Operation
Kid Brother (1967)
a.k.a.'OK Connery',
'Operation Double 007' and 'Secret Agent 00'
Produzione D.S. Directed
by Alberto De Martino
Probably the best of several Italian attempts at Bond spoofs which, interestingly,
contains many genuine 'Bond' film actors. The evil crime organisation Thanatos
is planning to take over the world using a magnetic field generator that
will stop all metal machinery. The top secret service agent is not available
so his civilian brother, Neil (played by Sean's brother, Neil Connery),
is pressed into service to save the world. Multi-skilled in plastic surgery,
lip-reading and hypnotism he finds that his eclectic and eccentric talents
come in conveniently handy.
With Daniela Bianchi, Adolfo Celi, Agata Flori, Bernard Lee, Anthony Dawson,
Lois Maxwell, Yachuco Yama, Guido Lollobrigida, Franco Giacobini, Nando
Angelini, Mario Soria, Ana Marie Noe, Franco Ceccarelli, Aldo Cecconi, Antonio
Gradoli, Mirella Pamphili and Leo Scavini. |
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Two feature films
starred Tom Adams as Bond-style counter-spy Charles Vine.
Licensed To Kill (1965) a.k.a.
'The Second Best Secret Agent in the Whole Wide World'
Directed and co-written by Lindsay Shonteff, producer Joseph E. Levine acquired
it for worldwide distribution under the alternative title. Henrik Jacobs,
a Swedish scientist who has invented an anti-gravity device, is offering
it to the UK government but he and his daughter are earmarked for assassination
and seek protection. James Bond is unavailable, so MI6 provides agent Charles
Vine as bodyguard and 'pest' exterminator. In the US version the title song
was written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen and sung by Sammy Davis Jr.
With Karel Stepanek, Veronica Hurst, Peter Bull, John Arnatt, Francis deWolff,
Felix Felton, George Pastell, Judy Huxtable, Gary Hope, Denis Holmes, Billy
Milton, Claire Gordon and Carole Blake.
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Where
The Bullets Fly (1966)
Embassy Pictures
Directed by John Gilling and produced by James Ward
The RAF is testing a secret light-weight metal called 'Spurium' that enables
their nuclear aircraft to fly. Vine is pitted against super-enemy 'The Angel',
messing up his plans to steal the aircraft and its fuel formula.
With Sidney James, Joe Baker, Michael Ripper, Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Maurice
Browning, Bryan Mosley, Heidi Erich, Maggie Kimberley, Sue Donovan, Patrick
Jordan, James Ellis, Tony Alpino, Gary Marsh, Peter Ducrow, John Horsley,
Joe Ritchie, David Gregory, Dawn Addams, Wilfred Brambell, Tim Barrett,
John Arnott, Marcus Hammond, Michael Ward, Terence Sewards, Suzan Farmer,
Julie Martin, Tom Bowman, Gerard Heinz, Charles Houston, Michael Balfour,
Michael Cox, Barbara French, Michael Goldie, John Watson and Roy Stephens. |
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Modesty
Blaise (1966)
20th Century Fox
A film based on the comic strip character created by Peter O'Donnell (writer)
and Jim Holdaway (art) was made as a comedy thriller. It was directed by
Joseph Losey and starred Monica Vitti as Modesty, Terence Stamp as Willie
Garvin, and Dirk Bogarde as Gabriel. Modesty Blaise, a secret agent who
is also something of a fashion icon, is used as a decoy by HM British government
to thwart a diamond robbery. Knowing she is being set up, Blaise calls in
sidekick Willie Garvin and some friends to outsmart them. However, Gabriel
the diamond thief has his own plans for Blaise and Garvin. Original music
was by Johnny Dankworth.
With Harry Andrews, Michael Craig, Clive Revill, Alexander Knox, Rossella
Falk, Scilla Gabel, Joe Melia, Saro Urzì,
Tina Aumont, Oliver MacGreevy, Jon Bluming, Lex Schoorel, Max Turilli, Giuseppe
Paganelli and Wolfgang Hillinger. |
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Four films starred Dean Martin as super-spy Matt Helm.
The films drew little from the 27 books by Donald Hamilton and were a parody
of the Bond films in most respects.
Females appearing in the films were known as 'slaygirls'.
The Silencers
(1966) Columbia Pictures
Directed by Phil Karlson and produced by Irving Allen. Elmer Bernstein
provided the score with Vikki Carr performing the title song. Matt Helm,
an ex-agent now glamour photographer, is brought out of retirement to stop
the criminal organisation 'BIG O' from carrying out their plan to divert
a missile into an underground atomic bomb testing site.
With Stella Stevens, Victor Buono, Daliah Lavi, James Gregory, Robert Webber,
Nancy Kovack, Arthur O'Connell, Roger C. Carmel, Cyd Charisse, Beverly Adams,
Barbara Burgess, Susan Holloway, Karen Lee, Victoria Lockwood, Gay MacGill,
Mary Jane Mangler, Gigi Michel, Margie Nelson, Pamela Rodgers, Margaret
Teele and Rita Thiel.
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Murderer's
Row (1966) Columbia
Pictures
The film was directed
by Henry Levin (who had previously directed the Dino DeLaurentiis 'superspy'
film 'Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die') and produced by Irving Allen with
a film score by Lalo Schifrin. Matt Helm's
death is faked so that he can find and rescue Dr. Solaris, inventor of a
Helium laser beam powerful enough to destroy continents, who has been kidnapped
by 'BIG O' (Bureau of International Government and Order) and held on a
private island off the Cote D'Azur. The film is full of gadgets like the
modified AR-7 pistol that only fires ten seconds after the trigger is pulled
and there are always plenty of beautiful women wearing fashionable mod-style
costumes.
With Ann-Margret, Karl Malden, Camilla Sparv, James Gregory, Beverly Adams,
Richard Eastham, Tom Reese, Duke Howard, Ted Hartley, Marcel Hillaire, Corinne
Cole, Robert Terry,Dean Paul Martin and Desi Arnaz Jr. 'Slaygirls' included
Dale Brown, Barbara Burgess, Amadee Chabot, Luci Ann Cook, Dee Duffy, Lynn
Hartoch and Rena Horten.
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The Ambushers
(1967) Columbia
Pictures
This film (generally
considered to be the weakest of the four-film series and appearing on many
'worst movie' lists) was again directed by Henry Levin and produced by Irving
Allen with a film score by Hugo Montenegro.
Secret agent Matt Helm is called into action for the third time by his organisation
'ICE' and is sent off to Acapulco to investigate when an exiled ruler of
an outlaw nation, Jose Ortega (Albert Salmi) uses a powerful laser beam
to hijack a top secret government 'flying saucer'. Helm's nemesis 'BIG O'
are involved, as usual, with their operatives still trying to either seduce
or exterminate Helm.
With Senta Berger, Janice Rule, James Gregory, Albert Salmi, Kurt Kasznar,
Beverly Adams, David Mauro, Roy Jenson, John Brascia and Linda Foster. 'Slaygirls'
included Ulla Lindstrom, Marilyn Tindall, Lena Cederham, Susannah Moore,
Terri Hughes, Penny Brahms, Kyra Bester, Jan Watson, Annabella Incontrera,
Dee Duffy and Alena Johnston. |
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The
Wrecking Crew
(1968) Columbia Pictures
The last in the quartet of films was again produced by Irving Allen with
music by Hugo Montenegro and was directed by Phil Karlson. This was the
last film made by Sharon Tate before her murder by Charles Manson's followers
in 1969. Helm is assigned by ICE, to bring down the evil Count Contini (Nigel
Green) who is trying to collapse the world economy by stealing a billion
dollars in gold. In a showdown at Contini's chateau chaos and destruction
is wrought with a variety of gadgets. Contini escapes on a train bound for
Luxembourg, but Helm catches up in a mini-helicopter and Contini is killed
when dropping through a trap door.
With Elke Sommer, Sharon Tate, Nancy Kwan, Nigel Green, Tina Louise, John
Larch, John Brascia, Weaver Levy, Wilhelm von Homburg, Bill Saito, Pepper
Martin, Ted Jordan, Fuji, Lynn Borden, Whitney Chase, Tony Giorgio, Joséphine
James and an uncredited Chuck Norris as the man in the house of seven joys.
Although Bruce Lee did not appear in the film, he received a production
credit as ‘Karate Advisor’ (choreographer) for the fight scenes. |
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Two films starred James Coburn as superspy Derek Flint
Our Man Flint (1966) Twentieth
Century Fox
Produced by Saul David and directed by Daniel Mann with music by Jerry
Goldsmith. In a direct Bond parody, written by Hal Fimberg and Ben Starr,
the superspy Flint is brought out of retirement by ZOWIE (Zonal Organization
for World Intelligence and Espionage) to deal with the threat of Galaxy,
an organisation led by three of mad scientists who demand that all nations
capitulate to them. To enforce their demands they use climate control gadgetry
to cause earthquakes, volcanoes, storms and other disasters. Many 'Bond'
elements are alluded to during the film.
With Lee J. Cobb, Gila Golan, Edward Mulhare, Benson Fong, Shelby Grant,
Sigrid Valdis, Gianna Serra, Helen Funai, Michael St. Clair, Rhys Williams,
Russ Conway, Ena Hartman, Bill Walker, Peter Brocco and uncredited James
Brolin.
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In
Like Flint (1967) Twentieth
Century Fox
Again
produced by Saul David with music by Jerry Goldsmith, this film was directed
by Gordon Douglas. When the US President is kidnapped and replaced with
an actor (classic line: "An Actor as President?") Zowie and their super
agent are called into action, discovering that it is part of a plot by a
secret organisation of women who are using special beauty spas under the
name of 'Fabulous Face' to brainwash people and kidnapping astronauts, replacing
them with doubles to gain access to the world's missile sites, in a bid
to take over the world.
With Lee J. Cobb, Jean Hale, Andrew Duggan, Anna Lee, Hanna Landy, Totty
Ames, Steve Ihnat, Thomas Hasson, Mary Michael, Diane Bond, Jacki Ray, Herb
Edelman, Yvonne Craig, Robert 'Buzz' Henry, Henry Wills, John Lodge, Mary
Meade French, Erin O'Brien, Jennifer Gan, Eve Bruce, Inge Jaklyn, Kay Farrington,
Thordis Brandt, Inga Neilsen, Marilyn Hanold, Pat Becker, Lyzanne La Due,
Nancy Stone and W.P. Lear Sr. |
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Three movies starred Michael Caine as British
'secret agent' Harry Palmer - Bond without the money and gadgets!
The IPCRESS File (1965) Lowndes
Productions / J. Arthur Rank
Although produced by Harry Saltzman, almost everything about Harry Palmer's
life and activities are intended to be a direct opposite to the glitzy 'superspy'
world of James Bond. Directed by Sidney J. Furie, the story is based on
a novel by Len Deighton. In this first film, Palmer gets a taste for the
world of cold war espionage when his particular obstinate and insubordinate
character traits are utilised in investigating the kidnapping and brainwashing
of British scientists.
With Guy Doleman, Nigel Green, Sue Lloyd, Gordon Jackson, Aubrey Richards,
Frank Gatliff, Thomas Baptiste, Oliver MacGreevy, Freda Bamford, Pauline
Winter, Anthony Blackshaw, Barry Raymond, David Glover, Stanley Meadows,
Peter Ashmore, Michael Murray, Anthony Baird, Tony Caunter, Douglas Blackwell
and Glynn Edwards. |
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Funeral
In Berlin (1966) Lowndes Productions / Paramount Pictures
Produced by Charles D. Kasher with Harry Saltzman as executive producer
and directed by Guy Hamilton the links to Bond are already strong. This
second story in the trilogy by Len Deighton sees downbeat secret service
agent Harry Palmer being sent to Berlin to oversee the exchange of a suspicious
Communist defector by using a mock funeral to cross the Berlin wall, but
things are not all that they seem. Colonel Stok, a Soviet intelligence officer
responsible for security at the Berlin Wall, appears to want to defect but
the evidence is contradictory. Double and triple-crosses become evident
and Palmer becomes entangled in a complex web of espionage with agents from
the UK, Russia, Germany, the USA and Israel all working the situation for
the same prize - secret information.
With Paul Hubschmid, Oskar Homolka, Eva Renzi, Guy Doleman, Hugh Burden,
Heinz Schubert, Wolfgang Völz, Thomas Holtzmann, Günter Meisner, Herbert
Fux, Rainer Brandt, Rachel Gurney, John Abineri and David Glover. |
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Billion
Dollar Brain (1967) Lowndes Productions / United Artists
The third story in the Harry Palmer trilogy was again produced by Harry
Saltzman, with Ken Russell directing. Since the previous film, Harry Palmer
has resigned from the British Secret Service and is trying to establish
himself as a private detective. Accepting an assignment, he is told by a
mechanical voice over the phone to take a parcel to Helsinki. The package
actually contains a virus that has been stolen from Porton Down. Palmer
becomes suspicious and discovers that the recipient, oil tycoon 'General'
Midwinter, is using a supercomputer to coordinate plans to cause the downfall
of communism and the virus is to be used to destroy the 'red army', while
he takes control with his own private troops.
With Karl Malden, Ed Begley, Oskar Homolka, Françoise Dorléac, Guy Doleman,
Sheybal Vladek, Milo Sperber, Janos Kurutz, Alexei Jawdokimov, Paul Tamarin,
Iza Teller, Mark Elwes, Stanley Caine and Gregg Palmer. |
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Danger
Man (Secret Agent / Destination Danger / John Drake)
ITC (Incorporated Television Company) / ITV 86 episodes 1960 – 1968
Ian Fleming originally worked with series creator Ralph Smart to try and
bring Bond to TV, but backed out, being replaced with Ian
Stuart Black who helped develop a character called 'Lone Wolf' that evolved
into 'Danger Man. The series star, Patrick McGoohan is said to have had
significant input into the development of the secret agent John Drake and,
in fact, was offered the role of Bond in the first movie, Dr. No, as a result
of his performance in the series,
which was seen in America under the title 'Secret Agent' and
pre-dated the first Bond film. Drake, like Harry Palmer, was a much more
'real life' personality, although still exceptionally dispassionate and
clinically cool. The other thing he shared with Bond was a dissatisfaction
with his superiors and their methods, displaying an insubordination that
noticably increased as the series progressed. Drake worked for 'M9', not
MI6, rarely carried a gun or killed anyone (although enemies not infrequently
died) and only used gadgetry that was available at the time. The Danger
Man theme was composed by Edwin Astley
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The
Prisoner
ITC
(Incorporated Television Company) / ITV
17 episodes 1967 – 1968
Was 'The Prisoner' John Drake
from Danger Man? Legally not, as McGoohan did not own the rights, but the
character profile is very similar and it is likely that Drake's increasing
displeasure with his job and employers eventually pushed him into resignation
from M9. We'll never know for sure, but apart from the opening title sequence
which suggests the fact, and the reason for his abduction, that's where
any similarity ends. 'Number 6' (we never hear his real name) wakes up in
a surreal, high-tech, pop-art 'Village' world created by Patrick McGoohan
and George Markstein, designed to psychologically break him and discover
the (ungiven) reason for his resignation. We also never find out the location
of 'The Village' or, indeed, even which 'side' is running it. Each episode
features a new scheme by a frequently-changing 'Number 2' to try to break
his will. Part-created/written/directed, produced by and starring Patrick
McGoohan, it was filmed on location at Portmeirion, in Wales, and the theme
music is by Ron Grainer. |
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The
Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Arena
Productions / MGM Television / NBC
105 episodes 1964 – 1968
Created by Norman Felton with Ian Fleming (the name Napoleon Solo is from
'Goldfinger') and developed by Sam Rolfe, New
York-based U.N.C.L.E. (United Network Command for Law Enforcement) is
a multi-national organisation using top agents and futuristic high-tech
gadgetry in its constant battle to prevent T.H.R.U.S.H. (Technological
Hierarchy for the Removal of Undesirables and the Subjugation of Humanity)
from achieving its goal of global domination. The 'star' agents were American
Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn) and 'Russian' Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum)
who reported to boss Alexander Waverly, played by Leo G. Carroll (in both
the 'Man' and 'Girl' series). The basic plot for each show is the constant
battle of good against evil with innocent bystanders somehow becoming
involved. Although somewhat 'tongue in cheek', it is not overtly comic
with stories occasionally pushing the border of science fiction and shown
as a series of 'acts', reminiscent of some earlier American crime dramas.
Theme music is by Jerry Goldsmith.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. TV Series The
Man from U.N.C.L.E. Films
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The
Girl From U.N.C.L.E.
Arena Productions / MGM Television / NBC 29 episodes 1966 – 1967
A spin-off from the 'Man' series, the character April Dancer (Stephanie
Powers) was proposed in the original series plot and the name was suggested
by Ian Fleming. A different arrangement of the same theme music was used,
with Leo G. Carroll continuing his role along with an appearances from Solo
in the 'The Mother Muffin Affair' episode. Mark Slate (Noel Harrison) played
Dancer's male partner agent. Not as successful as the parent series, it
was eventually cancelled due to low ratings, no doubt one of the reasons
being the fact that Slate was responsible for all the physical action with
Dancer's most lethal attributes being a gas-spraying perfume atomiser and
a pair of exploding bracelets, which severely weakened the 'secret agent'
character. Not only that, but the storylines were generally more comedic
and the show was almost a parody of the original series, let alone the James
Bond style. As with the parent series, the show was notable for the number
of 'guest stars' and came dangerously close to being a 'secret agent' version
of 'Batman'.
The
Girl from U.N.C.L.E. TV Series
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The
Saint
New World / Bamore / ITC
Entertainment / ITV 118 episodes 1962 – 1969
Based on the character created by Leslie Charteris, this was listed as
a 'mystery spy thriller' series, although it never was quite clear exactly
what Simon Templar (Roger Moore) was, but is probably best described as
an adventurer or a modern 'Robin Hood'. 'The Saint' comes from his initials
(also using the name Sebastian Tombs) and the pictogram that is his calling
card. Upper-class English, suave, fashionable,
sophisticated, athletic, intelligent, with an eye-catching car and a penchant
for rescuing damsels in distress, he certainly exhibited all the characteristics
of James Bond and this portrayal is probably what led to his taking the
place of Connery as the regular Bond. Templar worked as a free-lance agent
for various police and government agencies in anything that interested
him or was likely to turn a profit, legal or not quite so. In keeping
with British TV, he rarely carried a gun, preferring to use fists, but
was not averse to using one or despatching 'baddies' when necessary. Produced
by Monty Berman and Roger Moore, the theme music is by Edwin Astley.
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The
Baron
ITC
(Incorporated Television Company) / ITV
30 episodes 1966 – 1967
Based on the books by John Creasey under the pseudonym Anthony Morton, this
was the first ITC show without puppets to be produced entirely in colour.
It starred American Steve Forrest as John Mannering, nominally an ex-jewel
thief reformed as an antiques dealer but also operating on an informal basis
as an agent for British Diplomatic Intelligence headed by Templeton-Green
(Colin Gordon). He was originally cast with a male partner but ITC bowed
to pressure from American television and replaced him with the glamorous
Cordelia, played by Sue Lloyd. Produced by Monty Berman, most of the scripts
were written by Dennis Spooner and Terry Nation, with a few provided by
Avengers writer Brian Clemens under the pseudonym of Tony O'Grady. Mannering
was an American version of Simon Templar, with his jet-set lifestyle and
his personalised number plate BAR1. Despite 'exotic' location settings,
the series (as were most by ITC) filmed entirely in the UK with Elstree
studios providing the foreign flavour. The
theme music is again by Edwin Astley. |
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The
Avengers
ITV / ABC / Thames Television 161 episodes 1961 – 1969
Created by Sydney Newman and born from the series
'Police Surgeon', this was the longest-lived and most successful of the
Sixties 'secret agent' series with far more to it than I could even start
to describe - it was almost a genre in itself. Originally with a theme
by Johnny Dankworth which was reworked several times, it was eventually
replaced with one by Laurie Johnson. It's main character, John Steed (Patrick
Macnee), was the epitome of an 'English Gentleman' with his bowler hat
and Savile Row suits but with a core of steel, partnered at various times
by, but never openly romantically linked with, Venus Smith (Julie Stevens),
Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman) - who put 'kinky boots' on the map, Emma Peel
(Diana Rigg) and Tara King (Linda Thorson). As agents for 'British Intelligence'
they took their assignments from their slightly bizarre boss 'Mother'
('M'?). Tongue-in cheek, some episodes verged on science-fiction, but
there was never a shortage of suspense, action, fashion, gadgets and all
the elements you would expect from anything remotely 'Bond-like'.
The Avengers TV Series
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Department
S
ITC
(Incorporated Television Company) / ATV
28 episodes 1969 – 1970
Created
by Dennis Spooner and Monty Berman, writers
included Philip Broadley and Terry Nation and many episode directors had
previously been involved with action shows such as The Saint, Danger Man
and The Protectors. The theme music was by Edwin Astley.
The show starred Peter Wyngarde as
Jason King (also the name of a later spin-off series), Joel Fabiani as Stewart
Sullivan and Rosemary Nicols as computer expert Annabelle Hurst who were
agents for a special (the "S" in the title) section of Interpol, whose chief
was Sir Curtis Seretse, played by Dennis Alaba Peters. From their Paris
HQ they specialised in
international cases that other agencies were unable to solve.
King was the 'ideas' man of the team and a bit of a playboy, often seen
with beautiful women, whose 'cover' was as an adventure novelist.
Stewart Sullivan was the head of Dept. S, reporting to Seretse, and did
much of the field and 'hands-on' work. Annabelle Hurst was a computer and
analytical expert, often needed on the assignments and was seen in many
glamorous disguises. |
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I
Spy
Three F Productions / Peter Rodgers Organization Ltd. (PRO) / NBC 82 episodes
1965 – 1968
An American TV series that teamed Robert Culp as tennis player Kelly Robinson
with Bill Cosby as Alexander Scott, his 'trainer'.
They travel the world, with Robinson playing 'amateur' tennis with the
wealthy in return for their keep, which provides the cover for their activities
as top agents for the Pentagon. Three
F Productions consisted of writers David Friedkin and Morton Fine and
cinematographer Fouad Said. Friedkin also directed one and appeared in
two of the first season episodes. I Spy was unique for a TV show at the
time for the way it emulated the Bond films by actually filming in exotic
locations
including Rome, Athens, Morocco, Florence, Madrid, Hong Kong, Venice,
Tokyo, Acapulco and Las Vegas rather than using stock studio footage and
backdrops. The series
was devoid of Bond-style 'gadgetry', more 'true to life', and the huge
success of the show is mostly attributed to the banter and chemistry between
Culp and Cosby. The series is also notable for its regular 'signature'
scenarios involving Robinson and Scott's escapes from locked rooms.
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Mission:
Impossible
Desilu Productions / Paramount Television / CBS Television 171 episodes
1966 – 1973
An American television series, that was created and initially produced
by Bruce Geller, about the globally important but highly secretive missions
of a team of agents known as the Impossible Missions Force (IMF). The
timeless theme music is by Lalo Schifrin. One of the iconic television
action shows of the Sixties involved the IMF being offered a 'mission'
each week, every bit as difficult as the title implies, but the identity
of the government or organisation that oversees the IMF is never revealed
as it could never accept any responsibility for IMF activities. Presented
as a serious action programme, much of the equipment and techniques used
to achieve their successes were (for the time) futuristic and high-tec.
At various times IM team members included Peter Graves, Steven Hill, Martin
Landau, Barbara Bain, Peter Lupus and Greg Morris. Mission Impossible
was actually the 'sister' show to the original Star Trek series and they
were filmed in tandem at Desilu Studios, using the same production team
and regularly sharing props.
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