Series 3 — Episode 19
The Secrets Broker

Production Schedule

Episode 66
Production Number : 3613
VTR/ABC/3094 + 3094A
Teddington Studio 2

Friday, 18th October, 1963

Camera rehearsal	10.00–12.30
Lunch break	12.30–13.30
Camera rehearsal	13.30–18.00
Supper break	18.00–19.00
Camera rehearsal	19.00–20.00
Line-up, make-up, etc.	20.00–20.30
PRE-VTR (VTR/ABC/3094A)	20.30–21.00

VTR Insert 2094A — 47:56–50:09 — Climax scene where Steed visits the temple and wine shop, and the villains are apprehended.

Saturday, 19th October, 1963

Camera rehearsal	10.00–13.00
Lunch break	13.00–14.00
Camera rehearsal	14.00–15.20
Tea break, line up, normal scan and make-up	15.20–16.05
Photo call (Pat/Honor)	16.15–17.30
Dress rehearsal	16.15–17.30
Notes	17.30–18.00
Line-up	18.00–18.30
VTR	18.30–19.30

Running time

Expected: 51′25″ + 2 commercial breaks of 2.35 each
Actual running time with bumpers: 52′07″

The bumpers between the acts are generally 10 seconds from fade in to the “End of Act” bumper to the end of audio before the commercial, a 10 second still without audio, then cut to the next act bumper. This would play with the theme for around 10 seconds. Accordingly, with the episodes being in 3 acts, the running time of the action is approximately a minute less than listed above, minus the opening credits (normally 0′16″ with a 2″ fade) and closing credits (anywhere from 0′41″ to 1′20″, hard cut or 1″ fade or mix).

Equipment

Cameras:	4 pedestals. Extra monitor (closed oircuit TV) in Cathy’s Flat.
Sound:	3 booms, 2 slung mics. (Yard & Ext. Paigntons’ Flat), 3 praot. telephones (Lab. Office, Paigntons’ Flat, Cathy’s Flat), grams, tape, echo.
Telecine:	ABC symbol + “Avengers” opening titles, 1 slide, caption scanner. (sof)
PRE-VTR:	4 cameras, 2 booms, 1 slung mic. (Yard), grams, tape.

Transmission

Broadcaster	Date	Time
ATV London	1/02/1964	10.05pm
ABC Midlands	1/02/1964	9.10pm
ABC North	1/02/1964	9.10pm
Anglia Television	1/02/1964	9.10pm
Border Television	1/02/1964	9.10pm
Channel Television	1/02/1964	9.10pm
Grampian Television	1/02/1964	9.10pm
Southern Television	1/02/1964	10.05pm
Scottish Television	1/02/1964	9.10pm
Tyne Tees Television	1/02/1964	9.10pm
Ulster Television	1/02/1964	9.10pm
Westward Television	1/02/1964	9.10pm
Television Wales & West	1/02/1964	9.10pm
Teledu Cymru (WWN)	1/02/1964	9.10pm

International broadcasts

Broadcaster	Date	Time
ABN2 Sydney	12/01/1965	8.00pm
ABQ2 Brisbane	29/03/1965	7.30pm
ABV2 Melbourne	31/01/1966	8.00pm
ABS2 Adelaide	20/12/1965	8.00pm

TV Times listing

Murders

Victim	Killer	Method
Marshall	Freddy Paignton	Revolver (off camera)
Cliff Howard	Freddy Paignton	Revolver
Freddy Paignton	Bruno or Waller?	? (off camera)

Continuity and trivia

1. throughout — the transfer is offset and there’s a streak of black down the right side of the screen for the entire episode.
2. 1:40 — Julia’s message ‘from the other side’ for Freddy: “Marshall is waiting for you. There may be danger but you must act quickly. Marshall must join our friends on the other side.”
3. 2:22 — another appearance of Cathy’s closed-circuit television doorbell; Steed later tells her (25:05) he’s not appearing on her telly screen again until it’s in colour. Ironic, as the show was in black and white for another season and a half.
4. 3:24 — “Talking of papers — Anything else? Oh. — Talking of papers…”
5. 6:10 — Patricia English’s first words are indistinct as the microphone’s in the wrong place.
6. 9:40 — Steed tastes a Chambertain and comments on it’s climate and the grape, Pinot Noir. Waller then hands him a new glass and Steed says he doesn’t like Sauternes, “and it’s not Chateau d’Yquem”. Waller is grumpy about this and says it’s a good one, Steed muses briefly and declares it a Rayne-Vigneau. He’s then offered a Hock “of course they’re all Reisling these days”
7. 10:35 — Steed starts taking the card out of his wallet just before Waller’s line and Macnee glances quickly at the director. I’m not entirely convinced this is an error except for the glance as the scene is quick.
8. 11:00 — Steed refers to the “Hatstadt” grape going out instead of the Harteisnsch grape in the script. The script says “Harteisnsch grape”, and Macnee might be confusing it with Heunischtraube, another name for the variety Harthuensch or Gouais Blanc, an ancestor of Elbing and Reisling which is widely disparaged as the peasant’s grape and was last popular in Mediæval times; this appears to be a trap set by Steed to test Waller’s wine merchant credentials as it disappeared from general use at the end of the Nineteenth Century as Pinot Noir gained ascendancy.
9. 12:35 — When Steed says “My Waterloo”, Waller ad libs and comments, “A Vichy water too”.
10. 14:18 — Cathy suggest Steed let “those forensic people” have a look at the wine list.
11. 14:38 — Fearful the stage hand has missed his cue, Steed calls “Open Sesame” as he approaches the door.
12. 15:43 — the close-up of Marion is marred by spots on the lens of Camera 4, including one right in the middle of her forehead; there are a few more, including a streak or two, at top right. They’re still there after the commercial break in the two-up shot at 20:51.
13. 19:21, 27:50, 38:25, (39:51), 45:29, 50:36 — picture breakup.
14. 21:28 — the camera bumps into the wineshop counter when it tracks in on Steed.
15. 22:50 — the wine box has come from a real wine merchant and the name has been blocked out, later we see a case that hasn’t been entirely blocked — but in an earlier shot through a set if shelves you can see it was Stowell’s of Chelsea. Some of the wine labels, also from Stowell’s, have also been taped over as well. Stowell’s is still in business today and is still the top trade wine merchant, but mostly deal direct to restaurants and hotels rather than to the public as they used to. A far cry from the product placement of The Golden Eggs which involved a close-up of Steed cutting a cowboy out of a cereal packet.
16. 23:51 — Fluffed dialogue (Honor Blackman): “Does anybody know — else know about these precautions except for yourself?”
17. 23:55 — Ringham accidentally refers to “Jim Gale” instead of “Jim Carey”.
18. 27:51 — Macnee adlibs a line during the tasting, identifying the wine he’s tasting as Nuits-Saint-George.
19. 33:27 — the boom microphone appears at top left as the camera tracks backwards and left.
20. 45:15 — smudge on Camera 1’s lens in the CU of Allan when he says, “I’m sorry but I can’t.”
21. 46:05 — Fluffed dialogue (45:44) — Mrs. Wilson: “Marian Howard preeving — proving more tiresome than we’d expected, that’s all”.
22. 47:56–50:09 — VTR insert — Steed is captured by Julia, whom he easily overpowers. Bruno and Waller attack him but Steed and Cathy manage to overcome them after a struggle. Allan then enters the cellar, having captured the Wilsons.
23. 49:35 — the shot of Waller is out of focus.