'60s Icons in The Avengers

Dandy Forsdyke · Post by **Dandy Forsdyke** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:47 pm

kim wrote:If the Avengers had stayed "true" to the real world, it wouldn't have been the Avengers as we know and love it now and we probably wouldn't be having these wonderful discussions today.

To be fair, I'm not suggesting that.

And there were screen icons that had already appeared in it - Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Ronnie Barker etc. Even the line about the Beatles puts the show in the 'real world' anyway.

Rodney · Post by **Rodney** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:57 pm

I think those people are very different in that they were all talented actors. Kenneth Williams would have added an unwelcome carry on element and Twiggy or pop stars of the time would have been there playing themselves, be it intentionally or not. Warren Mitchell shows the danger of employing 'celebrities'. He was so over the top in rehearsals that the director had to remind him that he was not the star: it was Macnee and Blackman. Eventually, he was ok but was OTT in the Rigg colour season. And OTT by Avengers standards is seriously OTT!

Dandy Forsdyke · Post by **Dandy Forsdyke** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:07 pm

Kenneth Williams was (apparently) a talented actor. One of the reasons he was so tortured (apart from his self-loathing homosexuality) was his connection with the Carry On franchise and not being recognised as a good, if not great, actor.

It's a shame he turned the Varnels (?) part down as it might have done something to prove he could have done other things. Having said that, he could just have easily have gurned through the episode, as he did many of his Carry On parts. We'll never know now...

kim · Post by **kim** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:27 pm

Dandy Forsdyke wrote:
kim wrote:If the Avengers had stayed "true" to the real world, it wouldn't have been the Avengers as we know and love it now and we probably wouldn't be having these wonderful discussions today.
To be fair, I'm not suggesting that.

And there were screen icons that had already appeared in it - Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Ronnie Barker etc. Even the line about the Beatles puts the show in the 'real world' anyway.

Sorry Dandy, that comment wasn't directed to you or anyone else. Just an observation that it was delightful that the Avengers stayed out of the real world as much as possible. They would dip a toe in now and then, but never more than that. It can also be looked at for the fact that they did give a nod and a wink to the real world just often enough to keep the show from becoming too fantastical. The show almost always struck a perfect balance.

Dandy Forsdyke · Post by **Dandy Forsdyke** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:35 pm

ah, I see. Noted.

I do think you're right. I must admit I cringe slightly at the 'Beatles' line. I do like those 60s icons, but I'm pleased Steed and Emma never went to a football match and met Bobby Moore or something...

kim · Post by **kim** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:42 pm

Ugh...it would have been horrible if there had been a "guest star of the week" since everyone else was doing that already. I never really minded the occasional reference though as they were usually done tongue in cheek.

Rodney · Post by **Rodney** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:08 pm

Williams turned down the part of Carter, the hotel manager. Williams was an incredible character but his ego would have been difficult to handle. I'm a great believer in fate: Pinter - who really can act - turned down the part of Hickey the tramp in The Hour that Never Was but no one could have bettered Roy Kinnear's performance.