Created by Sydney Newman
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| In 1960, before The Avengers, there was a programme called Police Surgeon starring Ian Hendry. However, the television company, ABC, didn't like this new show and so The Avengers was born. It started as a crime drama (like many that were popular at the beginning of the Sixties) starring Ian Hendry as Dr David Keel and Patrick MacNee as John Steed. Ian Hendry decided to leave after receiving better offers (!) and went off, using the Equity strike at the time to get out of his contract. And so The Avengers, as many people remember it, was born... |
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| It was all about solving cases of political espionage, murder (usually bizarre) and world domination plots by a range of crazed and eccentric characters. Having figured out what was going on, The Avengers would find them and give them a good hiding (Steed with his umbrella and Mrs Peel with a karate chop), thus saving the world from another criminal. |
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| Steed has always been the constant throughout having many partners in fighting crime. First, he was paired with Dr David Keel, as police surgeon. Second, he was joined part-time by Dr Catherine Gale, an anthropologist and one of the first women on TV to be equal to her male counterpart. During the Cathy Gale era, Steed was also joined by either physician Dr Martin King or jazz singer Venus Smith. Then came the infamous Mrs Emma Peel era with Diana Rigg in the role and those well-known leather cat-suits! Steed's final partner (not counting any of The New Avengers) was Tara King, which was probably a mistake - merely providing a reason for Steed to come to the rescue and undermining all the positivity provided by Gale and Peel. |
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| A film version was made in 1998 starring Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman which didn't live up to expectations and flopped at the box office. Elizabeth Shepherd was originally cast in the role of Emma Peel, but Diana Rigg (probably the best remembered female lead) took over soon afterwards. Rigg was nominated for an Emmy for her portrayal of Mrs Peel. |
John Steed
Cathy Gale
Emma Peel
Tara King