Gareth Hunt

[Timeless A-Peel]

Timeless - I was looking at your Anew website earlier and came across the music section. I had no idea that Gareth released a record - what an amazing discovery!

It was a really surprising discovery when I found it, definitely. I suspect it's less a release than a sample pressing. I know that Gareth was doing some recording in the last days of TNA, so I suspect that's where it dates from. I think he sounds pretty good--it makes me wish that he'd done a full album, like Linda and Honor.

Glad you've been making use of the site. I created it mostly as a personal project, and a way to put all my TNA stuff together in one spot so other people could have a look at it if they wanted. I have no idea how many visitors I get, but I'm glad I made it. It needs an update, which I meant to get to this summer. I think it's the prospect of fixing the photo galleries that's scaring me off.

[Dandy Forsdyke]

That's great, Dandy. I finished watching the last of the Tara King series yesterday and your side show has given me the nudge I need to watch the The Eagle's Nest this evening.

Ah well, if it made you do that then I'm very pleased. The Eagle's Nest is a great episode.

[Frankymole]

It was a really surprising discovery when I found it, definitely. I suspect it's less a release than a sample pressing. I know that Gareth was doing some recording in the last days of TNA, so I suspect that's where it dates from. I think he sounds pretty good--it makes me wish that he'd done a full album, like Linda and Honor.

I can imagine an end result much like the start of "House of Cards" with Mike's/Gareth's groupies mobbing him.

[Timeless A-Peel]

It was a really surprising discovery when I found it, definitely. I suspect it's less a release than a sample pressing. I know that Gareth was doing some recording in the last days of TNA, so I suspect that's where it dates from. I think he sounds pretty good--it makes me wish that he'd done a full album, like Linda and Honor.

I can imagine an end result much like the start of "House of Cards" with Mike's/Gareth's groupies mobbing him.

Clad in a "Gareth" version of those "Mike" shirts, no doubt. Where do I sign up?

[mousemeat]

Just a reminder that today would have marked Gareth's 70th birthday. Still much missed.

yes. pretty good actor...not well known in the States.shame. He had much to offer.

[Dandy Forsdyke]

Gareth's dreadful (I presume, I've never seen it) 1979 film, Licensed To Love And Kill has an interesting history I knew nothing about.

I cobbled this together from various Wikipedia sources, so I hope it reads okay...

In 1965 Canadian director Lindsay Shonteff directed and co-wrote Licensed to Kill, a low budget British made James Bond imitation/parody exploitation film. Produced by James Ward, it starred Tom Adams as Charles Vine imitating Sean Connery as James Bond. With the popularity of the mid-1960s spy movie craze, American producer Joseph E. Levine picked up the film for American and worldwide distribution. He retitled the film The Second Best Secret Agent in the Whole Wide World and added a new title song sung by Sammy Davis Jr.

The international success of the film led to producer Ward and Tom Adams reprising Charles Vine in two sequels; Where the Bullets Fly (1966) directed by John Gilling and presented by Levine and the 1967 made in Spain film Somebody’s Stolen Our Russian Spy/O.K. Yevtushenko that languished in a vault until a release in the mid 1970s. Shonteff had nothing to do with those films.

With the continued popularity of the James Bond films starring Roger Moore in the mid 1970s, talk of Sean Connery reprising his 007 role in the planned James Bond of the Secret Service and the delay in the production of Eon Productions’ The Spy Who Loved Me[3], Shonteff thought he would return to the imitation James Bond field with his own film. The original title of 008 of the Secret Service was replaced by No. 1 of the Secret Service.

Perhaps to avoid rights difficulties with producer James Ward, Shonteff replaced the name of “Charles Vine” with “Charles Bind”, that was also the name of one of the characters in Carry On Spying (1964). Bind was played by a fair haired Roger Moore imitator, Nicky Henson. Bind’s M type superior Rockwell who was previously played by John Arnatt is now played by Geoffrey Keen who would later make appearances in several Bond films as the Minister of Defence.

With production beginning in October 1976, a sequel was announced during production entitled An Orchid for No. 1. Though initially signed to Shonteff for three films, Nicky Henson was signed by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Henson was replaced by Gareth Hunt who was well known for his role as secret agent Mike Gambit in ‘’The New Avengers’’. Geoffrey Keen repeated his role as Bind’s M type superior Rockwell. The original Rockwell from the Tom Adams Charles Vine films was played by John Arnatt who returned to Shonteff's series playing Merlin, the Q type character who issues Bind his secret weapons. Fiona Curzon who plays the female lead had a smaller different role in the previous No 1. of the Secret Service. Gary Hope had a role as an Army officer in the first Vine film Licensed to Kill.

[Timeless A-Peel]

Interesting reading. I think I'd come across that Lindsay Shonteff was Canadian somewhere around the 'net. Something tells me he wasn't hanging out with Sydney Newman...

I've never watched the movie, either, though I have seen a trailer. Gareth looks lovely, but the rest of it made me cringe. I have read comments people who have seen it, though, and they actually enjoyed it. One of those movies that you can't take too seriously, I suppose. I seem to recall Gareth had fun making it, though--anecdotes about suit pockets filling up with water and such.

[Dandy Forsdyke]

Yeah, I really want to see it. I like a bad films and this looks like one of those so-bad-they're-good guilty pleasures. I've seen that trailer too and Gareth is very 'Mike Gambit' in it with some of the cheesier lines.

Most of the Avengers actors made one or two bad movies so he is certainly not alone.

The good thing is that there is a market for this stuff.

[Timeless A-Peel]

Yeah, I really want to see it. I like a bad films and this looks like one of those so-bad-they're-good guilty pleasures. I've seen that trailer too and Gareth is very 'Mike Gambit' in it with some of the cheesier lines.

Most of the Avengers actors made one or two bad movies so he is certainly not alone.

The good thing is that there is a market for this stuff.

There definitely is a market for it--the reviews I read in SFX prove it. I don't know if it's been released on something other than VHS or not--doesn't seem like it. Surprising, since people in the niche market would probably buy it. I might even look at it (between the cracks in my fingers ). Gareth did it so soon after TNA that he still looks pretty much like Gambit--in fact, he could be Gambit. There's a fanfic in there, somewhere...

But you're right, he wasn't the only one two do a bad movie. Patrick admits quite frankly that he just didn't say "no" to anything for years. "Lobster Men from Mars? Sure, why not."

Cal Westray on the Gambit group did watch it, and you can read his comments, if you like:

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/Mike_G ... essage/416

[Dandy Forsdyke]

That was an interesting read, thanks. I really want to watch it now.

I would imagine it is just a matter of time before it's discovered by those that have brought out similar 70's expoitation films. I think the film must have died on it's arse though or had a very limited release. It certainly didn't come round our way, else I would have watched like a shot.

I see Deep Roy was in, who's been in everything from The New Avengers (Target!) to Doctor Who, X Files, Star Trek, Planet of the Apes and Return of the Jedi. He should write his memoirs.

Trailer

and here's a clip and trailer from the previous (non Gareth) film.