the same old rhetoric, but was now a nutcase battled by the British and Russians together. Times were changing.
“A nice polish, but getting old. Just like you.”
(Michael Caine’s Harry Palmer describing a fellow spy’s car in Funeral In Berlin.)
In subsequent decades, Caine starred in other important spy films, even if he didn't always like the results. Without question, Caine's on-screen film success as a secret agent has been uneven. In 1974, he starred in director Don Siegel's The Black Windmill. Audience and critical response has been mixed regarding this tale of an espionage agent (Caine) who finds his government won't help when his son is kidnapped and the ransom is diamonds. The script was based on a book by Clive Egleton, Seven Days to a Killing.
In the same decade, Caine was part of the ensemble cast in The Eagle Has Landed (1976), a film based on the important Jack Higgins' novel. (The cast included Donald Sutherland, another actor who has a legacy of many memorable roles in spy films.) (note 5) While Eagle earned high praise when it debuted, time has not been kind to a script that left out much that made the source material a landmark in espionage fiction. In Caine's opinion, the movie, filmed on the banks of the Themes, wasn’t bad, but suffered from a disinterested director, John Sturges. Apparently, Sturges only accepted work when he needed funds to go deep sea fishing. He didn't stick around to help with the editing and post-production process, an important task for directors.
The Jigsaw Man
Of course, as the years went by, the roles had to change. In the '60s, Caine could be the "angry young man": by films such as The Jigsaw Man (1983), Caine was becoming an elder statesman in spycraft. In this lackluster film, Caine co-starred with fellow veteran Laurence Olivier in a story about a British-Russian double-agent sent to England to retrieve a list of Soviet agents he'd left behind years before. According to Pete Stampede, “one of the reasons why The Jigsaw Man turned out to be such a mess was that it ran out of money halfway through, one of the principal investors being Johnson Matthey, a subsequently disgraced merchant banking corporation. In Britain it went straight to video, one of the first
films to do so despite the cast, and I think this may have been to write it
down as a tax loss or something. Laurence Olivier collapsed during its
making and had a team of nurses on hand throughout.”
Most reviewers of the film point to the script and not the acting as the principal problem with the film. (note 6) In addition, considering when the movie was made, the annoying and glaring soundtrack sounds amateurish, like canned punctuation from a '70s TV movie. Still, there are some interesting aspects worthy of discussion. For one, when Caine's character, Philip Kimberly, is introduced, he's an English defector who was once head of MI6 now living in Moscow. Comparisons to the actual traitors in "the Cambridge Spy Ring" are obvious, and the names of Philby, Burgess, Blount, and the rest are invoked often in the first minutes. In another attempt at verisimilitude, Caine is asked to play a bogus defector named Kazinski who will return to England to find a dossier of agents Kimberly had left behind. To make the deception work, he goes through plastic surgery for the mission. This ploy is clearly based on several actual defections from 1985 when several Soviets supposedly defected before returning to their embassies. To play his part, we hear Caine doing two accents. One as the English gentlemen he once was and later as the Russian he's pretending to be.
Then the convoluted plot breaks up any suspense or clear development of the story. Is Kimberly working for himself or the Russians? His daughter, Penny (Susan George), helps him even after the Reds kidnap a friend they think is her to pressure "Kazinski" to complete his mission. Will Kimberly go to jail after he's been uncovered or escape to Switzerland to go into business for himself? And has Penny found love with the agent who's been spying on her for years hoping to find the dossier? Well, admittedly, these questions won’t matter for most viewers.
But even in the '80s, Caine could still be an "Everyman" secret agent. In the excellent The Holcroft Covenant (1985), Caine played a naïve architect who found himself in the middle of a plot to re-invigorate the Nazi movement. Again starring in a role created by a master story-teller--in this case, Robert Ludlum--Caine contributed to a project distinguished by fast-paced direction, witty dialogue, and largely fine performances by the supporting cast. He played the innocent civilian who triumphs by guile, a savvy knack for reading human behavior, and a clear streak of decency and belief in just moral values.
However, Caine didn't like the film. He signed on as the director was to be John Frankenheimer, the man behind one of Caine's favorite films, The Manchurian Canidate. At first, James Caan was to play Holcroft but pulled out at the last minute. Caine was in wardrobe before he ever saw the script which he found incomprehensible. Well, sometimes actors aren't the best judge of their work.
Even when Caine played a professional spy, he typically demonstrated human dimensions in his characters. Such a classic performance was in novelist Frederick Forsythe's The Fourth Protocol (1987) in which Caine was pitted against future 007 Pierce Brosnan. Directed by John Mackenzie, who'd worked with Caine in Graham Greene's Honorary Consul, this suspenseful duel between professionals had Caine as the defender of his English homeland against the amoral plot by the Russians to heat up the Cold War. Again, Caine's character was more investigator than action-adventure hero who, in the last minutes, protests when Bronsan's KGB killer is shot and accuses his superiors of mixed motives. Even though he was associate producer for the film, Caine dismissed it in his memoirs precisely because it was a British film which "talked too much" and lacked the big-screen action so important to Hollywood success. Nothing else in his career could be more ironic--the James Bond films had long since been turned into special effects, minimal dialogue action escapism. Caine, the "thinking man's spy" in the guise of Harry Palmer, now wanted more Bond in his scripts.
Return of Harry Palmer
But nowhere was change more evident than in two 1995 films, Bullet to Beijing and Midnight in St. Petersburg where Caine's Harry Palmer returned. Once, Palmer had been blackmailed into spying for Her Majesty's Government and he didn't like spying on weekends. Now, post-Cold War downsizing forced Palmer into early retirement. In Bullet, Palmer set up his own private investigation agency in Moscow, turns down the seductive wiles of a younger female spy, and mentors a young protegee played by Jason Connnery, son of Sean. (And possibly the son of Palmer, if Connery's on-screen supposition is correct). (note 7) Not quite the big-splash type of movies Caine mentioned in his discussion of The Fourth Protocol, but quite decent fare for spy buffs interested in plot, character development, and good casting.
The Quiet American
Far from the Bond breed of spy, Caine starred in the highly regarded 2002 remake of The Quiet American, the first Hollywood movie to be filmed in Vietnam with the blessings of the Communist government. In this second adaptation of Graham Greene's 1955 novel, Caine played the jaded journalist Fowler "in a performance that seems to descend perfectly formed. There is no artifice in it, no unneeded energy, no tricks, no effort. It is there." (Ebert) According to critic Roger Ebert, "The film is narrated by Caine's character, in that conversational voice weary with wisdom; we are reminded of the tired cynicism of the opening narration in the great film of Greene's The Third Man."
In commentary for the DVD release, director Philip Noyce said Caine was cast as Fowler because he was an actor who could bring humanity and trust to a character that could be a potential problem for audiences. After all, Fowler was an older, married man involved with a much younger girl (19 years old). Casting Brenden Fraser as the third part of the romantic triangle was problematic as, in the novel, Alden Pyle was largely a polemic figure who spouted off idealistic phrases without much character depth. When a bomb he plants kills innocent civilians instead of a military parade, Greene's Pyle simply believes the cause of democracy must include such "collateral damage." All involved said this was the major change between novel and film, giving Fraser a more rounded character so he could be something of an equal with Caine for dramatic purposes. Actual CIA agents were brought in to make him more flesh-and-blood. (note 8)
As it turned out, the first test screenings of the movie in New York took place the night before 9/11. Not surprisingly, Merrimax distributors became reluctant to release a film with violence that would turn off movie goers in the U.S. (In Viet Nam, ticket sales were destroyed not because of public disfavor, but because so many bootleg copies became available with poor quality videos being sold outside of theatres.) But Michael Caine intervened with Harvey Weinstein at Merrimax to show The Quiet American at film festivals where critical response was high.
The Mentor Spy
Would Caine ever get his wish fore a big-budget Bondian blockbuster? Well, to cement the role of mentor, Caine became the father in Austin Powers: Goldmember (2002), the third outing in Mike Myer's cross-generational spy parody. Critically panned from every direction, Goldmember only shows that Caine can do lightly what he once did with a straighter face.
What is the formula for Michael Caine's success in spy films? For one matter, he's had the luck to work in movies based on books by some of espionage's finest storytellers--Len Deighton, Graham Greene, Robert Ludlum, Frederick Forsythe, Jack Higgins. He's worked with top directors and stellar co-stars from Robert Duvall to Laurence Olivier. And, while not a classically trained actor, Caine has been a consummate professional praised by his co-workers, critics, and audiences.
That is, when the films were good, and they often were. But beyond the seemingly obvious, Michael Caine has been fortunate to find roles geared for an actor more suitable for believable, accessible characters instead of movies relying more on spectacle and stunts than scripts. Beyond those eyeglasses, a mind was at work whether ferreting out traitors in his own department in The Ipcress File or learning he was a pawn in a larger game as in The Holcroft Covenant. So I nominate him for the "All-Time Movie Star Spy" and hearby swear him to secrecy about this award. I wouldn't want to blow his cover. Mike Myers might be plotting a sequel.
Notes
1. In an e-mail to this author, critic Pete Stampede observed: “The Compartment was written by Johnny Speight, creator of TILL DEATH US DO PART, which later
became Americanised as ALL IN THE FAMILY. Set on a train, it was a
two-hander for Caine as a Cockney eccentric and Frank Finlay as an uptight
businessman, Caine verbally intimidating Finlay and eventually pulling a gun
on him. Speight and Caine later did a sequel, PLAYMATES.”
In later years, Connery, Moore, and Caine shared another characteristic beyond acting roles. They all became tax exiles when the British Parliament started taking 82% of their incomes. The top agents of Her Majesty's Secret Service couldn't afford to stay in the country.
2. One anecdote recounted in Caine's memoirs described a dinner with Roger Moore during Moore's reign as 007. Sitting at the next table was the Russian ambassador to England. The jovial diplomat sent Moore a plate of candies with a note reading, "From Russia With Love." In Caine's view, this act was perhaps a moment of thawing during the Cold War. At the time, the two actors wondered if the candies were poisoned.
3. In his memoirs, Caine recalled rows with director Sidney Furie who was temperamental and interested in unusual camera angles, including shooting up Caine's nose. Furie's pioneer work in camera placement such as shots from under cars and through lampshades heavily influenced similar techniques in the television series, Mission: Impossible. Beyond looking experimental, these angles conveyed the clandestine, eavesdropping nature of the spy business.
For many more details about Len Deighton and the Harry Palmer books and films, see my Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction.
4. Other Bond connections included Lewis Gilbert directing Caine in Educating Rita (1983). Caine worked with Harry Saltzman and Guy Hamilton again in the Battle of Britain (1969). Caine co-starred with Lois Chiles in Alan Alda's Sweet Liberty (1986), an actress best known for her role as Holly Goodhead in Moonraker (1979). In The Jigsaw Man, Charles Gray plays a supporting character: he'd been a British agent in You Only Live Twice (1967) and Blofeld in Diamonds Are Forever (1971).
5. See “Snarling and Skulking: A Spy-ography of Donald Sutherland” also posted at this website.
6. One such damning review of The Jigsaw Man was by Dennis Schwartz a "Ozus' World Movie Reviews" online. For him, acting wasn't the problem in the film but rather a "green banana" convoluted script. A synopsis of the story is in that review. Apparently, Caine thought so little of the movie that he didn't mention it in his autobiography. A surprising omission as, in the film, Caine worked with personal friend, Laurence Olivier. Later, Caine was one of those chosen to participate in the great actor's funeral. He describes their other effort, Sleuth, in great detail. So this film is one Caine would prefer to forget.
7. For more on both Bullet to Beijing and Midnight in St. Petersburg, see my Spy Television (2004).
8. In Michael Caine's words regarding The Quiet American, "I was a secret agent, just like I assume Graham Greene was a secret agent." Caine could not have been speaking literally. Fowler was a spy for no one but rather a marginally employed reporter for the London Times. But Fowler acts in ways easily associated with undercover operatives, so the metaphorical description fits.
Works Cited
Britton, Wesley. Beyond Bond: Spies in Film and Fiction. Wesport, CT: Praeger, scheduled for fall 2005.
Caine, Michael. What's It All About? An Autobiography of Michael Caine. Stokes Films Ltd. 1992.
Ebert, Roger. "Review: The Quiet American." Feb. 2003. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2003302070304
Sauerberg, Lars. Secret Agents in Fiction: Ian Fleming, John Le Carre, and Len Deighton. New York: St. Martins. 1984.
For other articles on film espionage, check out
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Snarling and Skulking: A Spy-ography of Donald Sutherland
Snarling and Skulking: A Spy-ography of Donald Sutherland
By Wesley Britton
According to critic Pete Stampede, acclaimed actor Donald Sutherland "has, to my mind, one of the great faces in cinema and a uniquely edgy presence (no-one is better at skulking, especially in Klute), even if some recent projects have been less than top-grade." (note 1) Still, despite Sutherland's long and varied career, a note at the IMDB from a aficionado complained there is no fan site for Sutherland nor any list serves devoted to him. That fan's choice was to simply post a few photos.
Well, there's more out there than what that poster suggested, but it is true online pickings are slim when comparing Sutherland to others with similar filmographies. So here's a contribution to filling that void.
SPY TELEVISION IN THE '60S
Born on July 17, 1935 (in New Brunswick, Canada), Donald McNichol Sutherland later said his absolute hero, as a young movie-goer, was Robert Mitchum. In his youth, Sutherland only thought of acting in terms of the stage which was what brought him to Britain. However, he didn't enjoy his time at LAMDA (the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) because the tutors decreed his voice was too low and would have to be raised an octave. This process went wrong and for a while he couldn't speak, leaving him, in his own words, fit only for truck driving. (note 2)
Sutherland spent most of the 1960s in Britain finding film and TV work in roles requiring a convenient American accent. He became a reliable supporting character in British-made television series, such shows often launching pads for long careers in films. For example, Roger Moore worked in Maverick, Ivanhoe, The Saint, and The Persuaders before becoming 007. Sutherland was part of this generation, a guest in two adventures of Moore’s The Saint. Sutherland first appeared in the American-set episode, "The Happy Suicide" (1965). Then, according to Pete Stampede, "He got a role in The Dirty Dozen (1967) after impressing as a convict in a Roger Moore-directed episode of The Saint, "Escape Route" (1966) - according to Moore, anyway!"
In 2006, Moore recalled more about working with Sutherland on “Escape route.” In his commentary track for The Spy Who Loved Me, he described the episode as one of those where Simon Templar went to prison in order to get information from an inmate. In this case, Sutherland was the prisoner, and the two escaped jail by running to a helicopter. The pair were pursued by a stuntman who grabbed the ledge and held on while the helicopter took off. Moore said Sutherland got too caught up in his role, and kept stamping on the stuntman's fingers, 100 feet in the air. Moore, directing the episode, had to yell cut to save the fellow's life.
During this busy period, Sutherland also guested in the super-hero spy series, The Champions. He played a crazed practitioner of voodoo in the episode, "Shadow of the Panther" (1968). In addition, Sutherland did two episodes of Man in A Suitcase. In "Day of Execution" (1967), he played a drunken American buddy of series lead Richard Bradford's character, McGill. In "Which Way Did He Go, McGill?" Sutherland was a villainous ex-convict snarling lines like "Oi've done three year's bird and Oi want moi share!" In Pete Stampede's words, Sutherland used a "strange Irish accent" for the drama and "unfortunately, he used it again years later in The Eagle Has Landed (1977). (note 3)
As it happened, Eagle featured Michael Caine, another perennial sometime spy from the same generation as Roger Moore, Sean Connery, and Donald Sutherland. Back in 1967, Sutherland had played a brief role in Caine's third "Harry Palmer" film, Billion Dollar Brain. Sutherland provided the voice of the computer issuing orders over the phone and was a quickly seen scientist in the movie. Both actors also worked together in a television version of Hamlet. "when they were mates in London in the 60's," Stampede noted in an e-mail, "they were both in an episode of the much-loved, long-running cop show Dixon of Dock Green, as villains intent on rubbing out one of Dixon's junior colleagues."
Most famously, Sutherland was the con-man killer Jessel in the 1967 episode, "The Superlative Seven," where he battled Patrick Macnee's John Steed in The Avengers. Ironically, this part came his way a few years after he had a role in a series seen only in England, The Sentimental Agent. The episode, "A Very Desirable Plot," also featured the TV debut of future Avenger, Diana Rigg. "His role in The Sentimental Agent," Stampede admits, "was a very small one, just a couple of lines as a hotel clerk, but in the same scene, just after he does his bit, Diana Rigg comes in, making her debut."
Beyond television and supporting roles in films, Sutherland's movie career began to move forward before decade's end. His last bit part using an American-sounding accent in a British spy film was in Sebastian (1968). Produced by important director Michael Powell, Sebastian had a math whiz (Dirk Bogarde) the Brits employ to crack codes. Then, with money borrowed from his friend, Christopher Plummer, Sutherland finally migrated to Hollywood where another secret agent role got him quick work. He did a TV movie, The Sunshine Patriot (1968). This effort starred Cliff Robertson in a double role as an American and an Englishman with Sutherland and Wilfrid Hyde White in the London-set scenes. The story was about an American agent with microfilm pursued by Russians.
But before the move, a future contribution to spy television came in the birth of Donald's twins on December 21, 1966--daughter Rachel and son, Kiefer. (Kiefer was named after Warren Kiefer, the screenwriter on his father's first theatrical film, Castle of the Living Dead [(1964]).
SUTHERLAND IN HOLLYWOOD
The 1970s were largely good years for Donald Sutherland, whose name came to prominence with the 1970 M*A*S*H with co-star, Elliott Gould. Sadly, Gould and Sutherland tried to capitalize on this fame in 1974 S*P*Y*S. In this forgettable farce, the two former doctors became bumbling CIA agents given the simple task of protecting a Russian ballerina. They're so inept the CIA asked the KGB to take them out. Critics and audiences were equally annoyed.
While other important roles came his way, such as playing the tank commander Sgt. Oddball in Kelly's Heroes (1970), starring in the Academy award-winning detective thriller Klute (1971), and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), the only other espionage outing during the '70s was the aforementioned The Eagle Has Landed. In a central role, Sutherland was novelist Jack Higgin's World War II Irish infiltration expert, Liam Devlin, who leads a group of German commandos into a small English village in hopes of kidnapping Winston Churchill. The twist was, Churchill wasn't there--an actor double had been sent to allow the Prime Minister to do secret work elsewhere. As reported in my Onscreen and Undercover: The Ultimate Book of Movie Espionage, "While Eagle earned high praise when it debuted, time has not been kind to a script that left out much that made the source material a landmark in espionage fiction." The problems are not attributed to the ensemble cast but rather a disinterested director. (See notes 3 and 4 below).
The High Point
Sutherland returned to spycraft, and WWII, in 1981's Eye of the Needle. In terms of espionage films, Needle was clearly Sutherland at his best in a well-made, suspenseful thriller with Hitchcockian touches. This major motion picture, based on a Ken Follett novel, involved Nazi spy Faber (Sutherland) shipwrecked on a remote English island after he secretly photographs the fake aircraft of General Patton's bogus coastal army. (note 4) Trying to send this information back to Germany--which would have altered the success of the planned D-Day Normandy invasion--he quietly murders two men, one of which was husband to Kate Mulligan. Unhappy in her marriage, Mulligan was first seduced by Faber before she realizes who he is and must stop his mission on her own.
For most reviewers, Sutherland was chilling in this underrated, Old-fashioned adventure. (note 5) According to Wesley Wark, Needle was a "nip-and-tuck chase film" like The 39 Steps as the Nazi went into rustic settings. (note 6)
Low Ebbs
But, more often, the material in Sutherland's spy scripts was not the stuff of classic filmmaking. He was part of the all-star cast in novelist Alistair Maclean’s
Bear Island (1980). Sutherland, Richard Widmark, Vanessa Redgrave, Barbara Perkins, Christopher Lee and others floundered in this bloated adventure involving scientists and Nazi spies on a strange island. The Canadian venture cost $12 million---it didn't get it back. But Sutherland hit his low point, in terms of movie secret agents, in The Trouble With Spies (1987. He was Appleton Porter in the critically panned comedy as yet another bumbling British agent going to Ibizia looking for a Russian. Despite mistake after mistake, Porter wins in the end. One indication of the film's potential was that it was released three years after it was made. Another clue about the film is the name it was released under in the U.K.---Two Female Spies in Flowered Panties.
During the 1990s, Sutherland's luck with spy roles again ran the gamut from the high caliber to the mediocre. In the 1991 Oliver Stone JFK, Sutherland played a mysterious Washington intelligence officer who pointed to links to the military-industrial complex in relation to Kennedy's assassination. In 1997, Sutherland appeared in two spy stories: The Assignment and Shadow Conspiracy. In the former, a film Roger Ebert rated with ****1/2, Sutherland was Jack Shaw/Henry Fields, A CIA agent tracking Carlos, "The Jackal" (Aidan Quinn). Originally titled The Carlos Project, the movie featured Ben Kingsley as an Israeli Mossad agent in one of the first films connecting worries of the Middle East with Cold War concerns. For some critics, "Jackal" stories had already been better done by the likes of Frederick Forsythe (Day of the Jackal) and Robert Ludlum (The Bourne Identity). Others claim The Assignment was an above-average spy thriller with a third-act that didn't disintegrate into a boom-boom, shoot-shoot finale.
However, in Shadow Conspiracy, cliches ruled the day in this vehicle for presidential assistant, Charlie Sheen. Sutherland was Jacob Conrad, the trusted mentor to Bobby Bishop (Sheen) who is on the run. A plodding effort in need of major rewrites.
LEGACY
Considering this catalogue of espionage lemons, middling adventures, and one outstanding classic, one might wonder if Donald Sutherland is worthy of any overview of important actors in spy films. It's worth noting he worked in numerous high-quality films unrelated to the secret agent genre including Johnny Got His Gun (1971), Don't Look Now (1973), the Academy Award winning Ordinary People (1980), and A Dry White Season (1989). He starred in Cold Mountain and The Italian Job (both 2003) and Pride and Prejudice (2005). Also in 2005, he was perfectly cast as the oily, manipulative Speaker of the House Nathan Templeton in the under-appreciated TV series, Commander in Chief. In July 2006, he earned an Emmy nomination for his performance as a custom's agent in the TV movie, Human Trafficking. Thus, for a few short months, two generations of Sutherlands appeared in network prime time, Kiefer Sutherland now the star of one of the best covert action projects ever aired.
For spy buffs, perhaps Donald Sutherland's presence in British television during the '60s spy renaissance remains his primary legacy in celluloid espionage. In the main, when Sutherland missed the mark, it was usually in films with unrealized scripts or lackluster directorial execution. When all the ingredients came together, as in Eye of the Needle (readily available on DVD), Donald Sutherland remains uniquely able to give chilly menace both emotional and intelligent depth. Rarely the hero but usually memorable, Sutherland continues to be a presence difficult to duplicate.
Notes
1. See Stampede, Pete. "The Avengers Forever: Donald Sutherland." 2002. TheAvengersForever.com
2. Some quotes here came from an e-mail from Pete Stampede to this author in which he said much of the information he used in his Avengers description came from a chapter Sutherland wrote called "Reflections Of A Star" in "a long out-of-print anthology called Anatomy of the Movies. I think he admitted having made one light-hearted caper comedy too many at that point."
3. For a more detailed discussion on The Eagle Has Landed, see "From Harry Palmer to Austin Powers: A Spy-ography of Michael Caine" posted at this website.
4. See my Onscreen and Undercover: The Ultimate Book of Movie Espionage (Praeger, 2006). PP 81. The photo gallery includes a still of Sutherland photographing the planes in Eye of the Needle.
5. Mulay, James J. And Daniel Curran, Jefferey H. Wallenfeldt. Spies and Sleuths: Mystery, Spies, and Suspense Films on Videocassette.
Evanston, IL: Cinemabooks. 1988. PP 45.
6. Wark, Wesley, ed. Spy Fiction, Spy Films, and Real Intelligence. London: Frank Cass and Co. Ltd. 1991. Pp. 145
Other Donald Sutherland Sources
Donald Sutherland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Sutherland - 45k -
Donald Sutherland Profile, Gossip, News, and Picture at CelebrityWonder.com.
http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/... - 41k -
Yahoo! Movies: Donald Sutherland
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/... - 15k -
Donald Sutherland - Northern Stars
Database for information about Canadian actors and directors.
http://www.northernstars.ca/actorsstu/... - 23k -
(Must be subscriber to access.)
Donald Sutherland posters, filmography, news, and forum.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/donald_sutherland/ - 100k -
Donald Sutherland News
http://www.topix.net/who/donald-sutherland - 37k -
IMDb: Donald Sutherland
Donald Sutherland (I) - Filmography, Awards, Biography, Agent, Discussions, Photos, News Articles, Fan Sites.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000661/ - 59k -
--
For other articles on film espionage, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
By Wesley Britton
According to critic Pete Stampede, acclaimed actor Donald Sutherland "has, to my mind, one of the great faces in cinema and a uniquely edgy presence (no-one is better at skulking, especially in Klute), even if some recent projects have been less than top-grade." (note 1) Still, despite Sutherland's long and varied career, a note at the IMDB from a aficionado complained there is no fan site for Sutherland nor any list serves devoted to him. That fan's choice was to simply post a few photos.
Well, there's more out there than what that poster suggested, but it is true online pickings are slim when comparing Sutherland to others with similar filmographies. So here's a contribution to filling that void.
SPY TELEVISION IN THE '60S
Born on July 17, 1935 (in New Brunswick, Canada), Donald McNichol Sutherland later said his absolute hero, as a young movie-goer, was Robert Mitchum. In his youth, Sutherland only thought of acting in terms of the stage which was what brought him to Britain. However, he didn't enjoy his time at LAMDA (the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) because the tutors decreed his voice was too low and would have to be raised an octave. This process went wrong and for a while he couldn't speak, leaving him, in his own words, fit only for truck driving. (note 2)
Sutherland spent most of the 1960s in Britain finding film and TV work in roles requiring a convenient American accent. He became a reliable supporting character in British-made television series, such shows often launching pads for long careers in films. For example, Roger Moore worked in Maverick, Ivanhoe, The Saint, and The Persuaders before becoming 007. Sutherland was part of this generation, a guest in two adventures of Moore’s The Saint. Sutherland first appeared in the American-set episode, "The Happy Suicide" (1965). Then, according to Pete Stampede, "He got a role in The Dirty Dozen (1967) after impressing as a convict in a Roger Moore-directed episode of The Saint, "Escape Route" (1966) - according to Moore, anyway!"
In 2006, Moore recalled more about working with Sutherland on “Escape route.” In his commentary track for The Spy Who Loved Me, he described the episode as one of those where Simon Templar went to prison in order to get information from an inmate. In this case, Sutherland was the prisoner, and the two escaped jail by running to a helicopter. The pair were pursued by a stuntman who grabbed the ledge and held on while the helicopter took off. Moore said Sutherland got too caught up in his role, and kept stamping on the stuntman's fingers, 100 feet in the air. Moore, directing the episode, had to yell cut to save the fellow's life.
During this busy period, Sutherland also guested in the super-hero spy series, The Champions. He played a crazed practitioner of voodoo in the episode, "Shadow of the Panther" (1968). In addition, Sutherland did two episodes of Man in A Suitcase. In "Day of Execution" (1967), he played a drunken American buddy of series lead Richard Bradford's character, McGill. In "Which Way Did He Go, McGill?" Sutherland was a villainous ex-convict snarling lines like "Oi've done three year's bird and Oi want moi share!" In Pete Stampede's words, Sutherland used a "strange Irish accent" for the drama and "unfortunately, he used it again years later in The Eagle Has Landed (1977). (note 3)
As it happened, Eagle featured Michael Caine, another perennial sometime spy from the same generation as Roger Moore, Sean Connery, and Donald Sutherland. Back in 1967, Sutherland had played a brief role in Caine's third "Harry Palmer" film, Billion Dollar Brain. Sutherland provided the voice of the computer issuing orders over the phone and was a quickly seen scientist in the movie. Both actors also worked together in a television version of Hamlet. "when they were mates in London in the 60's," Stampede noted in an e-mail, "they were both in an episode of the much-loved, long-running cop show Dixon of Dock Green, as villains intent on rubbing out one of Dixon's junior colleagues."
Most famously, Sutherland was the con-man killer Jessel in the 1967 episode, "The Superlative Seven," where he battled Patrick Macnee's John Steed in The Avengers. Ironically, this part came his way a few years after he had a role in a series seen only in England, The Sentimental Agent. The episode, "A Very Desirable Plot," also featured the TV debut of future Avenger, Diana Rigg. "His role in The Sentimental Agent," Stampede admits, "was a very small one, just a couple of lines as a hotel clerk, but in the same scene, just after he does his bit, Diana Rigg comes in, making her debut."
Beyond television and supporting roles in films, Sutherland's movie career began to move forward before decade's end. His last bit part using an American-sounding accent in a British spy film was in Sebastian (1968). Produced by important director Michael Powell, Sebastian had a math whiz (Dirk Bogarde) the Brits employ to crack codes. Then, with money borrowed from his friend, Christopher Plummer, Sutherland finally migrated to Hollywood where another secret agent role got him quick work. He did a TV movie, The Sunshine Patriot (1968). This effort starred Cliff Robertson in a double role as an American and an Englishman with Sutherland and Wilfrid Hyde White in the London-set scenes. The story was about an American agent with microfilm pursued by Russians.
But before the move, a future contribution to spy television came in the birth of Donald's twins on December 21, 1966--daughter Rachel and son, Kiefer. (Kiefer was named after Warren Kiefer, the screenwriter on his father's first theatrical film, Castle of the Living Dead [(1964]).
SUTHERLAND IN HOLLYWOOD
The 1970s were largely good years for Donald Sutherland, whose name came to prominence with the 1970 M*A*S*H with co-star, Elliott Gould. Sadly, Gould and Sutherland tried to capitalize on this fame in 1974 S*P*Y*S. In this forgettable farce, the two former doctors became bumbling CIA agents given the simple task of protecting a Russian ballerina. They're so inept the CIA asked the KGB to take them out. Critics and audiences were equally annoyed.
While other important roles came his way, such as playing the tank commander Sgt. Oddball in Kelly's Heroes (1970), starring in the Academy award-winning detective thriller Klute (1971), and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), the only other espionage outing during the '70s was the aforementioned The Eagle Has Landed. In a central role, Sutherland was novelist Jack Higgin's World War II Irish infiltration expert, Liam Devlin, who leads a group of German commandos into a small English village in hopes of kidnapping Winston Churchill. The twist was, Churchill wasn't there--an actor double had been sent to allow the Prime Minister to do secret work elsewhere. As reported in my Onscreen and Undercover: The Ultimate Book of Movie Espionage, "While Eagle earned high praise when it debuted, time has not been kind to a script that left out much that made the source material a landmark in espionage fiction." The problems are not attributed to the ensemble cast but rather a disinterested director. (See notes 3 and 4 below).
The High Point
Sutherland returned to spycraft, and WWII, in 1981's Eye of the Needle. In terms of espionage films, Needle was clearly Sutherland at his best in a well-made, suspenseful thriller with Hitchcockian touches. This major motion picture, based on a Ken Follett novel, involved Nazi spy Faber (Sutherland) shipwrecked on a remote English island after he secretly photographs the fake aircraft of General Patton's bogus coastal army. (note 4) Trying to send this information back to Germany--which would have altered the success of the planned D-Day Normandy invasion--he quietly murders two men, one of which was husband to Kate Mulligan. Unhappy in her marriage, Mulligan was first seduced by Faber before she realizes who he is and must stop his mission on her own.
For most reviewers, Sutherland was chilling in this underrated, Old-fashioned adventure. (note 5) According to Wesley Wark, Needle was a "nip-and-tuck chase film" like The 39 Steps as the Nazi went into rustic settings. (note 6)
Low Ebbs
But, more often, the material in Sutherland's spy scripts was not the stuff of classic filmmaking. He was part of the all-star cast in novelist Alistair Maclean’s
Bear Island (1980). Sutherland, Richard Widmark, Vanessa Redgrave, Barbara Perkins, Christopher Lee and others floundered in this bloated adventure involving scientists and Nazi spies on a strange island. The Canadian venture cost $12 million---it didn't get it back. But Sutherland hit his low point, in terms of movie secret agents, in The Trouble With Spies (1987. He was Appleton Porter in the critically panned comedy as yet another bumbling British agent going to Ibizia looking for a Russian. Despite mistake after mistake, Porter wins in the end. One indication of the film's potential was that it was released three years after it was made. Another clue about the film is the name it was released under in the U.K.---Two Female Spies in Flowered Panties.
During the 1990s, Sutherland's luck with spy roles again ran the gamut from the high caliber to the mediocre. In the 1991 Oliver Stone JFK, Sutherland played a mysterious Washington intelligence officer who pointed to links to the military-industrial complex in relation to Kennedy's assassination. In 1997, Sutherland appeared in two spy stories: The Assignment and Shadow Conspiracy. In the former, a film Roger Ebert rated with ****1/2, Sutherland was Jack Shaw/Henry Fields, A CIA agent tracking Carlos, "The Jackal" (Aidan Quinn). Originally titled The Carlos Project, the movie featured Ben Kingsley as an Israeli Mossad agent in one of the first films connecting worries of the Middle East with Cold War concerns. For some critics, "Jackal" stories had already been better done by the likes of Frederick Forsythe (Day of the Jackal) and Robert Ludlum (The Bourne Identity). Others claim The Assignment was an above-average spy thriller with a third-act that didn't disintegrate into a boom-boom, shoot-shoot finale.
However, in Shadow Conspiracy, cliches ruled the day in this vehicle for presidential assistant, Charlie Sheen. Sutherland was Jacob Conrad, the trusted mentor to Bobby Bishop (Sheen) who is on the run. A plodding effort in need of major rewrites.
LEGACY
Considering this catalogue of espionage lemons, middling adventures, and one outstanding classic, one might wonder if Donald Sutherland is worthy of any overview of important actors in spy films. It's worth noting he worked in numerous high-quality films unrelated to the secret agent genre including Johnny Got His Gun (1971), Don't Look Now (1973), the Academy Award winning Ordinary People (1980), and A Dry White Season (1989). He starred in Cold Mountain and The Italian Job (both 2003) and Pride and Prejudice (2005). Also in 2005, he was perfectly cast as the oily, manipulative Speaker of the House Nathan Templeton in the under-appreciated TV series, Commander in Chief. In July 2006, he earned an Emmy nomination for his performance as a custom's agent in the TV movie, Human Trafficking. Thus, for a few short months, two generations of Sutherlands appeared in network prime time, Kiefer Sutherland now the star of one of the best covert action projects ever aired.
For spy buffs, perhaps Donald Sutherland's presence in British television during the '60s spy renaissance remains his primary legacy in celluloid espionage. In the main, when Sutherland missed the mark, it was usually in films with unrealized scripts or lackluster directorial execution. When all the ingredients came together, as in Eye of the Needle (readily available on DVD), Donald Sutherland remains uniquely able to give chilly menace both emotional and intelligent depth. Rarely the hero but usually memorable, Sutherland continues to be a presence difficult to duplicate.
Notes
1. See Stampede, Pete. "The Avengers Forever: Donald Sutherland." 2002. TheAvengersForever.com
2. Some quotes here came from an e-mail from Pete Stampede to this author in which he said much of the information he used in his Avengers description came from a chapter Sutherland wrote called "Reflections Of A Star" in "a long out-of-print anthology called Anatomy of the Movies. I think he admitted having made one light-hearted caper comedy too many at that point."
3. For a more detailed discussion on The Eagle Has Landed, see "From Harry Palmer to Austin Powers: A Spy-ography of Michael Caine" posted at this website.
4. See my Onscreen and Undercover: The Ultimate Book of Movie Espionage (Praeger, 2006). PP 81. The photo gallery includes a still of Sutherland photographing the planes in Eye of the Needle.
5. Mulay, James J. And Daniel Curran, Jefferey H. Wallenfeldt. Spies and Sleuths: Mystery, Spies, and Suspense Films on Videocassette.
Evanston, IL: Cinemabooks. 1988. PP 45.
6. Wark, Wesley, ed. Spy Fiction, Spy Films, and Real Intelligence. London: Frank Cass and Co. Ltd. 1991. Pp. 145
Other Donald Sutherland Sources
Donald Sutherland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Sutherland - 45k -
Donald Sutherland Profile, Gossip, News, and Picture at CelebrityWonder.com.
http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/... - 41k -
Yahoo! Movies: Donald Sutherland
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/... - 15k -
Donald Sutherland - Northern Stars
Database for information about Canadian actors and directors.
http://www.northernstars.ca/actorsstu/... - 23k -
(Must be subscriber to access.)
Donald Sutherland posters, filmography, news, and forum.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/donald_sutherland/ - 100k -
Donald Sutherland News
http://www.topix.net/who/donald-sutherland - 37k -
IMDb: Donald Sutherland
Donald Sutherland (I) - Filmography, Awards, Biography, Agent, Discussions, Photos, News Articles, Fan Sites.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000661/ - 59k -
--
For other articles on film espionage, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
Sunday, June 24, 2007
On The Trail of Bulldog Drummond
The Sixty Minute 007: On the Trail of Bulldog Drummond
By Wesley Britton
I admit--there are too few movie fans interested in the old spy series that predated and set the stage for the James Bond films. You have to have a special curiosity to care about Mr. Moto, Dr. Mabuse, The Lone Wolf, and other black-and-white outings that were often quickly produced one hour B-movie entertainments during the early years of cinema.
But I'd like to offer one series that is more than worthy of your entertainment time. It features Bulldog Drummond, a character who's been described as the James Bond of the 1930s.
Why is Bulldog Drummond interesting 70 or so years after his heyday? Well, while a number of the movies have been around on video for years, Alpha Video's 9 Bulldog Drummond DVD releases just came out in 2005. The chosen films were, especially during the '30s, among the best detective/spy comedies ever made. Before the advent of bathroom humor, special-effects sight gags, and repetitious bumbling secret agent plots, Hugh C. Drummond thrived in witty scripts with comic situations in each adventure that also linked the features into one ongoing screwball comedy of manners.
Here is the story of this character. If he sounds like someone who'd be more diverting than what's on the tube tonight--well, Bulldog is alive and well on DVD.
Origins
Before Captain Hugh Chesterson Drummond, D.S.O, M.C., was sanitized for Hollywood, the former World War I infantry officer was an influential literary figure during the "Clubland" era of yarns penned by John Buchan, Dornford Yates, and Sapper. As reported in my Beyond Bond: Spies in Fiction and Film, "the famous `Bulldog' Drummond stories emphasized the teamwork of Englishmen in overtly racist terms, with many unkind references to Italians and Jews. `The breed' . . . were curt, able to throw back knives tossed at them, loved beer, and mistrusted the press . . . they knew enough to tear off the next two or three pages of telegraph paper to ensure no copies of their messages were left behind. They defeated foes who kept gorillas, dwarfs, and legless monsters who used blowpipes, dum-dum bullets, acid baths, and compressed air rifles. The heroes always preferred hand-to-hand combat even when the enemy threatened them with spiked boxing gloves. Such madmen stooped so low as to kiss married women while these victims were tied to chairs in their attempt to destroy the English way of life." (Britton 16-7)
The novels and short stories by Drummond's creator, Sapper (pen name for Lt. Col. Herman Cyril McNeile), are now largely remembered for their cliché-ridden, crude, and unsophisticated literary style. Beginning with Bulldog Drummond (1920), the sometimes secret agent Drummond battled his major foe, Carl Peterson, along with a parade of other foreigners. (McCormick 160-1) Referring to the first 1920 novel, MysteryGuide.com reports:
"What little plot there is seems to be recycled from classic mystery stories of the time: the girl and father from Sherlock Holmes, the global conspiracy from John Buchan, the missing millionaire and pearl necklace familiar tropes even in 1920. Sapper's contribution is pure energy and derring-do . . . proving that enough action can partially overcome a laughable plot and total lack of characterization . . . You can see why this book appealed to young sprouts of the pre-WWII British officer class; but Bulldog Drummond was a hero rather than a person, and that traps him irremediably in his own time."
This seems a fair summation of the literary Bulldog Drummond. The screen incarnations,
however, are another story entirely.
Drummond on Screen
Colonel: Pah! The eternal din in this club is an outrage! I ask you, wot?
Algy Longworth: You're perfectly right, Colonel. We ought to complain. Do you know
that's the third spoon I've heard drop this month?
Bulldog Drummond: Spoons, my hat. I wish that somebody would throw a bomb and wake the place up.
(Opening lines in an English club after a waiter dropped a spoon, Bulldog Drummond,
1929)
As it happened, Alfred Hitchcock's long interest in spy stories first came to the screen in
the original The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), an assassination plot based on
Drummond stories. (note 1) While Hitchcock's effort was only inspired by Drummond's
literary adventures, the character first appeared in silent films based on Sapper
plays, Bulldog Drummond (1923) and Bulldog Drummond's Third Round (1925). Bulldog
Drummond (1929), nominated for two Oscars, was Samuel Goldwyn's first talking
picture starring Ronald Colman in an engaging effort not yet released on DVD. In these
experimental times, microphones were taped as close to the actors as possible, and
settings were arranged to accommodate the new technology (Mulay 15). Co-starring
Loretta Young, Coleman returned in one more effort, Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back
(1934), the same year Ralph Richardson played the character in the British The Return of Bulldog Drummond. According to one review at the IMDB, Richardson was "the only
screen Drummond apparently as racist and violent as the original." In between the Coleman films, Temple Tower (1930) starred Kenneth McKenna in a lewellyN Hughes story. No known prints exist of this project.
The Paramount Series
During the late 1930s and the early war years, Paramount Pictures portrayed the
impulsive adventurer as a suave ex-British officer by the likes of Ray Milland and John
Howard. While various actors played the supporting players, Drummond was usually
involved with Inspector Col. Sir Reginald Nielson (John Barrymore, Guy Standing, H.B.
Warner), who often pleaded with Bulldog to get out of England as his presence always
met a crime had been committed, was about to be committed, or any other sort of
mayhem was going to erupt. Phyllis Clavering (Heather Angel, Louise Campbell) was
Drummond's long-suffering but spunky girlfriend--more on her below. Algy Longworth
(Reginald Denny) was a helpful if befuddled and frustrated buddy Drummond won't let
off the adventure hook even when his wife is in labor. And "Tenny" Tennison (E. Clive
was the stalwart valet always nonplussed by any bizarre situations his master gets
involved in.
These 60 minute features drained off much of the brutality and racial
perspectives of the novels in favor of a comic approach. An ongoing storyline was
Drummonds romance with his fiancee', Phyllis, whose wedding plans are always
thwarted by the boyish Bulldog being pulled into one escapade or another. In one
outing, for example, Bulldog was after bank robbers while a French police chief keeps
trying to make sure Drummond marries Phyllis, either in jail or at the crime scene. It took
many films before the union surprised everyone after all sorts of crooks, spies, and cops
drug Drummond into all manner of strange intrigue involving secret gadgets, clever
gizmos, and unusual smuggling operations.
Ray Milland was Drummond in Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937) in which Drummond
Met and rescued Phyllis for the first time. He immediately Recognized she has the right
Spirit for him when she clobbered a baddie with a candlestick. Then John Howard took
over the title role in such films as 1937' Bulldog Drummond Comes Back (in which
Tenny rescues Drummond, Algy, and Phyllis from a lethal gas trap). In Bulldog
Drummond's Revenge (1937), Drummond looked for spies who've stolen a secret weapons formula. This story is remembered for action, humor, but not as one of the series best.
But Howard also starred in the well-regarded Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938) where
our hero went to Switzerland and uncovered a murder and diamond theft. Good
locations, a bullwhip vs. sword fight, and ahead of their time devices like artificial diamonds and corporate conspiracies suppressing rival technology mark this episode. Likewise, in 1939, Arrest Bulldog Drummond had Howard competing with foreign spies after a futuristic device that can blow up munitions from a distance. Howard returned In Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police (1939), a film with a rather misleading title. In this case, Drummond doesn't have to travel to find trouble--it comes to his own home at Rockingham Tower on Roman Road. While wedding plans are in earnest, a historian reveals a buried treasure is hidden somewhere in the secret passages throughout the Drummond mansion. In the end, after all mysteries are solved, Bulldog and Phyllis make it as far as the wedding rehearsal before the ceiling literally caves in. With her aunt, Phyllis escapes to Africa saying hunting lions would be safer.
Arguably the best of the lot, at least in terms of spy plots, was Bulldog Drummond in Africa (1938). John Howard was Drummond traveling with his entourage to Morocco to rescue a kidnapped Scotland Yard detective who knows about a "signal disintegrator" device. Drummond has to start the adventure without his pants as Phyllis has his trousers and guns taken away because she wants her long delayed wedding to take place without the adventurer getting caught up in something. This time, Phyllis is the one to alert him of the kidnapping. As usual, Drummond, Phyllis, and Tenny exchange repartee in the deadliest of situations, even moments after the plane they were flying explodes before their eyes. Still, Phyllis persists and the duo wed--after solving a bank robbery--in Bulldog Drummond's Bride in 1939.
Trying to maintain the popularity established at Paramount, Columbia Pictures offered two more leading men as Drummond after the war. In 1947, Australian actor Ron Randell starred in Bulldog Drummond at Bay with Drummond battling secret agents seeking plans for a secret warplane. Randell also starred in a new Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back with a new Aujy Longworth, played by Patrick O'Moore. In this story, two different women both claim to be a missing heiress. In 1948, Tom Conway was cast in the slow and muddled The Challenge and 13 Lead Soldiers, the latter based on a Sapper story. This time, John Newland was Algy.
For the record, Gerard Fairlie, The actual model for the Bulldog Drummond character, also penned a number of Drummond adventures, some of which became British films. Before Sapper's death in 1937, the two discussed the originator's last novel, Bulldog Drummond Hits Out (1937), and Fairlie agreed to complete the book (McCormick 70). Fairlie had Drummond battling the new enemies of the Berlin-Rome-Moscow Axis before the second World War, a change from battles with independent merchants and mercenary spies to duels with political states in books like Bulldog Drummond at War (1940) and Captain Bulldog Drummond (1945). In these tales, Drummond battled saboteurs, prevented riots, and helped inspire rearmament in England. Drummond, along with intelligence officer Ronald Standish, dealt with ongoing villains, notably old foe Carl Peterson and his new wife, Irma (Osbourne 189-99).
Sapper and Fairlie first collaborated on a film script in 1935 for Gaumont International's Bulldog Jack, known as Alias Bulldog Drummond in the U.S. In this story, Bulldog (Atholl Fleming) is injured when his sabotaged car explodes, so Jack Pennington (Jack Hulbert) steps in as a bogus Drummond. This slapstick comedy, available on video, co-starred Fay (King Kong) Wray, Ralph Richardson, and Claude Hulbert as Algy Longworth running around the British underground seeking jewel crooks. Details regarding the 1940 Bulldog Sees It Through, distributed by the Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) in England, by MGM in the states, are more uncertain. No Bulldog is listed in the credits--Jack Buchanan seems to be the star, playing a character called Bill Watson. The last of the Fairlie movie projects was Calling Bulldog Drummond (1951) for which Fairlie co-wrote the screenplay with Howard Emmett Rogers and Arthur Wimperis. This low-regarded effort starred Walter Pidgeon, David Tomlinson as algy, and Bernard Lee, later the "M" of the Bond pictures, as Col. Webson.
"No matter where she's a-hidden', she's gonna hear me a-comin'. Gonna walk right
down that street like Bulldog Drummond!"
(From The Coasters' hit, "Searchin'", 1957)
Was Ian Fleming, or the Bond movie producers, influenced by either the Bulldog Drummond books or films? Quite likely. It's not known if Fleming read the Sapper stories, but he was clearly a fan of fellow "Clubland" novelist John Buchan whose books he read as a child. It is very clear producers during the 1960s took note of the success of Sean Connery and brought Bulldog Drummond back for two film adventures.
First, there was Deadlier Than the Male (1966), which introduced Richard Johnson as the above-it-all insurance investigator and sometime spy. Johnson went after master criminal Carl Peterson (Nigel Green) using two women as killers. (Drummond and Peterson were both created by Sapper in 1920.) In the story, they're after a Middle Eastern king. Spy exploitation sex goddess Sylva Koscina was Penelope, one of the possibly lesbian assassins; Elke Sommer became an international sensation based on her role as Irma Eckman.
The sequel, Some Girls Do (1969), returned Johnson, this time facing 13 women with artificial brains whose electronic strings were being pulled by his old nemesis, Carl Peterson (James Villears). This time, Peterson is out to earn 8 million pounds by using a new "infra-sound" device to knock out experimental British planes. Sound familiar?
This incarnation of Drummond was shaped more by the Bond mythos than anything Sapper or Gerard Fairlie could have imagined. In Some Girls Do, for example, The gimmick of girl robots, trained in a bogus cooking school, would have made for a good The Avengers script. Or even a story like In Like Flint where sexy girls were brainwashed by hair-dryers. This Drummond seemed to be a Peter O'Toole imitation waltzing casually in a production built around girls, girls, girls. Well, the film was so British it would be better described as birds, birds, birds. In an attempt to recapture the glow of Elke Somer in Deadlier Than the Male, The sultry voiced Delilah Lavi, a veteran of Casino Royale and a number of other 007 rip-offs, was Helga, the girl sent to seduce Drummond before attempting to murder him. The other beauties included Beba Loncar, Vanessa Howard, Sydney Rome, and Yutte Stenssgaard. You could call them the Stepford Killers.
If you can find any of the original Bulldog Drummond books, great, but mainly there's no reason not to enjoy the old films--by which I mean the '30s romps--so easily
obtainable from many sources. Yes, the visuals are obviously dated, but the hokiness fits in with the intentional sight gags such as one scene where Bulldog explains a mystery to Longworth while driving through a fog, his windshield wipers flapping in his open convertible. Try one--and see if you don't get hooked!
Notes
1. According to Patrick McGilligan's Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003), Hitchcock was attracted to a Sapper story in which the Drummonds, vacationing in Switzerland, stumble onto an international spy plot. To keep Drummond silent, the spies kidnap the Drummond's infant--hence the first working title for The Man Who Knew Too Much--Bulldog Drummond's Baby. But when scriptwriter Charles Bennett was brought into the project, the Drummonds had to be dropped as British International Pictures still owned the rights to the character. The baby too was dropped in favor of a prepubescent girl. The original concept gave way to new global concerns, mainly the rise of German Fascism and an attempted assassination of FDR. "The Bulldog Drummond character had been downgraded from dashing to merely fatherly, but at the same time his wife had evolved into more of a heroine." The only thing retained from the original script was the opening sequence set in St. Moritz. (McGilligan 158-62).
Bulldog Drummond on DVD
Complete lists of Bulldog Drummond films are easily found at other websites; this list is
Of films currently available on Alpha Video. All these titles are for rent from Netflix or for
purchase from Amazon or other sources. Most are double-features on one disc.
Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937--in which we meet Phyllis); Bulldog Drummond's
Secret police (1939);Bulldog Drummond at Bay (1937); Bulldog Drummond in Africa
(1938); Arrest Bulldog Drummond (1939); Bulldog Drummond Comes Back (1937);
Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938); Bulldog Drummond's Bride (1939); Bulldog
Drummond's Revenge (1937)
While Deadlier Than the Male has been issued on video, it's a tough one to find. At present, the only source I know of for Some Girls Do is BLOOD TIMES VIDEO. Caution: the price for Blood Times videos or DVDs is a bit high for dubs that vary wildly in quality. Nonetheless, unless you have a better source, Blood Times has titles not easy to find.
Email Address: Bloodtv2000@yahoo.com
http://members.tripod.com/~EuroFan/BTVindex.htm -
Sources
Britton, Wesley. Beyond Bond: Spies in Fiction and Film. Westport, CT.: Praeger Pub. 2005
-- --, Onscreen and Undercover: The Ultimate Book of Movie Espionage. Westport, CT: Praeger Pub. 2006.
McCormick, Donald. Who's Who in Spy Fiction. New York: Taplinger. 1977.
Mulay, James J. And Daniel Curran, Jefferey H. Wallenfeldt. Spies and Sleuths: Mystery, Spies, and Suspense Films on Videocassette. Evanston, IL: Cinemabooks. 1988.
Osbourne, Richard. Clubland Heroes. London: Constable and Co. 1953.
Bulldog Drummond Novels by Sapper
Bulldog Drummon (1920); The Black Gang (1922); The Third Round (1924); The Final
Count (1926); The Female of the Species (1928); Temple Tower (1929); The Return of
Bulldog Drummond (1932); Knock Out (1933); Bulldog Drummond at Bay (1935); The
Challenge (1937)
Bulldog Drummond short stories by Sapper
"Lonely Inn"; "The Mystery Tour"; "The Oriental Mind"; "Thirteen Lead Soldiers"; "Wheels
Within Wheels"
Books With Other Authors
Bulldog Drummon (1925) w/ Gerald du Maurier
Books by Gerard Fairlie
Bulldog Drummond on Dartmoor (1938); Bulldog Drummond Attacks (1939); Captain
Bulldog Drummond (1945); Bulldog Drummond Stands Fast (1947); Hands Off Bulldog
Drummond (1949); Calling Bulldog Drummond (1951); The Return of the Black Gang
(1954)
By Other Authors
Deadlier Than the Male (movie tie-in, 1966) by Henry Reymond)
Other Bulldog Drummond Projects
A Bulldog Drummond radio serial ran from 1941 to 1954 starring George Coulouris.
Drummond was one of many characters featured in the Anthology, Combined
Forces(1983) by Jack Smithers. Reviving several "Clubland" heroes, the book was described as "Being the Latter-Day Adventures of Maj. Gen. Sir Richard Hannay, Captain Hugh (Bulldog) Drummond, and Berry & Co."
Bullshot Crummond (1983) was a parody that was both a play and film. In 1991, Kim
Newman's short story "Pitbull Brittan" was a parody of Drummond and of the state of England under Margaret Thatcher, featuring Bulldog's battle against an international conspiracy responsible for the 1984 Miners' Strike. Newman also used Drummond for a brief cameo appearance in the novel, The Blooddy Red Baron.
In 2004, Moonstone Books released a Bulldog Drummond comic book written by William Messner-Loebs, illustrated by Brett Barkley. (48pgs, b/w, Cover by Tim Seelig.)
For related articles, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
By Wesley Britton
I admit--there are too few movie fans interested in the old spy series that predated and set the stage for the James Bond films. You have to have a special curiosity to care about Mr. Moto, Dr. Mabuse, The Lone Wolf, and other black-and-white outings that were often quickly produced one hour B-movie entertainments during the early years of cinema.
But I'd like to offer one series that is more than worthy of your entertainment time. It features Bulldog Drummond, a character who's been described as the James Bond of the 1930s.
Why is Bulldog Drummond interesting 70 or so years after his heyday? Well, while a number of the movies have been around on video for years, Alpha Video's 9 Bulldog Drummond DVD releases just came out in 2005. The chosen films were, especially during the '30s, among the best detective/spy comedies ever made. Before the advent of bathroom humor, special-effects sight gags, and repetitious bumbling secret agent plots, Hugh C. Drummond thrived in witty scripts with comic situations in each adventure that also linked the features into one ongoing screwball comedy of manners.
Here is the story of this character. If he sounds like someone who'd be more diverting than what's on the tube tonight--well, Bulldog is alive and well on DVD.
Origins
Before Captain Hugh Chesterson Drummond, D.S.O, M.C., was sanitized for Hollywood, the former World War I infantry officer was an influential literary figure during the "Clubland" era of yarns penned by John Buchan, Dornford Yates, and Sapper. As reported in my Beyond Bond: Spies in Fiction and Film, "the famous `Bulldog' Drummond stories emphasized the teamwork of Englishmen in overtly racist terms, with many unkind references to Italians and Jews. `The breed' . . . were curt, able to throw back knives tossed at them, loved beer, and mistrusted the press . . . they knew enough to tear off the next two or three pages of telegraph paper to ensure no copies of their messages were left behind. They defeated foes who kept gorillas, dwarfs, and legless monsters who used blowpipes, dum-dum bullets, acid baths, and compressed air rifles. The heroes always preferred hand-to-hand combat even when the enemy threatened them with spiked boxing gloves. Such madmen stooped so low as to kiss married women while these victims were tied to chairs in their attempt to destroy the English way of life." (Britton 16-7)
The novels and short stories by Drummond's creator, Sapper (pen name for Lt. Col. Herman Cyril McNeile), are now largely remembered for their cliché-ridden, crude, and unsophisticated literary style. Beginning with Bulldog Drummond (1920), the sometimes secret agent Drummond battled his major foe, Carl Peterson, along with a parade of other foreigners. (McCormick 160-1) Referring to the first 1920 novel, MysteryGuide.com reports:
"What little plot there is seems to be recycled from classic mystery stories of the time: the girl and father from Sherlock Holmes, the global conspiracy from John Buchan, the missing millionaire and pearl necklace familiar tropes even in 1920. Sapper's contribution is pure energy and derring-do . . . proving that enough action can partially overcome a laughable plot and total lack of characterization . . . You can see why this book appealed to young sprouts of the pre-WWII British officer class; but Bulldog Drummond was a hero rather than a person, and that traps him irremediably in his own time."
This seems a fair summation of the literary Bulldog Drummond. The screen incarnations,
however, are another story entirely.
Drummond on Screen
Colonel: Pah! The eternal din in this club is an outrage! I ask you, wot?
Algy Longworth: You're perfectly right, Colonel. We ought to complain. Do you know
that's the third spoon I've heard drop this month?
Bulldog Drummond: Spoons, my hat. I wish that somebody would throw a bomb and wake the place up.
(Opening lines in an English club after a waiter dropped a spoon, Bulldog Drummond,
1929)
As it happened, Alfred Hitchcock's long interest in spy stories first came to the screen in
the original The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), an assassination plot based on
Drummond stories. (note 1) While Hitchcock's effort was only inspired by Drummond's
literary adventures, the character first appeared in silent films based on Sapper
plays, Bulldog Drummond (1923) and Bulldog Drummond's Third Round (1925). Bulldog
Drummond (1929), nominated for two Oscars, was Samuel Goldwyn's first talking
picture starring Ronald Colman in an engaging effort not yet released on DVD. In these
experimental times, microphones were taped as close to the actors as possible, and
settings were arranged to accommodate the new technology (Mulay 15). Co-starring
Loretta Young, Coleman returned in one more effort, Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back
(1934), the same year Ralph Richardson played the character in the British The Return of Bulldog Drummond. According to one review at the IMDB, Richardson was "the only
screen Drummond apparently as racist and violent as the original." In between the Coleman films, Temple Tower (1930) starred Kenneth McKenna in a lewellyN Hughes story. No known prints exist of this project.
The Paramount Series
During the late 1930s and the early war years, Paramount Pictures portrayed the
impulsive adventurer as a suave ex-British officer by the likes of Ray Milland and John
Howard. While various actors played the supporting players, Drummond was usually
involved with Inspector Col. Sir Reginald Nielson (John Barrymore, Guy Standing, H.B.
Warner), who often pleaded with Bulldog to get out of England as his presence always
met a crime had been committed, was about to be committed, or any other sort of
mayhem was going to erupt. Phyllis Clavering (Heather Angel, Louise Campbell) was
Drummond's long-suffering but spunky girlfriend--more on her below. Algy Longworth
(Reginald Denny) was a helpful if befuddled and frustrated buddy Drummond won't let
off the adventure hook even when his wife is in labor. And "Tenny" Tennison (E. Clive
was the stalwart valet always nonplussed by any bizarre situations his master gets
involved in.
These 60 minute features drained off much of the brutality and racial
perspectives of the novels in favor of a comic approach. An ongoing storyline was
Drummonds romance with his fiancee', Phyllis, whose wedding plans are always
thwarted by the boyish Bulldog being pulled into one escapade or another. In one
outing, for example, Bulldog was after bank robbers while a French police chief keeps
trying to make sure Drummond marries Phyllis, either in jail or at the crime scene. It took
many films before the union surprised everyone after all sorts of crooks, spies, and cops
drug Drummond into all manner of strange intrigue involving secret gadgets, clever
gizmos, and unusual smuggling operations.
Ray Milland was Drummond in Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937) in which Drummond
Met and rescued Phyllis for the first time. He immediately Recognized she has the right
Spirit for him when she clobbered a baddie with a candlestick. Then John Howard took
over the title role in such films as 1937' Bulldog Drummond Comes Back (in which
Tenny rescues Drummond, Algy, and Phyllis from a lethal gas trap). In Bulldog
Drummond's Revenge (1937), Drummond looked for spies who've stolen a secret weapons formula. This story is remembered for action, humor, but not as one of the series best.
But Howard also starred in the well-regarded Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938) where
our hero went to Switzerland and uncovered a murder and diamond theft. Good
locations, a bullwhip vs. sword fight, and ahead of their time devices like artificial diamonds and corporate conspiracies suppressing rival technology mark this episode. Likewise, in 1939, Arrest Bulldog Drummond had Howard competing with foreign spies after a futuristic device that can blow up munitions from a distance. Howard returned In Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police (1939), a film with a rather misleading title. In this case, Drummond doesn't have to travel to find trouble--it comes to his own home at Rockingham Tower on Roman Road. While wedding plans are in earnest, a historian reveals a buried treasure is hidden somewhere in the secret passages throughout the Drummond mansion. In the end, after all mysteries are solved, Bulldog and Phyllis make it as far as the wedding rehearsal before the ceiling literally caves in. With her aunt, Phyllis escapes to Africa saying hunting lions would be safer.
Arguably the best of the lot, at least in terms of spy plots, was Bulldog Drummond in Africa (1938). John Howard was Drummond traveling with his entourage to Morocco to rescue a kidnapped Scotland Yard detective who knows about a "signal disintegrator" device. Drummond has to start the adventure without his pants as Phyllis has his trousers and guns taken away because she wants her long delayed wedding to take place without the adventurer getting caught up in something. This time, Phyllis is the one to alert him of the kidnapping. As usual, Drummond, Phyllis, and Tenny exchange repartee in the deadliest of situations, even moments after the plane they were flying explodes before their eyes. Still, Phyllis persists and the duo wed--after solving a bank robbery--in Bulldog Drummond's Bride in 1939.
Trying to maintain the popularity established at Paramount, Columbia Pictures offered two more leading men as Drummond after the war. In 1947, Australian actor Ron Randell starred in Bulldog Drummond at Bay with Drummond battling secret agents seeking plans for a secret warplane. Randell also starred in a new Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back with a new Aujy Longworth, played by Patrick O'Moore. In this story, two different women both claim to be a missing heiress. In 1948, Tom Conway was cast in the slow and muddled The Challenge and 13 Lead Soldiers, the latter based on a Sapper story. This time, John Newland was Algy.
For the record, Gerard Fairlie, The actual model for the Bulldog Drummond character, also penned a number of Drummond adventures, some of which became British films. Before Sapper's death in 1937, the two discussed the originator's last novel, Bulldog Drummond Hits Out (1937), and Fairlie agreed to complete the book (McCormick 70). Fairlie had Drummond battling the new enemies of the Berlin-Rome-Moscow Axis before the second World War, a change from battles with independent merchants and mercenary spies to duels with political states in books like Bulldog Drummond at War (1940) and Captain Bulldog Drummond (1945). In these tales, Drummond battled saboteurs, prevented riots, and helped inspire rearmament in England. Drummond, along with intelligence officer Ronald Standish, dealt with ongoing villains, notably old foe Carl Peterson and his new wife, Irma (Osbourne 189-99).
Sapper and Fairlie first collaborated on a film script in 1935 for Gaumont International's Bulldog Jack, known as Alias Bulldog Drummond in the U.S. In this story, Bulldog (Atholl Fleming) is injured when his sabotaged car explodes, so Jack Pennington (Jack Hulbert) steps in as a bogus Drummond. This slapstick comedy, available on video, co-starred Fay (King Kong) Wray, Ralph Richardson, and Claude Hulbert as Algy Longworth running around the British underground seeking jewel crooks. Details regarding the 1940 Bulldog Sees It Through, distributed by the Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) in England, by MGM in the states, are more uncertain. No Bulldog is listed in the credits--Jack Buchanan seems to be the star, playing a character called Bill Watson. The last of the Fairlie movie projects was Calling Bulldog Drummond (1951) for which Fairlie co-wrote the screenplay with Howard Emmett Rogers and Arthur Wimperis. This low-regarded effort starred Walter Pidgeon, David Tomlinson as algy, and Bernard Lee, later the "M" of the Bond pictures, as Col. Webson.
"No matter where she's a-hidden', she's gonna hear me a-comin'. Gonna walk right
down that street like Bulldog Drummond!"
(From The Coasters' hit, "Searchin'", 1957)
Was Ian Fleming, or the Bond movie producers, influenced by either the Bulldog Drummond books or films? Quite likely. It's not known if Fleming read the Sapper stories, but he was clearly a fan of fellow "Clubland" novelist John Buchan whose books he read as a child. It is very clear producers during the 1960s took note of the success of Sean Connery and brought Bulldog Drummond back for two film adventures.
First, there was Deadlier Than the Male (1966), which introduced Richard Johnson as the above-it-all insurance investigator and sometime spy. Johnson went after master criminal Carl Peterson (Nigel Green) using two women as killers. (Drummond and Peterson were both created by Sapper in 1920.) In the story, they're after a Middle Eastern king. Spy exploitation sex goddess Sylva Koscina was Penelope, one of the possibly lesbian assassins; Elke Sommer became an international sensation based on her role as Irma Eckman.
The sequel, Some Girls Do (1969), returned Johnson, this time facing 13 women with artificial brains whose electronic strings were being pulled by his old nemesis, Carl Peterson (James Villears). This time, Peterson is out to earn 8 million pounds by using a new "infra-sound" device to knock out experimental British planes. Sound familiar?
This incarnation of Drummond was shaped more by the Bond mythos than anything Sapper or Gerard Fairlie could have imagined. In Some Girls Do, for example, The gimmick of girl robots, trained in a bogus cooking school, would have made for a good The Avengers script. Or even a story like In Like Flint where sexy girls were brainwashed by hair-dryers. This Drummond seemed to be a Peter O'Toole imitation waltzing casually in a production built around girls, girls, girls. Well, the film was so British it would be better described as birds, birds, birds. In an attempt to recapture the glow of Elke Somer in Deadlier Than the Male, The sultry voiced Delilah Lavi, a veteran of Casino Royale and a number of other 007 rip-offs, was Helga, the girl sent to seduce Drummond before attempting to murder him. The other beauties included Beba Loncar, Vanessa Howard, Sydney Rome, and Yutte Stenssgaard. You could call them the Stepford Killers.
If you can find any of the original Bulldog Drummond books, great, but mainly there's no reason not to enjoy the old films--by which I mean the '30s romps--so easily
obtainable from many sources. Yes, the visuals are obviously dated, but the hokiness fits in with the intentional sight gags such as one scene where Bulldog explains a mystery to Longworth while driving through a fog, his windshield wipers flapping in his open convertible. Try one--and see if you don't get hooked!
Notes
1. According to Patrick McGilligan's Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003), Hitchcock was attracted to a Sapper story in which the Drummonds, vacationing in Switzerland, stumble onto an international spy plot. To keep Drummond silent, the spies kidnap the Drummond's infant--hence the first working title for The Man Who Knew Too Much--Bulldog Drummond's Baby. But when scriptwriter Charles Bennett was brought into the project, the Drummonds had to be dropped as British International Pictures still owned the rights to the character. The baby too was dropped in favor of a prepubescent girl. The original concept gave way to new global concerns, mainly the rise of German Fascism and an attempted assassination of FDR. "The Bulldog Drummond character had been downgraded from dashing to merely fatherly, but at the same time his wife had evolved into more of a heroine." The only thing retained from the original script was the opening sequence set in St. Moritz. (McGilligan 158-62).
Bulldog Drummond on DVD
Complete lists of Bulldog Drummond films are easily found at other websites; this list is
Of films currently available on Alpha Video. All these titles are for rent from Netflix or for
purchase from Amazon or other sources. Most are double-features on one disc.
Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937--in which we meet Phyllis); Bulldog Drummond's
Secret police (1939);Bulldog Drummond at Bay (1937); Bulldog Drummond in Africa
(1938); Arrest Bulldog Drummond (1939); Bulldog Drummond Comes Back (1937);
Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938); Bulldog Drummond's Bride (1939); Bulldog
Drummond's Revenge (1937)
While Deadlier Than the Male has been issued on video, it's a tough one to find. At present, the only source I know of for Some Girls Do is BLOOD TIMES VIDEO. Caution: the price for Blood Times videos or DVDs is a bit high for dubs that vary wildly in quality. Nonetheless, unless you have a better source, Blood Times has titles not easy to find.
Email Address: Bloodtv2000@yahoo.com
http://members.tripod.com/~EuroFan/BTVindex.htm -
Sources
Britton, Wesley. Beyond Bond: Spies in Fiction and Film. Westport, CT.: Praeger Pub. 2005
-- --, Onscreen and Undercover: The Ultimate Book of Movie Espionage. Westport, CT: Praeger Pub. 2006.
McCormick, Donald. Who's Who in Spy Fiction. New York: Taplinger. 1977.
Mulay, James J. And Daniel Curran, Jefferey H. Wallenfeldt. Spies and Sleuths: Mystery, Spies, and Suspense Films on Videocassette. Evanston, IL: Cinemabooks. 1988.
Osbourne, Richard. Clubland Heroes. London: Constable and Co. 1953.
Bulldog Drummond Novels by Sapper
Bulldog Drummon (1920); The Black Gang (1922); The Third Round (1924); The Final
Count (1926); The Female of the Species (1928); Temple Tower (1929); The Return of
Bulldog Drummond (1932); Knock Out (1933); Bulldog Drummond at Bay (1935); The
Challenge (1937)
Bulldog Drummond short stories by Sapper
"Lonely Inn"; "The Mystery Tour"; "The Oriental Mind"; "Thirteen Lead Soldiers"; "Wheels
Within Wheels"
Books With Other Authors
Bulldog Drummon (1925) w/ Gerald du Maurier
Books by Gerard Fairlie
Bulldog Drummond on Dartmoor (1938); Bulldog Drummond Attacks (1939); Captain
Bulldog Drummond (1945); Bulldog Drummond Stands Fast (1947); Hands Off Bulldog
Drummond (1949); Calling Bulldog Drummond (1951); The Return of the Black Gang
(1954)
By Other Authors
Deadlier Than the Male (movie tie-in, 1966) by Henry Reymond)
Other Bulldog Drummond Projects
A Bulldog Drummond radio serial ran from 1941 to 1954 starring George Coulouris.
Drummond was one of many characters featured in the Anthology, Combined
Forces(1983) by Jack Smithers. Reviving several "Clubland" heroes, the book was described as "Being the Latter-Day Adventures of Maj. Gen. Sir Richard Hannay, Captain Hugh (Bulldog) Drummond, and Berry & Co."
Bullshot Crummond (1983) was a parody that was both a play and film. In 1991, Kim
Newman's short story "Pitbull Brittan" was a parody of Drummond and of the state of England under Margaret Thatcher, featuring Bulldog's battle against an international conspiracy responsible for the 1984 Miners' Strike. Newman also used Drummond for a brief cameo appearance in the novel, The Blooddy Red Baron.
In 2004, Moonstone Books released a Bulldog Drummond comic book written by William Messner-Loebs, illustrated by Brett Barkley. (48pgs, b/w, Cover by Tim Seelig.)
For related articles, see
WWW.WesleyBritton.com
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