Friday, 6th May, 1994
Judy Spires: Oh, my hero! Yes, Peter Wyngarde. The man who spawned a generation of gypsy-locked, Mexican-moustachioed, and turned-back-cuffed youth. And was responsible for a generation of tots being called ‘Jason’. The flamboyant author from Department S, spent his time getting entangled in espionage, blackmail and murder, as well as a bevy of beauties, including Kate O’Mara, Felicity Kendal, Stephanie Beacham and Hildergard Neil. He’s back on video: ‘Jason King’.
(A clip from the Jason King episode, ‘Flamingos Only Fly On Tuesday’s’ is shown).
Judy Spires: Well, I’m delighted to welcome the man who created the style icon – Peter Wyngarde.
(Peter walks onto the set carrying two glasses of champagne).
Peter: (Kisses Ms. Spiers). It’s not Clark Gable.
Judy Spires: (Takes one of the glasses). Oh lovely, Sterident!
Peter: You’ve spoiled it for me now!
Judy Spires: Oh, I’m sorry. What a different look (Peter is wearing a black leather jacket; red T-Shirt; black jeans and hiking boots). This is a sort of ‘Street Cred Bikers’ look, isn’t it?
Peter: Street Cred Bikers? It’s my macho image.
Judy Spires: I thought you were pretty macho as Jason King, actually.
Peter: Did you? Good.
Judy Spires: But you’ve beefed up a bit since then, haven’t you?
Peter: Yes. It’s with working out at the gym all the time.
Judy Spires: Pumping up?
Peter: Yes.
Judy Spires: Now, did you create the total Jason King look; those turned-back cuffs with the ties and shirts?
Peter: (Referring to a ‘Comic Strip Presents…’ send up which had been screened during the same week). You saw that send-up of it the other day?
Judy Spires: Yes, I did. We’ve got a clip of that to show in a minute.
Peter: Have you? Well, I’m going to sue the guy that wore that suit. It’s outrageous!
Judy Spires: Well, we were going to show it in a minute, but let’s show it now…
Peter: (Laughing) Yes, show it, because it’s absolutely terrible!
Judy Spires: …let’s have a look at the ‘Comic Strip’ send-up. It’s wonderful.
Peter: No, it’s very good.
(The clip is shown).
Judy Spires: That was a ‘Comic Strip’ send-up of the screen detectives.
Peter: I thought it was marvellous; the whole thing was wonderful.
Judy Spires: So the whole costume thing – do you have any of those suits left?
Peter: No! I can’t get into them anymore – they’re too tight!
Judy Spires: You marketed them as well, didn’t you?
Peter: No. Other people did, otherwise I’d be very rich now.
Judy Spires: My particular favourite, because I used to do it as well, was to hoik the cuffs back.
Peter: Do you know how that started?
Judy Spires: No.
Peter: We were filming in Venice, and I had to jump into a gondola, and my cufflink fell out of the sleeve; I hadn’t done it up properly. So I thought, ‘What do I do now?’ So I turned up the sleeves like that, and it started a fashion.
Judy Spires: And you caused chaos amongst the women. It was like 35,000 Australian women voted you the man they’d most like to be seduced by?
(The audience gasp).
Peter: I’ve still got the scars to prove it!
Judy Spires: When you got there, did they mob you?
Peter: Yes, they did. We’d got on this plane from Mauritius, and I thought the best thing to do – there was this pop group on the plane, so I thought, ‘That’s right. They’re the ones they’ll be after – I’m in disguise’; I had dark glasses on and the whole thing. But when we landed, I saw these millions of women – this wonderful amount of women all over the place, so I thought: ‘What do I do?’ Then I thought, ‘No, it’s not me, it’s this pop group they’re after’. And as we landed, the pop group went out, and I thought ‘Poor things – they’ll be killed!’. I’ll be very clever and go over in this direction. So as I started to go in this direction, I looked over, and suddenly all these women came forward. It was the most frightening thing I’ve ever known in my life! They knocked me to the ground; cut my hair – they had a pair of scissors which they used, and it was awful! (Laughs). I was in hospital for three days!
Judy Spires: You’re joking!
Peter: (Shakes his head). They cut everything they could find!
Judy Spires: Good Lord! Did you have to disguise yourself in those days?
Peter: Yes, all the time. There was this thing in the hotel – you get this antenna; you know when someone is watching you. I wore these granny glasses, with this funny kind of beard, and this funny little hat. I was walking down the street, and I thought ‘I’m alright. I’m fine. Nobody is going to recognise me at all – this is marvellous’. Then on the way back, I thought: ‘There’s the lift there’. So I got into the lift, and they charged in. I was against the wall signing these autographs, and I heard this Australian guy say: “It’s not bloody John Lennon, it’s that other…! (Laughs).
Judy Spires: Yes! And this was the look that Lew Grade said wouldn’t work?
Peter: When we’d done the first series, which was ‘Department S’, he summoned me because the contract was to do the second series, and we were all a bit in trepidation as to whether it would be done or not. And he sent down a call for me, and I went up to his office, and he said: “Peter, I’ve got to tell you this. I don’t like you – I don’t like you as a hero. My idea of a hero is Roger Moore, you know: blond hair; blue eyes. That’s my idea of a hero. Look at you. You’ve got this funny Viva Zapata moustache and these funny clothes that you wear, I mean, that’s a hero?! But I have to tell you, my wife likes you, so we have to do the next series!
Judy Spires: And I believe there was a housewife in 1980 who tried to start the whole Jason King thing over again.
Peter: Yes.
Judy Spires: And then they announced that the videos were about to come out, and there was homage paid by hundreds of Jason King look-alikes.
Peter: How lovely.
Judy Spires: How spooky!
Peter: Apparently, there was a kid of about fourteen who put on a better moustache than the one I’ve just stuck on… (he tugs at his moustache as if he is about to peel it off).
Judy Spires: Don’t take it off! Peter, do you miss all that?
Peter: I don’t know. I had a lot of fun. I enjoyed it immensely – it was great fun to do. I’ll tell you what I do miss: most of the series now don’t have that sense of fun, that’s what I think is missing. I’d like to see that again. And the sense of adventure, which has gone too, hasn’t it? It’s all got rather nasty, with people knocking one another about – the fun’s gone out of it, and I think that’s important (turns to the audience), don’t you? (They agree).
Judy Spires: Of course, I’ve only mentioned Jason King, but before you played him there were hundreds and hundreds of plays, and you were on television all the time. Do you do much acting now?
Peter: Yes, when they ask me, of course. I do occasionally play things, but I like to direct at the moment – I’ve done quite a lot of directing, but my main thing of all is writing. I wrote a lot of the stuff he (Jason King) said in the programme, and sometimes I had something to do with the plot. I used to change quite a lot of things, and would write until two in the morning. So I’ve kept that up, and I enjoy that immensely really.
Judy Spires: ‘Jason King’ and ‘Department S’ gave you a taste for something I know you’re interested in, which is crime.
Peter: Yes. Murder – I’m fascinated by.
Judy Spires: Well, I said crime…
Peter: You don’t want to talk about murder?
Judy Spires: No. No. Please do.
Peter: Is it too early? A lot of murders take place before breakfast, you know!
Judy Spires: Do they? Is it something you’ve seriously studied?
Peter: Well, I think it’s an incredible subject, and it’s pretty prevalent at the moment from different directions. Yes, it’s something I’m fascinated by; always have been.
Judy Spires: I know you’re not going to tell me what, because people…
Peter: The story – the script?
Judy Spires: …but you are writing a script.
Peter: Yes. And it’s based on a true murder story.
Judy Spires: Will this be something for you…
Peter: No. No. I won’t be acting in it. I shouldn’t think so. And the difficulty is that a lot of people are alive now.
Judy Spires: I would’ve thought that an autobiography would’ve been wonderful.
Peter: Oh, you must be joking!
Judy Spires: No?
Peter: No, I wouldn’t do that. No, no, no. Actors are not like entertainers, you see. They’re not interested in talking about themselves, really. They hide behind people. Most good actors are very shy, you know that. One of the good things is to be able to play someone else, and to give yourself to somebody else; to be that other person. I think it’s very difficult to come on and entertain, that is why I think you’re marvellous. I really do. I think you’re fabulous.
Judy Spires: Is there a part out there that you would really love to play? I mean, Jason King – yes, you’ll forever be remembered as him…
Peter: Oh, there’s lots of Shakespeare that I haven’t done. I haven’t done ‘Othello’; I’d like to do that. And Dickey the Third, from 33rd street!
Judy Spires: Well, it’s been wonderful talking to you. It’s been great to see you. Very often when people have been huge stars on television in a certain series, and you see them again afterwards, it isn’t the same. And I’m really glad to see you…
Peter: Well, I’m really pleased to meet you.
Judy Spires: …and looking like a Street Cred Biker!
Peter: Right!
PETER WYNGARDE: The Official Website 