"The Protectors" was a TV show that ran for 52 episodes from 1972 to 1974! I can unequivocally state that I never knew about this show until Lord Litter recently turned me on to it, because I did not even own a TV set during those years! Lord knows what else I missed, or then again, maybe he doesn't!
What I do know is that Robert (THE Man From U.N.C.L.E.) Vaughn had the starring role as Harry Rule, the head of an international crime fighting agency!
"Brotherhood" was episode number two!
The awesome swingin' music in "The Protectors" was created by John (Psychomania) Cameron, and here's just a small sample of how cool it is!
The awesome swingin' music in "The Protectors" was created by John (Psychomania) Cameron, and here's just a small sample of how cool it is!
Harry Rule has been hired to to break some cat out of jail who has supposedly been imprisoned unjustly!
Pretty tricky how they can hide the big boss's true identity!
Nyree Dawn (The House That Dripped Blood) Porter has the role of Harry Rule's partner, and very efficient assistant Contessa Caroline di Contini!
She's come to the prison to plant a mini-bomb, but for some reason, the warden is very distracted!
The mini-bomb goes off and blows out the bars on the jail cell window, and then Harry Rule swoops down in his helicopter and saves the innocent victim!
Time for Harry and the Contessa to celebrate! To the victors go the spoils!
Oh, Great! You busted me out of prison just so my brother can murder me!
"Yeah, hey, I'd like to order a pizza to go....and no anchovies!"
I said, "NO ANCHOVIES! What the Hell did you think I meant?
And now a word from our sponsors!
Let the fustercluck begin! Better watch out, Harry might just punch you!
"The Protectors" is another great Gerry (Thunderbirds) Anderson production like "UFO" that has real people in it, not puppets!
Job well done, let's wrap it up!
Although I wasn't familiar with "The Protectors," I probably did see every episode of "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." but I have to tell you that my favourite memory of Robert Vaughn will always be for his role as Lee, the spineless hotshot gunman in one of the best western movies ever made, "The Magnificent Seven!"
I remember seeing this show, and also "The Adventurer," starring Gene Barry, in syndication in the late 1970's. Both were shown in a late-late-late-late time slot. I didn't know that The Protectors was produced by Gerry Anderson. Or that Anderson had ever produced anything that wasn't science fiction (UFO, Space 1999, Thunderbirds, Fireball XL5, etc.). Of course, I remembered Vaughn from The Man From UNCLE and The Magnificent Seven. And Teenage Caveman.
ReplyDeleteI would assume that they hired Vaughn and Barry (and Steve Forrest in The Baron) because they figured American stars would appeal to US audiences. Ironically, none of those shows really made much of an impression in the US. The most popular British action shows in the US (The Saint, The Avengers, Danger Man/Secret Agent) were the ones with British stars.
That's a very interesting point TC, that the "The most popular British action shows in the US were the ones with British stars," and very true!
ReplyDeleteThe title song is called Avenues and Alleyways and was a hit in Britain by Tony Christie of "Amarillo" fame.
ReplyDeleteThis was a time when I looked to TV for my role models and really liked Nyree Dawn. She had such class.
Thanx for the info Lace!! And you're right, Nyree Dawn was VERY classy!
ReplyDeleteMaybe it was just that American audiences already had enough adventure and detective shows of our own with American stars. Mannix, Cannon, Mission Impossible, Ironside, etc. So the British shows with the British stars seemed cool and exotic.
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