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| Gold Key offered kids helpful types on spying and sabotage. |
In 1964, television audiences watched the stylish adventures of an Ian Fleming superspy named … Napoleon Solo.
At traffic lights, on his way to a producer’s office, actor Robert Vaughn had leafed through the script for a series called Solo. He realized immediately that it was “James Bond on television” and was sold.
With the film Dr. No and its sequel From Russia With Love, Ian Fleming’s hero had already become a successful franchise. And the biggest hits — Goldfinger and Thunderball — were yet to come.
In fact, the Solo producers had consulted with Fleming about their TV idea. With Bond movies in production, Fleming couldn’t participate much, but he did give them two character names — Napoleon Solo and April Dancer (eventually The Girl from UNCLE in a spinoff series).
One other Fleming-inspired idea was the name UNCLE. In his 9th Bond novel Thunderball, published in 1961, Fleming had winked at the mid-century bureaucratic passion for acronyms by calling Ernst Stavro Blofeld’s criminal syndicate SPECTRE (the Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Revenge, Terrorism and Extortion). The TV show’s UNCLE (the United Network Command for Law Enforcement) established the practice as a fictional superspy cliché, and KAOS, SHIELD, THUNDER and others followed.
The suave Solo and his stoic, taciturn partner Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum) were usually pitted against Thrush, an organization described by Solo as believing “…the world should have a two-party system — the masters and the slaves.”
America’s dark days cast their shadow even over The Man from UNCLE pilot, which suspended filming because of President Kennedy’s assassination.
The series started out well, but progressively lost focus, succumbing to “camp” claptrap. But it made its mark.
Airing on NBC from 1964 to 1968, the series not only prompted a spinoff but numerous paperback novels, several movies, a latter-day pulp magazine and two Gold Key comic book titles.
Solo and Kuryakin’s missions were called “affairs,” and my favorite of the paperback titles was, of course, The Unfair Fare Affair.
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| The Man from UNCLE's debt to the James Bond movies was always apparent. |
Marcus Bressler wrote:
ReplyDeleteA very cool show to watch back when it was on.
Bruce Kanin wrote:
ReplyDeleteGreat write-up and images, Dan! Even though I wrote elsewhere that MFU now seems "dated," I have to partly take that back. Several of its first season and some subsequent season episodes hold up quite well. Vaughn & McCallum "made" the show. They fit their characters perfectly and had wonderful chemistry. The soundtrack was stellar and I still listen to it.
ReplyDeleteJohnny Williams wrote:
Great essay btw. As someone who lived those times, I can personally attest to the excitement of the early spy-secret agent craze. I have more to say about that and will.
Mark Staff Brandl wrote:
ReplyDeleteI am still a bit involved in UNCLE fandom! And Mark Ellis did THE best recent remakes in a couple comics.
Myron Williams wrote:
ReplyDeleteMFU movie is just as lame and uninteresting as the WWW movie with Will Smith, both are a total waste of time and money, and I did not waste my time or money on either movie.
Peter Pelletier wrote:
ReplyDeleteSay "Unfair Fare Affair" 3 times fast.
J.A. Fludd wrote"
ReplyDeleteThe Man From UNCLE was one of my many boyhood obsessions.
Don Christian wrote:
ReplyDeleteVery quickly lost any and all interest in the “TV” Bond but, loved your recap.
Lyn Ens wrote:
ReplyDeleteI especially like the spy school 'getting clubbed on the head' lessons.
Todd Spangrud wrote:
ReplyDeleteRobert Vaughn and David McCallum went on to do many more roles, but these two superspies will be remembered for their roles in this show. Vaughn went on to be kind of the evil bureaucrat in film and tv.
Orson Welk wrote:
ReplyDeleteI'm just finishing Robert Vaughn's autobiography, "A Fortunate Life." While I wish there was more in it about UNCLE and The Protectors, I'm mostly enjoying it.
I like seasons 1 and 4 of the UNCLE TV show. The film was a terrible disappointment to me (despite looking great).
Paul Zuckerman wrote:
ReplyDeleteThe series turned too campy too soon but I did enjoy it in the beginning. I liked that they made Illya Russian--it was a nice touch to show cooperation for a change. The Russians were always the bad guys in Marvel Comics for example!
I got several of the novels. And collected the gum cards. I watched Girl from UNCLE for a while, but it never quite grabbed me. I think it was done straighter than Man had become, but it seemed somewhat dry.
Paul Zuckerman, My memory of The Girl from UNCLE is that she really couldn't fight, and seemed kind of helpless too often. No Emma Peel she
ReplyDeleteLisa Childress wrote:
ReplyDeleteI had a Man From U.N.C.L.E sweatshirt. I outgrew it of course and it got really messed up with me crawling around pretending to be a spy anyway. My mother bought all our clothes and she was not averse to some gender-bending on my part (I was a pirate for first grade Halloween). The show was a solid favorite in our part of the world. :o]
Mike Kister wrote:
ReplyDeleteAs far as I am concerned, this was THE role for Vaughn. No other part was ever better suited for him than Solo.
Michael Megna wrote:
ReplyDeleteI loved the TV series. Not a fan of the movie of a few years ago.
I replied:
The movie really missed the mark, although I did appreciate how the director deftly danced around the scenes of violence instead of wallowing in it. But Cavill is no Vaughn. He seemed embarrassed when he attempted suavity.
And they only used the wonderful Jerry Goldsmith theme for about one second on the truck radio. That was an insult.
Michael Brown wrote:
ReplyDeleteTHRUSH is the Technological Hierarchy for the Removal of Undesirables and the Subjugation if Humanity. It grew out of Prof Moriarty's org.
ReplyDeleteDavid M. Lynch wrote:Nice post, but I have one TINY correction. U.N.C.L.E. actually stands for United Network Command for Law AND Enforcement (emphasis mine). And no, it makes no sense at all for the word "and" to be there, but it is there nonetheless.
I replied:
For law, and the enforcement of something unspecified. An odd quirk.
Bob Doncaster wrote:
ReplyDeleteWild Wild West with Robert Conrad was also a child of the Bond craze. It’s also a personal favorite.
I replied:
Robert Conrad tried to deny that WWW was Bond-inspired, but that was silly. Obviously it was.
It many ways, WWW was an early example of steampunk.
Bruce Kanin wrote:
ReplyDeleteI sort of instigated the latest discussion re: the "Man From UNCLE" film (quotes deliberate) over in another group. I suggested that someone at least dub the opening credits with the MFU theme and the final scene where "Waverly" tells "Solo" & "Ilya" about "UNCLE" with the wonderful "Meet Mr Solo" theme that often closed out TV episodes.
Had they called the film "Two Guys Behind the Iron Curtain" and named the male stars Sam and Petrov, I might've enjoyed it, but they had the nerve to appropriate bits from the series.
Cavill is one of the most unconvincing actors around today.
Jack Kiser wrote:
ReplyDeleteWhen we were in high school the geeks preferred "Man from Uncle", the better adjusted socially opted by a huge margin for "I Spy."
Johnny Williams wrote:
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say I too was swept up in ‘spy mania’.
So, in 7th grade myself and a couple of friends created our Own spy organization, S.C.O.P.E, Secret Cadre Of Professional Espionage agents. Lol. What do you Want?! We were 7th graders. Lol. 😂
Bruce Kanin:
ReplyDeleteFor television watchers, this show defined "cool." My friends & I all wanted to be Napoleon Solo!
I replied:
Viewers were divided on Robert Vaughn. Some found him suave, others unctuous. I was definitely in the first category.
Randy Reynaldo:
ReplyDeleteAs a kid, I had one of those Man from UNCLE toy gun kits that had the projectile attachment for sending secret messages. For some reason, we also had plastic maquettes (uncolored) of both leads that were pretty well done, about 6” high. I *think* my family still has this.
Ed Wilson:
ReplyDeleteI remember watching Season 1 episodes of MFU as a kid when they were new, but, somehow, the theme music didn't register with me; I just don't remember hearing it when I watched the show in 1964. I wasn't aware that that's how the theme music was until I saw reruns in the early '70s.
I didn't pay attention to the show's musical theme until Season 2; for me, that's the best version -- the "real" version.
I bought several issues of the Gold Key comic new off the rack. They were okay, but I didn't love them. Several of them were drawn by Mike Sekowsky, whom I was not a fan of, but his work was tolerable in these comics.
There was another comic book series in 1987 and 1988 that published 11 issues.
Bob Bailey:
ReplyDeleteDan, I was one of those kids like you who loved the TV series. And yes in those days before you could buy a season of shows on DVD (or even VHS) I religiously bought the Gold Key comics. I loved those photo covers and pinups. According to our friend and scholar Robert Beerbohm, the comic book sold so well that in 1967 it ranked #11 ahead of all the Marvels.
Charles Mission:
ReplyDeleteIn 1983, they did the reunion film "Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E." where Robert Vaughn and David McCallum reprised their respective roles. However, there was a second " Man from U.N.C.L.E." reunion, albeit it was unofficial. Vaughn and McCallum appeared in episode 6 of the final season of "The A-Team". That season, Vaughn joined the cast as General Hunt Stockwell, who was the handler of the A-Team. McCallum guest starred as Ivan Tregorin, a former partner turned Russian spy. He captures Stockwell and interrogates him for information about a top secret stealth bomber. The A-Team needs to find Stockwell in 36 hours or they will revert to their fugitive status.
The name of the episode was "The Say U.N.C.L.E. Affair". The title of the episode was definitely on the nose. However, as a kid, it was totally lost on me since "Man from U.N.C.L.E." was before my time and I was never exposed to the reruns.
I replied:
In the reunion movie, they finally ran into James Bond in the person of George Lazenby.
And of course, Shatner and Nimoy famously PRECEDED Star Trek by appearing in the same UNCLE episode.
Phillip Robertson:
ReplyDeleteThis show was huge in Oz, I had my card from the fan club denoting me as being an UNCLE agent. When Robert Vaughn hit Sydney it was announced that his motor cade would be passing though the city on the way to the movie premier, my Mom & I stood on the side of the road to watch his car speed by. Never missed an episode & saw the movies. Illya Kuryakin was my choice he embodied the Aussie belief in the calm cool quite achiever. Loved how they entered the UNCLE headquarters through the dry cleaners shop.
May be a graphic of 1 person, map and text
I replied:
McCallum decided to keep Illya a complete "mystery man." You really knew nothing about his personal life at all, and it worked to intrigue viewers.
Paul Zuckerman:
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how often the sidekick character grew in popularity. Illya was not intended to be a major character and he became the second lead, and all the girls fell for David McCallum. Robert Vaughn must have gone for drinks with William Shatner and Guy Williams and a few others who found that they were not the real star!
I think that at least one of the UNCLE books had more sexy situations than the show -- I seem to recall one where Solo and some woman were stripped down. At that age, THAT I remember!
I never knew that there was supposed to be a connection between Moran and THRUSH — do you know where that was established? I can't imagine that it was on the show!
As for the recent movie-less said about that the better!
Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Revenge, Terrorism and Extortion--seriously? What group would call itself that? In the real world, the worst terrorist organizations have names that proclaim that they are for freedom and justice or whatnot. NO ONE ever calls himself the bad guy!
Anyway — SPECTRE was a great name. UNCLE was a fun name. And then there was SHIELD, and who knows what else. I think I came up with a few myself but I don't think I will embarrass myself.... 🙂
I replied:
That is why fiction is better than reality. Organizations ACCURATELY describe themselves there (SPECTRE, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, etc.).
In Fleming's defense, I would say that SPECTRE was a purely businesslike corporation, and that industrial espionage, terrorism and extortion are quite profitable endeavors. Unlike other corporations, SPECTRE did not have to worry about public relations, and like all corporations, morality never enters into the matter.
I have always admired Fleming’s satire of dry corporate procedure in the invention of SPECTRE, by the way.
The Moriarty connection to Thrush was established in one of the novels, which gave the whole history and real name of the organization.
Ever notice what a thing Fleming had for variations on the term "specter?" It came up several times in different contexts in the novels.
Richard Meyer:
ReplyDeleteOne of those shows where I was young enough to be totally addicted to it but old enough to know it was really silly too often and felt embarrassed watching it.
I replied:
It became much sillier after the producers decided to chase the Batman camp craze. Vaughn regretted that.
Johnny Williams:
ReplyDeleteDan, one of the things that I especially liked about the UNCLE television series as opposed to the Bond films, which I loved, especially the earliest ones, was that Bond’s adventures mainly took place outside of and apart from MI6. Except for his mission briefing’s James spent little to no additional time inside of the Secret Intelligence Service’s offices.
Solo and Kuryakin’s on the other hand often spent time in UNCLE headquarters and I was always intrigued by those scenes. I mean to get inside you had to enter through a fake dry cleaner. It was cooler than it sounds.
In the comics Stan Lee and Jack Kirby tweaked that concept and low and behold, entrance to SHIELD hq was through a faux barber shop.
Michael Fraley:
ReplyDeleteAs a five or six year old, I recall being drawn to David McCallum's character and style, but being bored stiff by the show in general. I tended to think of Robert Vaughn as the sidekick who thought he was the star, pulling the show down. Like Jonny Quest, it had some interesting elements, but the overall impression was meh. Same goes for Mission: Impossible. Watching these shows as an adult, I still have a tough time pushing aside that kindergartner's first impression.
I replied:
The first season was better and more serious, though they were inhibited by that thing of always having a gosh-wow awe-shucks "real person: involved. But subsequent seasons were all over the map. However, I really liked Vaughn and paid no attention to Illya.
Dennis Hanley:
ReplyDeleteI bought a small stack of these on Ebay. The photo covers are cool.
Frank Johnson:
ReplyDeleteCreated my own spy organization to compete with U.N.C.L.E, T.H.U.N.D.E.R., CONTROL and all the test. S.U.P.E.R. and for the life of me I don't remember what that stood for. But just like fellow home-grown Double Nought spy Jethro Bodine I built my own spy equipment made mostly made from construction paper. Later that year I received for Christmas a Secret Sam a knockoff of James Bond's spy case from From Russia With Love. Those were great days when international intrigue could still be fun to the mind of a grade school kid.
F-michael Dunne:
ReplyDeleteThe first ( black and white) year was the best season. I consider the Robert Towne scripted The Dove Affair, guest starring Ricardo Montalban the best episode.
I replied;
I haven't see that one, at least lately. I'll run it down, thanks!
Harry Finley:
ReplyDeleteI loved the show. At the height of its popularity, some teenage friends and I created a super 8 home movie inspired by UNCLE called The Man From S.E.A.R.S. (Special Espionage And Revenge Squad). Their mortal enemy was W.A.R.D.S. (World Alliance for Rapid Distruction of SEARS). I had a blond hairstyle similar to Illya. A girl in high school nicknamed me Illya. It was my favorite show. Nothing but fond memories.
Randall Hugh Crawford:
ReplyDeleteMy spies worked for Viper. Not an acronym.
Spectre, Uncle, Shield, Thunder and Aim were all acronyms.
So were Ice and Zowie. (from the Matt Helm and Derek Flint movies)
On Get Smart the enemies of Control, Kaos, was not an acronym. But I always liked to believe their mission statement was Killing And Other Stuff.
I replied:
I was amused by KAOS' goal to "destroy the world for their own gain." I don't think it's so amusing these days.