RETURN OF THE SAINT

(dt: Simon Templar - Ein Gentleman mit Heiligenschein)

English version

Simon Templar, der 'Heilige', ist eine Erfindung des Schriftstellers Leslie Charteris. Templar war eine Mischung aus Privatdetektiv, Einzelkämpfer und Playboy. Von 1963 bis 1969 spielte Roger Moore diese Rolle in einer der erfolgreichsten ITC-Serien. The Saint (dt: Simon Templar) brachte es auf über 100 Folgen. Der Rest ist Geschichte: Moore wurde erst Brett Sinclair in The Persuaders!, dann James Bond. Folglich stand er 1978 - Bond war auf dem Höhepunkt seiner Popularität, zwischen The Spy Who Loved Me und Moonraker - nicht für die Neuauflage zur Verfügung. Der Ersatzmann war Ian Ogilvy, bekannt geworden durch Michael Reeves' Witchfinder General und The Sorcerers.

Rogers, p. 430f: "The further adventures of Simon Templar, alias the Saint. A daredevil 20th-century swashbuckler who lived for excitement and danger. A pirate or a philanthropist as the occasion demanded. A freelance troubleshooter whose debonair outlook on life brought him into contact with the life he loved best – those triumphant moments when, having rescued the damsel in distress, or solved the affairs of the British Secret Service, he could stand back to proclaim that victory was his alone."

Rogers, p.431: "The adventures as before – well, not quite. The original recipe concocted by his creator Leslie Charteris had been juiced up in an attempt to garner worldwide sales and this series was no better (though certainly no worse) than its contemporaries. (...) But (...) [t]he real Simon Templar had abdicated some 16 years earlier, leaving behind a legacy that the newcomer found difficult to replace."

EPISODE GUIDE

Executive Producer Robert S. Baker Producer Anthony Spinner Music John Scott Saint Theme Brian Dee Irving Martin
(1.01) The Judas Game tx 10.09.78 Guest Stars Judy Geeson Maurice Roeves Olga Karlatos Richard Wyler Moray Watson Venantino Venantini Mona Bruce Writer Moris Farhi Director Jeremy Summers
Simon is hired by the British Secret Service to free a female agent who is held captive in an Albanian fortress.
(1.02) The Nightmare Man tx 17.09.78 Guest Stars Joss Ackland Kathryn Leigh Scott Moira Redmond Norman Eshley Sharon Mughan John Bennett Writer John Kruse Photography Frank Watts, B.S.C. Editor Peter Pitt, G.B.F.E. Producer Anthony Spinner Director Peter Sasdy (vs Leslie Norman acc t Rogers/epg)
GERMAN: Der Killer, dem die Stunde schlägt
A woman has a vision of her husband's death.
(1.03) Duel in Venice tx 24.09.78 Guest Stars Cathryn Harrison Maurice Colbourne Carole Andre Writer John Kruse Director Jeremy Summers
A girl is kidnapped and used as a bait in a vicious scheme to trap Simon.
(1.04) One Black September tx 01.10.78 Guest Stars Prunella Gee Garrick Hagon June Bolton Stephen Greif Aubrey Morris Nadim Sawalha Writer John Goldsmith Director Leslie Norman
Simon is teamed up with a beautiful Israeli agent to nail an Arab terrorist.
(1.05) The Village That Sold Its Soul tx 08.10.78 Guest Stars Maurice Denham Katia Christine Tony Calvin Writer John Goldsmith (tbv) Photography Frank Watts, B.S.C. Editor Peter Pitt, G.B.F.E. Producer Anthony Spinner Director Leslie Norman
An Italian village is under complete control of an elderly aristocrat.
(1.06) Assault Force tx 15.10.78 Guest Stars Kate O'Mara Burt Kwouk Bryan Marshall Writer Moris Farhi Director Peter Sasdy
(1.07) Yesterday's Hero tx 22.10.78 Guest Stars Ian Hendry Annette Andre Gerald Flood Tony Vogel Norman Eshley Tony Steedman John Rolfe Writer John Kruse Story Roger Parkes Director Roy Ward Baker

Roy Ward Baker

(1.08) The Poppy Chain tx 29.10.78 Guest Stars Laurence Naismith Gregoire Aslan Jenny Hanley Christopher Timothy Writer John Kruse Photography Frank Watts, B.S.C. Editor Bert Rule, G.B.F.E. Director Charles Crichton
GERMAN: Tödlicher Stoff
Simon and a vengeful father pursue different avenues to fight a drug syndicate.
(1.09) The Arrangement tx 05.11.78 Guest Stars Carolyn Seymour Sarah Douglas Michael Medwin Donald Pickering Ian McCulloch Writer Anthony Terpiloff Photography Frank Watts, B.S.C. Editor Peter Pitt, G.B.F.E. Producer Anthony Spinner Director Peter Medak
GERMAN: Die Abmachung
This story may well be inspired by Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train.
(1.10) The Armageddon Alternative tx 12.11.78 Guest Stars George Cole Anouska Hempel Donald Houston Writer Terence Feely Director Leslie Norman
(1.11) The Imprudent Professor tx 19.11.78 Guest Stars Catherine Schell Anthony Steel Susan Penhaligon Writer Terence Feely Photography Frank Watts, B.S.C. Editor Peter Pitt, G.B.F.E. Director Kevin Connor
GERMAN: Professor Unklug
(1.12) Signal Stop tx 26.11.78 Guest Stars Ciaran Madden Frederick Jaeger Ian Cullen Brian Glover Writer John Kruse Photography Frank Watts, B.S.C. Editor Bert Rule, G.B.F.E. Producer Anthony Spinner Director Ray Austin
GERMAN: Signal auf Rot
A young woman claims to have seen a murder during a train journey but no traces of a crime can be found.
Derivative (Murder in Mind, Night Is the Time for Killing, Room With a View), but another good entry. It's hard to believe that this is the same actress who played exceptionally memorable roles in Between the Lines and Inspector Morse.
(1.13) The Roman Touch tx 03.12.78 Guest Stars Laurence Luckinbill Linda Thorson Daniele Vargas Kim Goody Writer John Goldsmith Story William Fairchild Photography Frank Watts, B.S.C. Editor Bert Rule, G.B.F.E. Producer Anthony Spinner Director Jeremy Summers
GERMAN: Rendezvous in Rom
Simon takes care of a young pop star who is under pressure from her producer.
(1.14) Tower Bridge Is Falling Down tx 10.12.78 Guest Stars John Woodvine Alfie Bass Fiona Curzon Writer Leon Griffiths Director Roy Ward Baker
Simon is hired by a woman to investigate in a murder case.
(1.15) The Debt Collectors tx 17.12.78 Guest Stars Anton Rodgers Mary Tamm Diane Keen Geoffrey Keen Neil McCarthy Writer George Markstein Photography Frank Watts, B.S.C. Editor Bert Rule, G.B.F.E. Producer Anthony Spinner Director Leslie Norman
GERMAN: Die Abrechnung
Simon fights another drug syndicate.
(1.16) Collision Course 1 – The Brave Goose tx 07.01.79 Guest Stars Gayle Hunnicutt Stratford Johns Derren Nesbitt Joe Lynch Michelle Newell John Hallam Edward Brayshaw Leon Lissek Michael Robbins Prentis Hancock Wensley Pithey Cyril Luckham Writer John Kruse Executive Story Consultant Peter Allan Fields Photography Frank Watts, B.S.C. Editor Bert Rule, G.B.F.E. Director Cyril Frankel
GERMAN: Auf Kollisionskurs (1)
When a man is killed in a boat race Simon joins forces with his widow to investigate.
The teaming up of Pithey and Nesbitt should ring a bell with TV historians ...
(1.17) Collision Course 2 – The Sixth Man tx 14.01.79 Guest Stars Gayle Hunnicutt Stratford Johns Derren Nesbitt Joe Lynch Michelle Newell John Hallam Edward Brayshaw Leon Lissek Michael Robbins Prentis Hancock Wensley Pithey Cyril Luckham Writer John Kruse Executive Story Consultant Peter Allan Fields Photography Frank Watts, B.S.C. Editor Bert Rule, G.B.F.E. Director Cyril Frankel
GERMAN: Auf Kollisionskurs (2)
(1.18) Hot Run tx 21.01.79 Guest Stars Rula Lenska John Nolan Lorraine De Selle Writer Tony Williamson Photography Frank Watts, B.S.C. Editor Bert Rule, G.B.F.E. Producer Anthony Spinner Director Peter Sasdy
German: Schuss-Fahrt
Simon is asked by his skiing instructor to investigate the murder of her brother.
(1.19) The Murder Cartel tx 28.01.79 Guest Stars Britt Ekland Don Powell Helmut Berger Writer John Goldsmith Story Moris Farhi John Kruse Photography Frank Watts, B.S.C. Editor Bert Rule, G.B.F.E. Producer Anthony Spinner Director Tom Clegg
GERMAN: Das Mordkartell
Simon finds himself pitted against an organization which supervises professional killings.
(1.20) The Obono(a) Affair tx 04.02.79 Guest Stars Thomas Baptiste Jack Hedley Derek Newark Writer Michael Pertwee Director Peter Sasdy
The son of an African president who rules his country with an iron has been kidnapped.
(1.21) Vicious Circle tx 11.02.79 Guest Stars Elsa Martinelli Mel Ferrer Tessa Wyatt Writer John Goldsmith Story Michael Armstrong John Kruse Photography Frank Watts, B.S.C. Editor Peter Pitt Director Sam Wanamaker
GERMAN: Tödliche Verstrickung
(1.22) Dragonseed tx 25.02.79 Guest Stars Sam Wanamaker Shane Rimmer Annamaria Macchia Writer John Kruse Producer Anthony Spinner Director Leslie Norman
GERMAN: Wer Wind sät ...
The son of a wealthy man is killed in a helicopter crash.
(1.23) Appointment in Florence tx 04.03.79 Guest Stars Stuart Wilson Carla Romanelli James Aubrey Writer Philip Broadley Producer Anthony Spinner Director Peter Sasdy
GERMAN: Treffpunkt Florenz
Simon finds himself pitted against a group of terrorists.
(1.24) The Diplomat's Daughter tx 11.03.79 Guest Stars Lynn Dalby Murray Head David Grant Karl Held Writer Michael Pertwee Photography Frank Watts, B.S.C. Editor Peter Pitt Director Charles Crichton
GERMAN: Die Diplomatentochter
Simon fights yet another drug syndicate.

In order to find out more about Return of the Saint please try the following links:

Literatur:

Return of the Saint Annual 1979
Tony Mechele/Dick Fiddy: The Saint, London: Boxtree 1989 Dave Rogers: The ITV Encyclopedia of Adventure, London: Boxtree 1988
James Chapman: Saints and Avengers, London/NY: IB Tauris 2002
(Note: In an otherwise very intriguing book Chapman devotes one utterly lacklustre paragraph to the new series. He should have said "Inhowfar Return was up to 1970s standards is beyond the focus of this study" instead of offering an unduly narrow-minded view here. The absolute nadir is that he falls back on the bad old habit of a "threads" discussion of collars and trousers which is completely devoid of academic value and should be left to the yellow press, or nostalgics of limited intelligence.)

Video/DVD:

Complete series (Australian DVD)
The Murder Cartel/The Village That Sold Its Soul
The Imprudent Professor/The Armageddon Alternative

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