What does "The Persuaders" mean? They rarely seem to do any persuading. But what did "The Avengers" mean, or "The Protectors"? Nevertheless, it's a good enough title to cover the antics of two big stars teamed up willy-nilly to some success.
Roger Moore, who rebounded from London to Hollywood and back to British TV, was considered for "James Bond" from the start, but never actually tested for "Dr. No" as he was becoming the idealized Simon Templar on television's "The Saint." After that series, when Sean Connery left "Bond" for the first time (of three) Moore was briefly attached to a Broccoli "Bond" project that fell through. When the next green-lighted "Bond" came down the pike, Moore was engaged in other projects, including "The Persuaders." A shame as, had Moore been available, he might have made "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"--thus teaming himself with another British TV icons of the 1960, Diana Rigg. What a loss! So what was this "Persuaders" that may have cost Moore an earlier gig as the world's most famous Secret Agent? It's a slight show with a silly premise. A judge (Laurence Naismith, "Scrooge") teams an American millionaire and a British Lord to fight crime. Actually, the shows are typically mysteries, where our friendly "persuaders" discover people's real identities, etc.
Unfortunately, a great many of their cases (such as "Greensleeves") come about by accident. In "Anyone Can Play" they so so far afield, Moore's American sidekick (Tony Curtis) accidentally gives out a fairly complicated code and, as a result, begins a train of events that nearly gets them both killed.
The show itself is almost too light. The leads meet danger with such aplomb, threats rarely feel real. "James Bond" might have all been done tongue-in-cheek, but at least everyone involved treated it as deadly serious.
Opinions differ about how Curtis became Moore's American counterpart. Both Moore's autobiography and a commentary on the pilot say three Americans were considered: Rock Hudson, Glenn Ford and Tony Curtis. All three were big movie headliners whose careers were sagging in the early 1970s.
But whereas the commentary suggests Curtis got the part by default, Moore says he got final pick. He thought he and Hudson were too similar (tall, good-looking types); and, having worked with Ford, decided they would not be a good mix.
Tony Curtis, a Bronx-born son of Hungarian immigrants, fought his way up the ladder to become a genuine movie star, receiving one Oscar nomination ("The Defiant Ones"). While he got raves for early dramatic parts like the sleazy Falco in "The Sweet Smell of Success" and "Spartacus", Curtis broke out of his "sidekick" period by starring in the comedies for which he is probably best known ("Some Like it Hot"; "The Great Race"; "Sex and the Single Girl"; "Arrivederci, Baby"; "Don't Make Waves" etc.) He culminated his "big star" career with the shocking dramatic part of Albert deSalvo in "The Boston Strangler." After that, his career hit the skids; and while he remained a "name" the rest of his life, he was never again the STAR in capital letters. "The Persuaders" was his last stab at headline stardom, this time in the realm of television.
The strangest thing about "The Persuaders" is that Moore and Curtis, two different kinds of actors from very different backgrounds, actually have a good rapport. They play well together. If they have a fault, it's that they mine the same vein of humor, and apparently ad lib a lot. Curtis, still athletic in his late 40s, appears a bit too excited all the time, perhaps to better contrast himself against the understated Moore. Unfortunately, while Moore never seems to forget that he's a British Lord, if a fun-loving one who hates stodginess, Curtis seems to forget from time to time he's a millionaire, though never as a jet-set playboy. How did this guy raise himself from the back streets to Wall Street? Lots of famous British actors pop up in the series. They will be familiar to those who watched "The Saint" or "The Avengers." Occasionally, a rising star on his way up, or a former star on his way down, pop by for an episode. But the crux of the series is the fun-loving relationship between Curtis and Moore; that's also the series' Achilles heel, since they seem to be having too much fun at times.
The American actor was brought in, initially, in hopes of selling the series in the US. When that never materialized, "The Persuaders" folded up. Tony Curtis settled comfortably into older, character parts while Moore finally got the biggest prize in movies at the time, "James Bond, 007." So it's just as well "The Persuaders" lasted only did one season.
Roger Moore, who rebounded from London to Hollywood and back to British TV, was considered for "James Bond" from the start, but never actually tested for "Dr. No" as he was becoming the idealized Simon Templar on television's "The Saint." After that series, when Sean Connery left "Bond" for the first time (of three) Moore was briefly attached to a Broccoli "Bond" project that fell through. When the next green-lighted "Bond" came down the pike, Moore was engaged in other projects, including "The Persuaders." A shame as, had Moore been available, he might have made "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"--thus teaming himself with another British TV icons of the 1960, Diana Rigg. What a loss! So what was this "Persuaders" that may have cost Moore an earlier gig as the world's most famous Secret Agent? It's a slight show with a silly premise. A judge (Laurence Naismith, "Scrooge") teams an American millionaire and a British Lord to fight crime. Actually, the shows are typically mysteries, where our friendly "persuaders" discover people's real identities, etc.
Unfortunately, a great many of their cases (such as "Greensleeves") come about by accident. In "Anyone Can Play" they so so far afield, Moore's American sidekick (Tony Curtis) accidentally gives out a fairly complicated code and, as a result, begins a train of events that nearly gets them both killed.
The show itself is almost too light. The leads meet danger with such aplomb, threats rarely feel real. "James Bond" might have all been done tongue-in-cheek, but at least everyone involved treated it as deadly serious.
Opinions differ about how Curtis became Moore's American counterpart. Both Moore's autobiography and a commentary on the pilot say three Americans were considered: Rock Hudson, Glenn Ford and Tony Curtis. All three were big movie headliners whose careers were sagging in the early 1970s.
But whereas the commentary suggests Curtis got the part by default, Moore says he got final pick. He thought he and Hudson were too similar (tall, good-looking types); and, having worked with Ford, decided they would not be a good mix.
Tony Curtis, a Bronx-born son of Hungarian immigrants, fought his way up the ladder to become a genuine movie star, receiving one Oscar nomination ("The Defiant Ones"). While he got raves for early dramatic parts like the sleazy Falco in "The Sweet Smell of Success" and "Spartacus", Curtis broke out of his "sidekick" period by starring in the comedies for which he is probably best known ("Some Like it Hot"; "The Great Race"; "Sex and the Single Girl"; "Arrivederci, Baby"; "Don't Make Waves" etc.) He culminated his "big star" career with the shocking dramatic part of Albert deSalvo in "The Boston Strangler." After that, his career hit the skids; and while he remained a "name" the rest of his life, he was never again the STAR in capital letters. "The Persuaders" was his last stab at headline stardom, this time in the realm of television.
The strangest thing about "The Persuaders" is that Moore and Curtis, two different kinds of actors from very different backgrounds, actually have a good rapport. They play well together. If they have a fault, it's that they mine the same vein of humor, and apparently ad lib a lot. Curtis, still athletic in his late 40s, appears a bit too excited all the time, perhaps to better contrast himself against the understated Moore. Unfortunately, while Moore never seems to forget that he's a British Lord, if a fun-loving one who hates stodginess, Curtis seems to forget from time to time he's a millionaire, though never as a jet-set playboy. How did this guy raise himself from the back streets to Wall Street? Lots of famous British actors pop up in the series. They will be familiar to those who watched "The Saint" or "The Avengers." Occasionally, a rising star on his way up, or a former star on his way down, pop by for an episode. But the crux of the series is the fun-loving relationship between Curtis and Moore; that's also the series' Achilles heel, since they seem to be having too much fun at times.
The American actor was brought in, initially, in hopes of selling the series in the US. When that never materialized, "The Persuaders" folded up. Tony Curtis settled comfortably into older, character parts while Moore finally got the biggest prize in movies at the time, "James Bond, 007." So it's just as well "The Persuaders" lasted only did one season.