The Avengers International Fan Forum

Might have been the last straw. Also would depend on Ray Austin's relationship with Clemens and The Avengers team.

Austin went on to be a TV director (inc. The New Avengers, Space:1999, Return of the Saint, etc).

Isn't he a Lord or a Baron today?

EDIT: Just looked at his IMDb http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0042500/ It's a huge list!

He bought himself a title and is sometimes refered to as Baron DeVere-Austin of Delvin. Quite a mouthful!

Rodney wrote:I don't know what he (Peter Graham Scott) said. The truth behind Shepherd's departure is that she was having an affair with Ray Austin the stuntman and I only know this because Clemens and my father were out on a recce for Avengers locations and he stopped the car on the way back to London to warn my father that the actress would have to be sacked. I asked my father why she had to go rather than Austin but my father doesn't remember whether it was sexism or another reason. Her dismissal had nothing to do with her not being Avengerish enough or wanting to change the dialogue.

I can believe that story, Rodney. And it makes sense why the story was kept a secret but I wonder why Clemens was so quick at getting rid of Shepherd, it seems like he was looking for an excuse.

Perhaps, as noted before, the affair was the last straw among many. It could be that the way Shepherd interpreted the Peel character was not what Clemens had in mind, as well as her suggestions, as well as her being an assertive woman, and an affair to boot. Perhaps she was too liberated for Clemens!

Two things... one, why should either of them "have to be sacked"? Plenty of other actors and crew had affairs. Two, how did she find time to have an affair, since her husband was with her whilst filming and in the location hotel, plus they were working on scripts together when not "on the job" (as it were!).

I still think the fact she refused to take direction and delayed filming must have something to do with it. What's the point of an actress who cannot work with the rest of the crew?

You have to remember that despite the talk of the bohemian, swinging sixties it was not acceptable for a married woman to be having an affair. The 1960s were not that enlightened. Also, any affair must have taken place before filming even started as the recce was the one which found the locations for The Town of No Return and The Hour that Never Was. No one my father knows who worked on the show had any problem with Shepherd; I think the alleged refusal to take directions, follow the script etc. was simply a convenient story. Her husband may well have been in a hotel during location, I have no idea about that. However, it is highly unlikely that he would have been allowed anywhere near the sets and would certainly not have been there during pre filming bonding sessions. Also, not that I am speaking from personal experience, it is not hard to find the time and place for extra curricular activities if the desire to do so is there!

It's documented that Brian Clemens had problems with Elizabeth Shepherd's husband (or boyfriend) who was also her manager (? - It's been a while since I read this so may be wrong) interferring.

Brian Clemens seems a very shoot-from-the-hip individual who calls it as he sees it, so I'm suprised he's never mentioned this. After all he was quite candid in his remarks about John Bryce/Linda Thorson.

The Bryce/Thorson situation was very different. To begin with, Bryce had previously been - in effect - in charge of Clemens in Season 2 as script editor. It was after Bryce's departure that the show - arguably - took off and yet Clemens was sacked at the end of Season 5 to make way for... Bryce. No wonder Clemens was miffed to return to chaos and a lead actress he hadn't picked (and wouldn't have done, given the choice). With Shepherd it was not a comparable scenario. I cannot pretend to have all the answers. All I can say is that this information comes directly from the writer who - with Clemens - wrote 50% of the scripts for that Season 4 and who remembers the day as if it were yesterday.

You have to remember that despite the talk of the bohemian, swinging sixties it was not acceptable for a married woman to be having an affair. The 1960s were not that enlightened.

If a woman even looked at a man the wrong way, she was considered a tramp and he was considered to be tempted. The man was considered to be too weak to resist, so therefore any affair would have been her fault and to avoid further problems you remove the temptation. Women were often fired from jobs because of affairs or even rumours of affairs, but because it was something that wasn't supposed to be talked about, other excuses were given..i.e, she wasn't good enough at her job, etc.

My point, Rodney, is that Clemens isn't shy in talking about any inside info about the show. Yet he has never mentioned any of this part of the Shepherd story, just the 'difficult partner'.

I'm not doubting your dad's story, I'm simply curious why Clemens hasn't said this also.