They`re two of the enduring symbols of `60s sexuality: Honor Blackman, the femme fatale in ”Goldfinger,” and the sophisticated British spy series
”The Avengers.” Now, thanks to cable`s A&E network, the two symbols will finally be united.
As any ”Avengers” fan knows, Blackman was Patrick Macnee`s first female co-star. She played Catherine Gale to Macnee`s John Steed from 1962 to 1964, when she left the show and was replaced by Diana Rigg as Emma Peel.
But Blackman`s episodes were never shown in the United States. When ABC picked up ”The Avengers” in 1966, it started with the Rigg episodes.
Well, curiosity seekers, your `60s wish is about to be fulfilled. A&E will run 134 ”Avengers” episodes, including Blackman`s, starting Oct. 1. The show will air weekdays at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Macnee says he enjoyed the entire series and is still in close contact with Rigg. ”We`ve been friends now for 20 years, and in my opinion, she`s one of the greatest actresses in the world.”
But despite his affection for Rigg, those long-lost Blackman episodes were his favorites.
”The Honor Blackman ones . . . were the most innovative and creative and, indeed, won all the awards way before it was ever shown here in 1966,”
he said. ”And the effect is completely different.”
One difference you`ll notice right off: The early shows were done live, straight through, like the classic American ”golden age” dramas. There was a lot of running around to make costume changes, Macnee says, and a fair share of goofs and errors.
No one would ever call ”The Avengers” a cultural breakthrough, but it was pretty racy for its time. Who can forget Diana Rigg in that form-fitting jumpsuit, slashing away at bad guys with karate kicks and chops? Sexy, but very assertive.
”In a comic strip way,” Macnee said, ”we kind of mirrored the start of feminism. . . . Sidney Newman, who was a great television man, invented an idea of a mixture between Margaret Mead, the great anthropologist, and Margaret Bourke White, the Life photographer, and she turned out to be Honor Blackman throwing men over her shoulder.”
Even with the Blackman episodes in tow, A&E won`t be showing the complete ”Avengers.” It doesn`t have the rights to the first season, when Macnee had a male co-star, Ian Henry.
”A few of them exist, but they don`t really stand up,” Macnee said.
”The Honor Blackman ones do.”
If you`ve always liked ”The Avengers,” you have company in high places. According to royal watchers, ”The Avengers” is one of the royal family`s favorite shows.
Macnee is unimpressed:
”I`m a Stuart at heart, and would prefer to see the Stuarts on the throne.”
Come to think of it, so would I. Where are ”The Avengers” when you really need them?
