Picture above: Ian Hendry and Patrick Macnee – Berwick Street Market, Soho, London

As production began on the very first series of The Avengers, the thoughts of the team turned to how the title sequence would be portrayed.

It was decided that the sequence would comprise of photographic stills, and that these images would be specially shot on location.

In their excellent book ‘Two Against The Underworld – The Collected Unauthorised Guide To The Avengers Series 1‘, Alan Hayes, Alys Hayes and Richard McGinlay expertly tell the detailed story behind the creation of The Avengers, including the background to this particular photoshoot:

Extract:

“Consequently, on Monday 5th December 1960, a small team including Ian Hendry, Patrick Macnee, Ingrid Hafner and an ABC photographer travelled into central London and headed towards the district of Soho, W1. With Hendry and Macnee dressed in sandstone-coloured trench coats, somewhat stereotypical apparel for sleuths of the era, photographs were posed in a variety of somewhat seedy, run-down settings. Among these was Moroni’s newsagents at 68 Old Compton Street, an outlet that specialised in imported European and American newspapers and magazines for more than 40 years. It was at this location that the oft-seen images of Keel and Steed smoking cigarettes by racks of newspapers were taken.”

This book can be purchased here.

The other notable locations from this photoshoot include those taken outside Del Monico’s off licence, at 64 Old Compton Street, Berwick Street Market and Bourchier Street – a narrow side road off Dean Street, W1 – and a small car park on waste ground off Bourchier Street.

The Avengers Promotional Photographs – Soho, London – 5th December 1960

Source: Leonard White Collection

Video: The Avengers – Opening and Closing Sequences

Until next time,

Neil Hendry
Editor, Official Website of Ian Hendry

Further Reading

A detailed account of the life and work of Ian Hendry in the new biography:

Read:  ‘Send in the Clowns – The Yo Yo Life Of Ian Hendry’ by Gabriel Hershman