PYTHON FATHOM EVENT

Python-mania continues today on Spy Vibe with the announcement that the comedy group's reunion show in London will be broadcast in theaters this month on the big screen! Hosted by Fathom Events, fans will have a chance to see Monty Python Live (mostly) on July 20th. Details at Fathom here. The troupe is currently celebrating their career with a month-long run at the 02 Arena and with summer releases of their album catalog on CD, vinyl, and download editions. See our post Monty Python Returns! for more info and for an overview of the British comedy scene in the 1960s. As a bonus today, Spy Vibers can check out this espionage sketch from the proto-Pythons on At Last the 1948 Show (1967) with John Cleese and Marty Feldman. The episode kicks off with The Avengers theme by Laurie Johnson. You might even spot the lovely Aimi MacDonald (from The Avengers episode, Return of the Cybernauts). The spy segment starts at 6:06, after a psychiatrist skit starring Cleese. The episode also includes an early version of the 'Four Yorkshiremen' skit that later became a mainstay in their stage tours. Enjoy... and always look on the bright side of life!

Recent Spy Vibe posts: Monty Python Returns!, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Avengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky Boots, George Lois Design & Mad Men, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, The Spotnicks, Model Secret Agents, Remo Williams Blu-ray, Bunny Yeager and Ursula Andress, Danger Mouse, Lost Avengers Episodes, Big Fun Toys, Danger Diabolik Soundtrack, Mother's Day (Avengers), Mod Fashion Dolls, Cold War Archie, New Avengers Comic, Ipcress File Blu-ray, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, The 10th Victim German Edition, UNCLE Gun, The Saint books return, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.

Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: new Fleming books, SE Asian 007, Cumberbatch as Ian Fleming, Fleming Jamaica Book, Bond Japanese Editions, Fleming Chinese Edition, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 50th, Ian Fleming: Mt. Demon Hell Japan, Collecting Fleming, Live and Let Die 60th, new poster announced, 007 Audio Books Update, Appropriating Bond Exhibit, Fleming Letters Mystery, The Goldfinger Variations, Double 007 Book Designs,  Double 007 designs II, rare Ian Fleming edition, Book Design Dopplegangers, Turkish Bond design, Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, 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.

PATRICK MACNEE BIRTHDAY

In the recent excitement of The Beatles 50th anniversary of coming to America and appearing on Ed Sullivan, we missed an important day in the Spy Vibe calendar. Happy Birthday to Patrick Macnee, who turned 92 on February 6th. Macnee was born in Paddington in 1922, educated at Eton, and was decorated for his service in WWII. His early acting appearances included Olivier's Hamlet (1948) and The Twilight Zone (1959). In 1961 he landed the role of John Steed in The Avengers. Macnee brought the character to life with an air of mystery and charm. As with so many stories about the arts during the early 1960s, Macnee found himself in a serendipitous collaboration with great talent. The Avengers drew some of the best artists of the period, including Pierre Cardin, John Bates, Honor Blackman, Laurie Johnson, Brian Clemens, and Diana Rigg. The program became a cultural phenomenon and ran through 1969. Macnee donned his bowler hat again in The New Avengers (1976-1977). His career includes appearances in many iconic projects from the 1960s and 1970s: Sherlock Holmes movies, Battlestar Galactica, The Return of the Man From U.N.C.L.E., This is Spinal Tap, A View to a Kill, and he narrated the James Bond series documentaries. Macnee also penned two Avengers novels and various memoirs, and lent his voice to many audio books, including thrillers by Jack Higgins, Dick Francis, and Frederick Forsyth. See Patrick Macnee in a 1983 episode of This is Your Life here. Related posts: Avengers Sing here, lost Avengers episodes return as Audio Books here, Emma Peel fashion designer John Bates here, Spy Vibe's look at Avengers fashion here. The Avengers was recently featured in a comic book series by Boom! Studios. Spy Vibe wishes Patrick Macnee a happy birthday and many happy returns! 

Recent Spy Vibe posts: 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, Pete Seeger, Kraftwerk returns to US, Beatles BBC on Fresh Air, Steranko S.H.I.E.L.D. Artist Editions, David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic Art, Modern Architecture LP, Julius Shulman, Shane Glines Batman, The Prisoner and Captain Scarlet, Diego Fortunato and Verner Panton, Saturday Morning Cartoons, Assassination Bureau on DVD, new Young Bond series, new Hercule Poirot novel, Early Beatles image archive, Julie Newmar, Erno Goldfinger, Hitchcock tribute. 

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 AVENGERS SOUNDTRACK CD

Screen Archives Entertainment is now taking pre-orders for their 2 CD set of soundtrack music from The Avengers! From SAE: "The double album includes an attractive 16 page booklet with full colour stills and extensive notes on music and episodes from the TV programme.

Alongside Johnny Dankworth and Laurie Johnson, Howard Blake is the third, none-the-less important, but often forgotten, contributor to The Avengers TV series music. Dankworth’s laid-back jazzy theme was the signature tune of the first three series, while Johnson penned the flamboyant rousing up-tempo theme to the three series shot on 35mm film.

Brought into the job late in the series in 1967 by Laurie Johnson, and on the recommendation of Bernard Herrmann, Howard Blake scored ten episodes in the sixth and final series starring Linda Thorson as Tara King alongside the stalwart Macnee. From big-band sound with modern jazz inflections and spooky trombone choir, flutes and vibraphones, to bass clarinets, solo piano, timpanis, amplified harpsichord, 'wah-wah' guitar and Fender-Rhodes electric piano, Blake created a rich and relevant score that remains a classic to this day"

While you are on their website, be sure to check out other CD collections of spy soundtracks from I Spy, The New Avengers, The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. They also carry the fabulous Network CD collection of The Prisoner.

THE AVENGERS ANNIVERSARY FRI-SUN

The 50th anniversary celebration of The Avengers will be held this Friday-Sunday, and what a weekend they have planned! Every aspect of the show will be covered in panels, interviews, concerts, and live commentary. Check out the event website for details.

AVENGERS CONCERT

Mrs. Peel and John Steed of The Avengers couldn't have saved the world- in style- without the brilliant score by Laurie Johnson to punctuate the show's blend of mystery/adventure, humor, and British culture. The 50th anniversary weekend coming in June will include a concert of Laurie Johnson music! From the official announcement: "Laurie Johnson has written some of the most iconic television themes, particularly for The Avengers, The New Avengers and The Professionals. We are therefore delighted to announce that with the full support of Laurie and using his own arrangements, there will be a concert performed of his music on Friday night at the University of Chichester. We are honored and delighted to bring the music of this hugely influential composer to Chichester as part of our 50th Anniversary Celebrations of The Avengers." Event website here. Here are Johnson's opening and closing themes to the 1965 season of The Avengers. The season marked the introduction of Diana Rigg as Emma Peel and the transition to film from video. Note the chessboard intro sequence filmed for the US market.

JOHN BARRY: THE KNACK

Spy Vibe celebrates composer John Barry (1933-2011) this week: The Knack... And How To Get It (1965). The film, directed by Richard Lester, is an interesting time capsule of Mod youth grappling with independence and sexual awakening. The cast includes Rita Tushingham, Ray Brooks, Michael Crawford (How I Won the War), and uncredited appearances by Jacqueline Bisset (Casino Royale, Bullitt) and Barry's second wife, Jane Birkin. The film captures some of Lester's own 'knack' for mid-1960s UK surreal humor and visuals, as well as some groovy organ music from Barry! The two also collaborated on Petulia and Robin and Marion. This particular trailer has been cut in Jean Luc Godard fashion -with a repetition of cues and, well... groping- that highlights the overall sexual tension in the story. Fans of The Monkees will recognize a familiar scene of a bed being rolled down the street- a bit of borrowed, surrealist Lester? I encourage Spy Vibers to seek out the complete score and film for the full experience. And if you're looking to add to your collection of organ grooves for cruising, this one is a classic! Additional Spy Vibe posts on the surrealism boom here and here. Spy Vibe's John Barry obituary here.