It's a Wonderful Wednesday down in The Dungeon, and the focus tonight is on a 1970's British TV show called "The Protectors," that didn't air on broadcast TV in the U.S. so unless you're a fan, you've probably never heard of it, or unless you've got a friend like Lord Litter to tell you about it!
Episode four aired in October of 1972, and was titled "Disappearing Trick."
"The Protectors" was on for two seasons, and was only a 30 minute show, so each episode was only 25 minutes long, and because of that, they didn't waste a lot of time. There were three stars, but the one at the top was Dungeon Hero Robert Vaughn as a gentleman named Harry Rule.
Harry Rule's partners were Tony (Space:1999) Anholt as art expert Paul Buchet.....
..........And Nyree Dawn (Madame Bovary) Porter as the lovely Private Detective Contessa Caroline di Contini.
"The Protectors" was one of the few 'live action' and non-Science Fiction productions that Gerry (Thunderbirds) Anderson ever produced. The whole series was based on a single line given to him by ITC TV Film Productions mogul Lew Grade that said "There is a small group of private detectives who are able to work
more efficiently because they are operating outside of the law."
That's it! That's the whole premise for 52 episodes!
This episode starts with "The Protectors" busting this idiot coming out of the woman's bathroom dressed like a woman in an attempt to disguise himself!
This dude bets his friend that he can disappear just like that guy was trying to do, but only be successful at doing it! This is Derren (The Giant Behemoth) Nesbitt as spoiled rich guy Brad Huron.
Brad Huron tries to get "The Protectors" to make him disappear, and although Harry Rule isn't interested in the job, The Contessa decides to take him up on it, just to prove a point to Harry!
The Contessa is taking Brad to this place in the country where even Harry and Paul won't find him, and they need to stop for gas. Brad shows that he's got a weird side to him when he kills the gas station attendant just for fun, but The Contessa doesn't know it happens!
Nice shoes!
Brad's Father lets Harry know that Brad ain't right in the head, and could possibly be quite violent, so they try and find The Contessa as soon as possible. After a series of incidents and a long chase, they find the dead guy and are now hot on the trail, using a couple of dirt bikes that were at the gas station.
Harry does his best to convey the information to The Contessa, because she doesn't know that Brad is a freak!
But that all changes soon enough, when Brad shows his true colours!
And The Contessa pretty quickly sees the error of her ways!
Let's just say that Brad gets what's coming to him!!
If you'd like to know more than you could ever think of about "The Protectors," then check out this page from The Official Gerry Anderson Website, and while you're there, don't forget to listen to the ending credits music sung by Tony Christie.
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