Series 4 — Episode 20
The Danger Makers

Production

Production dates: 15/11 – 10/12/1965

Another Roger Marshall script meant another speedy approval from Brian Tesler, Programme Controller for ABC Television. Julian Wintle sent it to him on 18 October and the reply on 21 October described it as extremely good. The shooting script was forwarded to director Charles Crichton on 1 November and rehearsals were immediately arranged. Filming proceeded without a hitch and the episode wrapped in the second week of December.

Stuntman Jack Silk (or maybe his brother Jeff) did the chicken run sequence on location at the junction of Wildhill Road and Woodside Lane outside Hatfield, Herts. I think it’s Jack as he has a heavier build and those hooded eyes you can just see in one shot. Other location work — Manton House, Robertson’s frenetic drive through the countryside, Steed and Emma arriving at the hospital were all filmed around Grove Park in Watford. Elsewhere, the RAF Hamelin sequence was filmed outside Stage 5 at Elstree while the grenade bunker was a drained water tank at the same studios.

Regional broadcasts

Broadcaster	Date	Time
Rediffusion London	11/02/1966	8.00pm
ABC Midlands	12/02/1966	9.05pm
ABC North	12/02/1966	9.05pm
Anglia Television	12/02/1966	8.25pm
Border Television	13/02/1966	9.35pm
Channel Television	12/02/1966	9.05pm
Grampian Television	11/02/1966	8.00pm
Southern Television	12/02/1966	8.25pm
Scottish Television	8/02/1966	8.00pm
Tyne Tees Television	11/02/1966	8.00pm
Ulster Television	11/02/1966	8.00pm
Westward Television	12/02/1966	9.05pm
Television Wales & West	12/02/1966	9.05pm

TV Times listing

International broadcasts

Broadcaster	Date	Time
ABN2 Sydney, Australia	28/06/1966	8.00pm
ABQ2 Brisbane, Australia	5/07/1966	7.30pm
ABV2 Melbourne, Australia	15/07/1966	8.00pm
ABS2 Adelaide, Australia	18/07/1966	8.30pm
ABC New York, USA	4/07/1966	10.00pm
ORTF2 France	2/7/91 FR3
Suisse Romande, Switzerland	26/11/1966	9.20pm
French title	Les chevaliers de la mort
ZDF Germany	18/07/1967	9.15pm
German title	Der Club der schwarzen Rose
KRO Netherlands	12/12/1967?
Dutch title	De vreesaanjagers?
Italy	26/11/80 C51
Italian title	La fabbrica del brivido
Spain
Spanish title	Los amantes del peligro

This episode saw a time slot change in Melbourne, Australia, with The Avengers moving from 7.30pm Tuesday to the 8pm Friday night slot, replacing Dr. Kildare. The time slot was unchanged in Sydney, continuing on Tuesday nights.

Italy did not show this episode in the 1960s, the Italian titles are from the Tele Torino International broadcast in the 1980s, and DVD releases. Spain and France also chose not to include it in contemporary broadcasts.

There is an episode listed for broadcast on 12^th December 1967 in the Netherlands under the title “De vreesaanjagers” which could conceivably be The Danger Makers — but is more likely an early version of the title for The Fear Merchants, later shown (9/8/1969) as “Handel in Angst”. Most listings for 12^th December 1967 have “De autorally” (Dead Man’s Treasure instead so The Danger Makers may never have been shown in Holland.

Episode Rating

Subject	0–5
Direction	4 stars
Music	3 stars
Humour	3 stars
Intros/tags	3½ stars
Villains	4½ stars
Plot	4½ stars
Emma	3½ stars
Sets/Props	3½ stars
Overall (0–10)	7½ stars

A great storyline and telling performances by principals and guests. Still, there’s something not quite right, and the episode falls short of the high status it would otherwise deserve.

The Fashions

Emma’s Fashions

Steed’s Fashions

black and white cruciform trim jacket (two black bands at cuffs, no contrast square at waist/buttonhole intersection, two black diamonds extending from waistband either side of the buttonhole line instead), with rollneck blouse with turned back cuffs, white pants with two bands of black at the cuff, black leather belt and white beret with black/white concentric circle pattern, plus Edward Rayne’s black and white boots and matching driving gloves (1) without the jacket White sheet or towel Black and white v-neck singlet top (zip up back) with black pants with large white cuffs, b/w boots snakeskin print vinyl jacket with metal buckles, epaulettes, high collar with two black buttons, worn with b/w gloves and black leather pants, white leather belt, rollneck blouse with turned-back cuffs (zipped up the back) b/w boots (5) without jacket stretch jersey and vinyl catsuit with b/w boots (7) with snakeskin jacket and b/w gloves (7) wide collared white blouse with triangular layers of bodice, long-sleeved, with leather trousers

brown three-piece suit with bowler and whangee cane handled umbrella, cloth-covered buttons on waistcoat, white shirt, dark tie with circle motif, chelsea boots tan overcoat over above, later swapping the bowler for a British Army helmet (1) without bowler or umbrella brown overcoat with black collarback over dark suit, tie and white shirt, with black bowler and black whangee cane handled umbrella, brown suede gloves (3) — note two covered pockets on right side of jacket (2) grey three-piece suit, suede collar back, hard buttons on waistcoat and jacket, white shirt, dark solid colour silk tie grey three-piece suit, black rose in buttonhole single button at waist of jacket, with bowler, cloth-covered buttons on waistcoat, white shirt, dark tie with circle motif, chelsea boots (1) without umbrella

The Cars

Marque/Model/Type	Number Plate
Commer van	9552 MY
Triumph Thunderbird motorbike	452 YMF
Ford Thames truck with canvas canopy	2705 VX
Bentley	UW 4887
Bren carrier	T 54422
Bren carrier	T 54110
Supermarine Swift	VV 119
Vespa Motor scooter	-
RAF truck	-
Sunbeam Alpine Series V (Series IV for studio shots)	FHP 330C
Ford Thames truck without canopy	2705 VX
Mini karts (2)	-

Who’s Killing Whom?

Victim	Killer	Method
General Groves V*	himself V*	hit by truck in chicken run
Gordon Lamble V*	Major Robertson V*	suffocated
Wing Commander Watson V*	himself V*	aeroplane crash
Stanhope	Major Robertson V*	machine gun
Peters V*	Dr. Long V*	shot
Dr. Long V*	Mrs. Peel	catapulted onto electrified rails

Continuity and trivia

1. 1:30 — The motorbike, 452 YMF, must belong to the stuntman riding it, Jack Silk. He previously rode it in Dial a Deadly Number and rides it again about two years later in Mission… Highly Improbable.
2. 2:15 — The truck, 2705 VX, which hits the General’s motorbike also appeared in Man-eater of Surrey Green; it re-appears later on in this episode when it encounters Robertson’s Sunbeam (33:45).
3. 2:16 — there arescratches all over the film insert of the close-up of the General hitting the side of the truck, most obviously in the bottom right corner.
4. 2:25 — The truck driver’s mate was previously one of the victims of the alien plant in Man-eater of Surrey Green.
5. 2:41 — General Groves’ medals are: British Empire Medal, 1939-45 Star, King George V Silver Jubilee Medal (? in the wrong place if so), Pacific Star, Italy Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 (with King’s Commendation for Brave Conduct silver oak leaf), General Service Medal 1962 (with bronze oak leaf for mention in dispatches), Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal, Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France)
6. 3:03 — That’s definitely not Macnee and Rigg in the Bentley.
7. 4:40 etc. Stanhope has two medals, the Africa General Service Medal and the General Service Medal. He wears a Home Counties Brigade cap badge and his arm patch says he’s from The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge’s Own).
8. 5:55 etc. — Major Robertson’s medals: Military Cross, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939–1945, Africa General Service Medal, General Service Medal, Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal; he wears a Home Counties Brigade cap badge and the collar insignia of The Royal Sussex Regiment, although his battle jacket later says he’s from The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge’s Own). Both the Royal Sussex and Middlesex regiments were part of the Home Counties Brigade.
9. 10:40 etc. — Captain Peters’ medals are: Military Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, United Nations Service Medal for Korea, Africa General Service Medal, General Service Medal. He wears a Home Counties Brigade cap badge and later on at Manton House we see he has the collar insignia of The Royal Sussex Regiment.
10. 12:16 — the painted backdrop behind Robertson is a lovely view outside the window at night, with inset model houses and electric lights for some of the windows, but is slightly marred by a horizontal join about halfway up.
11. 13:46 — The CU of the four white feathers doesn’t match the mid shot at all.
    In August 1914 The Order of the White Feather was set up in Britain, the central idea based on A.E.W. Mason’s novel The Four White Feathers (1902). Its purpose was to encourage women to shame family and friends into enlisting for the Army but it quickly turned into the ugly spectacle of women thrusting white feathers into the hands of strangers who weren’t in uniform.. The white feathers symbolise cowardice or pacifism.
12. 15:15–15:29 — The medal box has the plaque “To Woody from Wing Commander Watson RAF Hamelin”, a reference to Roger Marshall’s earlier episode, The Hour that Never Was which centred around the fictional RAF Hamelin air base.
13. 16:04 — Groves’ medals in the box are: Pacific Star, unknown, Africa Star ribbon with a George V medal, British War Medal 1914-1918, with the ribbon of the Queen’s South Africa Medal, the medal for the Queen’s South Africa Medal, another British War Medal, a medallion from the Royal College of Music showing the future King George V with the legend “H.R.H. The Prince of Wales K. G. President”, and some small trinkets.
14. 16:24 — Squadron Leader Freddy’s medals are Distinguished Flying Cross, War Medal 1939–1945, Korea Medal, United Nations Service Medal for Korea, Africa General Service Medal, Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. The sergeant behind him wears Defence Medal, War Medal 1939–1945, Africa General Service Medal, General Service Medal, Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.
    It’s a bit hard to see as Freddy is waving his jacket about so much but Wing Commander Watson appears to have the following medals: Distinguished Service Order, Distinguished Service Cross, Air Force Cross, 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, France & Germany Star, Air Crew Europe Star, War Medal 1939-45, two medals i can’t make out, United Nations Service Medal for Korea, Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.
15. 17:21-17:31 — Wing Commander Watson’s plane glides smoothly from being a Supermarine Swift to being a De Havilland Chipmunk just before it crashes behind the trees.
16. 16:30 — There are two extra airmen in the background of the long shot, but they’re nowhere to be see in the mid shot until 16:50.
17. 21:45 — Robertson appears to call “Apollo” on 25512.
18. 22:34 — Dr. Long’s responses to Steed’s questions are so glib they should have given him away immediately.
19. 
    24:04 — Stanhope’s regimental patch on his right shoulder in the close-up reads “ ”MID WESEX" — the patch looks like a doctored “MIDDLESEX” patch. In fact elsewhere in the episode Stanhope and Robertson’s shoulder patches DO read “MIDDLESEX”. They must have altered the patch for the close-up to avoid any potential legal issue.
20. 25:53 — when Steed kneels down to examine the box of chocolate a spotlight is visible briefly at bottom left.
21. 27:09 — Steed’s Bentley has no numberplate at the front and it’s clearly a stuntman driving it.
22. 27:28 — Colonel Adams OBE’s museum is a celebration of her family:
    • Colonel Jollyon Adams — died at the Battle of Saratoga, 1777, born at Manton House (24:00–24:08)
    • Colonel Soames Adams, Waterloo
    • (unknown relative) — Crimean War — Battle of Inkerman (The Soldiers’ Battle), 1854 [26:25 — “9,000 British had kept 40,000 Russians at bay”]
    • General Forsyth Adams — 1841–1909 — Spion Kop, 1900
    • General Sir Archibald Adams, killed on the Somme, 1917

    Her visitors’ book contains famous names — none revealed directly, but two are:

    • US President Dwight D. Eisenhower
    • Field Marshall Montgomery
23. 27:58 etc. — Colonel Adams’ medals are: 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Italy Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45, Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal, Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. She wears the cap and collar badges of the Auxiliary Territorial Service, the women’s branch of the British Army during the Second World War. It was formed on 9 September 1938, initially as a women’s voluntary service, and existed until 1 February 1949, when it was merged into the Women’s Royal Army Corps.
24. 28:54 — Colonel Adams has a print of the Charge of the Light Brigade, which later hangs in Steed’s flat.
25. 30:42 — Watson’s society name was “Pegasus”. When pressed for his, Steed says “Bacchus” (31:33), much to Colonel Peters’ surprise.
26. 
    33:16 onwards — Major Robertson’s Sunbeam Alpine has a bit of a double life — it’s a Series V for all the external action shots and a Series IV for the closeups filmed in the studio.
27. 33:48–33:55 — Mrs. Peel puts her hand over her eyes as they dangerously approach the truck, lowering it after they pass safely, but the stuntwoman in the car doesn’t have her hand up in the long shot. It’s also the same truck as the General ran into at 2:17.
28. 36:50 — Emma sums up the Danger Makers: “a bunch of schizoid, paranoid psychopaths”.
29. The other officers at Manton House are:
    • A British Army Major, also from the Royal Sussex Regiment. He wears an OBE, Distinguished Service Order, 1939–45 Star (back to front), Africa Star (back to front), France & Germany Star, Defence Medal, Italy Star, War Medal 1939–1945, General Service Medal
    • A Royal Navy Commander. He wears an OBE, Military Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, 1939–45 Star, Atlantic Star, France & Germany Star?, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45, General Service Medal, xx, Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
    • A Royal Air Force Group Captain. He wears an OBE, Distinguished Service Order, Distinguished Flying Cross, 1939-45 Star, Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, Africa Star, Italy Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45, King George V Silver Jubilee Medal, King George VI Coronation Medal, Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
30. 43:18 onwards — the beginning of Reel Six had occasional scratches on the film.
31. 44:58 — Robertson puts a silencer on a Webley revolver. Silencers don’t work on most revolvers due to the gap between the barrel and the cylinder.
32. 47:25 — Billy Westley Jr once again performs stunts for Diana Rigg, notably at when he leaps the length of the table in the Black Rose Room fight. The other officers in the room are stuntmen away but the remaining actors are replace by stunt performers as well — Rocky Taylor for Patrick Macnee but I don’t know who stands in for Moray Watson (possibly Rickard Duke) and Douglas Wilmer (maybe a reappearance of the truck driver from the teaser sequence).
33. Running time: 51′49″ (the 1966 dialogue sheets say 4,724 feet of film which is 52′29″, including Avengers I.D. cards at the beginning and end of the commercial breaks).