The Avengers Series 1 (1961) The Search For The Missing Episodes – Ian Hendry + Patrick Macnee
Video above: Brief history of the missing episodes. Please post theories, thoughts and corrections on this post of the Facebook Page. Thanks!
Apologies if the production values of this video fall short of the finest directors and producers – or your favourite classic film – but I did try and include a great ending, even if it wasn’t my own! This subject has been keeping my mind busy of late. Hopefully one day more clues will emerge and episodes found.
The episodes found so far have all been on 16mm film:
Episodes 1: Hot Snow (first act only)
Episode 6: Girl On The Trapeze
Episode 15: The Frighteners
So does this mean that only three episodes were ever transferred onto 16mm film? Or that only these three have been found? I think the latter.
Some believe that the episodes found in the UCLA archives in California, were possibly linked to Ian Hendry’s pursuit of a career in film. The footage discovered there includes Ian playing the lead and notably Patrick Macnee not being present (Act One: Hot Snow) or scripted into the episode (Girl On The Trapeze). The theory that this film was possibly used to showcase Ian’s talent to studios or agents in Los Angeles certainly has a lot of merit.
But that still doesn’t address the issue that only one episode has been found on 16mm film in the UK. If copies of the episodes were being made to 16mm film then surely more episodes would have undergone the process? Perhaps Ian Hendry did ask for 16mm film print copies to send to the US to help him pursue his film career, but that still leaves only one episode – The Frighteners – being copied to film for other purposes. Why only one episode? And why Episode 15?
Assuming that more copies to film were in fact made, the question is did any of them survive – either forgotten about or in a private collection?
Episode 1: Hot Snow
Just as an example, the first episode was broadcast from the following list of networks at the times specified. Details taken from Alan Hayes excellent The Avengers – Declassified Website
Given transmission occurred at the same time for many regions it seems inevitable that copies of the episode were made by ABC TV and sent to the various regions for broadcast purposes. Was this on videotape (which we know was an expensive medium at the time) or 16mm film? What happened to the tapes after broadcast? Were they returned to ABC TV?
ABC Midlands: Sat 7 Jan 1961, 10.00pm
ABC North: Sat 7 Jan 1961, 10.00pm
Anglia: Not transmitted
ATV London: Sat 18 Mar 1961, 10.00pm
Border: Not transmitted
Grampian: Not transmitted
Scottish: Not transmitted
Southern: Sat 18 Mar 1961, 10.00pm
TWW: Sat 18 Mar 1961, 10.00pm
Tyne Tees: Sat 18 Mar 1961, 10.00pm
Ulster: Sat 18 Mar 1961, 10.00pm
Westward: Not transmitted
We Can But Hope!
Maybe it’s just ‘dreaming’, but recent stories like this one certainly fuel my overactive imagination:
Classic cars found in French farmhouse expected to fetch millions
Actor Alan Delon’s Ferrari and King Farouk’s Talbot among 60 luxury vehicles found in countryside, compared by auctioneers to ‘discovering tomb of Tutankhamun’……
You can read about this amazing story here
Further Reading
Good overview article by Richard McGinlay on the history of the missing episodes:
The Missing Episodes – The Avengers Series 1
The links to the articles below include a couple of great interviews with Richard McGinlay, Alan Hayes and Alys Hayes – authors of two excellent books on Series 1 of The Avengers:
See also:
The Strange Case Of The Missing Episodes – Interview
With Umbrella Scotch and Cigarettes – Interview
Ian Hendry – Original Promotional Portrait For The Avengers By ABC TV
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
More From Ian Hendry
Sylvia Anderson – 27th March 1927 – 16th March 2016
Repulsion [1965] Original Stills Discovered In Paris
Repulsion (1965) 50th Anniversary Tribute Part #2 – Catherine Deneuve + Ian Hendry + John Fraser + Yvonne Furneaux (dir. Roman Polanski)
The Jerusalem File (1972) – Donald Pleasence + Nicol Williamson + Bruce Davison + Daria Halprin + Ian Hendry [+ Full Film Download Link]
The Avengers Promotional Photoshoot In Soho, London – Ian Hendry + Patrick Macnee + Ingrid Hafner (5th December 1960 ABC TV)
When Ian Hendry Met Ian Hendry! At The Premiere Of Live Now, Pay Later – ABC Cinema In Ipswich (1963)
Girl In The Headlines (1963) – Ian Hendry + Ronnie Fraser
This Is Your Life – Coco The Clown (1962) + Ian Hendry (1978) : Article
Ian Hendry + Liz Fraser – Live Now, Pay Later [1962] – Original Film + Promotional Still
The Avengers TV Series 1 (1961) – With Umbrella, Scotch And Cigarettes
Rare Promotional Still – Tommy Cooper + Ian Hendry – Thames Television (1975)
Ian Hendry – Rare Candid Portrait from Police Surgeon (1960) From The Book ‘Both Sides Of The Camera’ By ABC Television
Wolfgang Suschitzky – Cinematographer and Photographer, Dies Aged 104. His many credits include Get Carter (1971)
Theatre Of Blood (1973) Rare Original Still – Vincent Price + Ian Hendry + Dennis Price + Robert Morely + Robert Coote
Staff Sergeant Williams’ Hat – The Hill (1965)
The Hill (1965) – 50th Anniversary Tribute – Ian Hendry + Sean Connery + Harry Andrews + Ian Bannen
The Informer (1966-1967) – Theme Tune ‘Superformance’ By David Lindup + An Original Episode Script By Michael J. Bird!
Birth Of The Avengers
Film Still – The Beauty Jungle (1964)
Ian Hendry + Patrick Macnee – Rare Original ABC Television Still Discovered, Promoting The Return Of The Avengers ‘For A 13 Week Season’ [1961]
Dr. David Keel – The Avengers (1961) | Portrait
Still Photographs From The Informer (1966-1967)
Children Of The Damned (1963) Original MGM Promotional Still – Ian Hendry + Alan Badel ‘Researchers’
On The Set Of The Avengers (1961)
The McKenzie Break (1970) – The Ultimate Escape? Brian Keith + Helmut Griem + Ian Hendry
Ian Hendry – This Is Your Life 40th Anniversary – First Broadcast On 15th March 1978 [Thames Television]
Ian Hendry – Rowing Home Across The Thames To ‘Sphinx’, Pharaohs Island, Shepperton [1966]
The Hill (1965) – Harry Andrews (as Sergeant Major Wilson) + Ian Hendry (as Staff Sergeant Williams) + Sean Connery (as Joe Roberts)
The Crossfire (1967) – Watch Rare ITV Play – Ian Hendry + Peter Wyngarde + Eric Portman + Jeanette Sterke
Doppleganger a.k.a. Journey To The Far Side Of The Sun – Show Guide November 1969