Written by Peter Wyngarde

For those of you who don’t know, General Klytus was the characterization of Lorenzo Semple Jr; he never appeared in Alex Raymond’s original comic strips. According to some sources – including Dino de Laurentiis, the character wasn’t supposed to be in the film we now know and love, but was to take over from Ming in the sequel. I heard this when I was summoned to Dino’s office at Shepperton Studio’s before filming commenced on the original film.

He wasn’t there when I arrived, so I was met by his secretary. I was told he’d had to make a trip to Amsterdam to pay for a piece of the set which hadn’t as yet been paid for. The shoot couldn’t begin until that piece of backdrop arrived.

The secretary asked me if I’d like a drink so I said, “Yes. A large Scotch”, but was told that they didn’t have any of the hard stuff in the office, so I was offered a cup of tea!

When Dino finally arrived, the first thing he asked me was if I’d read ‘The Invisible Man’ by H.G. Welles. I said I had, to which he inquired if I’d be interested in starring in a remake of the film. I was flabbergasted, but then I’d come across Dino before (although he didn’t remember [1]), so I knew he was capable of dropping just this kind of thing on people.

Some years ago, I’d been asked to appear in a film version of Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace’. After I’d done the make-up test with the lovely Audrey Hepburn, I was told to wait for a shooting date. This never seemed to come, so when I was given the opportunity to do a Peter Schaffer’s film, ‘The Salt Land’ [2], I jumped at the chance. Peter Schaffer, of course, won the Academy Award for writing the script for ‘Amadeus’.

We’d just got to the last part of the shoot on ‘The Salt Land’, when I received a call to be in Rome the next day to start on the huge ballroom scene on ‘War and Peace’.

I immediately rang my agent to tell him of the ridiculous situation I was in, so he ‘phoned the producer, Dino de Laurentiis, who replied in no uncertain terms that, if I wasn’t in Rome within the next 24 hours, not only would I be out from the film, but my contract with Paramount would be null and void!

Well, that’s exactly what happened, as I chose to finish ‘The Salt Land’. And yet, strangely, here I was – not only about to play Klytus in a de Laurentiis production, but also I was being presented with an opportunity to play the lead in his remake of ‘The Invisible Man’! Should I tell him we’d met before and risk getting sacked? I’m glad I did, as he told me in the strictest confidence about the sequel which had already been written by Semple. It was then that he divulged to me that, at the end of the first film, after Ming dies, that a gloved hand would reach from out of shot and pick up the Emperor’s mystical ring. That gloved hand would belong to Klytus.

The idea for the sequel was that Klytus would find the lost city of Atlantis, from where he’d rule a far more ghastly kingdom than had been run by Ming. Unfortunately, I didn’t get much more from him as he was called away.

The original black and white version of ‘Flash Gordon’, had a slightly podgier Flash, and a wonderfully saturnine Ming played by Charles Middleton, who often played the baddy in cowboy and gangster films. Above all, I remember fondly the little Sky Rockets in the series – suspended on wires which were clearly visible on the screen – going ‘Phuff! Phuff! Phuff!’ I loved that! I think they were shown every Saturday morning at the cinema.

The one thing I remember most about shooting the film was the weight of the costume; it was an absolute ton! We were provided with these sort of ironing board things that we could lean on between takes. Another difficulty was not being able to see the other characters, all of whom were wonderfully cast, with a mask over my face.

We tried several shots with me wearing the mask, but found that there was just a muffled sound coming out; there was certainly no personality. Klytus was in danger as coming across as a very bad Darth Vader – or Man in the Iron Mask: lovely to look at, but completely MUTE!

Below: Peter in the white version of the costume, with Ornella Muti as Princess Aura

Finally, we discovered that the problem was all to do with the mechanism in the jaw. To begin with, all we heard was a loud ‘Click! Click! Click!’ That was until the correct angle was found. It took seven more takes before the clickety-click was solved. During a scene with another character, it sounded as if the actor opposite me was wearing false teeth! At one point, we almost gave up. I thought that I might have to forfeit the part, but we persevered until, finally, we found the right balance.

As many of you will know, the senior designer on the film did many of the Fellini movies, so when I visited the set for the first time and saw all the costumes, I felt that I could be in any of his fabulous movies. I loved looking around the sets, even when I wasn’t shooting just to soak up the atmosphere. I saw my mask recently at Yardo in Piccadilly. How I wish I’d kept it as it really was a work of art, and even without me in it, it had a personality of its own.

The mask was designed and made in Italy, and cost around £5,000 to make at the time. Originally had two costumes; a black and a virgin white version – the latter of which I was to wear in the scenes with Princess Aura. I felt, though, that the white one looked a bit like something that’d be worn in a pantomime, so I decided to stick with the black one throughout the film.  

Notes: [1] In the 1950’s, Peter had signed a five-year contract with Paramount. [2] Click here for ‘International Theatre: The Salt Land’. Broadcast: 8th November, 1955.

Click below for more on General Klytus and Flash Gordon…

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© Copyright The Hellfire Club: The OFFICIAL PETER WYNGARDE Appreciation Society: https://www.facebook.com/groups/813997125389790/

It’s a fan’s ultimate dream to finally get the opportunity to meet his or her hero, whether it’s by chance in on the street, or in a swish restaurant or bar. These are some of the stories from Peter’s devotees who had been fortunate enough to shake the hand of a legend.

Erica Pershky – a Technical Assistant at a London branch of the National Westminster Bank, has been a fan of Peter’s from the very first time she set eyes on him in the role of Jason King in Department S. Having seen her idol on stage no fewer than six times in ‘The King and I’, ‘Anastasia’, ‘Present Laughter’ and ‘Dracula’, Erica considers herself “very lucky indeed!”

“The first time I ever saw Peter was at the stage door after seeing him in ‘Anastasia’ in Bath. He called me “darling” and “lovely”, and I remember it took him three attempts to give me his autograph as he kept spelling my name wrong! I still treasure that sheet taken from the back of my theatre programme. I remember exactly what he wore. Two other female fans, who I’d never met before, were so carried away by the occasion (Peter spent some time chatting to us), that we followed him in their car for some way out of the city but, unfortunately, we were forced to give up the chase after a while as he was on his way to a party.”

But that wasn’t Erica’s only encounter with Peter, as she elaborates: “The second time I met him was a week or so later in Richmond, Surrey – again, after a performance of ‘Anastasia’. I was in my usual seat; second row, aisle. Whilst taking a curtain-call, I noticed him turn to his co-star, Nyree Dawn Porter, nodding and winking at me; he whispered to her that I was there, as usual. Nyree told me about this later when we chatted.

Above Right: Peter with a fan at a party in Oslo, 1970

“However, this time when he took his curtain-call, Peter appeared most displeased as he spotted two women leaving the theatre. They must’ve had a train to catch or something like that, even though it was pretty rude of them before the final curtain. I could read Peter’s lips, and he wasn’t happy, I can tell you!”

But that wasn’t the end of Erica’s adventures in Richmond, as she was fortunate enough to talk her way into Peter’s dressing room: “I found him sipping Champagne with two dressers, and I jokingly admonished him over his mouthed comments to the two women in the theatre earlier that night. I then gave him a sketch I’d done of him, which he said looked more like his father!

“After chatting for a while, I cheekily said ‘Give us a kiss then, I’ve got to go now!’ I then toured halfway across London as I’d missed my last train; I think I must’ve floated home!”

Apart from the fond memories that she still holds after all these years, Erica says that her most treasured possessions are three postcards which Peter sent to her in reply to her letters: “Oh, and the kiss that he gave me way back in 1976; I haven’t washed my lips since!” Erica says that her favourite of all Peter’s roles are those she saw him in on stage – particularly in his portrayal of the King of Siam in ‘The King and I’. And her favourite screen-role? “Who else, but Jason King – especially in ‘A Page Before Dying’. That leather outfit. Yum! Yum!”

One of her saddest moments as a fan came recently when she realised what she’d lost after throwing out all the posters and photographs of Peter which had covered her bedroom wall as a teenager. Never mind, Erica. At least you still have some wonderful memories.

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Peter signed this for me at the NEC in 2013 (I think?). “You really want me to sign THIS?” he said.

“Yes, please, Peter”.

“Well it’s not me at all you know. It’s a dummy.”

“It’s a photograph of you from the National Portrait Gallery.”

“No it’s a waxwork. Madame Tussauds. I’ve always disliked it. Vanity, I suppose” he rattled on.

He begrudgingly signed it with his odd swan motif. After thanking him and wishing him well I walked away and soon became aware of a mesmeric stage-whisper calling to me across the crowded room – “Ian! Oh EEEEaaannnn”. I turned to see Peter beckoning me back to his table. “Look, Ian. You were right.” His next customer had presented him with a copy of the 1970 PW CD. “This is the dummy I was telling you about.” Very funny.

The queue to meet him was longer than anyone else that day. In fact two disgruntled ageing Bond girls were so sick of being overshadowed and bypassed by Peter’s fans that they packed up and cleared off. Peter was wonderfully charming to me. It is an encounter I shall always remember.

He was irked about a new book written about him “King Of TV”, I think it was called. “Who is this man who has written this?” 

I said, “Oh it’s by that fellow who writes all the books about The Prisoner”.

“He didn’t ask my permission!”

I said, “Well, I think it was written more as an homage than a best seller”.

“Have you read it?” asked Peter.

“No”, I said.

“Is it any good?” he went on.

Very funny. Reading about Peter’s signing trips to the NEC in ‘Peter Wyngarde: A Life Amongst Strangers’, made me remember this. I met Fenella Fielding that day too, she was lovely, a very sweet lady. Happy days.

Ian Kelland, Worcester

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In 1976, my mum once ran into Peter in the cafeteria at the Guild Hall, Preston, where he’d been appearing in ‘Anastasia’. Mum worked on the theatre staff as a cleaner. She said that Peter was extremely polite to her, and after signing his autograph, bought mum a cup of coffee.

Cathy Leigh, Leyland, Lancashire.

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I remember meeting Peter outside the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool after he’d appeared in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ there. I shook his hand through his car window. The programme he signed for me is one of my most treasured possessions.

Brian Pearson, Huyton, Liverpool.

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I recall Peter pulling up beside me at a set of traffic lights in Liverpool city centre. He wound down the window and called out to me: “How do you get out of this place?”

James McAteer, Liverpool.

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I was a contestant in the 1972 ‘Centre Girl of the Year’ competition, on which Peter was one of the judges. I can’t remember where I was placed in the competition because I was so excited about meeting Peter Wyngarde! However, I do recall getting a kiss from him after the event!

Helena Melson, Bexhill-On-Sea, East Sussex.

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I was fortunate enough to meet Peter in 1989 at a fund-raising event which had been organised by a local children’s nursery. Peter had been asked to open the fete, and was happy to oblige. He stayed for most of the day, and was absolutely wonderful with all the mums and kids, who adored him. He really is a lovely guy.

Carol Smith, Crawley, Sussex.

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My only encounter with Peter was seeing him driving his Bentley off a cross channel ferry at Dover after a trip to France in 1970. I was only about 10-years-old at the time, but I’ve never forgotten that day and I never will.

Brian Jenkins, Dover, Kent.

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As a British Telecom engineer, I was working in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, one Wednesday afternoon in 1992, when a beautiful Triumph Frogeye pulled up next to me. When the driver rolled down the window to ask for directions onto the A411, I realised it was Peter Wyngarde! Since I was a stranger to that part of the country, I was unable to oblige, but I’ve dined out on that story ever since.

Pete Thurston, Southhall, London.

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In September of 1971, my brother Andrew and I were excited to meet Peter while we were out shopping with our mum in South Kensington, London.

At the time, Peter was filming an episode of Jason King called ‘An Author In Search Of Two Characters’ at Kingston House in Kensington Road.

Left: Hilary and her brother Andrew, with Peter

I was only seven-years-old at the time and Andrew was just six, but we’d seen Peter on television many times in Department S, and since it was too good an opportunity to miss, we decided to go over and say “hello” to him.

Although we were both very nervous, Peter was really kind to us and gave us his autograph. We also ended up having our photo taken and put in the Kensington Post newspaper.

Our memory of that day will stay with us forever.

Hilary Stewart, London.

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I was lucky to see Peter at the Theatre Royal in Bath, in ‘Present Laughter’ and ‘Anastasia’. The latter one was an evening performance and I went back stage to see him leave, well he spoke to me. ME!!!

I remember walking back to the car, but the only thing was I couldn’t remember where I had parked it!! So I strolled around Bath for a good hour or so, blissfully in oblivion of time, and where I was. All I could think of was, I (me!) had met Peter Wyngarde!!!!!! And he spoke!!!! Gosh I had it bad. I was looking at the pictures in the scrapbook and I use to have two of them one was with his dog (Youssef) and him in his chair at the end.

Linda Jones

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I wanted to meet Peter as he played Klytus in one of my favourite films ‘Flash Gordon’.

Left: Xena Warrior Princess Lookalike – Jo Marriott with Peter

Got him to sign my Flash poster, he seemed very taken with me in my Xena kit saying Xena should have married Klytus! lol! Maybe bad Xena may have considered it, she could have then been known as Xena Destroyer of Galaxies! 

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Those magical days of Carnaby Street and the annual Radio Luxembourg conventions. Kensington Market with the smell of burning joss sticks, vast array of Afghan coats, tie-dye T-shirts and silver jewellery. Biba with its unique atmosphere and flamboyant fashions, set amongst ostrich feathers and groovy coloured glass jars. Not to mention Miss Selfridge, the place for miniskirts and hot pants!

And amidst it all, there was Peter Wyngarde. He stood out from the crowd with his, charm, sophistication and distinctive dress sense (I loved those turned back cuffs) – a real gentleman too.

Below Right: Peter at one of his fan club conventions in the 1970’s

I must have been almost 15 when ‘Department S’ first appeared on television and I was enamoured with Peter immediately. My whole family would sit round to watch the series (in the days of only one TV in the house) and they soon realised that I had fallen in love for the first time. Their teasing was relentless but, thankfully, my passion could be shared at school with my classmates – they either felt the same about Peter or his co-star Joel Fabiani.

Dedicated fans may remember the flat packed bubble-gum that came out at the time, featuring ‘Department S’ cards to collect. We girls would call into the sweet shop every day, on the way home from school, to make our purchases and swap cards until we had the whole set.

I remember reading an article in ‘Weekend’ magazine about Peter which talked about his childhood and his suffering and courage in Japan. That endeared me to him even more. I joined the Fan Club and was determined to meet my idol one day. To my delight, I was able to achieve this on not just one but two occasions at the conventions held by the Club.

I bought a little black dress for the first occasion; extremely short, with the front panel in-set with a snake skin design (all the thing in those days). I had a Saturday job in R.P. Ellen’s shoe shop at the time and I can remember the perfect pair of snake skin shoes (fake of course) coming into stock – I purchased them immediately. I really felt the business when I arrived at the hotel in Kensington. I went on my own on this occasion (can’t remember how I got there – my Dad probably insisted on driving me) and I can recall strolling in very confidently to meet the other gathered fans. I remember standing, chatting with a small group of people and suddenly becoming aware of a very familiar, deep, velvet voice – and there he was!

The next convention was a year later, at a similar venue. I went with my cousin, Carol, and I wore a purple midi-dress and silver choker round my neck. We had our photo taken with Peter and had a wonderful evening.

‘Department S’ eventually faded from our screens, to my great disappointment, but I could still listen to my vinyl single of the opening music to the series and my Peter Wyngarde LP. I still have them tucked away today but unfortunately I no longer have a record player!

Sue Armstrong

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I’ve been a Peter fan since I was a teenager who got hooked on the ITC Home Video releases of ‘Department S’ and ‘Jason King’. I was even one of the earliest members of The Hellfire Club, so I think my fan credentials are assured!

Now, since Peter has kept a low profile for many a year, I’d resigned myself to the fact that I would never meet the man himself. So imagine my surprise when Peter started to make appearances at memorabilia/celebrity autograph events.

I hadn’t been able to make any of the dates to work commitments, so imagine my excitement when I could attend Peter’s appearance at a Dr Who event in Barking, London.

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I was fortunate enough to meet Peter when he visited Sydney, Australia, during a promotional tour in 1971.

Although I was born in England in 1962, my parents emigrated to Oz in 1966 (I’ve since moved back home to Berkshire), and both I and my sister used to watch department S on Channel 7 every week.

When my best friend, Anna and I heard that Peter would be arriving at Sydney Airport, we decided to bunk off school for the day in the hope that we might be fortunate enough to see him.

When we arrived at the Airport terminal at which his plane was due to arrive, we couldn’t believe our eyes as there were literally thousands of fans (mainly women!) who’d obviously had the same idea as us.

Right: Peter with Anita and her friend

Because we’d been unable to get into the arrival lounge due to the huge crowds, we decided to try our luck out on the concourse and were completely dumbstruck to see Peter and two airport security officers walking towards us (they’d decided to bring him through a side entrance for his own safety). I’m not sure what it was that possessed me, but suddenly I found myself running towards him – hair and arms flying.

The two security officers, who obviously saw little threat in two nine-year-old girls, did little to deter us reaching our hero, and within moments we were hugging and kissing him. Clearly from this picture, he didn’t seem to mind!

Although it was a long time ago, I’ll never forget that day as Peter was just so sweet to two love-struck little girls.

Anita Hunte

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I’ve been a fan of Peter since seeing him way back in the 1960s in ‘Night of the Eagle’ and followed his career without pause enjoying every performance. Loved him in Jason King even if it was very campy and OTT, but what great entertainment just the stuff to blow away all the cares. And how scrumptious he always looked in his flares and furbelows. And that moustache and hairy chest!

On the serious side I battled my way to the box office to get tickets for ‘The King and I’ in 1973, and enjoyed every minute. I even met and spoke with him once. I was on the way to the Odeon cinema, Kensington, and he was cleaning his Bentley Continental. Beautiful car, does he still have it? He was so sweet and charming when I said “Hello” and mentioned how much I enjoyed his performances; so natural and unaffected.

I caught a glimpse of him last year in a programme about screen cads and he looked as gorgeous.

Jill Basten

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I was just remembering the ‘Jason King’ and ‘Department S’ Series and wondering whatever happened to Peter – he really was an icon in those days!

I’ve a great memory of Peter around forty years ago. I am a musician and was invited to play for a production of ‘The King and I’ which was being produced by Triumph Productions at the Forum Theatre, Billingham-on-Tees. Peter played the King (of course!!) and Sally Anne Howes was Mrs Anna and a lady with the most fabulous contralto voice – Moyna Cope – played his no.1 wife.

I remember the first mornings’ rehearsal with the cast and Peter came in dressed in designer denim – to which one of my colleagues described as – “expensively scruffy!!!” Peter would come in to the Billingham Arms occasionally after the show – (the only pub!) and would always stand the musicians (it was our second home at the time) a round of drinks.

It was a great run and lots of fun – we had a fine Musical Director in Derek Taverner. I played the show in Nottingham and again in Wolverhampton and that was the last time I heard of Peter.

Tony Carter.

Click below for…

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© Copyright The Hellfire Club: The OFFICIAL PETER WYNGARDE Appreciation Society: https://www.facebook.com/groups/813997125389790/

Collectables for the more discerning (and affluent) fan…

1953 Bentley R-Type Continental Sports Saloon

1953 Bentley R-Type Continental Sports Saloon Coachwork by H J Mulliner Chassis no. BC24B Engine no. BCB23 The example offered here – right-hand drive chassis number ‘BC24B’ – was retailed new by Edwards & Co Ltd of Bournemouth and first owned by one G E Lambert. Accompanying build history shows that the car was equipped with the manual transmission and originally finished in black with red leather interior trim, while special features included veneered dark walnut woodwork, sliding front seats with tipping/adjustable backs, and ashtrays front and rear. The car’s original UK registration was ‘NPU 10’. Information supplied by the Continental Register lists the following subsequent owners in the UK were Baron Nugent until 1971, when it was purchased by Peter in 1971. He subsequently sold the car to American, James Owen Jr in 1977.

The car was acquired by the present owner in 2001 and is currently resident in Belgium. Offered with EU taxes paid, it represents a rare opportunity to acquire a very fine example of what can is considered as the most famous and desirable post-war Bentley.

Sold for €525,083 (£ 438,182) inc. premium

John Stephens Fashion Award

An incredible piece of Peter Wyngarde memorabilia – his original John Stephen Fashion Award ‘ Best Dressed Personality ‘ hallmarked silver trophy. The trophy in the form of a Beau Brummell, complete with monocle and top hat. Hallmarks for Carrington & Co, London, 1970. The plaque to the front (also hallmarked) reads ‘ John Stephen Fashion Award – Peter Wyngarde – Best Dressed Personality – 1970 ‘. The award was given to Peter in the summer of 1970 by Miss Radio Luxembourg. The votes for Wyngarde, were cast by listeners of Radio Luxembourg and readers of ‘FAB 208’ (a magazine), were far in excess of his rivals Cliff Richard and footballing legend George Best. Photographs of Peter with the award have featured in many publications. Generally excellent condition for age, but the cane is missing from the top. A rare and important piece of British fashion and television memorabilia. Measures approx; 39cm tall.

Original Klytus Mask – 1st Type

This is the original Klytus mask that was auctioned by Screen-used via Southerby’s in 2017.

It was produced especially for Klytus’ death scene, in which he’s impaled on the floating platform by Flash, as the bottom jaw is fixed in position which allowed a prosthetic tongue to protrude through it.

Worn by Peter as Ming’s diabolical right-hand henchman General Klytus, this mask is crafted of fibreglass with a movable jaw, and an elastic Velcro strap to keep it in place. Originally a bright, shining gold, the finish has oxidized over time to a coppery bronze, with the original gold still seen on the lower jaw and a few other spots throughout the mask’s finish. Also includes a heavy steel dagger with steel sheath possibly forged as a prop for the character, though unconfirmed.

Sold at auction in the US for $15,138 (£11,613)

Original Klytus Mask – 2nd Type

Sold for £4,995

Screen-worn Suit

Above: Peter wearing the suit in ‘Jason King’.

The three-piece suit, which includes jacket, waistcoat and trousers, is made from flecked wool. The jacket is based on the design of a 17th century Austrian riding jacket.

Sold for £2,745

Iconic Snakeskin Jacket

Vivien Leigh Guestbook

This is an extraordinary show business collectable – a part page cut from a wonderful visitors’ book (8.5″ x 8″), signed in ink on both sides by some of the biggest stars of film and television at the time.

The first page is signed by Vivien Leigh, Claire Bloom, Laurence Olivier and Richard Burton, with other actors also signing, including Prudence Hyman  (title role in Hammer’s The Gorgon, 1964), Tom Bell and Tony Booth.

The reverse is signed by Henry Kendall, Peter Wyngarde, Paul Massie, Alan Bates, Denholm Elliott, Geoffrey Keen, Robert Flemying, Brian Reece (P.C.49), Barbara Hicks, Tommy Cooper, Dorothy Batley and Constance Lorne.

‘Peter Wyngarde’ Album – Test Pressing

‘Peter Wyngarde’ – 1970 – Peter’s personal Test Pressing LP of the self titled album. The vinyl record comes labelled with its original’ Test Pressing ‘ stamped sticker, the CBS logo crossed out and annotated with ‘ RCA ‘. The catalogue number SF8087 appears handwritten underneath. Supplied within its original blank sleeve, with ‘ My LP ‘ written in Peter’s own hand.

‘Peter Wyngarde’ is perhaps one of the most sought after albums, and to have Peter’s own personal test pressing should be considered a ‘holy grail’ for record collectors. ‘Peter Wyngarde’ was pulled from release after only four days due to its questionable content for the period. The third song ‘Rape’ appears to often be cited as the reason for its immediate recalling and banning.

Klytus Sand Timer

Klytus Mask by Chronicle

‘The Innocents’ Script

Draft script for the 1961 film. Copy belonging to an unknown crew member, with their holograph ink and pencil annotations on pages 95 and 109.

Sold for $6,500

Peter’s ‘A Touch of Brimstone’ (The Avengers) Script

This is the original script which was used by Peter in the production of the famous Avengers episode. Peter portrayed The Honourable John Cleverly Cartney in the story.

The script contains 56 pages, in addition to the title page and is dated October, 1964, and contains the tag-line, ‘In which Steed joins the Hellfire Club and Martha becomes Queen of Sin’.

This is an incredibly rare example of a script which clearly saw heavy use during the production, it is heavily annotated in Peter’s own hand with every line of dialogue and every scene in which he appears underlined and featuring various notes throughout which are hand inscribed in black ink.

The script measures approximately 13″ x 8″.

Sold for over £1,000.

Screen-Used Sculpture

Specially sculptured bust of Peter that was made for the ‘Jason King’ episode, Chapter One: The Company I Keep.

Above: The sculpture as seen in the series with Peter and the late Toby Robins as the Contessa Di Magiore.

Screen-Worn Ring

Gentleman’s Silk Scraf

From Peter’s Personal Wardrobe – an original vintage silk neck scarf, as worn by him to the 1980 New York Premiere of Flash Gordon – in which Peter starred as Klytus in the iconic sci-fi adventure. The neck scarf being silver, with black chequered design.

Above: Peter wearing the scarf

Iconic Screen-Worn Sunglasses

The glasses being a pair of Oliver Goldsmith glasses, with lightly-tinted lenses and distinctive inlaid stars to each arm. These glasses were worn by Peter in several episodes of the series, as well as his personal life. They are arguably the most iconic glasses he was known to wear, and featured in several publicity photographs for the series’.

A Handprinted Japanese Calendar Gifted To Vivien Leigh By The Carst Of ‘Duel of Angels’

Rice paper calendar, 1961, 12 separate sheets in a folder, inscribed on inside front cover, ‘To Miss Vivien Leigh as a token of Love and Admiration from her Devoted Company, Washington D.C., October 15, 1960’, with signatures including those of Peter Wyngarde (actor and companion to Leigh), John Merivale, Sally Home, John Goring, and many others.
15 x 11 1/2 in.

Below (left): Front of the calendar. (Right): Peter’s signature.

Sold at auction by Bonhams for £500

Bespoke Leather Jacket

Click below for more Peter Wyngarde Memorabilia and Collectables…

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©The Hellfire Club: The OFFICIAL PETER WYNGARDE Appreciation Society: https://www.facebook.com/groups/813997125389790/

This is an on-going page which will feature some of the interesting parts of Peter’s life which don’t exactly fit into any other category. Check out this page for regular updates:

The above was sent by Peter Wyngarde to Tina Wyngarde-Hopkins. ‘Karling’ (sic) ‘Carling’.

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If you have any photos or newspaper/magazine cuttings that you think might be suitable to be stuck into The Big Peter Wyngarde Scrapbook, please get in touch.

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© Copyright The Hellfire Club: The OFFICIAL PETER WYNGARDE Appreciation Society: https://www.facebook.com/groups/813997125389790

…they were wrong!

The convention hall at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham was heaving with fans, all eager to meet their favourite stars. The queue’s at the ‘Star Wars’, ‘Red Dwarf’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ tables were particularly long, with each person standing in them clutching a cherished item of memorabilia that they hoped to have signed.

Suddenly, a gentleman wearing a white goatee and baseball cap sauntered past the lines of waiting devotees, and took his place behind the table denoted by a poster of ‘Flash Gordon’s’ General Klytus. As he does so, the majority of people who’d been waiting patiently at the other tables shift en masse to pay homage to the man behind the gold mask.

The dumbfounded ‘Game of Thrones’ star, Josef Altin, turns to Thomas Bowington, Peter Wyngarde’s agent, and asks what had just happened. Bowington replies, with a grin:

“You’ve just been upstaged by The King!”

As a Peter Wyngarde fan, we must’ve all been frustrated at some time or another on reading that his career crashed and burned after ‘Jason King’ ended its run in 1973. And whilst in the past I personally would get myself into a lather over such an invalid statement, I now realise that instead of professing to enlighten us as a newspaper or Internet article is meant to do, the author of such editorials are merely exhibiting their own ignorance.

This kind of languid journalism has, by and large, been commonplace in the UK for decades. Instead of getting up off his or her ample backside and actually researching a subject, the contemporary hack is prone merely to consult a well-known online encyclopaedia with all its unconfirmed and flawed content, and base his/her story around that. Indeed, the more negative the content, the better they appear to like it.

Whilst the ‘papers prefer to put a negative slant on just about every celebrity-related commentary they publish, the average man on the street will tend to judge the success or failure of an actor’s career solely on the number of times he or she has appeared on television in a given period of time. In other words, few people have either the intelligence or imagination to consider that there are other mediums for an actor to ply his trade.

Throughout his career, Peter has never made any secret of the fact that his first love as a performer was the stage. He also made it clear that he had no desire to commit to another long-running television series once ‘Jason King’ had run its course. In fact, he grabbed the opportunity to play Ben Butley in Charles Dyer’s play, ‘Butley’ at the Metro Theatre in Melbourne, during the pause between the shooting of ‘Department S’ and ‘Jason King’ in 1971, to much acclaim.

Yet in spite of the often barbed comments of the resentful and misinformed, who continue to insist that Peter’s best days were over by 1972, in actual fact he was enhancing his standing as both an actor and director whilst treading the boards, and receiving glowing critical acclaim from some of the most respected critics in the business.

His first real post-Jason King outing was in Charles Dyer’s ‘Mother Adam’, in which he played a lonely museum curator who was still sharing a home with his mother. His performance drew praise from across the board, with one of the theatre’s most revered columnists, Harold Hobson, declaring: “Peter Wyngarde gives a performance of near genius – a great actor in the very best sense of the word.” and The Times in-house authority stating, “…as for Peter Wyngarde, in this play he approaches with a quiet, unassuming step, very close to greatness.”

For his next trick, Peter took on the role made famous by Yul Brynner in a revival of ‘The King and I’. He portrayed the King in all 260 performances of the show – playing to packed houses from Scotland to the south coast of England. Demand for tickets was so fierce that when the production reached the West End of London that it had to be extended by a further two months.

“Peter Wyngarde touches depths of understanding not always encountered in a musical. This is a spectacle indeed.” The Daily Express

“…Peter Wyngarde is personal, charming and finally moving. It wouldn’t surprise me if the show announced limited run stretches on and on well into the New Year, and beyond.” The Daily Telegraph

Hardly the description of an actor whose best days were behind him!

Peter was to both direct and take the lead in his next play – Noel Coward’s ‘Present Laugher’, for which he again won high praise from notoriously hard-to-please critics, with the London Evening Standard declaring:

“Wyngarde himself bears no relation to his famous Jason King, with the possible exception of his immaculate wardrobe. Instead he produces some masterful touches sometimes by a word, an action, or as in one possible case, an expression.”

Whilst Plays and Players exclaimed:

“Peter Wyngarde, who directed as well as starred, added to his reputation for professionalism with his deft handling of the play. He proved in this particular work to be the complete actor, using it as a vehicle to manoeuvre with dazzling carioation of pace. His own playing of the flamboyant lead was a first-class modernisation of itself. Not only had he adapted it to the style of Jason King, who had, of course, given him the kind of following such as Garry Essendine would lividly envy, but enough individuality and magnetism of his own…”

Success followed success, as the one-time king of television proved that he could also be the sovereign of the box office.“You could’ve heard a pin drop as Wyngarde moved menacingly down centre stage and then in powerful ascended tones introduced himself with a click of his heels and courtly bow,” one journalist wrote of Peter’s portrayal of Count Dracula in 1974.

“In luxurious, floor-length, rich black velvet cloak, Mr Wyngarde looked as if he’d stepped straight out of the pages of Romanian history, for instead of the usual swept-back hair from a ‘widow’s peak’ on the forehead, this Dracula had lustrous black, shoulder length hair and a drooping black moustache, but there was no denying Peter Wyngarde’s powerful presence in the role.

“Occasionally, the dialogue managed to laugh at itself as in Dracula’s comment about Transylvanian wine not travelling well, but more often than not, it was just background noise between the marvellous effects which were designed by Peter himself. He even spoke his great climatic oration as though it didn’t matter, and it didn’t. His stage presence itself was simply awe-inspiring”.

The reader of this article would do well to remember that, even into the 1980’s, television was still considered by many thespians to be the poor relation of the acting profession. Any member of Actor’s Equity who hadn’t first cut his or her teeth in Repertory Theatre, or made their name treading the boards, would’ve been frowned upon by his peers. So whilst the average ‘Couch Potato’ might well have believed that Peter had been packaged up and stuck at the back of the wardrobe when ‘Jason King’ drew to an end in 1973, in reality, he was earning the respect and admiration of ‘The Gods’ in front of sold out houses countrywide.

Certainly, he was held in enough esteem by the producers of a new adaptation of J.B. Priestley’s ‘Time and the Conways’ to be invited to direct the play at The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in December, 1975. The production, which featured Dulcie Gray, Christopher Cazenove and Anthony Andrews, was a huge success, and lead Peter to be invited to both act and direct at the highly respected English Theatre in Vienna in 1977.

Whilst in Austria, he was asked by a newspaper journalist why he hadn’t returned to TV after ‘Jason King’, to which he reiterated that his first love was, and always had been, the theatre: “Unless you do what you want,“ he said, “you please no one – neither yourself nor your audience. Compromise; taking parts you don’t like, builds up a kind of self-loathing, and that’s the most destructive thing in an actor”.

Over two tremendously successful seasons, Peter starred as George Bernard Shaw in ‘Dear Liar’, opposite the Theatre’s founder, Ruth Brinkmann (the play was brought back in September of 1977 due to the huge demand for tickets); as Richie Bosanquet in the European premier of ‘Big Toys’, and as Shylock in his own production of ‘The Merchant of Venice’.

Of his performance in ‘Dear Liar’, one critic wrote:

Wyngarde’s sharply etched performance was a triumph of acting, employing a Cheshire Cat grin and a look of self-satisfaction when tossing off a bon not – of which ‘Dear Liar’ has many’.

The British national tours of ‘Anastasia’ and ‘The Merchant of Venice’ that followed made a big enough impact for the world-renowned theatre producer, Pierter Toerien, to cast Peter in Ira Levin’s ‘Deathtrap’ at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town. The play broke all box office records there during its run, and the season was extended by 12 weeks.

The 1970’s proved to be the busiest decade of Peter’s career, during which time he was never out of work. In addition to the productions in which he performed, produced and directed, he was offered innumerable other opportunities which he was forced to turn down due to his being otherwise engaged [1].

The early 1980’s brought him a new challenge when he was cast as General Klytus in Mike Hodge’s sci-fi blockbuster, ‘Flash Gordon’. Although his face was hidden by a mask throughout the film, and without the benefit of facial expressions, it was generally agreed by critics and fans alike that Peter stole the show.

“Regardless of whether you’re a fan of science-fiction or not, those who delight in studying the diverse acting talents of Mr Peter Wyngarde and his multi-faceted performances must agree that he did a marvellous job in creating the malevolent, sadistic, and incredibly evil Klytus without the benefit of facial expressions. His totally chilling inflection and faultless performance in this most challenging of roles is yet another shining example of Wyngarde’s tremendous acting ability.” Empire

The film brought Peter a whole legion of new fans – especially in the United States where, until then, he’d been relatively unknown. Interestingly, fans based in America now count for a large percentage of the visitors to this website, and Peter’s earlier films are now regularly shown at events throughout the States.

In spite of a concerted effort by British devotees to get Peter back on television here in the UK, he insisted on putting theatre at the forefront of his career – accepting roles in ‘Underground’ opposite Raymond Burr, and in ‘Light Up The Sky’ with the late Kate O’Mara.

When he did decide to return to the small screen, it was in a four-part ‘Doctor Who’ story, ‘Planet of Fire’. Curiously, in his recently published autobiography, ‘Is There Life Outside The Box’ Peter Davidson demonstrated his own ignorance by claiming that Peter had done little work in the years leading up to his portrayal of Chief Elder, Timanov.

The former ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ performer claimed that, once cast in the role of Timanov, Peter’s agent contacted director, Fiona Cumming, to inform her that his client wished to play the character as an “old man”. Davidson upholds that, at the time both he and Cummings’ agreed that he WAS and old man! In actual fact, Peter was not yet 50 when the episode(s) was filmed on Lanzerote. Not exactly what you’d describe as archaic. Interestingly, Ms Cummings’ was, herself, only three years younger at 46!

You’d think that someone like Davidson would appreciate that television isn’t the be-all and end-all to an actor. Regrettably, like the indolent hacks discussed earlier in the piece, Davidson seemed more interested in settling old scores than publishing the facts. In the end, however, he succeeded only in making himself appear like a peevish schoolboy, and ridiculous to boot!

And herein lies the rub. Whilst Peter worked consistently throughout the Seventies, Eighties and well into the Nineties; producing some of his best, and most critically-acclaimed work, there are still those who’re either too idle or too malicious to publish the truth.

When wannabe journalist Gavin Stewart-Gaughan, suggested that, in years to come, Peter Wyngarde would only be remembered for his part in ‘Flash Gordon’, the following passage by Theodore Roosevelt immediately came to mind:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat”.

Enough said!

Notes: [1]. Between June 1976 and December, 1978, for example, Peter was offered the following projects which he was unable to accept due to his being otherwise committed: Film ‘Funny Eunice’ Theatre ‘Boy’. Stage play. With Morten Gottlieb ‘Sleuth’, ‘Same Time Next Year’ ‘Romantic Comedy. ‘Knickerbocker Holiday’ by Kurt Weill. Peter was offered the part of Pieter Styvesant. ‘Veronica’s Room’ by Ira Levin: Produced by Bill Kenwright and directed by Donald McKechnie. Starring Honor Blackman and Anouska Hemple. ‘Children of the World’ ‘Dragon Variation (The)’ ‘Fratricides (The)’ ‘Fringe Benefits’ ‘Gingerbread Lady’ ‘Half Life’ ‘I Want To Be A Father, Madam’ ‘Last Paradise (The)’ ‘Life of Galileo (The)’ ‘Look After Lulu’ ‘Motive’ ‘No Room For Sex’ ‘Noises Off’ ‘Other Side of the Room (The)’ ‘Patience On A Monument’ ‘There’s Always A Story’ ‘Trials of Oscar Wild (The)’ ‘Trigon (The)’ ‘Utopia’ ‘Vlad’ ‘Waterloo Day’ ‘Wilbur Grant Deception (The)’ ‘Wild Honey’ Television ‘Human Jungle (The)’ ‘Spellbinder Pilot’

© Copyright The Hellfire Club: The OFFICIAL PETER WYNGARDE Appreciation Society: https://www.facebook.com/groups/813997125389790/

From the early Seventies onwards, Peter was in huge demand to open new stores, promote business ventures and attend charity events throughout the UK and Europe.

This page is a rolling undertaking to present a concise and detailed account of those appearances, featuring regular updates over the next few weeks.

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Left: An original poster from one of Peter’s personal appearances in Norway

Promoter and marketing powerhouse, Carl Gresham, was responsible for many of the appearances listed here, and this is what he had to say about Peter in his book, ‘The Gresh – A Lifetime in Show-Biz’ (Bank House Books, 2009). www.bankhousebooks.com

 ‘Suave, sophisticated, French-born and winner with the ladies. Peter Wyngarde made his name playing Jason king in ‘Department S’, later getting his own series. He played roles in many early 70’s TV dramas such as’ The Baron’, ‘The Prisoner’, ‘The Saint’ and ‘The Avengers’.

Peter drew some of the biggest crowds we ever had – mainly ladies who absolutely adored him, much to the disappointment and irritation of their menfolk, it must be said. His exotic looks and background were backed up by a voice that was once described as “Black Magic”.

Peter was a firm favourite with Woolworths for their store openings. They knew that the crowds and the publicity would be huge. On one occasion, Peter and I were stopped by police officers on the outskirts of Barnsley and asked not to proceed, as they were worried about being able to control the crowd outside the Woolworth store we were going to. This created a fantastic story for the national press, which featured one headline declaring ‘Jason King barred from town centre’.

Friday, 14th August 1970: Best Dressed Male Personality Award ceremony. Carnaby Street, London:

Above: Peter was presented with the trophy by the previous year’s winner. Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees

Crowds gather to see Peter receive his award for winning the title of Britain’s Best Dressed Male Personality.

The award was a solid silver statue of Beau Brummel worth £500, which was presented to him by 18-year-old Anne Challis, the then Miss Radio Luxembourg, and one-time Generation Game co-host and model, Anthea Redfurn. Listeners to the station and readers of its magazine voted by post, with Peter emerging as the eventual winner.

1970: Promotional tour of Australia:

December 1970: Promotional tour of (West) Germany:

April, 1971: Album signing at the HMV Shop, Oxford Street:

April 1971: Album signing Selfridges, Oxford Street, London:

Above: Peter with members of the management team at Selfridges

August 1971: Best Dressed Male Personality:

Peter won Best Dressed Male Personality Award a second time in August 1971.

Above: On that occasion it was presented to him by Miss Radio Luxembourg, Ann Chalice.

September 1971: Publicity visit to Sweden: 

Friday, 22nd October, 1971: Ice King store, Long Eaton, Derbyshire: 

The High Street in Long Eaton in Derbyshire was sealed off by police when Peter made a personal appearance at the Ice King store to sign autographs.

The police estimated that over 5,000 people had turned out to see Peter – far more than had been anticipated. Derbyshire Royal Infirmary and Nottingham General Hospital reported that more than 30 young women had been treated for the effects of hysteria.

Monday 8th November, 1971: Opening of new Woolworth store, The Arndale Centre, Luton:

Hundreds of female fans flocked to the shopping centre to catch a glimpse Peter and hunt for opening day bargains in the shop. At the time the Arndale, today called The Mall Luton, was Europe’s largest undercover shopping centre.

A baby was born in the Centre during his visit, and was named Jason Peter in his honour!

Monday, 29th November, 1971: Opening – Louis International Menswear:

There were over two thousand fans in Plymouth on Monday, 29th November, 1971. They were all there to see their hero open the Louis International menswear store on Cornwall Street.

The brand new two (due to be three) storey shop that aimed to stock men’s clothing, which had recently opened in Portsmouth, Exeter and Torbay. 

Louise Collins, who’d been fortunate enough to get a job as a sales assistant at the outfitters, and she said she felt quite privileged as she peeked out through the window three hours before Peter was due to arrive, to see a huge crowd already beginning to gather.

“I was told by the manager that Peter had been staying at the Holiday Inn in Plymouth overnight,” Louise told me, “and all hell let loose when his car finally pulled up outside the store with a police escort”.

Left: Peter meeting fans in Plymouth 

In fact, Peter had to be protected by a grand total of 50 uniformed officers, who battled to protect him from amorous fans.

After introducing himself to all the staff Peter, who was wearing a grey speckled suit with a mauve shirt and matching tie, tried on several garments in the exclusive menswear department in the basement, before settling for a black leather jacket and an aubergine-coloured suit. After performing the opening ceremony, fans were let inside to meet Peter, to get autographs and hand over gifts and flowers to him. 

“After he left,” Louise says, “a reporter from the Western Evening Herald spoke to me, and an article appeared in the paper the following the following day.”

Tuesday, 30th November, 1971: Opening – Tesco supermarket, Falmouth:

Peter opened the new Tesco supermarket in Killigrew Street, Falmouth

Thursday, 3rd February, 1972: Opening of Santa Fe boutique, Whitgift Shopping Centre, Croydon:

Whilst making this appearance in Chatsworth Road, Croydon, Peter was besieged by over 2,000 fans whose desperation to see their idol was so great, they succeeded in pushing through the shop’s plate glass window.

More than 30 police officers struggled to control the crowd, whilst signed photos were distributed to the fans.

Saturday, 6th March, 1972: Whichgift:

An estimated 4,000 fans amassed in Chatsworth Road, Clapton, to see Peter open a new greetings card shop owned by brothers, Stanley and Leonard Linch.

It took 10 minutes for Peter to push his way through the crowd after leaving the limousine that’d been sent to meet him. A police escort eventually enabled him to get through the enthusiastic fans to the shop.

“We had informed the police that the opening would be performed by Peter,” Leonard Linch said. “It started with three officers on duty, but reinforcements were quickly called for as the crowd rapidly grew”. Around 30 policemen were eventually employed to hold back the horde. At one point the huge front window of the new shop was almost pushed in, forcing the owners and members of staff to hold it in place.

The idea was that Peter would cut a tape outside the shop as part of the opening ceremony. However, such was the excitement that he was forced to do the honours inside the premises. Small groups of people were allowed in for autographs, but this gad to be abandoned as fans jostled for the privilege. Finally, signed photos were passed over the heads of the police officers to the eager mass.

“This is a wonderful reception,” Peter said at the time. “I’ve never seen such a large crowd be so good-humoured”.

Peter remained at the shop for around an hour, before leaving in the safety of a police van.

Thursday, 23rd March, 1972: Opening of City Stylish men’s boutique, Newcastle: 

Traffic in the centre of Newcastle came to a standstill, thanks to the number of fans who tried to catch a glimpse of Peter as he opened the new £25,000 City Stylish Shop in the town centre.

Dozens of extra police officers had to be drafted in to control the crowd and to get the traffic moving again.

BEWARE OF THE GREEN-EYED MONSTER We were all there, of course, at the Peter Wyngarde do. Like true, red-blooded, ever thirsty journalist… thirsty for news that is… we honed in on the free champagne and the big story like there was nothing else to write about in Newcastle on a Thursday lunchtime. With our invitations clasped in our hot little hands, we strode smugly through the small, subdued band of women standing hopefully outside the New City Stylish boutique. We made short work of the smoked salmon sandwiches and we made rude remarks about Peter Wyngarde: “That hair is definitely permed,” said one bloke, balding himself if I remember rightly after four glasses of champagne. “What, no!” We all said. “He wears false eyelashes,” continued another. “Never!” We said. “He told us the last time he appeared in public there were three thousand women mobbing him,” laughed a third, surveying the small huddle of females outside. “Really?” We giggled. The asparagus canapes were going down a treat when somebody told us that the police had sent for reinforcements. “Surely not,” we said. “What? Just to manage the dozen or so teenagers who had turned out to see him” When The Champ finally emerged from the section marked ‘Jeans’ and went round to open the front door, some of us were, rather nervously, wondering what was going to happen. From being the privileged few on the inside, we suddenly realised the vulnerability of our situation. Not that we doubted, of course, that our dignity would survive all onslaughts. We were, after all, The Press. And we had been invited. It wasn’t, however, quite like that. In they streamed – thousands of them, clawing at his hair and his clothes; climbing on the glass counters and clambering over the racks of trousers. They sobbed and they screamed and very nearly trampled us under foot. And before we could say, “Excuse me, but do you wear false eyelashes?” we were booted, quite without ceremony, out of a nearby fire exit. Good Heavens! Some of the policemen even thought we were fans! And later, back at the office, when they said, “What’s he like then?” We remarked casually that we didn’t really have the time to stay and chat with him. “Is it true that he wears false eyelashes?” someone asked. How the hell do I know?” I said, “he was wearing dark glasses!” By Neil James – Journalist

Monday, 27th March, 1972: Opening of Harpers Music Store, Colchester: 

It was in March 1972, when my daughter, Sharon, travelled all the way down from Edinburgh to Colchester to meet Peter for the very first time, while he was there to open the new Harpers music store. When I’d read that Peter had been invited to open the shop in Head Street, I just knew I had to be there, and so Sharon and I took our places at the front of what turned out to be a very large queue, at 9am – that being a full three hours before Peter was due to arrive. When his car finally pulled up outside the store, the thousands of fans who’d gathered in the street began screaming at the top height of their voices, and he was immediately surrounded by girls. He then began signing posters, photos and a every other bit of paper that was thrust in front of him. In spite of all the shoving and pushing, Peter was really polite and took the time to speak with as many people as he possibly could. He told me that he’d actually began his acting career at the repertory theatre in Colchester, but hadn’t been allowed to stay long, because: “I was so bad, they threw me out!” He didn’t seem to hold a grudge, as he went on to say that he intended to visit the old theatre before he left the city. As a memento of the day, I managed to get him to sign a piece of the ceremonial ribbon, which he signed for me. I thought he was lovely – so handsome”. Valerie Locke

March 1972: Peter takes part in the Colchester Oyster Feast, Colchester:

Peter was one of 200 guests at the Oyster bash.

Fellow party-goers included comedian, Ronnie Corbett, ex-newsreader Robert Dougall, MP Anthony Buck, Lord Alport, Earl Jellicoe, The Bishop of Colchester and Lady Isobel Barnet.

Monday, 28th August 1972: The Hague, Holland:

Peter made a personal appearance at the fashion store, Gerzon, to promote the Jason King-line of men’s shirts.

Due to the number of hysterical fans that turned up to see him, the doors of the store had to remain closed, and Peter was forced to remain inside. He left the shop via the back door.

Sunday, 19th November, 1972:

Peter was asked to plant a tree for the Littlehampton branch of the World Wildlife Fund, for whom he’d been bestowed to honour of becoming Honourary President.

The occasion was sponsored by Prince Brenhard of the Netherlands, who’d sent the English Oak over from Holland.

Thursday, 14th December, 1972: Peter switched on the Christmas at the County Shopping Centre, Leeds: 

Peter was invited by Leeds City Council to turn on the Christmas lights at the County Shopping Centre. He was met on his arrival at the Queen’s Hotel by a bevy of ‘Miss Christmases’, who accompanied him to the Centre.

The big switch-on was followed by a party for the shop staff, at which Peter was the guest of honour.

1973: Publicity Visit. Oslo, Norway:

Above: Peter with two of his female bodyguards in Oslo

Thursday, 29th November 1973: Peter was host of the Y.M.C.A. Christmas Fair, Europa Hotel, London: 

Peter was invited to open the annual Y.M.C.A. Christmas Fair at the Europa Hotel in London’s Grosvenor Square. The event had been organised by the Young Women’s Christian Association of Great Britain, under the chairmanship of Lady Lew Grade.

After taking to the stage to officially open the fair, he perused the charity stalls, which included some selling bric-a-brac, homemade cakes and pastries and even a Palmist. Since he was appearing in ‘The King and I’ in the West End at the time, Peter took an extra special interest in a stall selling exotic gifts from Thailand.

As a result of his help, the event raised over £7,000 for the charity.

Wednesday, 27th February, 1974: Miss Fine Fare:

Peter was invited to sit on a select panel to interview 16 check-out operators from Fine Fare supermarkets, who were competing for the title of ‘Miss Fine Fare’.

The interviews were held at Selfridges in Oxford Street, London. Peter attended a special lunch afterwards.

Thursday, 9th May, 1974:

Theatre impresario, Larry Parnes, invited the stars from twenty West End shows to a special midnight showing of the show, ‘Flowers’, starring Lindsay Kemp. The performance, which was free, was held at the Regent Theatre. Mingling with personalities were four collectors from the Variety Artists Benevolent Fund.

Above: Peter making his donation

Thursday, 18th July, 1974:

Peter makes an appearance at the Dragonara Hotel in Middlesbrough, along with the cast of ‘Present Laughter’ which, at the time, was being staged at the Forum in Billingham. The event has been organised by social workers based in Teeside to help raise funds for a scheme to provide holidays for underprivileged children in the Cleveland area. £350 was raised.

Monday, 9th September, 1974:

The management of the Old Vic Theatre chose ‘Present Laughter‘ to re-open their splendid Georgian theatre in September 1974, after its summer refurbishment. The Duke of Gloucester was the guest of honour at the black-tie occasion, joined guests of the management and company at a champagne party on stage after the show. There were many civic dignitaries from Bristol, Bath and elsewhere to lend importance to the occasion, which brought hopeful signals for a new and profitable lease of life to the grand old theatre.

Thursday, 12th September, 1974: Mackross, Cardiff 

Peter opens a new theatre ticket office at Mackross in Cardiff 

Above: Original promotional poster

Friday, 13th September, 1974:

Peter opens the new Rymarket branch of Woolworths in Stourbridge, Worcestershire.

Tuesday, 15th October, 1974: Peter opens the Market Yard Fine Fare superstore at Towbridge, Wiltshire:

Above: Front and back view of a souvenir card produced by Carl Gresham Promotions for his appearance at Fine Fare supermarket.

Thursday, 17th October, 1974:

Peter opens a new Woolworths store in Leicester.

Sunday, 14th December, 1975: Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane, London:

Peter attended the Variety Artistes Ladies and Children’s Guild annual dinner and ball, the funds from which aided the aforementioned charity.

The organisation raised funds for their work in caring for the children and elderly members of the Variety profession – especially those who were no longer able to work and needed regular assistance.

1977: Silver Jubilee:

Peter hosted the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee pensioner’s meal. Annabelle’s Cafe, Fulham Road, London.

Above: Peter with actress Susan Hampshire at Annabelle’s Café.

Thursday, 30th June, 1983: London Transport Museum, Covent Garden, London.

Appearance to publicise the play ‘Underground’.

Sunday, 17th July, 1983: Brightwell Gardens, Farnham.

Charity garden party.

Saturday, 15th July, 1989:

Peter is invited to open a school fete in Crawley, Sussex, mingling with mothers and children alike for the entire day.

Tuesday, 23rd November, 1993:

Peter is guest of honour at the National Film Theatre in London, for the first ever showing of Granada Television’s ‘The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes’ episode, ‘The Three Gables’. 

March 1997:

Peter was one of the special guests to witness the re-opening of the world-famous Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.

Above: Peter with actress, Liz Fraser

Once known as Britain’s movie capital, over eighty films were shot there, including ‘Ivanhoe’ (1952), ‘Ben Hur’ (1959), ‘Doctor Zhivago’ (1965), 2001: ‘A Space Odyssey’ (1968), ‘Star Wars’ (1977) and ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’ (1991).

During the 1960’s and 70’s,the studio became better known for its connections with the television industry, with both ‘Department S’ and ‘Jason king’ being made there.

As part of the opening ceremony, Peter headed a guided tour of the studio and backlot, which was recorded and shown on local TV news. Other guests at the event included actress Liz Fraser and the late actor, Christopher Lee. 

Monday 31st May, 1999:

Peter was amongst marksmen at a charity clay-pigeon shoot at Dame Vera Lynn’s country estate, who helped raise £8,000 for the S.O.S. Appeal. 

Sunday, 13th February, 2000:

The first charity Pro/Celebrity Bridge Tournament was held at the White House Hotel, London, was a great success, with eight tables in play and a lot of enthusiasm and good will from all sides. The event in aid of the Millennium Charity Save the Children, was won by Su Burn and tenor, Ian Partridge.

Wednesday, 30th October, 2002:

Peter was the special guest at the National Film Theatre’s Celebration of British Horror, during the course of which ‘Night of the Eagle’ was screened.

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ADDITIONAL

Wednesday, 10th November, 1971: Judge. Miss World Competition.

On November 10th, 1971, Peter was asked to act as Chairman of a panel of nine judges of the ‘Miss World’ contest, which was broadcast live on BBC1, and compared for the 10th and final time by TV personality, Michael Aspel.

Peter’s team of judges for the occasion included Peter Scott, Des O’Connor, Douglas Fairbanks, Julie Ege, Peter Dimmock, Sam Speigel, Jean Terrell and Lovelace Watkins. Each of the judges where asked to submit their first, second and third choices. Peter’s votes, in order of preference, were as follows: Miss Guyana, Miss Brazil and Miss Portugal.

So, how close were Peter’s choices to the final outcome? In third place was Miss Portugal; Second, was Miss United Kingdom; and the Miss World crown and £40,000 first prize went to Miss Brazil.

Oh, well – one out of three wasn’t bad!

Although Peter enjoyed the occasion, his comments concerning the event some time later weren’t quite so complimentary:

“I thought it would be marvellous, but I must say I was a little disappointed with the selection – and the winners. But I mean, how can you possibly judge?

“You’re awarding points on the basis of personality a well as looks, yet you saw next to nothing of their personalities. And they’d all been taught to look the same with those funny little walks. They looked as if they were about to fall over backwards!

“They’d walk up to the judges table like this, or this, and then they go off again, I’ve got nothing against the contest; I never sympathised with Women’s Lib. I think it’s a good thing to have so many countries brought together under any circumstances, and especially good for the country that wins in terms of public relations. But for a genuine contest to choose the world’s most beautiful woman! You’d be better taking them to bed, one by one, and judge them on sex appeal!”

Friday, 11th August, 1972. Judge. Beauty contest at the Goldmine nightclub, Canvey Island:

Friday, 10th November, 1972. Judge. Centre Girl of the Year:

Francois Bes was elected Centre Girl of the Year on November 10^th, 1972, at a gala evening held at the new Regent Centre Hotel in London, in front of 600 Centre Hotel staff and guests, which was followed by a buffet dance.

Peter was asked to head a panel of four judges, who included ex-boxer, Henry Cooper, television presenter, Shaw Taylor, and fashion editor, Linda Foster.

During her 12 month reign, Bordeaux-born Francois – a secretary to the company’s Purchasing Manager, not only won the opportunity to represent Centre Parks at various events throughout to coming year, but was also given the chance to win the prestigious Catering Princess title.

Peter and his fellow judges were asked to select a winner from the twenty finalists on poise and personality.

Thursday, 4th January, 1973. Judge Miss TV Europe:

Peter was elected Chairman of a panel of judges who elected 24-year-old Sylvia Kristel from Utrech in the Netherlands, ‘Miss TV Europe’. The then model, beat Zoe Spink of the United Kingdom and Anne-Marie Godart from France into second and third places, respectively.

The event took place at ATV’s Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.

One of the more noteworthy moments of the evening was the image of Peter giving Ms Kristel her first ever ‘screen kiss’. She, of course, latterly became the star of the soft porn ‘Emmanuel’ films and their endless sequels, and of Stanley Hyers remake of ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ in 1981.

Disgraced Australian ‘entertainer’, Rolf Harris, who was one of the judges and also appears in the photograph above, was jailed in 2014 on sexual assault charges.

Friday, 15th June, 1973: Judge. Miss Fine Fare:

Saturday, November 28th, 2015: Flash Gordon 35th Anniversary Celebration:

The evening took place at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly. Guest for the black-tie event included Peter, Brian Blessed, Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson  and director, Mike Hodges.

Right: Peter with the original Klytus mask.

To help celebrate this historic event, artist Alex Ross created a stunning and unique print inspired by the occasion that was available to all ticket holders, before being released as a print to the public this year.The evening also raised money for the charity “MediCinema”.

Saturday, 30th January, 2016: The John Steed Ball:

The inaugural John Steed Ball was a celebration of the life of Patrick Macnee in his best known incarnation as John Steed in The Avengers at the exclusive penthouse private members club, Eight Club Moorgate, with heated terraces and stunning views of the City of London. Included a Q&A with Peter and Fenella Fielding.

Above: Peter with Fenella Fielding (centre)

The ball is conceived by Count Indigo, doyen of the European lounge music renaissance who has organised parties for Burt Bacharach, Tony Bennett and many other luminaries. The event was supported by Studio Canal (who own the rights to The Avengers).

Guests were  asked to dress in Avengers-appropriate evening wear but not necessarily in bowler hats! Profits from the evening were donated to two great charities of particular relevance to the memory of John Steed: Medicinema who organise film screenings in hospitals, and The Actor’s Fund who provide help and care for everyone working in television and film industries.

The Carl Gresham Book

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…WITH PANACHE!

In December 1971 Peter, along with a number of other well-known personalities from stage and screen, took part in a one-day Golden lo charity event  under the canvas of the world famous Circus Krone in Munich, (West) Germany.  It was there that the moustachioed-one took the applause of the capacity crowd after a spot of clowning around, which involved being doused in water, and having his expensive handmade jacket torn off.

But not content with reducing his tailor to tears, something a little more daring was expected from Germany’s favourite television hero, and so it wasn’t long before Peter found himself curled up like a contortionist in a 5 ft x 4ft basket, suspended below a hot air balloon, which was hovering almost 100 feet above the circus ring.

Left: During his visit to Munich, Peter was treated to a private tour of the Olympic Stadium and Village, that was still under construction at the time.

For the rehearsal Peter, who arrived dressed in faded blue denims and with a red silk scarf wrapped around his neck, told a British journalist who’d accompanied him that, although the routine was “hard on the bum”, he’d found himself in far more precarious positions prior to taking the role of Jason King:

“I was once fighting in a cable car high above the Swiss Alps, when the door slid open and I slipped on my new boots,” he said. “The terror on my face was so real that they had to cut it out of the film!”

 

Looking up from the basket during a try-out, Peter noticed that there was only about a 12 children’s balloons tugging at the ropes. There was, however, a strong cable holding our hero aloft.

“Damn it!” cried Peter. “You’d have thought that they’d have given us a real balloon!”

The day of the main event hadn’t started too well for the adventurous actor, who’d arrived to find that his dressing room was situated midway between the elephant stalls and a pen holding the performing pig! However, because Peter is always prepared to see the funny side of every situation, he simply placed a few bunches of fresh flowers in the wash basin, and left to attend an autograph session at a Munich department store – muttering something about everything being “alright on the night”.

Back in 1971, Peter had replaced (West) Germany’s Chancellor, Willy Brant, as the country’s most popular personality in numerous polls, so everywhere he went in the Bavarian capital, he was mobbed by crowds of adoring fans.

One of his stop-off’s on 12th December, was to sign his posters  at the ‘Schwabing poster shop. After all the adoration, t was something of a relief, therefore, for him to return to the relative peace of his dressing room in the evening to prepare for his grand entrance.

Left: Peter is lowered safely to the ground from the roof of the Big Top

Crouching inside the tiny basket out of sight of the unsuspecting crowd, Peter was hauled high above the heads of the capacity audience – accompanied only by an umbrella and a huge Union Jack flag, which he insisted was unfurling before he made his decent. “Well, we are joining the Common Market, after all!” he quipped at the time.

As the balloon was lowered slowly to the ground, Peter emerged; his cuffs turned back characteristically (“It’s the only sensible way to wear a shirt; they don’t get in the way, and you can look at your watch!”) to the applause of the crowd, who confirmed him as the star of the show. Well, he did say something about it being alright on the night!

Trivia…. Other guests at the gala event were Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida, and actors Marc Slade (‘The High Chaparral’) and Ron Ely (‘Tarzan’).

 

Read about Peter’s other promotional tours by clicking below:

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Portmeirion, Friday, 28th September – Saturday, 29th September, 2017

My own personal adventure to this event began at 2pm on Thursday, 27th September, when I picked Peter up from Runcorn Station in Cheshire to begin our 90+ mile drive to Portmeirion in North Wales.

His train from London Euston pulled into Runcorn right on time, so Peter and I were on the road by 2.20. Since traffic was light both on the Weston Bypass and the M53, we were into Wales in what seemed like a blink of an eye.

Because we weren’t tied to time, we decided to stop for a break in Llangollen; a beautiful little village which is built next to a fast flowing river, and has its own historical steam railway and horse-drawn canal boats. We had lunch – Peter opting for a baked potato and salad, after which we both clambered back into my car and off we went again.

Having only ever visited Wales once or twice in his career, Peter was taken by the stunning landscape which complemented our route along the A5, and which became ever more impressive once we turned off towards Blaenau Ffestiniog. There, we passed the mountains of slate which acted as a backdrop for several scenes in the ‘Clash of the Titans’ remake that was filmed back in 2010. 

We finally pulled into Portmeirion around 4.45pm, where we were met at the Toll Gate by a member of staff from the elegant Village hotel where Peter would be staying, who ferried down there in a shuttle bus.

Below: Derren Nesbitt in the hotel signing posters

Peter had been booked into ‘House One’ on the 1st Floor, which had a spectacular view of the Village on one side and the Estuary on the other. Each room in the hotel is decorated in its own unique fashion, and Peter’s was adorned with scenes from ancient China that was complimented by antique black lacquered furniture to match.

Only he and actress Fenella Fielding – another guest at the event, were due to stay in the Village itself, whilst the rest of the troupe; Derren Nesbitt and his wife, Miranda. Jane Merrow, Annette Andre and Norma West, plus their agent, Thomas Bowington and myself, would be billeted in Porthmadog – a village three miles up the coast. The original plan was for me to await the arrival of the others who were travelling down from London by coach, and we’d all go up to our hotel together. However, by 7.30 that evening there was still no sign of them, and since Peter was being pressed to order his evening meal, I decided I’d drive over to Porthmadog myself and check in to my digs.

Imagine my surprise when I arrived there to find that there was no indication on the hotel computer of any us having been booked in for the night. I immediately Thomas to ask him what I was meant to do – hoping that he and the other actors and actresses would be arriving soon. To my astonishment I was advised that, due to a combination of road works on the motorway, and the driver of the coach taking a wrong turn (easy done on the tiny lanes in North Wales), they’d be on the road for several hours yet.

It was 11.40pm when I heard that the coach had finally pulled into Portmeirion, and with several octogenarian passengers on board Thomas, quite rightly, refused to move them another inch – insisting that they were all accommodated at the plush Village hotel.

An arrangement was made for everyone to meet in the Village hotel restaurant at 9am the following morning. It was a relief to me that I’d actually get something to eat, as there was nowhere to get any food at the hotel I’d been staying at. I drove the three miles down to Portmeirion, and instead of leaving my car on the ‘public’ car park, my Jeep became a Mini Moke for the day as I was allowed to take it down to the hotel and park it in the space allotted to Peter’s room.

As I drove through the hotel gates, I immediately spotted Thomas who was talking to very smartly-dressed gentlemen who I recognised as Derren Nesbitt. Unlike Peter, Mr Nesbitt, I learned, is an early-riser, and was rearing to get to work. Since the main event was only due to start at 9.30, Thomas decided to oblige him by having him sign some posters while we, and the other actors, went for breakfast.

I was told that all of our party – myself included – would be accommodated at the Portmeirion Hotel that evening, so I was to pick up my key from reception. Imagine my delight when I took my bag up to my room (‘House Seven’) to see the view from my window. It was worth the trip just for that!

Above Right: The view of the Estuary from our window

Around 9.30, I went up to see how Peter was getting on, only to find that he’d been unwell during the night and was asking to see a doctor. I immediately went downstairs to reception, where a call was made to the nearest surgery which was two miles away in Minfordd. Thanks to the cruel and savage cuts made to the National Health Service by the gangsters we have in government at present, doctor’s no longer do house-calls, and we were told that if we wanted someone to attend we would have to call an ambulance. Otherwise, I’d have to drive him to the nearest Accident and Emergency department, which was 50 miles away at Bangor Hospital.

With this information, I went back up to Peter and gave him the news. He didn’t wish to trouble an ambulance crew, but at our insistence (Thomas and I), we arranged for one to come out to him just to be on the safe side. You’ll be relieved to hear that it only took said ambulance 7 hours and 40 minutes to reach us, by which time Peter was – thankfully – feeling much better.

Although the gates opened at 8am for registration, with Screening Rooms available from 9, the main Event began at 9.30 with an announcement by Fenella Fielding through the Village P.A. system. Thomas and I were standing outside in the hotel grounds at the time, when the strangest thing happened. As Fenella said “….and now the weather. Today with be fine with the chance of showers”, right on cue, the heavens opened and it absolute poured with rain! (Given her obvious powers of prophesy, I did ask her at breakfast the following morning if she had next week’s Lottery numbers!). 

Peter was due to be interviewed after a screening of a restored version of ‘Checkmate’ in Hercules Hall, so it was up to me to get him ready for his big moment. Because he’d had a bang to his knee a couple of days earlier, and given the Village is a bit up hill and down dale in its layout, we felt it would be safer for him to make his way to the Hall in a wheelchair.

Whilst all this was going on, Fenella made an announcement over the P.A. system from The Green Dome, summoning fans over to the Hall advising that, just for today, it was Number 2 in town, not Jason King!

The shuttle bus was summoned and we put the ‘chair, which we’d borrowed from the hotel, in the back. We soon discovered, however, that said ‘chair had no brakes and, with the bus having to first go up what seemed like a 1 in 5 hill, then down the other side, Thomas and I were holding on to the ‘chair for grim death! Peter, of course, was blissfully unaware that any of this was going on, and was gleefully regaling us one of his theatrical anecdotes as the two of us grimaced and sweated in the back.

Once out of the bus, we were all ushered into the ‘Green Room’, where Peter had a cup of tea whilst we listened to the final scenes of ‘Checkmate’ playing in the adjoining Hall. As the film concluded, it was at that moment that I wheeled Peter in to huge applause by the crowded gallery of loyal Prisoner fans.

He opened the interview by telling the story of how, when he was on tour in a play in South Africa, the sets were hijacked by outlaws whilst in transit, which resulted in him having to go out on stage to explain to the audience why there was no scenery!

Needless to say, the fans loved his contribution to the Event, and gave him a rapturous applause. Little did they know that Thomas and I now had to face the prospect of getting him back up the steep ramp to the waiting mini bus – again without the aid of brakes, and on to the hotel.

As we arrived at the entrance to reception, two really nice guys – one of them Hellfire Club member, John Uttley, were waiting outside to see Peter, who was happy to chat with them and sign a copy of his album plus a couple of other knick-knacks.

We then took Peter to one of the many lounges in the hotel, where he was delighted to meet journalist and Hellfire Club member, Andrew Roberts, who’d arranged to do an interview for Classic Car magazine about the great man’s life-long love of cars. There Peter chatted away happily about some of the many vehicles he’d owned.

Afterwards, he had a little chat with his old friend – fellow actor, Nickolas Grace, we escorted him back up to his room where he had a little snooze until it was time for his evening meal.

Thomas and I shared our meal with the wonderful Annette Andre, who herself had suffered somewhat from the previous days’ coach trip from London; Miranda and Derren Nesbitt – the latter of whom was full of the most wonderful stories; Jane Merrow, Fenella Fielding and her companion, Simon, and last but not least Norma West.

After I’d made sure that Peter was fine and well, Thomas and I finally managed to get a moment to ourselves in the bar, accompanied by a pint of cider shandy and a bottle of beer.

Later on, when everyone had vanished to their rooms, I went for a stroll around the Village on my own, having not had a chance to look around during the day. I took the opportunity to see the new sculpture of Patrick McGoohan in Battery Square which McGoohan’s daughter, Catherine, had unveiled earlier in the day.

Since we were expected to vacate the hotel by 10am, I set my alarm for 8, had a quick shower and went down for breakfast which I shared with Fenella and Simon. On my way back upstairs, I bumped into Derren and Miranda and we had a little chat; both of them asking after Peter. Derren said that he didn’t think that I’d know who he was but, of course, I’ve seen him many times, both on TV and films (‘The Blue Max’, ‘Where Eagles Dare’ etc.). Additionally, my Mum had dined out for many years on seeing him in my hometown (St Helens) where he was appearing at the theatre, wearing purple velvet trousers and matching boots. When I regaled this story to them, Miranda turned to Derren and exclaimed: “Purple boots?” “Well,” he replied. “Everyone was wearing purple boots in the Seventies!” True!

I walked into Peter’s room and found him still in the arms of Morpheus; the breakfast tray I’d ordered for him still outside the door. I woke him up and reminded him that he had an hour to get ready to leave, so whilst he went for a shower I began packing his things.

Based on the debacle that had been the coach trip down to Portmeirion two days earlier, all but the most hardy amongst the troupe of thespians (namely Fenella and Simon), had elected to take the train back to London, which would first entail a 50-mile taxi journey to the station in Bangor.

Right: The official event programme and map

It had also been Thomas’s plan to be back in London in time to meet Peter from the train at Euston Station, and to ensure that he got home safe and sound. This strategy also needed to be revised, so he opted to drive back to Runcorn with us as Peter was booked on the 15.03 train.

Now, there’s something you need to know about my car. As much as I love him (I call him Eddie, for that is his name), he is rather small inside – i.e. two seats in the front/two in the back. Whilst this was fine when there was just Peter two days earlier, but we now had an extra passenger and his luggage to transport. (For those of you Brits who remember the game on ‘It’s A Knockout’ [1] which involved about 40 people carrying plates of jelly, shoehorning themselves into an Austin Mini, well it was something like that!)

So we had Thomas in the back seat with Peter’s bags (he came with one small case, but managed to accumulate enough stuff to fill two additional pieces of luggage for the return journey!), while Thomas’s and I had to stuff our bags in the ‘boot’ (actually a space about 10in x 12in).

I know that we would have to get to Runcorn Station no later than 2.50pm to guarantee that Thomas could get a ticket and we could ensure Peter got safely onto the train. Since it was now 12.20, which meant that we would have to do the drive in one go, there was no room for any further delay. However, since a travel party is only as strong as its weakest bladder, everyone made a final dash to the loo and we off.

With the additional amount of running about that I’d had to do for Peter over the weekend, I told my travelling companions that I’d have to put some petrol in the car at the garage about a mile outside Portmeirion. Peter couldn’t understand this given that we had just under half a tank on board. What he failed to realise was that in rural North Wales, there could be 40 or 50 miles between fuel stations, and if we were to run out in the middle of nowhere….

The tank now full, off we went over some of the bumpiest roads known to mankind; traversing our way around random sheep, deep patches of water, low cloud and mist, not to mention the occasional cattle grid that played havoc with Peter’s bad back.

Mercifully, once the B Roads were negotiated safely and we reached the A5, and subsequently the A55 and laterally the M53, we were able to pick up speed and make up some time – in spite of the torrential rain and spray from the road. We inevitably pulled up outside Runcorn Station at 2.45 exactly. Whilst Thomas dashed inside to get his ticket, I helped Peter and his bags(!) out of the car and onto the platform, just as the train rounded the bend into the Station.

Once the two guys were safely on board, I climbed into the carriage to hastily plonk down Peter’s luggage, whilst he gave me a huge hug which I hastily had to get myself out of, as the door was about to shut and I’d soon find myself trapped and en route to Crewe!

My trip home was short tho’ not sweet, thanks in no small part to the road works and diversions caused by the soon-to-be completed Merseyside Gateway Bridge over the River Mersey. Thomas called the moment he and Peter arrived in London (the journey being just 1 hour, 50 minutes) to let me know that they’d arrived safe and sound.

Although those of us behind the scenes were paddling like crazy underneath, the general consensus from the fans, the event was a huge success. I guess that’s all that matters!

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An affectionate look at some of the bloopers in Peter’s films and TV series

Strange as it may sound to our younger readers, back in the olden days, if you wanted to watch something on telly, you had to do it at the time it was broadcast. There was no such thing as being able to catch your favourite programme an hour later on +1, and there was certainly no iPlayer or SKY+; no videos, DVD’s or Blu-Ray’s either, so you’d see a television series once and once only. That was it.

One of the irritating thing’s about this was that if you thought you’d seen something dubious on screen, like spotting a character with a Beehive in one scene, and then them appearing completely bald in the next, you couldn’t just rewind live TV to make sure your eyes weren’t deceiving you.

It was clear by the number of continuity errors in TV programmes of the 1960’s and 70’s that directors/editors etc. expected these shows to be broadcast only once – possibly twice – so they didn’t worry too much about the odd blooper here and there. Certainly, no one could’ve foreseen that within the coming years, everyone would have VCR’s in their own homes, and that these series would be pored over and scrutinised ad infinitum by fans. Indeed, by the mid-1980’s,   ‘Nit-Picking’ had become an international sport.

When the first episodes of ‘Department S’ and ‘Jason King’ were released on VHS in the early 1990’s, a whole list of continuity errors were identified. Here are some of the more obvious ones and the episodes in which they appeared.

Firstly, Department S…

♦ Probably the most error-strew episodes of Department S is ‘Six Days’. For instance, when Jason and Annabelle are in the airline’s office at London Airport listening to a recording of the missing planes’ radio communications, Jason goes to stand at the window. He has a lit cigarette in his left hand and a glass of Scotch in his right. He lifts the glass and takes a sip, but as he lowers the glass again, it’s moved from his right hand to his left, and the cigarette has disappeared.

♦ When Walsham drives up and stops outside his flat, he notices Jason’s maroon Bentley parked in the street to the rear of where he pulls up. We’re shown that Annabelle is in the car alone, but when we’re given Walsham’s point-of-view through his own rear-view mirror, both Jason and Annabelle are in the Bentley.

♦ Annabelle and Jason are in the Bentley, staking out a house in central London (or at least she is; he’s snoozing in the passenger seat!). A black cab arrives to pick up their quarry, and the two take off after him. First Annabelle is driving the Bentley, but as they come to a road junction, Jason is at the wheel. However, when the cab stops to drop off its passenger and the Bentley pulls up behind it Jason (or at least a stand-in!) gets out of the passenger-side door, and follows his target into a London Underground station.

 Jason driving the Bentley… now it’s Annabelle!

♦ In the pre-title sequence of ‘The Pied Piper of Hambledown’, the pub landlord’s daughter is looking through the window of one of the vacant houses in the village, where she sees an unfinished breakfast on the kitchen table. However, we’re told later on in the story that the villager all disappeared during the night – i.e. approximately 00.55, as her alarm clock and peek through her bedroom window testifies.

♦ In the same episode, Annabelle organises the investigation into the missing villagers with some female associates, when a shadow of a microphone boom following her across the pub lounge, and can be seen clearly above the door just before Jason enters.

♦ Still in ‘…Hambledown’, – towards the end of the same episode, we see Susan’s father, who’s at the holding centre, reading a copy of ‘Index Finger, Left Hand’, The photograph of Jason King on the back of the book is a face-on portrait. However, when Jason picks the book up, the photo’ of the author is now in profile. The picture then returns to its original position in the next shot when the book is handed back to Susan’s father.

♦ ‘The Ghost of Mary Burnham’: When Jason is posing as an Irish window cleaner in order to get into the villains flat, he gets out of the lift carrying a ladder, his bucket is clearly empty (save for a cloth). However, when he’s seen and is instructed to get on and clean the windows, the bucket is suddenly full of water!

♦ ‘Who Played The Dummy?’: When Annabelle rescues Jason from the cafe, the white Jaguar they escape in is first a left-hand drive, then a right-hand, and latterly a left-hand again!

♦ In ‘A Ticket To Nowhere’ Lisa Crane, the Karate expert manages to dispatch Stewart Sullivan swiftly with her finely-honed skills, but seemingly forgets all about her Martial Arts prowess when she loses a cat-fight with Annabelle Hurst later on. It would appear that the amnesia-packed plot affected the script writer, too!

♦ In ‘One of Our Aircraft Is Empty’, when Annabelle is abducted from her hotel room, she’s wearing a dark top and trousers. However, in her very next scene, when her captor brings her to the place where Stewart and the other passengers are being held, she’s suddenly wearing a yellow jumper and skirt.

♦ Also, when the passengers on board the plane are about to be sent to their death, Chalmers punches a protesting Finch on the left-side of his face. However, Finch is clearly seen clutching the right-side. Even Annabelle Hurst is convinced Finch is correct, as she applies her handkerchief to the man’s right temple.

♦ In ‘A Cellar Full Of Silence”, Jason is lying on a couch in the Department S office with an obviously empty ice-bag on his head, having been knocked unconscious in an earlier scene. Annabelle and Stewart arrive, and the team begin watching a cine film of a university Rag. While they discuss the case, Jason can be seen in the background putting on a pair of sunglasses, and then reaching over to get a glass of Scotch from an occasional table. He places the glass on his lap, and lifts the ice-bag up with his right hand. In close-up, however, the ice-bag is still on his lap, then back in his hand as he’s seen again in the background. He now puts the bag on the occasional table. Yet, when we once more go to close-up, Jason is still taking ice from the bag which is once more resting on his lap, and putting it into the glass. In the final background shot, the ice-bag is on the table!

♦ ‘The Trojan Tanker’: It’s undoubtedly that Peter’s voice has been dubbed on where Stewart Sullivan exclaims “Il belle sola”, after throwing down the parasol in the beach scene.

Unfortunately, ‘Jason King’ didn’t fare any better in the blooper stakes as you’ll see…

♦ Peter clearly fluffs his lines in the pre-title sequence of ‘A Deadly Line In Digits’, when he’s seen sitting at a table outside a café near the ski-run – arguing with Ryland. He has to stop in the middle of the line: “I’m recovering from physical exhaustion!” to include the prior line which he seems, momentarily, to have forgotten: “Well, that’s presumptuous. I’m no longer with Department P, Q, R or S!”). He then repeats the line in its entirety.

♦ In ‘Variations On A Theme’, the footage cuts back and forth for a considerable time from exterior location shots to interior studio shots. One moment in the exterior shots, Peter’s hair is wavy and unkempt, the next (in the studio), it’s styled and perfectly groomed, as well as being a good inch or two longer.

Of course, ‘Department S’ and ‘Jason King’ weren’t the only series to feature such mistakes. Keeping to the Peter Wyngarde theme, here are a few of the blunders that managed to remain in the Prisoner episode, ‘Checkmate’:

♦ During the aerial view of the Village during the opening sequence of the episode, there is no sign of the human chessboard, yet moments later, it’s all laid out and the players on it.

♦ The chess move “Knight to Queen’s Bishop Three” is called, and appears to be completed by a ‘Pawn’, yet there’s no ‘Pawn’ in the appropriate square.

♦ When Number 6 appears to be filling in a crossword, it looks as if the puzzle has been pasted into a regular newspaper, as there’s an article in it which mentions various driving offenses and the Worcestershire town of Kidderminster!

♦ When Number 6 and ‘The Rook’ approach the Villager who’s painting the wall for the first time, a man’s voice can be heard in the shouting “You alright there, Fred?”.

♦ During the Word Association test at the Hospital, the ‘Nurse’ (Number 39) is holding a notebook, which disappears in the following close-up. But after Number 6 says (“Free”) “For All”, the book is back in her hand.

♦ When Number 2 has spoken to ‘The Rook’ on the beach, the latter is wearing his badge. However, when he walks across to the tent, the badge has gone, but it reappears once he’s inside the tent.

♦ ‘The Queen’ is sitting on a rock while talking to Number 6 about her locket. But when the Supervisor sees her a second or two later, she’s paddling in the water, before she’s momentarily spotted back on the rock.

♦ At the end of the episode, when No.6 is fighting with the crew of the Polotska, we see Number 2 drumming his fingers on the top of his shooting stick, and then clicking a button on the control panel using the point of his umbrella. However, in between these shots, when Number 2 is shown sitting in his chair, he doesn’t have the umbrella/shooting stick with him.

♦ When Number 6 punches one of the Guardian’s up in the Bell Tower, there’s the sound of a large splash, despite the Tower being nowhere near the sea.

♦ After the struggle between Number 6 and the crew of MS Polotska and Rover arrives to accompany the ship back to shore, none of the unconscious crewmen can be seen anywhere.

And what about the episodes of The Avengers in which Peter guest starred…?

♦ ‘A Touch of Brimstone’: Right at the beginning of the episode, when Sir John Cleverly Cartney pours himself a drink, there’s no chocolates on the arm of his chair. But when the camera cuts to him sitting in front of the TV, the box has suddenly appeared on the chair arm. We then cut back to Cartney as he is selecting one of the chocolates which he has carefully placed along the arm of his chair!

♦ In ‘Epic’, during the scene where Emma Peel has a six-shooter pistol and fires several shots at Stewart Kirby in the guise of a Red Indian, she discards the gun in the buckboard. Later, when she’s walking through the back lot and comes to a notice on the electrified fence, the previously discarded weapon is back in her hands. Still later, when she runs into the policeman, the pistol has disappeared again.

♦ Also in Epic”, at the end of the fight between Emma Peel and Kirby in the guise of a Confederate soldier, Peter swings a punch past Diana Rigg’s head, but she reacts and then pretends to be unconscious.

Of course, the type of gaffes described above weren’t confined solely to television series. Big-budget feature films are often strewn with blunders and slip-ups. Take ‘Night of the Eagle’ (‘Burn, Witch, Burn’) for example…  

♦ After the giant eagle has smashed through the main door of the college to pursue Professor Taylor, we see the door back in one piece in a later shot.

♦ At the very beginning of ‘Flash Gordon’, Emperor Ming and General Klytus are discussing “An obscure body in the SK system”, which the inhabitants refer to as the planet “Earth” – which pronounced as if the word is completely foreign to them. However, at that moment, Klytus activates a button on his console labelled ‘Earthquake’.

♦ Also on the console amongst the choice of catastrophes, Typhoon and Hurricane are listed as separate items. Typhoons and Hurricanes are the same weather system and are just called by different names around the globe.

♦ After Dale and Flash take off from Dark Harbour, they fasten their seatbelts as turbulence begins, but when it gets really bad, Dale jumps into Flash’s lap without unfastening her seatbelt.

♦ As the capsule carrying Flash, Dale and Zarkov crash lands on Mongo, and one of Ming’s guards looks through a porthole into the craft, it seems that he’s just outside. However, the next shot reveals a crowd of guards, but they’re behind the ship and far away from the capsule.

♦ When General Klytus tells Flash and Dale that they have until “The sands run up” to say their goodbyes. Dale is distraught when she sees that the Timer is about to run out, she tries to turn it over, but there’s far more sand in it than when she first looked at it.

♦ After their escape from Mingo City, Princess Aura is showing Flash how to fly the ship in which they’re travelling to Arboria. She tells him that, “The left lever controls direction, and the right controls altitude”. Moments later while still flying, Flash gets angry at Aura for not showing him how to use the thought amplifier, so he shoves the left lever forward. The ship responds by going into a nose-dive.

♦ When Flash is on Arboria, he sees the initiations ceremony of a young Arborian man, who bleeds light green blood when he’s bitten by the Wood Beast. However, when Prince Barin fights Flash at Sky City later on, his blood is red.

♦ After General Kala announces the execution of Zarkov and Barin, there’s a small scene when the gold faced guards are lined up and ordered to march by their superior in a distorted voice. The voice matches the mouth movements of the superior for several words, then doesn’t as his mouth is closed. However, the voice continues to sound off.

♦ After the bloody fight between Prince Barin and Flash at Prince Vultan’s Sky City, both emerge without a single scratch on them in spite of sustaining numerous cuts from whips and spikes.

♦ In the same fight, Flash’s shirt (which he’d been wearing on Arboria) goes from clean to dirty and then clean again.

♦ During the wedding sequence, Prince Barin is charging around Ming’s Palace with a ray gun. He’s seen at one end of a corridor when three guards appear from around a corner at the opposite end. He promptly shoots one of them. When we next see him, Barin and the remaining two guards have switched positions (Barin is now standing over the body of the guard whom he initially shot down).

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© Copyright The Hellfire Club: The OFFICIAL PETER WYNGARDE Appreciation Society: https://www.facebook.com/groups/813997125389790/

‘Record Collector’ features editor, Mark Paytress unearths three unique songs recorded in honour of Peter Wyngarde…

In recent years, Peter Wyngarde’s profile has received a dramatic boost, climaxing in the availability – of much of his work on DVD – including ‘Department S’ and ‘Jason King’ – two series which seem to improve with age.

But few are aware that some of the earliest recognition of this revival of fortunes came via an obscure pop group who sung Peter’s praises on no less than three tracks on their obscure ‘Give Us A Light You Bastard’ album (sometimes known as ‘Off The Top of Our Heads’).

This record, which exists on a handful of test-pressings, is yet to emerge on the commercial market. Indeed, even tapes of its contents are preciously guarded, so I was pleased to receive a copy several months after the album was recorded – back in April 1990, during three days in the wake of legendary Hollywood actress, Greta Garbo.

If you can imagine the comfortable and uplifting music of Ray Coniff filtered through the crazed eyes of a social outcast like Charles Manson, you’ll begin to understand the Breadwinner world-view. Unconventional (but not forcedly so) and endearingly melodic, the bands album is a remarkable example of how of our eras best music still manages to elude the prying eyes of the mass media. I spoke to the somewhat reticent ex-band members to find out a little more about their fascination with Peter Wyngarde.

“I was still in short trousers when Jason King was on TV,” says ‘Big’ Bob McGrath, the groups percussionist and singer/composer of the reggae-influenced ‘If Wyngarde Was A Woman’.  

“I knew nothing about his wonderful LP until, believe it or not, I found a copy – weather-beaten but still playable, under a bush in the New Forrest. It was a revelation. I sang in several punk bands, but we’d never have been able to get away with a song like ‘Rape’, even in those days. As I’m sure most Wyngarde fans appreciate, it’s totally bloody mad!”

Playing it to his friends, McGrath and his mates in Dogloo Art Group eventually wrote to Peter via his agent, and received some answers to a questionnaire that they intended to publish in their ‘One More War’ fanzine’.

“I have to say that he was a bit bemused by our line of questioning,” says Breadwinner’s Morris De Cony. “But his replies were delivered with all the wit and understated cool that one would expect. We weren’t disappointed, not until Dogloo got banned from performing in our local town and we decided to shelve the magazine. Our approach to the arts has always been irreverent and controversial, and when the local council read the synopsis of our performance, which included an exhibit of ‘The Human Prune’ (where one band member sits in a bath all day, and is rushed on the stage in the evening covered in wrinkles), they pulled the show. Instead, the musical wing of Dogloo, Breadwinner, set about making a record”.

The three Peter-related tunes on ‘Give Us A Light…’ were composed in the irreverent style pioneered by Wyngarde on his own album. ‘Because he’s a Sex God par excellence, we just had to write a song that dealt with that, but from a different perspective. So I came up with the idea of ‘If Wyngarde Was a Woman’, says McGrath. ‘The rest of the band loved it. It was in the true Dogloo spirit, and suitably Wyngardeian, too. We had great hopes for it; Morris was forever harping on about us doing a ‘Top of the Pops’, all decked out in Jason King-style, perhaps with Peter doing a little cameo walk-on. For all I know, he probably still harbours such a dream, the fool!” 

‘If Wyngarde Was a Woman’, which opens with a cheesy drum beat, is the aural equivalent of an exquisite piece of porcelain in Harrods; part reggae, part Latin amore – it’s the perfect accompaniment to one of Seňor King’s most exotic assignments.

‘On a seagulls wings I fly with Pete up to the sky Please don’t ask me why oh, if Wyngarde was a woman.’ And the chorus is a hoot, too… ‘If Wyngarde was a woman I’d sail the seven seas to buy her jewels and spices And other sexy treats.’

You can almost hear Jason’s flares flapping with delight!

“We were all concerned that a woman’s touch was also needed,” says the band’s chanteuse – the stunning Fay Allright, who wrote ‘Hey There, Petter (sic) Wyngarde’, the second of the Peter trilogy on the album.

“I wrote it with two things in mind: ‘Le Petomane’, the film starring Leonard Rossiter which detailed the career of the French bloke who used to fart for a living. And the constant playing of Peter’s album which I fell in love with. Set to a canter reminiscent of the ‘Telstar’ man, Joe Meek. ‘Hey There, Petter Wyngarde’ was a solo effort that defies easy description.

“I don’t care much for trends in popular music,” says Fay. “I work on the basis of what interests me at any particular time, and my Wyngarde obsession was reaching a peak when I wrote that song. I knew no record label was going to touch us; after all, everything was rave music, the grunge style was coming in and I knew we’d be impossible to market in that climate. So I found a mad violinist, double-tracked my voice, and did what I thought suited the mood best. I’m still very proud of that song.”

Best of all, perhaps, is ‘Jason Kinky Winky’, midway through the second side of the album. As DJ, Steve Wright could, with a few plays, transform this frivolous piece of country-tinged MOR into an overnight classic. Featuring the harmonising voices of De Cony and Allright, ‘Jason Kinky Winky’ is all your wildest Stereolab and St Etienne fantasies come true. It’s the kind of track, like, ‘The Birdy Song’ which immediately implants itself into your memory – just one hearing and you’ll never be able to forget it! Morris even turned in a Rockabilly-style solo.

“I always imagine Jason King as a Teddy Boy grown up,” says De Cony, “which is why we decided to add the James Burton[1] touch. The impassioned Wyngarde fan will detect several references to his album littered throughout the lyrics: ‘Billy Sexy Hippie’ gets a name check, and the pay-off line, ‘Gas gets rid of all the stinky’, is a direct steal from the Wyngarde album”.

Sadly there are no plans to make the Breadwinner album more freely accessible: “I see myself as one of life’s customers,” says Mr Rubbish – the pseudonymous fourth member of the Breadwinner set-up, “and I prefer to buy records than to make them. I really couldn’t give a toss about the album, quite frankly. It was only the continual badgering of Morris, and the promise of lots of free cider at the recording sessions that tempted me and Big Bob into the studio in the first place.

“We had a saying in Dogloo: ‘Art for art’s sake’, and I’d much rather stick to that than be tempted by big money offerings from corporate record companies. We aspire to nothing but pure indulgence; intoxicated on homemade wine, and our fantasies.

“If the record ever came out properly, I’d be most unhappy though, of course, I’d love Peter to be aware of our continual devotion to his life and work”.

As if to prove his distance from the record-producing world, Mr Rubbish has since handed over the master tapes of the album to me – a copy of which was sent to Hellfire Club president, Tina Wyngarde-Hopkins.

Respecting the wishes of the Breadwinner collective, I’ve decided not to actively court the record companies. However, if there was a way in which the three Wyngarde-related could be combined into a tribute disc, I see no barriers involved. All those who’ve heard the songs in question have emerged punch-drunk and in a state of disbelief. Breadwinner have managed to sustain a Jason King sensibility decades after he left our screens. And as the quest for Exotica – records that stand far removed from rocks’ interminable trajectory has shown, there is a demand for music that slips between the net of courting fashion. Hopefully, on the back of this, this trio of Wyngarde-inspired tributes will see the light of day officially. We’ll keep you posted.

[1] Burton’s distinctive guitar playing can be heard on the early Ricky Nelson singles, as well as later Elvis Presley recordings.

More about Peter Wyngarde tribute records…

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The Hellfire Club: The OFFICIAL PETER WYNGARDE Appreciation Society: https://www.facebook.com/groups/813997125389790/