Diana Rigg Replacement Screentests

Johnny O · Post by **Johnny O** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 4:51 pm

Richy wrote:I assume then that Clements was keen for either Tracy Reed, Mary Peach or Jane Merrow to be cast then!

Doubtful. Clemens wasn't involved. He'd left the show before all this started, hence John Bryce being in charge of the casting.

Richy · Post by **Richy** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 5:24 pm

Johnny O, who would you have liked to have played the part?

darren · Post by **darren** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 7:18 pm

I've always felt an Avengers heroine should be an actress who's brilliant as a baddie.

I love Linda Thorson but Mary Peach would have been great. She's great in Who story Enemy of the World complete with leather gear and she was a magnificent detestable Milady De Winter From the 1967 bbc Three Musketeers and she was natural blonde so no hair dye.

Richy · Post by **Richy** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 7:28 pm

I like Lind Thorson too but wondered what Valerie Van Ost, Jane Merrow and Trecy Reed would have been like. I wonder if Reed would have been too similar in looks, eg hair and stature to Diana Rigg.

mrs_emma_peel · Post by **mrs_emma_peel** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 12:25 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5_B8hVExwc
I agree, I'd have preferred Mary Peach as Tara - here she is in looking lovely in A Pair of Briefs (1962)
driving an appropriately Avengers style E-Type Jaguar - a look at what might have been.

anti-clockwise · Post by **anti-clockwise** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 3:41 am

The screen tests for the Tara King role on the DVD actually show off Thorson's strengths compared to the others tested. Can't explain it but they were not quite right for the part.

Johnny O · Post by **Johnny O** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 6:51 am

anti-clockwise wrote:The screen tests for the Tara King role on the DVD actually show off Thorson's strengths compared to the others tested. Can't explain it but they were not quite right for the part.

I haven't seen the auditions, so I can't compare, but I am reminded of when controversial Dr. Who producer John Nathan Turner was desperate to cast Sylvester McCoy in the title role against all opinion in the BBC. He was required to arrange screen tests by his bosses, so hastily arranged three of the worst actors in the history of TV to test alongside McCoy, thus 'proving' that he was right all along. If the other actresses failed to impress in The Avengers tests, I wonder if this was an example of Bryce making sure his girlfriend got the part? Just a thought.

Richy · Post by **Richy** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 7:02 am

I have those tests on a Dr Who dvd and Sylvester was by far the best to audition for the role. I grow up with him as my Doctor.

anti-clockwise · Post by **anti-clockwise** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 3:01 pm

Johnny O wrote:
anti-clockwise wrote:The screen tests for the Tara King role on the DVD actually show off Thorson's strengths compared to the others tested. Can't explain it but they were not quite right for the part.
I haven't seen the auditions, so I can't compare, but I am reminded of when controversial Dr. Who producer John Nathan Turner was desperate to cast Sylvester McCoy in the title role against all opinion in the BBC. He was required to arrange screen tests by his bosses, so hastily arranged three of the worst actors in the history of TV to test alongside McCoy, thus 'proving' that he was right all along. If the other actresses failed to impress in The Avengers tests, I wonder if this was an example of Bryce making sure his girlfriend got the part? Just a thought.

You could be very right. Interesting on Dr. Who the tricks they play to get their favorite.

I am not good with the names of the others in the screen tests for Tara. Minor inflections of the voice or phrasing are tricky but can make the scene sound surprisingly different.
All I can say is acting is harder than it looks. I know that for the classic movie Gone with the Wind, many famous actresses of the day were tested until they found Vivien Leigh. The lesser known actress in this case was actually the best drama queen tested.

Richy · Post by **Richy** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 4:32 pm

That's true Anti-clockwise