Casting The New Avengers

Richy · Post by **Richy** » Sat Aug 30, 2014 8:41 pm

I'm fascinated by the casting of Purdey and Gambit and all the different actors and actresses who coulld have played them. I've seen the list of the final shortlist of who was considered and auditioned and wondered if Purdey and Gambit had to be played by other actors, who would fans like in the roles? For me I think Rula Lenska would have made a great Purdey with Lewis Collins as Mike. I also think Louise Jamison, Sarah Douglas, Carolyn Seymour and Diane Weston would have been good as Purdey. Any other ideas??????

MikeR · Post by **MikeR** » Sat Aug 30, 2014 9:50 pm

Richy

I think you’ve been reading a certain book. As Joanna Lumley came up with the name Purdey, any other actress who might have been cast (and after screen tests Diana Quick was the other actress in the running for the role) would have been named Charlie or Charley, after Brian Clemens name for the character, with the spelling being different depending on which early New Avengers script you look at.

shaunodan · Post by **shaunodan** » Sun Aug 31, 2014 2:31 am

Richy wrote:I'm fascinated by the casting of Purdey and Gambit and all the different actors and actresses who coulld have played them. I've seen the list of the final shortlist of who was considered and auditioned and wondered if Purdey and Gambit had to be played by other actors, who would fans like in the roles? For me I think Rula Lenska would have made a great Purdey with Lewis Collins as Mike. I also think Louise Jamison, Sarah Douglas, Carolyn Seymour and Diane Weston would have been good as Purdey. Any other ideas??????

Great idea for thread ''Richy'' Suzanne Danielle certainly impressed me as a woman who would have made an excellent Purdey

And if one thought Joanna Lumley was fit and impressive physically here's a woman to out match her

Denis Waterman as Gambit mightn't be bad and if Rula Lenska was filling Purdey's boots we'd have quite a partnership

Womens fitness has come a long way since Joanna Lumley's Purdey was a fitness icon

The Purdey Bob , style and hauteur should be retained but choose a really fit ,strong woman like Sharron Davies to fill her boots

Frankymole · Post by **Frankymole** » Sun Aug 31, 2014 8:41 am

If we're having swimmers instead of actresses, bring Rhonda back - she's both!

MikeR · Post by **MikeR** » Sun Aug 31, 2014 9:54 am

At the conclusion of the screen tests, Brian Clemens wanted Joanna, casting director Mary Selway wanted Diana Quick. Brian persuaded Albert Fennell and Laurie Johnson that Joanna was the one and Selway's view was, "All this auditioning and we've ended up with a fashion model." This difference of opinion might be why Selway did not work on The New Avengers.

shaunodan · Post by **shaunodan** » Sun Aug 31, 2014 11:46 am

Frankymole wrote:If we're having swimmers instead of actresses, bring Rhonda back - she's both!

Great idea but I wonder if Brian Clemens would 'overrule' the casting director again and scupper such a wonderful idea

Reminds me of the story of a famous and good looking heavyweight boxer who decided to turn his hand to acting. When a snide remark was made to him by a journalist to the effect that he couldn't act, his reply was that any man (or woman...my addition to keep the comment non-sexist) who could stay married to the same person for life sure COULD act

Richy · Post by **Richy** » Mon Sep 01, 2014 1:39 pm

I think Diana Quick would have made a very different Charly/Purdy! I heard that she did a screen test with Oliver Cotton. Do we know if any of the audition footage for exits for any of the other screentests? I think Michael Elphic and Rula Lenska together would have made a good pairing as would have Gabrielle Drake and Lewis Collins.

MikeR · Post by **MikeR** » Mon Sep 01, 2014 2:15 pm

Richy wrote:I think Diana Quick would have made a very different Charly/Purdy! I heard that she did a screen test with Oliver Cotton. Do we know if any of the audition footage for exits for any of the other screentests? I think Michael Elphic and Rula Lenska together would have made a good pairing as would have Gabrielle Drake and Lewis Collins.

Richy

I have a copy of Brian Clemens paperwork for January 27th 1976, the final day for auditions at Pinewood Studios on The New Avengers and I'm afraid Oliver Cotton's name does not appear at all.

There were much fewer auditions for the male role than the female, but they were: Martin Fisk, David Roper, Ian Charleson, Peter Holt, David Rintoul, Malcolm Stoddard, John Nettles, Michael Elphick, Gareth Hunt, Geoffrey Bateman, Lewis Collins, Harry Meacher, Robert Tayman, John Hug, Patrick Drury and Tommy Boyle.

As I say in Bowler Hats and Kinky Boots only Hunt, Collins and Meacher actually tested.

A number of the others would turn up in the series in guest-star roles and these were Stoddard, Collins, Fisk, Tayman and Boyle.

Frankymole · Post by **Frankymole** » Mon Sep 01, 2014 4:18 pm

Presumably if he was at any of the ladies' earlier tests, Ollie Cotton was only standing in for the tests of the ladies for Charly/Purdey, rather like Moray Watson as "Steed" for the successor to Emma Peel (that became Tara).

MikeR · Post by **MikeR** » Mon Sep 01, 2014 5:16 pm

Frankie

I suppose it’s possible that Oliver Cotton was involved, but I’ve not come across his involvement at all during my research on the audition process for The New Avengers. According to the Daily Express auditions started at Elstree Studios in mid-January 1976, where prospective actresses had to impress Brian Clemens during a 15 minute interview. Having compiled a short list (although this was rather long) auditions resumed at Pinewood Studios on 20th January and again I have a copy of Brian Clemens’ paperwork for this day. There are less male names on this than on the sheet dated 27th January, but all the actors went on to attend the next round of auditions a week later.

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