Guest Stars
TV World, 27 January 1966, page 3, People, no author, England.
Usually Patrick Allen of Crane fame is right-handed. But if he has to take a swing at something - possibly someone's jaw - he is left-handed. This gave The Avengers director, Roy Baker, quite a headache in Saturday's episode, "The 13th Hole" which, predictably, is about golf. Said Pat: "Roy had all the camera shots lined-up for right-handers - including that swinging girl Diana Rigg - but I just had to do it left-handed. I couldn't even hit a punchball the other way round and it's the same when I play cricket." Pat recently became a businessman with interests in two TV production companies. "It's all a bit of a game. I have these high-powered conferences and everybody is terribly serious. I feel I'm playing a part, but I hope it isn't one I tire of."
Daily Mirror, 25 January 1964, page 12, Author Unknown, England, Photo-caption.
If you were playing ‘What’s My Line?’ with Annette Andre, 21, you might guess that she is an actress. But guessing her role in tonight’s "The Avengers" story (ITV) is a bit tougher. She is still an actress but an out-of-work one who takes a job in a Christmas cracker factory. In real life, Australian Annette has not had to go to such extremes. Since she arrived in Britain eighteen months ago, she has been busy appearing in a West End stage show, five TV series, and next week her first film, "This is my Street", is out."
TV Times, 11 August 1961, page 5, Gossip Column, author unknown, England.
THREE TIMES picked as Canada's best TV actress, Katharine Blake appears in The Avengers next Saturday. She plays the part of a Mexican woman, Dr. Sandoval... etc etc
TV World, 13 November, page 3, People Gossip Column: Piece on Patrick Cargill, author unknown, England.
Daily Mirror, 13 October 1962, page ?, Pamela's Birthday Shower, picture caption.
"Question: How does Pamela Conway make a 21st birthday splash tonight? ANSWER: By taking a shower in ITV's "The Avengers". But it's an all too brief appearance. Pam gets murdered, and Patrick Macnee, as special investigator John Steed tries to find the killer. "The Avengers" is on most regions at 10.0, others at 10.05"..
TV Times, 16 January, page unknown, Jennifer: The One-Shot Avenger, author unknown, England. Jennifer Croxton's one-off appearance in Killer.
TV Times issue 417, 25 October 1963, page 27, John Gough gossip column, John Gough, England.
In Common. The cast list for next Saturday's The Avengers carries these three names: Honor Blackman, David Davies, Iris Russell. What do they have in common? They all played probation officers at one time or another in the series Probation Officer.Manchester Evening News, 2 November 1963, page 5, Max North's Telereview, ?, England.
It was partly luck that another of to-night's TV shows should have a strong topical flavour. Naturally, the week-end near November 5 seemed the right one to schedule for an "Avengers" story about a plot to blow up parliament with a five-megaton warhead. "But no-one was to know at that time," says ABC, "just how much the Palace of Westminster would be in the news. It could hardly be foreseen that a real life situation with explosive potential should surround the Mother of Parliaments." In this episode, elegant Honor Blackman, in the role of Cathy Gale, stands for Parliament at a by-election - fortunately a different one from the area where Sir Alec Douglas-Home faces an already motley lot of opponents. Cathy also entertains an M.P. to dinner as part of the investigation into the explosion plot, the M.P. being played by David Davies, who was once Miss Blackman's screen colleague on "Probation Officer".
Manchester Evening News, 15 April 1961, page 7, Max North's Telereview, ?, England.
Two bookmakers' daughters appear in to-night's episode of "The Avengers", which is set in the tough and often backbiting world of ballroom dancing. One is Pauline Shepherd, 22-year-old former model and fashion writer, who plays one of the instructresses and is the object of an attempted murder while taking a bath. The other, 20-year old Angela Douglas, has been in show business since she was 12 and has appeared in many TV series. She turned up in "Coronation Street" as a striptease dancer.TV Times, issue 288, 5 May, 1961 page 5, Looking Around With John Gough: Two winners - from bookies!, John Gough, England.
TWO young actresses I talked to are both daughters of bookmakers and both have been given parts in The Avengers series. They are 22-year-old Pauline Shepherd and 20-year-old Angela Douglas. Pauline told me: "I have never helped my father in his business, but I have brought him a few clients. They're great punters in show business, you know." She has been a dancer and fashion model. Her latest enterprise is to start work on a film script. "It's a comedy," she said. "But it won't be ready for years." Angela Douglas tells me: "My father gives me tips - but the horses never win."
TV Tornado comic, 22 July 1967, page 2, TV Tornado Flash Point, Ed Storm, England.
Curious the ruts that actors get into. Clifford Earl, seen recently in No Hiding Place, has a habit of meeting nasty deaths in his roles. He was blown to pieces in a car in The Rat Catchers, shot with a poison dart in The Saint, killed in a plane crash in Orlando and blown 19ft. across a room by an Elizabethan sporting pistol in The Avengers. "I just seem to get these sort of things", says Clifford. No wonder that off screen he follows quiet pursuits. "Angling is my speciality", he says. "It's very peaceful".
Daily Mail, 29 February 1964, page 4, The Bowler Hatted Avenger Girl, Charles Greville, England.
HONOR BLACKMAN can fairly be credited with starting something during her time with ABC TV's The Avengers. All that leatherwork. But on tonight's Avengers episode - The Charmers - she has a rival. None other than our husky-throated friend Fenella Fielding. And I predict that Fenella may possibly start something too. For she wears a bowler hat. There are certain types of girls that can wear bowler hats. They look splendid in them. Fenella is one. And I just quietly suspect that every girl of ambition and charm will be having a try at the bowler-hat kick this spring. I like them, anyway. And I suppose I am fairly representative.Manchester Evening News, 14 March 1964, page 3, Max North's Telereview, ?, England.
FANTASTIC. With one more week to go of the present "Avengers" season, writers and production staff have let themselves go in even wilder flights of fantasy than usual. Steed faces a firing squad and Cathy is discovered to be the Stuart pretender to the throne, with the strong support from a major-general who is a fanatical Scottish-Nationalist. He uses his position as honorary colonel of the Highland Guards to attempt a coup d'etat when the troops take part in an army exercise whose object is to capture London. Patrick Macnee, as Steed, set out to stop the plan, and is captured by a rotund private looking very much like Roy Kinnear of "TW3". INTRIGUING. Not long ago, ABC was making rash remarks about "The Avengers" having shot down "TW3". Says Mr. Kinnear: "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em". Fenella Fielding made an intriguing and exotic sidekick for Steed in the episode that was screened on Leap Year Day and - if she was willing and ABC could afford her fee - should fill the role admirably again. Clearly the part calls for someone with a distinct personality, a taste for the offbeat and a style very different from Honor Blackman's. Who could deny that Miss Fielding fits all these conditions. She is also a lot of fun.
Manchester Evening News, 1 January 1966, page 3, Max North's Telereview, Max North, England.
Time was when a special agent named Peter Dallas was involved down South America way in adventures that even The Avengers would envy. "Top Secret" was the name of the television series, and actor William Franklyn played Dallas, cool, suave, and athletic, he proved a difficult man to cross. But times change and Peter Dallas is no more. William Franklyn, however, is very much around in tonight's episode of "The Avengers" series he changes character and becomes Omrod. Even the name seems slightly villainous. SPARKS FLY. Omrod is elegant, cool and vicious. When he wants something the stakes are astronomically high. And the sparks fly when he meets Steed. The fight to settle their differences takes place in a field. With the protagonists mounted on horses and dressed for a hunt. The episode took five days to film by director Roy Baker. It will become one of the highlights of the current series of "The Avengers".
TV Times issue 518, 30 September 1965, page 11, John Gough gossip column: Actor turns engine driver, England
THE UNIT sent to do location shots for 'The Gravediggers' episode of The Avengers had a job to drag actor Ronald Fraser away when their work was finished. They went to the miniature railway at Stapleford Park, near Melton Mowbray Notts., and Ronald became so engrossed with it he didn't want to leave. He was given instruction in driving the perfectly-scaled engine by the Hon. John Gretton, son of Lord Gretton, who created this child's dream-come-true. But long after shooting was over he was taking the engine for spins up and down the line.
TV World, 16 October 1965, page 3, People Gossip Column: Piece on Michael Gough, author unknown, England.
Daily Mirror, 22 July 1961, page ?, Don't Get Hazel Wrong, England.
Scots-born HAZEL GRAEME, above, plays a delinquent led astray by gangsters in tonight's episode of "The Avengers" (ITV, 8.50). Between acting jobs, Hazel is a social worker at a remand home for delinquent boys in Shepherds Bush, London. She will be back there next week, so it looks as though Hazel may have to do a bit of explaining. "I hope they'll understand I was only acting," she says.
Manchester Evening News, 26 October 1963, page 7, Max North's Telereview, ?, England.
KATY HAD THE APPETITE FOR THE PART. Girl who wanted a dinner and got a television-role instead is 24-year old Katy Greenwood, who makes her TV debut in to-night's "Avenger" series, "The Death of a Batman" blah blah...
TV Times, 28 July 1961, page 37, Murray Hayne Has A Lean Look, Nick Brittan, England.
TV Times, 18 November, pages 10,11,12,13, Dave Lanning's In View, Dave Lanning, England.
Ah, Show business. German-born actor Frederick Jaeger started out in the leading role of Bradshaw in Target, this week's episode of The New Avengers, sat around for two week in pouring rain and ended as little more than an extra! His contract limited him to two weeks work so when the rain came to ruin the schedule of location filming he only had enough time left to play the minor role of a character called Jones. Roy Boyd took over the Bradshaw part. "Circumstances beyond our control," explained Avengers executive Brian Clemens. "Sometimes you can't beat the British weather."
Manchester Evening News, 14 March 1964, page 3, Max North's Telereview, ?, England.
FANTASTIC. With one more week to go of the present "Avengers" season, writers and production staff have let themselves go in even wilder flights of fantasy than usual. Steed faces a firing squad and Cathy is discovered to be the Stuart pretender to the throne, with the strong support from a major-general who is a fanatical Scottish-Nationalist. He uses his position as honorary colonel of the Highland Guards to attempt a coup d'etat when the troops take part in an army exercise whose object is to capture London. Patrick Macnee, as Steed, set out to stop the plan, and is captured by a rotund private looking very much like Roy Kinnear of "TW3". INTRIGUING. Not long ago, ABC was making rash remarks about "The Avengers" having shot down "TW3". Says Mr. Kinnear: "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em". Fenella Fielding made an intriguing and exotic sidekick for Steed in the episode that was screened on Leap Year Day and - if she was willing and ABC could afford her fee - should fill the role admirably again. Clearly the part calls for someone with a distinct personality, a taste for the offbeat and a style very different from Honor Blackman's. Who could deny that Miss Fielding fits all these conditions. She is also a lot of fun.
TV World, 20 November, page 1,16, Women feature on Sue Lloyd plus front cover, author unknown, England.
Manchester Evening News, 5 October 1963, page 5, Max North's Telereview, ?, England.
MANDY TAKES A JOB AS MOTHER'S HELP. With her recorded appearance on TV in to-night's episode of "The Avengers" 19-year-old former child star Mandy Miller says goodbye to Britain - and to acting etc etc.... ABC, which is giving her this TV send-off, also provided Mandy's first TV appearance in 1958. She was in their serial "Sunday's Child", which was created around her. In The Avengers episode, titled "The Undertakers", she joins another actress who has not worked on TV since leaving a long-running series. Jan Holden, last seen in "Harper's West One", the tale of life in a big store, plays a millionaire's widow and Mandy his step-daughter. Agent Steed questions them in his insouciant manner during an investigation into a drastic but clever racket for avoiding death duties.
TV World, 23 October, page 3, People Gossip Column: Piece on Andre Morell, author unknown, England.
TV World, 27 November, page 20, title unknown: Eric Paice piece briefly mentions The Avengers, author unknown, England.
TV World, 4 December, page 3, People Gossip Column piece on Anthony Newlands, author unknown, England.
TV Times issue 428, 10 January 1964, page 18, John Gough Column, John Gough, England.
Actress Honor Blackman will have a real wrestler as an opponent in next Saturday's The Avengers. He is Jackie "Mr TV" Pallo - but he doesn't appear as a wrestler, he plays a sexton. And Honor (as Cathy Gale) tangles with him in a cemetery. The outcome? That I am sworn to keep secret. But since the result is dictated by the plot I suggested to Jackie that this was one fight I could say was fixed. "Don't use that word to me," he said with a shudder. Attraction of the part to Jackie is that it gives him some straight acting to do as well. It goes on a bit more but no more Avengers mentions...Daily Mirror, 17 January 1964, page 11, The Rex North Column, Rex North, England.
JACKIE PALLO, TV wrestler and stunt man, accidentally knocked out by Honor Blackman, returns to work today. "I’m used to knocks, but this one hurt my pride a little," said Jackie. "It’s not the first time, mind you. I had my nose broken by a girl cousin when I was twelve. She kicked me in the face and won the bout.
TV Times issue 413, 27 September 1963, page 27, John Gough Column: Hobby Note(1), John Gough, England.
Lee Patterson, a 34-year old Canadian actor who is in The Avengers on Saturday, collects guns. "Recently, I bought a Colt 42 made about 1862, and discovered it was very rare. In fact only 32 of them were ever made. it's probably worth 500. And I paid 35 for it!"
Manchester Evening News, 7 December 1963, page 5, Max North's Telereview, ?, England, Picture Caption.
More Glamour for Steed. As if Honor Blackman didn't provide enough glamour in "The Avengers", to-night's story - in which John Steed hunts a modern Robin Hood - introduces Lisa Peake as a pretty hat-check girl in a Chinese restaurant.
Manchester Evening News, 2 March 1963, page 5, Max North's Telereview, ?, England.
ROBERT RIETTI felt at home when he was given the role of a clown in to-night's edition of "The Avengers" on ITV. Reading up on his family history, which dates back in the theatre to the thirteenth century, he found that in the 1760s his ancestors were clowns and acrobats. Robert and his father, Victor Rietti, both hold the Italian award of Cavaliere for their services to the Italian theatre. The clown in the story is anxious to murder undercover man, John Steed, played with his usual aplomb by Patrick Macnee. To find out why, Honor Blackman, as his partner Cathy, joins the circus and uncovers a Mafia plot.
Manchester Evening News, 19 October 1963, page 7, Max North's Telereview, ?, England.
'Ward 10' doctor gets out of the rut. From his role of a schoolteacher deep in the Australian outback for last Tuesday's play "Stella" Charles Tingwell becomes a ruthless M.I.5 man giving John Steed the third degree in to-night's "Avengers" episode. blah blah blah. "Maybe they'll say I'm being typed in coppers' pants now," he said. That problem should not arise in his "Avengers" appearance when anything approaching Judges' rules is firmly pushed aside. The action takes place deep in the underground chambers of the Regional Seat of the Government for the next world war. Steed, played by Patrick Macnee, is hunting a suspected traitor in the vast subterranean city, but himself becomes the quarry. ESCAPOLOGIST. In an electrified interrogation chamber he is guided by Cathy (Honor Blackman) and Tingwell's M.I.5. operative. Edina Ronay, shapely blonde daughter of the cookery expert Egon Ronay, turns up as an escapologist. The script is a first effort for TV by Phillip Chambers who has written many Sexton Blake novels, but has no doubt managed to add for this occasion the veneer of sophisticated wit that makes "The Avengers" such a viewable series.
TV Times issue 417, 25 October 1963, page 27, John Gough gossip column, John Gough, England.
In Common. The cast list for next Saturday's The Avengers carries these three names: Honor Blackman, David Davies, Iris Russell. What do they have in common? They all played probation officers at one time or another in the series Probation Officer.
Daily Mail, 30 December 1966, page 3, As the Bishop said to the actress, Barbara Shelley gossip piece referring to an ABC party and her upcoming part as 'Venus' in The Avengers, England, Not really worth having.
Daily Mirror, 15 April 1961, page ?, Photo Caption
Pauline Shepherd, 22, who made her TV debut at sixteen as a singer in the BBC's "Quite Contrary", has a straight role tonight in ITV's "The Avengers" (10.0). "I play an instructress at a dancing school - and I nearly become a corpse in the bath", she says. Pretty Pauline has now given up singing. Tonight will be her first TV appearance as an actress, "wish me luck", she says.Manchester Evening News, 15 April 1961, page 7, Max North's Telereview, ?, England.
Two bookmakers' daughters appear in to-night's episode of "The Avengers", which is set in the tough and often backbiting world of ballroom dancing. One is Pauline Shepherd, 22-year-old former model and fashion writer, who plays one of the instructresses and is the object of an attempted murder while taking a bath. The other, 20-year old Angela Douglas, has been in show business since she was 12 and has appeared in many TV series. She turned up in "Coronation Street" as a striptease dancer.TV Times, issue 288, 5 May 1961, page 5, Looking Around With John Gough: Two winners - from bookies!, John Gough, England.
TWO young actresses I talked to are both daughters of bookmakers and both have been given parts in The Avengers series. They are 22-year-old Pauline Shepherd and 20-year-old Angela Douglas. Pauline told me: "I have never helped my father in his business, but I have brought him a few clients. They're great punters in show business, you know." She has been a dancer and fashion model. Her latest enterprise is to start work on a film script. "It's a comedy," she said. "But it won't be ready for years." Angela Douglas tells me: "My father gives me tips - but the horses never win."
TV Times, 11 November, page 34, Dave Lanning's In View: Vladek and his Curtain Call, Dave Lanning, England.
A FAMILIAR FACE in dozens of cinematic Iron Curtain spy dramas, Polish-born actor Vladek Sheybal has his own personal, and diplomatically downstage East-West escape story.
He didn't jump the Iron Curtain. He wasn't involved in one of those Bondish midnight handover ceremonies. He sort of slipped underneath while no one was really looking.
"As a young Polish actor, I won an Oscar award and part of my prize, given by the Ministry of Culture, was to spend two weeks in Paris and in London to study French and English," he explained.
"But I liked it so much in England, I just stayed on. Originally it was to be only for two years. But it is 18 years now and I consider myself very English," said Vladek at home in Fulham.
"I didn't defect. It was nothing political. I just liked it better here."
Since becoming a British citizen he has been rather pigeon-holed playing baddies with Eastern European accents, although he appears as Zacardi, an unusually compelling little bird-man in this week's New Avengers story Cat Amongst The Pigeons.
He's divorced (his ex-wife is a member of the Polish National Theatre in Warsaw), a dedicated loner who loves to paint and write plays (none yet sold in this country, but several in Germany). He speaks, in addition to his native tongue and English, fluent German, Italian and French and is resigned to being vaguely recognised as a face, rather than a name.
"I don't mind," he said. "I'm a shy, inconspicuous little fellow."
But he's still managed to breach the Iron Curtain on a ministerial subsidy, which is a twist...
Manchester Evening News, 19 October 1963, page 7, Max North's Telereview, ?, England.
'Ward 10' doctor gets out of the rut. From his role of a schoolteacher deep in the Australian outback for last Tuesday's play "Stella" Charles Tingwell becomes a ruthless M.I.5 man giving John Steed the third degree in to-night's "Avengers" episode. blah blah blah. "Maybe they'll say I'm being typed in coppers' pants now," he said. That problem should not arise in his "Avengers" appearance when anything approaching Judges' rules is firmly pushed aside. The action takes place deep in the underground chambers of the Regional Seat of the Government for the next world war. Steed, played by Patrick Macnee, is hunting a suspected traitor in the vast subterranean city, but himself becomes the quarry. ESCAPOLOGIST. In an electrified interrogation chamber he is guided by Cathy (Honor Blackman) and Tingwell's M.I.5. operative. Edina Ronay, shapely blonde daughter of the cookery expert Egon Ronay, turns up as an escapologist. The script is a first effort for TV by Phillip Chambers who has written many Sexton Blake novels, but has no doubt managed to add for this occasion the veneer of sophisticated wit that makes "The Avengers" such a viewable series.
Manchester Evening News, 14 January 1961, page 7, Max North's Telereview, ?, England.
Actor and director Peter Hammond, who directs ITV's "The Avengers" describes a Chinese girl he introduces in to-night's episode as "a challenge to Jacqui Chan". She is Joyce Wong Chong, who plays one of the young ladies who frequent the Soho club headquarters of a race gang. Her partner is Carol White, the 17-year old blonde who two weeks ago starred in ITV's "A Headful of Crocodiles".
Daily Mirror, November 30 1963, page 17, no title, author unknown, England.
Incidentally, actress Colette Wilde, who used to be ITV’s weathergirl for the Midlands and North, turns up in "The Avengers" tonight (ITV 10.05) as a conspirator out to conquer the world by a poison plot. Just to underline what a charming girl she is, she plans to use Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman) as a human sacrifice at a Roman-style party.
Manchester Evening News, 14 January 1961, page 7, Max North's Telereview, ?, England.
Actor and director Peter Hammond, who directs ITV's "The Avengers" describes a Chinese girl he introduces in to-night's episode as "a challenge to Jacqui Chan". She is Joyce Wong Chong, who plays one of the young ladies who frequent the Soho club headquarters of a race gang. Her partner is Carol White, the 17-year old blonde who two weeks ago starred in ITV's "A Headful of Crocodiles".
Daily Mail, 24 March 1965, page 1, The Avenger To Wed Girl Who 'Died', Patrick Macnee's engagement to Catherine Woodville, England.
Daily Mirror, 24 March 1965, page 1, Catherine will be Avenger's bride, Patrick Macnee's wedding, Jack Bell, England
ITV's 'Avengers' star Patrick Macnee, 43, is to marry the first Avengers girl. On Monday, he will marry actress Catherine Woodville, 26, who starred in the No. 1 'Avengers' episode back in 1961. They are pictured together (above) with Catherine wearing her engagement ring. It was Catherine who played the fiancée of Macnee's first co-'Avenger', Ian Hendry - and was shot down in Soho as they were choosing a ring. 'She died in his arms and that turned us both into Avengers,' said Mr. Macnee last night. 'Kate and I fell in love at a rehearsal for another 'Avengers' show the following year.' The couple plan to marry at Hampton Register Office.Daily Express, 24 March 1965, page 1, Avenger Steed's Bride... Her Name Is Cathy, Patrick Macnee's wedding, England.
Manchester Evening News, 29 March 1965, page 1 ...And Sun For TV Bride, no author, England.
Patrick Macnee, the 43-year old actor, who plays special agent John Steed in ITV's "The Avengers", and his bride, 27-year old actress Catherine Woodville, step into the sunshine from Hampstead Register Office, London, after their wedding today. Miss Woodville appeared in the first episode of "The Avengers" four years ago.Daily Mail, 30 March 1965, page 3, Avengermanship!, Patrick Macnee's wedding, England.
Daily Mirror, 30 March 1965, page 5, 'Avenger' weds his Cathy, Patrick Macnee's wedding, England.
TV Times issue 507, 15 July 1965, pages 2 and 3, Marriage Mellows The Avenger, Patrick Macnee's marriage, John Gough, England, One paragraph in a gossip column.
Marriage has not affected the man-about-town image of Patrick Macnee, star of The Avengers. Let's just say that it is bringing out some of his mellower man-about-suburbia tendencies. His wife of three months, lovely Catherine Woodville, tells me she prefers to live in a country atmosphere rather than in town - and Patrick has agreed to a move. On the face of it, quite a reversal. It's not quite so long ago that Patrick gave up his home in Kingston-upon-Thames to move in to a flat at Swiss Cottage in London. Now he and Catherine are moving out to Richmond - just a few miles downstream from Patrick's old home. But perhaps that debonair, sophisticated tag never quite fitted Patrick. "In the house he wears his beloved, baggy old sweaters," said Catherine. "Nobody would recognise him as the fashionable John Steed." Catherine appears in No Hiding Place this week. Patrick returns to the screen to star in a new series of The Avengers around October.