January 14, 2015

BRIAN CLEMENS

Sad news in the Spy Vibe world this week. Brian Clemens, writer and producer of The Avengers, and co-creator of The New Avengers and The Professionals, has passed away at age 83. Born in 1931, Clemens published his first short story at age 12 before bringing his uncanny talent for storytelling to a host of iconic shows like Man From Interpol, The Sentimental Agent, The Protectors, Adam Adamant Lives!, The Baron, The Champions, The Persuaders, The Adventurer, and Father Dowling Mysteries. He even co-wrote the pilot episode for Patrick McGoohan's Danger Man, View From the Villa, in 1960. His many film credits include Mission to Morocco, See No Evil, Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Captain Kronos- Vampire Hunter, and Highlander II: The Quickening. According to his son, Samuel, one of the last things Clemens did before he died was watch The Avengers, reflecting, "I did quite a good job." Brian did indeed, and his legacy lives on in his work. His 1961 pilot episode for The Avengers, Hot Snow, introduced the world to a mysterious agent named John Steed, who would go on to work with a number of companion characters, including Cathy Gale, Mrs. Emma Peel, and Tara King. Hot Snow was adapted into an audio drama by Big Finish last year. The Avengers series has been compiled in a number of DVD and Blu-ray sets. Check your region's vendors for more information. My own introduction to the spy genre was through Brian Clemens. Long before I heard of James Bond, James West, or Jim Phelps, Steed and Mrs Peel established my template for "cool" with his vision of eccentric spies saving the world in style. I owe so much to him. Learn more: George and Samuel Clemens talk to Roberto Perrone on BBC about their father here (starts at 1:32:30), Tribute page on Facebook hereBrian Clemens chats with the BBC about his career below.



Selected Spy Vibe posts: Connery On Set, Bond vs ModernismImitation GameNew Avengers BooksRoad to Hong KongInside Gerry AndersonRingo Does GoldfingerSixties Beat WearSPECTRE AnnouncedPopular SkulltureNew Gerry Anderson SetsNew SECRET AGENT setArt of ModestyAvengers Blu-ray updateTokyo Beat 1964Polaroid SpyModesty MondayFeraud Mod FashionFlint Scores!Bond DanishHome MoviesNew Richard Sala BookNew 007 ComicsDesigning Bond BooksGreen Hornet MangaMargaret Nolan ArtNo 6 FestivalBarbarella Returns007 Audio Books ReturnDesigner: Gene WinfieldAvengers Interview: Michael RichardsonIan Fleming: Wicked GrinJane Bond Hong Kong RecordsRyan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.Comics Week: ArchieComics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMANComics Week: Jimmy OlsenRare Avengers ScriptsMan From Uncle UK ComicsMattel X-15Thunderbirds ComicsShakespeare Spies: Diana RiggShakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers InterviewAvengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky BootsGeorge Lois Design & Mad MenRichard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Danger Diabolik Soundtrack, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny InterviewThe 10th Victim Japanese and KindleU.N.C.L.E. Japanese BooksThe 10th Victim German EditionThe Saint books returnTrina Robbins InterviewCatsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.

1 comment:

  1. I posted this elsewhere and hope you'll indulge me copying from myself: Clemens was absolutely one of my writing heroes: someone whose work I not only watched and enjoyed, but rewatched to study and take mental notes as to how he told stories and developed plots and characters. I'll go on doing that for the rest of my life.

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