by Greg McCambley | Jun 2, 2014 | #Bond_age_TV, #Bond_age_TV, Live Tweet Digests, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
“The Gazebo in the Maze Affair” Man From UNCLE Livetweet Digest
Last Wednesday, the #Bond_age_TV crew got together for a special double header of episodes featuring legendary actor George Sanders. It was a red letter day for #Bond_age_TV because almost 10 people joined in the fun! First up was season one’s “The Gazebo in the Maze Affair,” featuring George Sanders and Jeanette Nolan as two of looniest homicidal English aristocracy you’ll ever meet.
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by Greg McCambley | Jun 1, 2014 | #Bond_age_TV, Mission: Impossible
Bond_age_TV Snoopathon Special – Mission: Impossible
American television in the 1960s was a pop culture goldmine. The James Bond films had brought a new level of excitement to the spy film, and to TV. Networks clamoured to put all the spy shows they could on screen. The viewing public ate them up. And yet, for the most part, the majority of them burned out fairly quickly. Most of them never even managed to make it half a decade. One program bucked this trend, however, and stayed on the air for 7 seasons. That show was Mission: Impossible. It’s a show that, even 50 years later, still manages to thrill audiences. There are a number of reasons why M:I manages to stay so entertaining, and this essay will take a look at few of them. But first, a brief history of how the show came to be.
Mission: Impossible was the brainchild of TV writer and producer Bruce Geller. His approach to a TV spy show was different than others, and made itself unique amongst the other programs of the time. His basic concept was to take a group of talented people who, while they lived regular lives, would occasionally be called on by the government to perform missions. Each team member had their own specific set of skills, and they would apply them during the course of the mission. His concept found its way to Desilu studies, the production company run by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez. The show appealed to the studio’s key demand for being low cost, and a pilot was greenlit. With the show up and running, casting became the next key component.
The central character of the show was the team’s leader, the person who appeared to work directly for the IMF. In season 1, actor Steven Hill played this role. In the subsequent 6 seasons, Peter Graves took over the role. The remainder of the team usually consisted of the same actors, who were occasionally joined by guest stars. The roles usually required minimal characterisation from the actors, as the main focal point of the series was the missions. The cast the show developed, though, was a strong one. Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Greg Morris and Peter Lupus made up the first group of members. Over the course of 7 seasons, only Morris and Lupus remained for the entire run. As actors left the series, characters with similar skill sets were introduced as replacements. This helped the show maintain its core structure, a development which other spy shows of the time didn’t have. It helped the show remain resilient. Similarly, the show had a sense of style unmatched by other shows.
Few TV shows can be considered iconic, but Mission: Impossible certainly fits that description. Its opening is instantly memorable and recognizable. A match lights a spark on the screen, and we go through a fast edit of scenes from that evening’s show, all under the massively infectious theme, created by legendary screen composer Lalo Schifrin. The show proper opened with the team leader getting his orders via tape recorder (or record, in some episodes), in some unassuming part of LA. The assignment being given, the recording would then self destruct. The rest of the episode would proceed like clockwork: the plan laid out, then implemented. Even though it was a TV show, the script made it sound like they were playing for keeps. When the voice on the tape says “if any of your IMF force are caught or killed, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions,” you know they’re playing highstakes action. The show knew how to hook you, and keep you hooked.
The pilot episode for the show aired September 17, 1966. It was, by all accounts, a success. Viewers tuned in every week to find out what the mission was, and to see how they would make it succeed. Even the change of lead from Steven Hill to Peter Graves failed to dampen audience enthusiasm. Eventually, though, even the best of shows face problems it needs to solve. In M:I’s case, the problem was a changing American society. Anger over the Vietnam War was gaining amongst the demographics that most TV networks aim for: the 18-35 year olds. Protests over US interference in foreign affairs were commonplace. The networks were also looking for the show to cut costs. Responding to both pressures, the producers of M:I started moving the show away from the international intrigue stories, and more towards fighting organized crime in the US. This adjustment allowed the show to maintain its audience, and to survive longer than most other spy shows of the era. However, even the best shows have to end sometime. Eventually, they began losing their audience, and despite all their best efforts, weren’t able to get them back. The show’s final episode was broadcast on March 3, 1973.
It’s not hard to understand how it was that Mission: Impossible managed to stay on the air for as long as it did. The premise was unique, and the show had a style and format which caught the viewer’s attention right away. The music also had a huge impact on the show, as Lalo Schifrin’s vibrant jazzy score added to the action. The cast had great chemistry, especially in the early seasons. The show also had a strong producer behind it, keeping the show’s format intact, but allowing it to adapt to change. As a result, it managed to buck the trend of most other 60s spy shows, and continues to be an enduring pop culture icon.
by Greg McCambley | Jun 1, 2014 | #Bond_age_TV, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Bond_age_TV Snoopathon Special – The Man From UNCLE
In 1960s television, a genre was created the likes of which programmers had never seen before: the superspy genre. Over the course of the decade, TV producers were hungry for any kind of spy programs they could find. This was particularly true of American producers. When not creating shows of their own (Mission: Impossible, It Takes A Thief, etc.,) they were busy importing spy shows from other countries, particularly UK shows like The Avengers, Secret Agent, and The Saint. They also produced superspy westerns (The Wild Wild West), and superspy comedies (Get Smart). The Man From UNCLE (1964-1968) was the first of the homegrown US superspy shows. In a newly-formed genre, it had the potential to become one of the biggest successes TV had ever seen. Instead, it petered out after 4 seasons, losing ratings as it went on, finally being cancelled during a shortened 4th season. And yet, it has managed to live on as a pop culture touchstone, and is a show still entertaining to this day. The reasons for UNCLE’s successes and failures will be the focus of this essay. To start, we must look back at the show’s beginnings, and its connections to the best superspy out there: James Bond.
James Bond is a cultural phenomenon. Between the books and the movies, he has remained a name that is known worldwide. He transcends borders and languages. His creator, Ian Fleming, has become as much of a known name as Bond. When television producers in the 1960s were looking for ideas for spy shows, one producer, Norman Felton, approached Ian Fleming himself looking for suggestions. Amongst the ideas that Fleming put forward were two characters: Napoleon Solo and April Dancer. Before his full suggestions could be implemented, though, trouble developed from the producers of the Bond films. They felt Fleming was undermining their franchise by working with Felton. As a result, Fleming had to step away from the producers of UNCLE, and they had to work out their own format. The UNCLE producers were, however, allowed to keep the names that Fleming had suggested. The task of developing the show fell to Sam Rolfe, a veteran TV writer and producer. By late 1963, a pilot was shot. It was called SOLO, and featured Robert Vaughn in the starring role of Napoleon Solo.
The pilot was The Man From UNCLE in all but name. Sam Rolfe’s plot pitted UNCLE against their arch enemies THRUSH, and contained all the elements that UNCLE episodes would feature for its entire run. The most important element Rolfe developed was the use of “innocents” in the plot, who could be used wittingly, or unwittingly, by both sides. To further bolster the superspy image of the show, the “innocents” were most often beautiful young women. The pilot also established the casting of well-known actors from TV and movies as either innocents or the villains. The pilot also featured David McCallum as fellow UNCLE agent Illya Kuryakin, a Russian working for UNCLE. His role, though small, was a crucial one. Despite the pilot being completed, it never aired. Instead, it was retooled slightly, with a couple of key character changes, the first being McCallum being made a series regular. The second change involved giving UNCLE a new boss, played by Leo G. Carroll (best known for North by Northwest). With these changes, the pilot was cut down to a broadcast standard length, and finally aired as “The Vulcan Affair” on September 22, 1964. The show’s title went from SOLO to The Man From UNCLE. It was not an instant success.
Despite the pilot being shot on film, season 1 of UNCLE was broadcast only in black & white. It also didn’t get huge ratings when it began. Gradually, though, it was able to build up its profile with the audience. One reason for this was that MGM, the show’s home studio, had an eye on potential revenue from Man From UNCLE feature films. The films consisted of the same broadcast episodes, but with special scenes and more adult situations than network TV would allow. The pilot, never aired, was recut with scenes added, and released as To Trap A Spy (1964). The movies, initially sent out to American audiences, proved to be great successes overseas, and helped make international sex symbols out of the two leads. This development helped UNCLE to solidify its success at home too. The charm and charisma of Vaughn and McCallum helped make them one of TV’s best duos. They were partners, friendly, but also willing to one-up one another. They had a great rapport, and were entertaining to watch. The talent behind the screens also helped to make the show a great success. The scripts were witty, yet also serious when required. By the end of season 1, UNCLE had managed to overcome its initial listlessness into one of the strongest shows on TV.
From season 2 onward, UNCLE moved away somewhat from the somewhat serious tones of season 1 towards a more tongue in cheek approach. It was broadcast in colour, which added to the lightening of the stories. But UNCLE was facing a bit of a problem backstage in the production office. Starting with season 2, The Man From UNCLE faced a veritable merry go round of producers. Season 1 had one producer (Sam Rolfe); season 2 had 3. Each producer had a different vision for the show, so when most shows need consistency, UNCLE had none. When it finally did get some consistency, it was for all the wrong reasons. Partway through season 2, the Batman TV series arrived, and became a ratings smash. UNCLE’s network wanted the program to establish a similar tone, so outlandish premises soon became the order of the day. What worked for Batman, however, didn’t work for UNCLE. It lost steam over the next 2 seasons, and despite an attempt to return the show to its original tone, it was cancelled partway through season 4. It was a sad end to a fun series.
The Man From UNCLE, despite only lasting four seasons, remains a fun series to watch to this day. There was an energy on the show that is noticeable, and the talent behind it remains high. The casting was strong all around, especially in some of the guest star casting. The talent behind the scenes also helped make the show a great success. Writers such as Dean Hargrove and Harlan Ellison scripted episodes, and directors like Alf Kjellin and Joseph Sargent made the episodes fun to watch. The show spawned a short-lived spinoff (The Girl From UNCLE), comic books, novels, feature films, and countless other things. People who watch the show will likely never forget it. And, for a show that didn’t last as long as it could (or should) have, that’s saying something.
by Greg McCambley | May 25, 2014 | #Bond_age_TV, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Hello again, everyone. The Man From UNCLE is back on the #Bond_age_TV docket this week, and we’re finally making the leap to colour. But first, we’re going to have one more Season 1 B&W episode. It’s a special event this week, as both episodes will be featuring special guest star George Sanders. Sanders (1906-1972) had a long and illustrious career in Hollywood, and was no stranger to espionage/crime stories. He played both Simon Templar (aka The Saint) and The Falcon in 1930s and 1940s, and has the distinction of being one of the few UNCLE villains to make a return appearance. The first episode from this week’s Livetweet is Season 1’s “The Gazebo in the Maze Affair,” where he and Jeanette Nolan play a pair of murderous English aristocrats working for THRUSH. In Season 2’s “The Yukon Affair,” Sanders returns solo, this time plotting to mine a valuable rare mineral for use by THRUSH. So join us this Wednesday, May 28th at 9 pm EST for this great double bill! Remember to use the hashtag #UNCLEtweet!
The Gazebo in the Maze Affair by greg_mcc
The Yukon Affair by greg_mcc
by 007hertzrumble | May 7, 2014 | #Bond_age_TV, It Takes a Thief
Tonight’s feature #Bond_age_TV Presentation! IT TAKES A THIEF
Follow #Bond_age_TV hashtag. You may wield the #ItTakesAThief hash to clue the friendlies in on our endeavors.
It Takes a Thief 101:
It Takes a Thief – Project X:
by Greg McCambley | May 4, 2014 | #Bond_age_TV, It Takes a Thief
Greetings, all!
With season 1 of The Man From UNCLE mostly behind us (there will be one more episode from that season in the next UNCLE livetweet), I thought that now would be a good time to take a quick look at another program from the 60s spy show craze. The question was, which one? There are so many titles I want to look at, but few that I’d want to do as a one-off. What I needed was a show which I have no previous history with, yet one that I was interested in exploring. When I went through the titles, one name kept popping up: It Takes A Thief. It Takes A Thief stars Robert Wagner as Alexander Mundy, a master thief who ends up becoming a spy for the US government, in exchange for his freedom. It ran for three years (1968-1970), and it was one of the last spy genre shows produced. So with that in mind, I’m proud to announce that this week’s #Bond_age_TV livetweet event will be both the pilot and last episodes of It Takes A Thief. So join us this Wednesday, May 7th at 9:00pm EST for the It Takes A Thief livetweet! Be sure to use the #TakesAThief hashtag!
Hope to see you there!
