Dr. Keel, we're needed! Long before Avenger John Steed was partnered with Emma Peel and Cathy Gale (played by Diana Rigg and Honor Blackman- both left the series to do James Bond films), he was the shadowy partner of Dr. David Keel (played by Ian Hendry). Although some of the early programs have been released, many remain missing. Two companies have been working on projects to bring those lost episodes back to life.
Fans of Doctor Who may be familiar with the syndrome, as the studios used to save money by wiping and reusing their tapes. Much of early UK television was shot on video and remains lost forever. If only they knew about the future of syndication, home video release, and streaming content back then. A stash of old film reels were recently found that had been sent to stations in Africa, and at least a few Doctor Who treasures have been unearthed. Big Finish Productions has been filling the gaps by producing outstanding audio adaptations of early Doctor Who shows. Recently the company set their sights on lost episodes of The Avengers.
From Big Finish: "Steed and Dr. Keel return to action in these four
recreations of classic lost episodes - 'Hot Snow,' 'Brought to Book,' 'Square
Root of Evil,' and 'One for the Mortuary.' Starring Anthony Howell (Foyle's
War, Dirk Gently, Dracula) as Dr. Keel and Julian Wadham (The Minister of
Chance, War Horse, Downton Abbey) as John Steed, four episodes from the wiped
first series of The Avengers recreated faithfully on audio. This full-cast
audio drama is brought to life with eerily engrossing sound design and a brand new,
cinematic music score." The Volume 1 box set was just released by Big Finish. The company will release Volume 2 in July and Volume 3 in January 2015.
Hidden Tiger has also released a collection of lost episodes from Season One of The Avengers: "In the mid-Sixties, The Avengers proved itself to be a
cultural phenomenon. But the earliest episodes of the show
have, since their 1961 broadcast, disappeared from view, the vast majority of
the recordings lost forever. The Strange Case of the Missing Episodes lifts the lid on
that first year, and retells the stories in extended synopsis form, covering
twenty-four episodes, in greater depth than ever before. The book also boasts a
detailed introduction, which explores how these much sought after programmes
came to be lost, and a detailed retelling of an alternative, untransmitted
version of the episode Double Danger." Hard cover and paperback editions were released last June and a new Kindle edition was just released in February. You can "look inside" at the Amazon page here. Learn more at The Avengers Declassified.
Recent Spy Vibe posts: The Saint Library Released, DC Fontana Prisoner Video, James Bond Comic Event, Turkish James Bond Design, Edward Gorey's 1960s, Ipcress File cinematography, 007 SOLO cover designs, Batman Valentines cards, Saturday Cartoons: Marine Boy, Mary Quant, Patrick Macnee, Gloria Steinem and Denny O'Neil on MOD Wonder Woman, Win Scott Eckert interview, Siegel and Shuster's SPY, David McCallum: Son of Batman, Jon Gilbert talks Fleming, Barbarella TV series, Meet the Beatles 50th, Wonderwall comes to Blu-ray, Batman Strips, David Bowie at 67, Kevin Dart talks Ringo & Powerpuff Girls, Sherlock Exhibit, Fu Manchu history panel, Andy Warhol box set, Six-Million Dollar Man, Striped Light Nude, Buckminster Fuller, Dylan at Newport, Jane and Serge, The Goldfinger Variations, Mod Tales Interview, David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic Art, Shane Glines Batman.
Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.
The original adventures of The Saint have returned in a massive publishing project by Hodder & Stoughton (Mullholland UK imprint). A complete library collection by Leslie Charteris was released in paperback between April, 2013 and February, 2014, and will be available in Ebook editions from Thomas & Mercer on Amazon starting March 18th. As described on the Charteris website,
Simon Templar (The Saint) is the "Robin Hood of modern crime: he robs from
the evil and heartless rich, and gives to the wronged and deserving poor- in
the process, keeping a percentage for his own expenses. He doesn't work for the
law, the government, or anyone else. He is a lone wolf, but he doesn't hesitate
to team up or collaborate with anyone, including official agencies, when the
need arises. He is also a romantic who believes in the excitement of living." Charteris wrote fifty Saint novels and collections. The character also appeared in many continuation stories, films, radio shows, comic strips, and notably a 1960s TV series starring Roger Moore. I loved reading these novels as a kid. The Moore series imprinted a wonderful image in my mind of the ideal jet-setter and adventurer for the space age. I was also intrigued to learn there were Saint Clubs for boys during the mid-century. In my imagination, groups of good-hearted Bowery Boys met in cellar gymnasiums to read the exploits of Simon Templar and to practice boxing and archery. I was never one to join clubs as a kid, but this image of brotherly Saint fans really appealed to me. I'm excited to see this library of novels return to bookshelves and win over new readers. Enjoy! Learn about The Saint: The Saint: A Complete History, George Sanders Saint Collection, The Saint seasons 5 & 6 streaming on Amazon, The Saint radio show starring Vincent Price, and The Saint.org website.
Recent Spy Vibe posts: DC Fontana Prisoner Video, James Bond Comic Event, Turkish James Bond Design, Edward Gorey's 1960s, Ipcress File cinematography, 007 SOLO cover designs, Batman Valentines cards, Saturday Cartoons: Marine Boy, Mary Quant, Patrick Macnee, Gloria Steinem and Denny O'Neil on MOD Wonder Woman, Win Scott Eckert interview, Siegel and Shuster's SPY, David McCallum: Son of Batman, Jon Gilbert talks Fleming, Barbarella TV series, Meet the Beatles 50th, Wonderwall comes to Blu-ray, Batman Strips, David Bowie at 67, Kevin Dart talks Ringo & Powerpuff Girls, Sherlock Exhibit, Fu Manchu history panel, Andy Warhol box set, Six-Million Dollar Man, Striped Light Nude, Buckminster Fuller, Dylan at Newport, Jane and Serge, The Goldfinger Variations, Mod Tales Interview, David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic Art, Shane Glines Batman.Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.
Is your hollowed-out volcano looking drab? Tired of the old furniture in your undersea headquarters? Spring is coming, and what better way to usher in a new season than tweaking the design of your secret lair! Spy Vibe fans of Mid-Century Modern have a chance to pick up pieces by Eero Saarinen and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe on sale now at Design Within Reach. The Knoll Classics Sale ends Tuesday. Details here.
Recent Spy Vibe posts: DC Fontana Prisoner Video, James Bond Comic Event, Turkish James Bond Design, Edward Gorey's 1960s, Ipcress File cinematography, 007 SOLO cover designs, Batman Valentines cards, Saturday Cartoons: Marine Boy, Mary Quant, Patrick Macnee, Gloria Steinem and Denny O'Neil on MOD Wonder Woman, Win Scott Eckert interview, Siegel and Shuster's SPY, David McCallum: Son of Batman, Jon Gilbert talks Fleming, Barbarella TV series, Meet the Beatles 50th, Wonderwall comes to Blu-ray, Batman Strips, David Bowie at 67, Kevin Dart talks Ringo & Powerpuff Girls, Sherlock Exhibit, Fu Manchu history panel, Andy Warhol box set, Six-Million Dollar Man, Striped Light Nude, Buckminster Fuller, Dylan at Newport, Jane and Serge, The Goldfinger Variations, Mod Tales Interview, David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic Art, Shane Glines Batman.Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.
Swingin' Saturday: Start the weekend with DC Fontana and their amazing title track from Six Against Eight (2010). The band mixes a cool cocktail of groovy organ and crime-jazz female vocals in a brilliant video homage to James Bond and The Prisoner. The short film was actually shot on-location in Portmeirion with help from Six of One (Prisoner Appreciation Society) and Spy Vibers will enjoy spotting familiar scenes from Patrick McGoohan's groundbreaking series. The most notable reenactments are the election scenes from Free For All (episode 4, directed by McGoohan) and the human chess game from Checkmate (episode 9). The colorful Prisoner sequences are beautifully contrasted with black and white scenes inspired by Casino Royale. Great to see this retro-spy imagery used with such loving care.
DC Fontana is a UK group with great supporters among art rockers and the Euro YeYe crowd, and not to be mistaken for famed Star Trek writer D.C. Fontana. Info about visiting Portmeirion here. Thanks to Agent K of Mod Tales for putting this on my radar. Enjoy!
Recent Spy Vibe posts: James Bond Comic Event, Turkish James Bond Design, Edward Gorey's 1960s, Ipcress File cinematography, 007 SOLO cover designs, Batman Valentines cards, Saturday Cartoons: Marine Boy, Mary Quant, Patrick Macnee, Gloria Steinem and Denny O'Neil on MOD Wonder Woman, Win Scott Eckert interview, Siegel and Shuster's SPY, David McCallum: Son of Batman, Jon Gilbert talks Fleming, Barbarella TV series, Meet the Beatles 50th, Wonderwall comes to Blu-ray, Batman Strips, David Bowie at 67, Kevin Dart talks Ringo & Powerpuff Girls, Sherlock Exhibit, Fu Manchu history panel, Andy Warhol box set, Six-Million Dollar Man, Striped Light Nude, Buckminster Fuller, Dylan at Newport, Jane and Serge, The Goldfinger Variations, Mod Tales Interview, David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic Art, Shane Glines Batman.
Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.
The Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco is hosting a special 007 event this Saturday night. If you haven't discovered the comic James Bond, you are in for a treat! Four years before audiences heard Sean Connery introduce himself as "Bond, James Bond" in Dr. No (1962), Ian Fleming's secret agent came to life as a comic strip in the Daily Express. His adventures continued in newspapers until 1983. Fans around the world have also followed Bond's missions in many comic book publications from the 1960s-1990s, most notably by DC (USA), Semic Press (Scandinavia), Giallo (Italy), Eclipse (USA), and Zig Zag (South America). Most recently, Charlie Higson's Young Bond novel, Silverfin, was released as a graphic novel in 2010.
Museum chair Ron Evans, Alan J. Porter (James Bond: The History of the Illustrated 007), and Mike Capozzola will present an in-depth discussion and slideshow about the history of James Bond comics from 7:30-9:30. Event highlights also include: vintage memorabilia, silent auction, SKYPE with special guests, prizes, and martinis. Admission is $007. More info here. Comic covers from my sister site Illustrated 007.
Recent Spy Vibe posts: James Bond Turkish Edition, Edward Gorey's 1960s, Ipcress File cinematography, 007 SOLO cover designs, Batman Valentines cards, Saturday Cartoons: Marine Boy, Mary Quant, Patrick Macnee, Gloria Steinem and Denny O'Neil on MOD Wonder Woman, Win Scott Eckert interview, Siegel and Shuster's SPY, David McCallum: Son of Batman, Jon Gilbert talks Fleming, Barbarella TV series, Meet the Beatles 50th, Wonderwall comes to Blu-ray, Batman Strips, David Bowie at 67, Kevin Dart talks Ringo & Powerpuff Girls, Sherlock Exhibit, Fu Manchu history panel, Andy Warhol box set, Six-Million Dollar Man, Striped Light Nude, Buckminster Fuller, Dylan at Newport, Jane and Serge, The Goldfinger Variations, Mod Tales Interview, David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic Art, Shane Glines Batman.
Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.
Book covers are forever: Start your week with this rare Turkish edition of From Russia With Love. Our sister site Illustrated 007 has just added this gem to their on-line gallery of James Bond art. Painted by A. Tudan in 1963, the wraparound cover featured unique imagery of Tatiana as portrayed by Daniela Bianchi on-screen. From Russia With Love book covers tended to be either abstract (Chopping, Hawkey), or to feature photo stills from the movie (Pan, Signet). Tatiana is depicted on the jacket with her hair down and in a sheet that barely covers her breasts. This is interesting because she did not appear this way in the film. So how did Tudan choose this particular image? Story continues below.
Although the bedroom rendezvous between 007 and Tatiana was quite memorable, even international movie posters tended to focus on action scenes and the famous image of Sean Connery posing with an air pistol. The Spanish poster below included Tatiana with her hair up- as she appeared on-screen- but now in a strapless dress. I seem to recall my Japanese copy of the novel also featured Connery with the pistol and a similar hair-up version of Tatiana. The Turkish image is spicier and its origin might be a bit of a mystery to most viewers.
Tudan chose not to use abstraction, photographs, nor the popular action imagery from the movie. So what inspired this Turkish copy of From Russia With Love? A batch of on-set photographs circulated at the time, many showing Connery and Bianchi horsing around in bed. Below you can see a few of the shots in the proof, as well as the actual source image for the book cover. As you can see, Tatiana's sheet got pulled down a bit further- and her sightline was moved down from her eyes to the now-suggestive barrel of his Walther PPK.
It's interesting to me how Ian Fleming's stories have been packaged over the years, and how different countries focus on elements that appeal to their culture. Perhaps for the Turkish market in 1963, publishers thought Bond's illicit love affair with an enemy agent would sell more copies? Perhaps their readers were more attracted to thrilling romance and character development than a chain of action set-pieces? In our age of the blockbuster, this may still be the eternal question. More at Illustrated 007. Color movie still from Bond Girls Are Forever. Related posts: Edward Gorey's 1960s, Double 007 Book Designs, Double 007 designs II, rare Ian Fleming edition, Book Design Dopplegangers. Click A/B comparison below for larger image. Enjoy!
Recent Spy Vibe posts: Edward Gorey's 1960s, Ipcress File cinematography, 007 SOLO cover designs, Batman Valentines cards, Saturday Cartoons: Marine Boy, Mary Quant, Patrick Macnee, Gloria Steinem and Denny O'Neil on MOD Wonder Woman, Win Scott Eckert interview, Siegel and Shuster's SPY, David McCallum: Son of Batman, Jon Gilbert talks Fleming, Barbarella TV series, Meet the Beatles 50th, Wonderwall comes to Blu-ray, Batman Strips, David Bowie at 67, Kevin Dart talks Ringo & Powerpuff Girls, Sherlock Exhibit, Fu Manchu history panel, Andy Warhol box set, Six-Million Dollar Man, Striped Light Nude, Buckminster Fuller, Dylan at Newport, Jane and Serge, The Goldfinger Variations, Mod Tales Interview, David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic Art, Shane Glines Batman.
Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.
Saturday Cartoons: Artist/writer Edward Gorey was born on this day in 1925. Celebrated for his gothic visual style and humor, Gorey designed book covers for Doubleday before releasing his own series of projects beginning in the early 1960s. His work rode the wave of Edwardian and Victorian resurgence in the 1960s, which was popularized in the media by The Addams Family (1964-1966), Adam Adamant Lives! (1966-1967), Doctor Zhivago (1965), Wacky Races (1968-1970), and the John Steed character played by Patrick Macnee in The Avengers. Like the Addams Family series and cartoons, Gorey leaned heavily toward macabre mystery. Asked about his fascination with gothic subjects, the artist told The New Yorker in 1992, "If you're doing nonsense it has to be rather awful,
because there'd be no point. I'm trying to think if there's sunny nonsense.
Sunny, funny nonsense for children- oh, how boring, boring, boring. As Schubert said, there is no
happy music. And that's true, there really isn't. And there's probably no happy
nonsense, either." His early assignments included The Secret Agent, Amerika, War of the Worlds, and Let's Kill Uncle- a story adapted for the screen by William Castle in 1966. Story continues.
Gorey's universe echoed similar motifs in pop culture during the 1960s. Take a short tour of Dandy fashion and fur coats from the decade: Adam Adamant Lives!, The Avengers, Carnaby Street, The Rolling Stones, Assassination Bureau with Diana Rigg (1969), and Franju's 1963 remake of the 1916 classic serial, Judex.
I discovered Edward Gorey through his dark alphabet book, The Gashlycrumb Tinies. First published in 1963, the book had a resurgence of popularity in the early 1980s. Each letter of the alphabet featured the strange demise of a child drawn in Gorey's signature thicket of ink lines. He may be best remembered for the intro animation based on his work made for PBS Mystery. He also designed the costumes and sets to Dracula in 1977, published as Dracula: A Toy Theater in 1979 and rereleased in 2007 with paper dolls and sets. Gorey passed away in 2000. Images and the Mystery video below. Learn more: Amphigorey, Amphigorey Too, Amphigorey Also, Amphigorey Again, Amazon author page, and artist news and archives at Edward Gorey House. Related post: The Adventures of Richard Sala.
Recent Spy Vibe posts: Ipcress File cinematography, 007 SOLO cover designs, Batman Valentines cards, Saturday Cartoons: Marine Boy, Mary Quant, Patrick Macnee, Gloria Steinem and Denny O'Neil on MOD Wonder Woman, Win Scott Eckert interview, Siegel and Shuster's SPY, David McCallum: Son of Batman, Jon Gilbert talks Fleming, Barbarella TV series, Meet the Beatles 50th, Wonderwall comes to Blu-ray, Batman Strips, David Bowie at 67, Kevin Dart talks Ringo & Powerpuff Girls, Sherlock Exhibit, Fu Manchu history panel, Andy Warhol box set, Six-Million Dollar Man, Striped Light Nude, Buckminster Fuller, Dylan at Newport, Jane and Serge, The Goldfinger Variations, Mod Tales Interview, David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic Art, Shane Glines Batman.
Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.
