- [Narrator] "The Protectors" was Gerry Anderson's
second fully live action television series.
But despite being one of the most successful,
relatively few people know that it was one of his shows.
- Well, you might've mentioned it.
- [Narrator] This is perhaps due to it not being
the usual science fiction fad he was best known for,
but instead, a contemporary thriller series
more along the lines of ITC's more conventional
action shows like "The Saint" or "Department S."
- That's correct.
Salute! - Sante.
- [Narrator] First airing in 1972, the series centred
around an international detective organisation
known as "The Protectors,"
established by American detective, Harry Rule.
- Well, Harry, good to see you.
- And swinging London, hello.
- Not gonna have much time to swing.
We got an important (mumbles)
- [Narrator] Believing that a private organisation
could operate more efficiently outside of the law,
Rule enlisted a network of protector agents
in major cities all across the globe.
But he would most often be seen working
with two colleagues in particular, Rome based protector,
Contessa Caroline di Contini,
essentially a live action Lady Penelope...
- You quite obviously know all about me.
- [Narrator] And French protector, Paul Buchet.
- Where do you come from? - Paris.
- [Narrator] Armed with their wits and ingenuity,
together with a gadget or two,
the protectors are ready to take on the very worst
of the world's criminal underworld.
- Crime is no life for a dog, George.
- [Narrator] The series was not an original concept
of Anderson's, but instead,
one he was handed by ITC head, Lew Grade,
shortly after production concluded on "UFO."
- I see no reason why I should get involved.
- Is 75,000 pounds a good enough reason?
- I see a reason.
- [Narrator] Grade also hired two of the shows three leads.
- My name is Napoleon Solo.
- [Narrator] Robert Vaughn, then best known
to television audiences for his recent four-year stint
as Napoleon Solo in "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,"
was to play Harry Rule.
- I still had a lot of problems in the United States
in terms of everything that was going on there.
And I was offered this television show in London
that would be filmed in London and on the continent
of Europe and I thought, well this would be a good thing
for me to be able to get away from the country
for awhile and work in England.
I always loved working in England, just loved it.
- [Narrator] While Nyree Dawn Porter was cast
as the Contessa di Contini.
- Sounds as though it might be fun.
- [Narrator] Tony Anhlt would play Paul Buchet.
- You let me know if you hear anything, all right.
- [Narrator] While also along for the ride
were Anthony Chinn as the Contessa's bodyguard
and chauffer, Chino,
(loudly yelling)
Yasuko Nagazumi as Harry's secretary, Suki.
- My Rule's residence.
- [Narrator] And Harry's dog, Gus.
(dog yelping)
Throughout the 1960's, ITC heroes such
as the famous Simon Templar (suspenseful music)
and "Danger Man," John Drake,
had travelled all across the globe.
But in reality, Roger Moore and Patrick McGoohan
had rarely enjoyed the luxury of foreign location filming.
However, as the 1970s dawned,
Lew Grade was keen to change all that.
His latest batch of globe-trotting action adventure shows
would be shot on location as much as possible.
But, in order to achieve this,
productions would have to save money elsewhere.
Of these four new shows, "The Persuaders"
would be shot on 35 millimetre film as normal.
- He makes it sound like we won first price.
- Yeah. - But the remaining three,
including "The Protectors," would be shot on cheaper
and noticeably inferior 16 millimetre film.
- [Female Voice Over] Your strategy, as usual,
is transparently obvious.
- [Narrator] While the picture quality
of the show certainly isn't the best,
there's no denying that overall,
the series benefited from being able to film
in places such as Rome, Copenhagen, Venice,
Madrid and more over the course of its run.
- Yet our partner is very (mumbles) around the state.
- Why do you say that?
- Well, in the time I've known her,
she's never failed to make a grand entrance.
- [Narrator] Further impacting on the shows chances
of success was the requirement that each episode
of "The Protectors" would run for just 25 minutes.
- Very little time.
- [Narrator] Despite this handicap, which often led
to massive info dumps in order to get the plot going...
- Wait a minute, wait a minute, let me get this straight.
- [Narrator] The very best episodes of the show proved
that the shorter running time need not be a hindrance
to good story telling, even if some of the worst episodes
do border on genuinely incomprehensible.
- Sometimes, it is better not to question.
- [Narrator] The somewhat vague nature of the show's premise
allowed the writers free reign to tell
a wide variety of stories...
- Somebody just hijacked the mounting.
- Are you serious?
- [Narrator] From standard drug smuggling and kidnap plots
to a stand out story about post traumatic stress disorder
in a Vietnam war veteran...
- Young kids.
- They're just kids?
- [Narrator] And even to the occasional
and largely misguided attempt at comedy,
most notably, in an episode directed by Robert Vaughn
himself which Lew Grade later correctly described
as the very worst episode he had every seen of anything.
(dog whimpering)
The series also enjoyed an impressive line up of guest stars
including a large number of familiar faces and voices
from previous Anderson shows.
- Mm, nice grouping.
- [Narrator] Having three main characters also allowed
for episodes to be written that spotlighted only one
or two of them, so as to give the lead actors
regular time off.
This would prove to be a godsend for what
would turn out to be a rather unhappy production,
with many stories emerging over the years
of onset battles such as Vaughn verses Anderson,
Vaughn verses Grade, Porter verses Anderson,
and Vaughn's business partner,
Sherwood Price verses everybody.
- Get away from me! (crowd arguing)
- [Narrator] Despite behind the scenes problems,
"The Protectors" performed well in the ratings
in both the UK and around the world.
So much so that the second season was quickly commissioned
albeit with some minor changes to the format.
- Did you do that?
- [Narrator] The characters of Chino and Suki
were dropped as was the computer bank prop on the set
of Harry's apartment and no further mention was made
of any other protectors beyond the three main characters.
The tone of the stories became more serious
than those of the first season, leading to frequent
down beat endings that often featured somebody sobbing
over the body of a loved one...
(loud sobbing)
but this hinted that perhaps the writers were aware
that the era of the TV globe-trotting playboy super spy
was coming to an end and knew that the show
would have to adapt in order to survive.
- All blend in.
- [Narrator] The public was still hungry for more
and things were all set for a third season
when co-financiers, Faberge,
pulled out of the production at the last moment.
The protectors had solved their last case.
- Well, yesterday is now the past.
- [Narrator] Despite this abrupt cancellation,
"The Protectors" still holds the distinction of being
the Gerry Anderson series with the highest number
of television episodes currently in existence at 52.
- All right, Harry, you've had your happy ending.
Now what about the rest of the story?
- [Narrator] Although the series was never
a huge merchandising hit in its day,
the protectors continued their adventures
in book and comic strip form.
But the show's biggest and most lasting success
came in the form of Tony Christie's bold and brassy
end title song, "Avenues and Alleyways."
♪ In the avenues and alleyways ♪
♪ While you sleep there's a whole world coming alive ♪
- [Narrator] In the decade since its original broadcast,
"The Protectors" has enjoyed frequent repeat runs.
And all 52 episodes are available on DVD.
Although often overlooked by Anderson fans
for being so unlike his other series,
the show still has plenty to offer,
including some terrific action set pieces,
stunning location filming and a trio
of extremely likeable central characters.
- Thanks, Harry, all of ya, thanks for everything.
- [Narrator] At a time when ITC was struggling
to produce decent or even watchable action shows,
Gerry Anderson was handed a blank slate of a concept
and brought to it the same perfectionism as he did
to all his other series.
With the very best episodes of "The Protectors"
being a more than worthy addition to his television legacy.
(dramatic music)
(lively music)