"The Persuaders" was the last of the truly great shows from "ITC." By 1971, Lew Grade had spent several years at the top of his game and had produced some solid entertainment. Now it was all about to draw to a close and would do by the mid 70s.
The above show is carried along marvellously by Tony Curtis and Roger Moore. (R.I.P) Their on screen chemistry is so natural and also funny. They both maintain the shows lighthearted tone and still enjoy themselves into the bargain.
24 episodes resulted and I would rate half of them from being excellent to good.
The pace never lets up, as our two wealthy heroes travel the globe and taking on all the villains that cross their path.
Some great actors to be found here. Derren Nesbitt, Nigel Green, Ian Hendry, Patrick Troughton, are just a few of them.
It makes for a refreshing change to see actual foreign locations being used for the series and this works well.
Great fun all the way.
43 Reviews
Utmost 70's Opulence
mdefranc13 July 2008
One may watch one of the episodes and say "They certainly weren't that creative". We must take a look at what we have come to in today's day and age when it comes to movies, which, in many cases, are nothing but a portrayal (in the minds of many of us) of what we wish we were, from a standpoint of lifestyle, socio-economic standing, looks and, last but not least, power (gosh, why did I put that for last..?).
Let us remember how the 70's were and what they have left us with; I'll give you a few examples of the mark they made on our memory: Elegance, passion, style, prestige and DETAIL. If we watch the Persuader's end theme, we'll notice a line in the end credits saying "Lord Sinclair's clothes designed by Roger Moore". If some of you had a chance to catch a few episodes, you will have noticed that he was quite the creative type, whose ideas and personality molded Lord Sinclair's character remarkably well, along with his charming looks and sex appeal.
Roger Moore and Tony Curtis (along with their cover girl-like lady friends) were then who many of us now try to be in places like Montecarlo, Nice, Cannes, the Italian Riviera and, of course, London except the fact that, unfortunately and fortunately, that kind of genius with respect to the aforementioned details, cannot be replicated in lieu of one simple reason: It doesn't exist anymore.
The Persuaders are a staple of the 70's message that jumped at us from the screen, a message of self-confidence, sex appeal (Let's look at Suzy Kendall for instance) and style. Automobiles like Aston Martins, Jaguars and Ferraris made quite the impression then, while they sure don't nowadays due to how many you see on the big screen every time a movie comes out.
In The Persuaders one will find that pastel and bright colors are in total harmony with each other, ticket-pocket blazers that blend lusciously with high-collared shirts and men's foulards. There weren't that many thongs for women then and I tend to prefer the looks of a simple bikini bottom which, if worn by a 70's woman, heightened beauty far more than what we see now. The two men were the image of free-spirited life, accompanied by a high sense of style, the right "Aplomb" any man should have.
Tony Curtis (aka Bernard Schwartz): A true American star. Roger Moore: The true British Lord.
I won't say much about John Barry's Theme, as it speaks for itself and everything I have said, a true masterpiece that voices out and underpins what the show meant to be. It will always bring us back either by the edge of a pool with a Martini or into a London private library with a superb scotch.
Ladies, Gentlemen...cheers-
Let us remember how the 70's were and what they have left us with; I'll give you a few examples of the mark they made on our memory: Elegance, passion, style, prestige and DETAIL. If we watch the Persuader's end theme, we'll notice a line in the end credits saying "Lord Sinclair's clothes designed by Roger Moore". If some of you had a chance to catch a few episodes, you will have noticed that he was quite the creative type, whose ideas and personality molded Lord Sinclair's character remarkably well, along with his charming looks and sex appeal.
Roger Moore and Tony Curtis (along with their cover girl-like lady friends) were then who many of us now try to be in places like Montecarlo, Nice, Cannes, the Italian Riviera and, of course, London except the fact that, unfortunately and fortunately, that kind of genius with respect to the aforementioned details, cannot be replicated in lieu of one simple reason: It doesn't exist anymore.
The Persuaders are a staple of the 70's message that jumped at us from the screen, a message of self-confidence, sex appeal (Let's look at Suzy Kendall for instance) and style. Automobiles like Aston Martins, Jaguars and Ferraris made quite the impression then, while they sure don't nowadays due to how many you see on the big screen every time a movie comes out.
In The Persuaders one will find that pastel and bright colors are in total harmony with each other, ticket-pocket blazers that blend lusciously with high-collared shirts and men's foulards. There weren't that many thongs for women then and I tend to prefer the looks of a simple bikini bottom which, if worn by a 70's woman, heightened beauty far more than what we see now. The two men were the image of free-spirited life, accompanied by a high sense of style, the right "Aplomb" any man should have.
Tony Curtis (aka Bernard Schwartz): A true American star. Roger Moore: The true British Lord.
I won't say much about John Barry's Theme, as it speaks for itself and everything I have said, a true masterpiece that voices out and underpins what the show meant to be. It will always bring us back either by the edge of a pool with a Martini or into a London private library with a superb scotch.
Ladies, Gentlemen...cheers-
Brilliant!
janarcher-616985 June 2020
Inspired!
crawfrordboon23 October 2003
Never before have I seen on-screen chemistry like that between Roger Moore and Tony Curtis in The Persuaders. Both actors fill their roles perfectly and more besides, whoever teamed up these guys needs credit also.
Whether they're winning improbable fight scenes, surviving hair-raising car chases, or making sense of unusual situations (e.g Sinclair finding out how he has suddenly acquired a wife, Wilde being accidentally immersed into a Soviet spy ring, or Sinclair again finding that he has been cloned!) Moore and Curtis always appear to be having a riot of a time, perhaps in some measure a result of the large quantities of champagne the cast got through on the set.
Roger Moore deploys his usual charm and dry wit, whilst the manic Curtis excels with his deadpan humour and perfect timing. The contrast between the two main characters matches that between the two actors, but its more a case of salt and vinegar than cheese and chalk, Moore and Curtis are perfect together, and together they are perfect for the show. Slightly camp 1970s comedy/action - perfect for Roger to make his indelible mark on the James Bond series, and a welcome change for Tony from his less light-hearted roles.
Brilliant series, shame it only lasted a couple of years!
Whether they're winning improbable fight scenes, surviving hair-raising car chases, or making sense of unusual situations (e.g Sinclair finding out how he has suddenly acquired a wife, Wilde being accidentally immersed into a Soviet spy ring, or Sinclair again finding that he has been cloned!) Moore and Curtis always appear to be having a riot of a time, perhaps in some measure a result of the large quantities of champagne the cast got through on the set.
Roger Moore deploys his usual charm and dry wit, whilst the manic Curtis excels with his deadpan humour and perfect timing. The contrast between the two main characters matches that between the two actors, but its more a case of salt and vinegar than cheese and chalk, Moore and Curtis are perfect together, and together they are perfect for the show. Slightly camp 1970s comedy/action - perfect for Roger to make his indelible mark on the James Bond series, and a welcome change for Tony from his less light-hearted roles.
Brilliant series, shame it only lasted a couple of years!
One of the best detective series ever.
geisterfaust2 August 2006
Maybe it's out of nostalgia, maybe it's because I've grown up with the series, but whichever way I choose to look at it, I come to the conclusion that The Persuaders was and still is one of the best detective/adventure/action/what-have-you-series ever created. Because even now, as I recently bought the complete series on DVD, and has been able to watch all episodes again, including many which I missed when they were aired on TV, I can't help but being endlessly charmed and entertained by it. Even though a lot of shows that gain cult-status tend to be more out of sheer novelty value, in the case of The Persuaders, I feel it is more than well deserved. Everything, from the utterly brilliant theme music by John Barry, the kitschy but superbly entertaining fight-scenes to the great chemistry between Moore and Curtis and the general high quality of the story lines, is just top-notch. Sure, it's silly and kitschy and very 70's, but then on the other hand, that's what's so great about it.
This is pure, shameless entertainment when it's at its best.
This is pure, shameless entertainment when it's at its best.
The opening credits made this show
Clive-Silas25 May 2001
This is a TV show in which the opening credit sequence was even better than the actual programme. To begin with, John Barry's theme music is still one of the best ever written for a TV show - a few years ago I heard it for the first time in nearly 20 years, and I absolutely stopped in my tracks, it was so evocative. Then the montage, which begins by using images to tell the respective stories of the two main characters - Lord Brett Sinclair with his inherited wealth, his City career, an English sporting gentleman, a Formula One racing driver (long zoom shot of racing cars straight from the Golden Age of Grands Prix); Danny Wilde starting in poverty on the Lower East side in New York, but soon becoming an oil magnate (newspaper shot of a ... *gasp* ... nine MILLION dollar oil deal!). Then the next sequence shows the two of them having a great time in various exotic European locations ... champagne bubbles, jewellery put round exquisite necks, gorgeous cars, water-skiing, power boat racing, beautiful women in bikinis, and a roulette wheel. Everything you need to know about the programme, including the strong friendship between the leads, is to be found in this magnificent one-minute sequence.
The modus operandus of the show was to contrast humorous and witty dialogue with tense situations. Anyway, this was never a show for worrying about what the plot was this week - it was a show for basking in the wonderful locations, the beautiful cars, the witty lines and the sexual banter. (Needless to say, both the main characters were depicted as irresistible to women).
Plots direct from Roger Moore's previous series The Saint, plus James Bond exotic locations and a huge Hollywood star in Tony Curtis, makes this an often overlooked gem. And just like Star Trek, the best episode guest stars Joan Collins!
The modus operandus of the show was to contrast humorous and witty dialogue with tense situations. Anyway, this was never a show for worrying about what the plot was this week - it was a show for basking in the wonderful locations, the beautiful cars, the witty lines and the sexual banter. (Needless to say, both the main characters were depicted as irresistible to women).
Plots direct from Roger Moore's previous series The Saint, plus James Bond exotic locations and a huge Hollywood star in Tony Curtis, makes this an often overlooked gem. And just like Star Trek, the best episode guest stars Joan Collins!
When Curtis + Moore did some persuading!
ShadeGrenade3 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Following the 'The Saint' television series in 1969, Roger Moore attempted to launch himself as a movie star. With Cary Grant having recently retired, there was a gap in the market for a new debonair English leading man. His first films were 'Crossplot' and 'The Man Who Haunted Himself', but neither proved successful ( though the latter later became a minor cult picture ). When Sir Lew Grade told the actor he had pre-sold a new series to the States starring both him and Tony Curtis, he was less than pleased. But money talks, and so Roger signed on the dotted line.
Created by 'Saint' producer Robert S.Baker, 'The Persuaders!' starred Curtis as 'Danny Wilde', a brash Brooklyn millionaire who became rich through hard work - and Moore as 'Lord Brett Sinclair' who got his money through inheritance. The starting point was 'The Ex-King Of Diamonds', a 'Saint' story in which Templar teamed up with a Texan oil millionaire, played by Stuart Damon. In the first episode - 'Overture' by Brian Clemens - Brett and Danny meet at the French Riviera and chase another in sports cars to the strains of a lively pop song composed by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent. Following a brawl in a bar, they are arrested. But fate has other plans for them; retired judge 'Fulton' ( Lawrence Naismith ) sees potential in the men and puts them to work as crime-fighters.
It was a costly show to make; what with all the overseas location filming, clothes, champagne ( it was real ) and guest stars. The cars became stars in their own right; Danny drove a red Ferrari Dino, while Brett had a gold Aston Martin. It was basically 'The Saint' revisited combined with Hope and Crosby-style comedy. Each week, Danny and Brett were to be found either living it up on the Continent or enjoying post-swinging London. The chemistry between the leads was heady indeed. Much ad libbing went on; in one episode, when Brett appeared in his House of Lords ermine, Danny grabbed his arm, and quipped: "We want to get married!".
Memorable episodes include 'A Place In The Country' in which Danny buys a rundown country cottage, only to get caught in a local counterfeiting operation; 'A Death In The Family' sent up 'Kind Hearts & Coronets' as one by one, Brett's family ( all played by Moore ) are wiped out by a mysterious killer; 'Chain Of Events' has Danny handcuffed to a briefcase which turns out to contain a bomb. Among the writers were Terry Nation, Michael Pertwee, Val Guest, Terence Feely, and Milton S.Gelman. The latter penned the only really serious episode of the series - 'Angie...Angie' - in which an childhood friend of Danny's ( Larry Storch ) was revealed to to be a hit man.
Beautiful girls popped up in the course of their adventures, including Joan Collins, Susan George, Juliet Harmer, Rosemary Nicols, Imogen Hassall, Madeline Smith, Cyd Hayman, and Viviane Ventura.
One of the all-time great mysteries is how 'Mission: Impossible' ( a great show, yes, but well past its prime in 1971 ) managed to wipe the floor with 'The Persuaders!' in the U.S. ratings. In all other countries it was a big hit. The children's comic 'Countdown' ( later retitled 'T.V. Action' ) ran a weekly strip based on the show, and the powerful John Barry signature tune made the pop charts.
As well as the girls, there were also wonderful guest-stars such as Ian Hendry, Nigel Green, Gladys Cooper, Tom Adams, and a rare television appearance from Terry-Thomas.
As Britain suffered strikes, we could escape from our gloom ( when there was power ) by watching Tony and Roger each week visiting exotic locations. So massively popular was it that as soon as it ended repeats started in peak-time, prefaced initially by the 'Man From U.N.C.L.E.' movies. Had it been renewed, its unlikely Moore would have stayed as he was offered the chance to step into Sean Connery's shoes as the new 'James Bond'. Grade considered replacing him with Noel Harrison ( son of Rex ), but Baker talked him into abandoning the show. I think the decision was correct.
'The Persuaders!', forty years on, remains an enjoyable romp, probably the last really great I.T.C. action series. In an era where modern British television is mostly poverty row stuff, we should be grateful it was ever made.
Created by 'Saint' producer Robert S.Baker, 'The Persuaders!' starred Curtis as 'Danny Wilde', a brash Brooklyn millionaire who became rich through hard work - and Moore as 'Lord Brett Sinclair' who got his money through inheritance. The starting point was 'The Ex-King Of Diamonds', a 'Saint' story in which Templar teamed up with a Texan oil millionaire, played by Stuart Damon. In the first episode - 'Overture' by Brian Clemens - Brett and Danny meet at the French Riviera and chase another in sports cars to the strains of a lively pop song composed by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent. Following a brawl in a bar, they are arrested. But fate has other plans for them; retired judge 'Fulton' ( Lawrence Naismith ) sees potential in the men and puts them to work as crime-fighters.
It was a costly show to make; what with all the overseas location filming, clothes, champagne ( it was real ) and guest stars. The cars became stars in their own right; Danny drove a red Ferrari Dino, while Brett had a gold Aston Martin. It was basically 'The Saint' revisited combined with Hope and Crosby-style comedy. Each week, Danny and Brett were to be found either living it up on the Continent or enjoying post-swinging London. The chemistry between the leads was heady indeed. Much ad libbing went on; in one episode, when Brett appeared in his House of Lords ermine, Danny grabbed his arm, and quipped: "We want to get married!".
Memorable episodes include 'A Place In The Country' in which Danny buys a rundown country cottage, only to get caught in a local counterfeiting operation; 'A Death In The Family' sent up 'Kind Hearts & Coronets' as one by one, Brett's family ( all played by Moore ) are wiped out by a mysterious killer; 'Chain Of Events' has Danny handcuffed to a briefcase which turns out to contain a bomb. Among the writers were Terry Nation, Michael Pertwee, Val Guest, Terence Feely, and Milton S.Gelman. The latter penned the only really serious episode of the series - 'Angie...Angie' - in which an childhood friend of Danny's ( Larry Storch ) was revealed to to be a hit man.
Beautiful girls popped up in the course of their adventures, including Joan Collins, Susan George, Juliet Harmer, Rosemary Nicols, Imogen Hassall, Madeline Smith, Cyd Hayman, and Viviane Ventura.
One of the all-time great mysteries is how 'Mission: Impossible' ( a great show, yes, but well past its prime in 1971 ) managed to wipe the floor with 'The Persuaders!' in the U.S. ratings. In all other countries it was a big hit. The children's comic 'Countdown' ( later retitled 'T.V. Action' ) ran a weekly strip based on the show, and the powerful John Barry signature tune made the pop charts.
As well as the girls, there were also wonderful guest-stars such as Ian Hendry, Nigel Green, Gladys Cooper, Tom Adams, and a rare television appearance from Terry-Thomas.
As Britain suffered strikes, we could escape from our gloom ( when there was power ) by watching Tony and Roger each week visiting exotic locations. So massively popular was it that as soon as it ended repeats started in peak-time, prefaced initially by the 'Man From U.N.C.L.E.' movies. Had it been renewed, its unlikely Moore would have stayed as he was offered the chance to step into Sean Connery's shoes as the new 'James Bond'. Grade considered replacing him with Noel Harrison ( son of Rex ), but Baker talked him into abandoning the show. I think the decision was correct.
'The Persuaders!', forty years on, remains an enjoyable romp, probably the last really great I.T.C. action series. In an era where modern British television is mostly poverty row stuff, we should be grateful it was ever made.
The theme music
Impman218 December 2020
Enjoyable, Slight Show
aramis-112-8048801 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
What does "The Persuaders" mean? They rarely seem to do any persuading. But what did "The Avengers" mean, or "The Protectors"? Nevertheless, it's a good enough title to cover the antics of two big stars teamed up willy-nilly to some success.
Roger Moore, who rebounded from London to Hollywood and back to British TV, was considered for "James Bond" from the start, but never actually tested for "Dr. No" as he was becoming the idealized Simon Templar on television's "The Saint." After that series, when Sean Connery left "Bond" for the first time (of three) Moore was briefly attached to a Broccoli "Bond" project that fell through. When the next green-lighted "Bond" came down the pike, Moore was engaged in other projects, including "The Persuaders." A shame as, had Moore been available, he might have made "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"--thus teaming himself with another British TV icons of the 1960, Diana Rigg. What a loss! So what was this "Persuaders" that may have cost Moore an earlier gig as the world's most famous Secret Agent? It's a slight show with a silly premise. A judge (Laurence Naismith, "Scrooge") teams an American millionaire and a British Lord to fight crime. Actually, the shows are typically mysteries, where our friendly "persuaders" discover people's real identities, etc.
Unfortunately, a great many of their cases (such as "Greensleeves") come about by accident. In "Anyone Can Play" they so so far afield, Moore's American sidekick (Tony Curtis) accidentally gives out a fairly complicated code and, as a result, begins a train of events that nearly gets them both killed.
The show itself is almost too light. The leads meet danger with such aplomb, threats rarely feel real. "James Bond" might have all been done tongue-in-cheek, but at least everyone involved treated it as deadly serious.
Opinions differ about how Curtis became Moore's American counterpart. Both Moore's autobiography and a commentary on the pilot say three Americans were considered: Rock Hudson, Glenn Ford and Tony Curtis. All three were big movie headliners whose careers were sagging in the early 1970s.
But whereas the commentary suggests Curtis got the part by default, Moore says he got final pick. He thought he and Hudson were too similar (tall, good-looking types); and, having worked with Ford, decided they would not be a good mix.
Tony Curtis, a Bronx-born son of Hungarian immigrants, fought his way up the ladder to become a genuine movie star, receiving one Oscar nomination ("The Defiant Ones"). While he got raves for early dramatic parts like the sleazy Falco in "The Sweet Smell of Success" and "Spartacus", Curtis broke out of his "sidekick" period by starring in the comedies for which he is probably best known ("Some Like it Hot"; "The Great Race"; "Sex and the Single Girl"; "Arrivederci, Baby"; "Don't Make Waves" etc.) He culminated his "big star" career with the shocking dramatic part of Albert deSalvo in "The Boston Strangler." After that, his career hit the skids; and while he remained a "name" the rest of his life, he was never again the STAR in capital letters. "The Persuaders" was his last stab at headline stardom, this time in the realm of television.
The strangest thing about "The Persuaders" is that Moore and Curtis, two different kinds of actors from very different backgrounds, actually have a good rapport. They play well together. If they have a fault, it's that they mine the same vein of humor, and apparently ad lib a lot. Curtis, still athletic in his late 40s, appears a bit too excited all the time, perhaps to better contrast himself against the understated Moore. Unfortunately, while Moore never seems to forget that he's a British Lord, if a fun-loving one who hates stodginess, Curtis seems to forget from time to time he's a millionaire, though never as a jet-set playboy. How did this guy raise himself from the back streets to Wall Street? Lots of famous British actors pop up in the series. They will be familiar to those who watched "The Saint" or "The Avengers." Occasionally, a rising star on his way up, or a former star on his way down, pop by for an episode. But the crux of the series is the fun-loving relationship between Curtis and Moore; that's also the series' Achilles heel, since they seem to be having too much fun at times.
The American actor was brought in, initially, in hopes of selling the series in the US. When that never materialized, "The Persuaders" folded up. Tony Curtis settled comfortably into older, character parts while Moore finally got the biggest prize in movies at the time, "James Bond, 007." So it's just as well "The Persuaders" lasted only did one season.
Roger Moore, who rebounded from London to Hollywood and back to British TV, was considered for "James Bond" from the start, but never actually tested for "Dr. No" as he was becoming the idealized Simon Templar on television's "The Saint." After that series, when Sean Connery left "Bond" for the first time (of three) Moore was briefly attached to a Broccoli "Bond" project that fell through. When the next green-lighted "Bond" came down the pike, Moore was engaged in other projects, including "The Persuaders." A shame as, had Moore been available, he might have made "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"--thus teaming himself with another British TV icons of the 1960, Diana Rigg. What a loss! So what was this "Persuaders" that may have cost Moore an earlier gig as the world's most famous Secret Agent? It's a slight show with a silly premise. A judge (Laurence Naismith, "Scrooge") teams an American millionaire and a British Lord to fight crime. Actually, the shows are typically mysteries, where our friendly "persuaders" discover people's real identities, etc.
Unfortunately, a great many of their cases (such as "Greensleeves") come about by accident. In "Anyone Can Play" they so so far afield, Moore's American sidekick (Tony Curtis) accidentally gives out a fairly complicated code and, as a result, begins a train of events that nearly gets them both killed.
The show itself is almost too light. The leads meet danger with such aplomb, threats rarely feel real. "James Bond" might have all been done tongue-in-cheek, but at least everyone involved treated it as deadly serious.
Opinions differ about how Curtis became Moore's American counterpart. Both Moore's autobiography and a commentary on the pilot say three Americans were considered: Rock Hudson, Glenn Ford and Tony Curtis. All three were big movie headliners whose careers were sagging in the early 1970s.
But whereas the commentary suggests Curtis got the part by default, Moore says he got final pick. He thought he and Hudson were too similar (tall, good-looking types); and, having worked with Ford, decided they would not be a good mix.
Tony Curtis, a Bronx-born son of Hungarian immigrants, fought his way up the ladder to become a genuine movie star, receiving one Oscar nomination ("The Defiant Ones"). While he got raves for early dramatic parts like the sleazy Falco in "The Sweet Smell of Success" and "Spartacus", Curtis broke out of his "sidekick" period by starring in the comedies for which he is probably best known ("Some Like it Hot"; "The Great Race"; "Sex and the Single Girl"; "Arrivederci, Baby"; "Don't Make Waves" etc.) He culminated his "big star" career with the shocking dramatic part of Albert deSalvo in "The Boston Strangler." After that, his career hit the skids; and while he remained a "name" the rest of his life, he was never again the STAR in capital letters. "The Persuaders" was his last stab at headline stardom, this time in the realm of television.
The strangest thing about "The Persuaders" is that Moore and Curtis, two different kinds of actors from very different backgrounds, actually have a good rapport. They play well together. If they have a fault, it's that they mine the same vein of humor, and apparently ad lib a lot. Curtis, still athletic in his late 40s, appears a bit too excited all the time, perhaps to better contrast himself against the understated Moore. Unfortunately, while Moore never seems to forget that he's a British Lord, if a fun-loving one who hates stodginess, Curtis seems to forget from time to time he's a millionaire, though never as a jet-set playboy. How did this guy raise himself from the back streets to Wall Street? Lots of famous British actors pop up in the series. They will be familiar to those who watched "The Saint" or "The Avengers." Occasionally, a rising star on his way up, or a former star on his way down, pop by for an episode. But the crux of the series is the fun-loving relationship between Curtis and Moore; that's also the series' Achilles heel, since they seem to be having too much fun at times.
The American actor was brought in, initially, in hopes of selling the series in the US. When that never materialized, "The Persuaders" folded up. Tony Curtis settled comfortably into older, character parts while Moore finally got the biggest prize in movies at the time, "James Bond, 007." So it's just as well "The Persuaders" lasted only did one season.
Best of British
aja00727 January 2007
This is probably the best British TV series of the 70s.
Moore, at his elegant best, and Curtis play off each other brilliantly.
At the time, Roger Moore was reportedly the highest paid actor on British TV for his role of Lord Brett Sinclair. The reputed figure was £1million! Also Moore apparently agreed to do this series to get out of his contract with Lew Grade thus allowing him to become the new 007 (at the third time of asking).
Tony Curtis'career on the other hand was waning and he accepted the part of Danny Wilde for a salary much lower than Moore's.
There have been several rumoured remakes over the years, mentioning names such as Pierce Brosnan, Jamie Lee Curtis (!) and, more recently, Steve Coogan.
Moore, at his elegant best, and Curtis play off each other brilliantly.
At the time, Roger Moore was reportedly the highest paid actor on British TV for his role of Lord Brett Sinclair. The reputed figure was £1million! Also Moore apparently agreed to do this series to get out of his contract with Lew Grade thus allowing him to become the new 007 (at the third time of asking).
Tony Curtis'career on the other hand was waning and he accepted the part of Danny Wilde for a salary much lower than Moore's.
There have been several rumoured remakes over the years, mentioning names such as Pierce Brosnan, Jamie Lee Curtis (!) and, more recently, Steve Coogan.
A mixed bag
g-hbe30 September 2023
There had been many excellent ITC series before The Persuaders came along and most of them were entertaining to say the least. And Moore and Curtis exchanging banter together while fending off villains and chasing beautiful women was a pretty good recipe. But something seemed to have changed since the days of Randall & Hopkirk and The Champions. Sure, the two leads and the exotic locations made for 'good telly', but often there were signs of cheapness and penny-pinching. Some of the scenes looked hastily set up and had an air of 'that'll do' about them. Perhaps the best part was the big fat theme tune by none other than John Barry!
Cool Guys in Kipper Ties
joshuaking6624 November 2012
This show has got to be the one action series that stood out from the rest,of its time.One of the most expensive to make,not just because of its two main stars,but also its exotic locations.The project of the series,was the brainchild of TV/movie MOGUL,SIR LEW GRADE,who saw big money in the idea,but after just 24 episodes,the show was axed,the show ran from 1971 to 1972,was memorable for its haunting catchy theme tune,composed and performed by the late great TV/film composer JOHN BARRY.The performance of its two stars,SIR ROGER MOORE and TONY CURTIS,was pure magic,and reminded me very much of those BING CROSBY and BOB HOPE road films,the plots were simple but often bizarre,fight scenes were always fun to watch,no one ever had a mark left,and SIR ROGER MOORE's hair was never out of place.The show was sold all over the world,since its axe,it has been repeated on TV many times,such as bravo channel,it is available on DVD box set,and corgi even produced a replica of LORD BRET SINCLAIR's car,the famous yellow mustard Aston Martin,but corgi never got round to producing DANNY WILDE's car, TONY CURTIS's Red Ferrari.There was talk at one time of making a big screen version of the show,and many names had been put forward,such as,comic STEVE COOGAN,even GEORGE CLOONEY in the part of DANNY WILDE,but as yet nothing has surfaced,but for now we can only watch the original series,and marvel at its brilliance,its magic of its performers,SIR ROGER MOORE now 85 years old,yet still showing us he's a classy saint,and of course remember with great fondness,the late great TONY CURTIS,to me and to others,THE PERSUADERS will live on in our hearts
*Lite* show with a "heavy" intro theme
chrisart713 January 2024
After watching Roger Moore in "The Saint" for seven years, fans of that program (featuring often clever whodunnits with some genuine dramatic tension, danger, glamour, and sparkling wit) probably had a knee jerk reaction to how light-hearted and casual this nonetheless expensive series was.
The first episode "Overture" was probably the worst. Only the charisma of its stars carried it, as the plot was paper thin. Subsequent episodes got better, some quite good, with a few propelled by superb guest stars (like Joss Ackland and Nigel Green in "Read and Destroy," probably the best of the series).
It was a bit jarring at first to see how much weight Roger Moore had gained since he had left "The Saint" in 1969, not to mention his "groovy" long hair (the James Bond producers made him trim off both, much to Moore's chagrin, when he took the role of 007 in 1973). Tony Curtis, on the other hand, couldn't decide whether to keep his hair dyed dark brown, light brown with a touch of grey, or fully grey, and it fluctuates from episode to episode, sometimes radically. He was beginning to lose his hair at this point as well. But Curtis was in superb shape and quite athletic, as he frequently demonstrated in the series.
Not essential viewing, but there is some witty banter, nice chemistry between the leads, good locations, some good to great guest stars, but the scripts fail to hit classic status (though one or two make a good attempt).
The first episode "Overture" was probably the worst. Only the charisma of its stars carried it, as the plot was paper thin. Subsequent episodes got better, some quite good, with a few propelled by superb guest stars (like Joss Ackland and Nigel Green in "Read and Destroy," probably the best of the series).
It was a bit jarring at first to see how much weight Roger Moore had gained since he had left "The Saint" in 1969, not to mention his "groovy" long hair (the James Bond producers made him trim off both, much to Moore's chagrin, when he took the role of 007 in 1973). Tony Curtis, on the other hand, couldn't decide whether to keep his hair dyed dark brown, light brown with a touch of grey, or fully grey, and it fluctuates from episode to episode, sometimes radically. He was beginning to lose his hair at this point as well. But Curtis was in superb shape and quite athletic, as he frequently demonstrated in the series.
Not essential viewing, but there is some witty banter, nice chemistry between the leads, good locations, some good to great guest stars, but the scripts fail to hit classic status (though one or two make a good attempt).
Classic T.V. series
lonniebealeusa10 April 2002
Whoever came up with the idea of teaming Roger Moore and Tony Curtis to star in this series should be congratulated,add the exotic locations and wonderful story lines and you have a show that is truely brilliant. The Persuaders was a hit show in Europe and Australia but for some unknown reason never successful in the U.S.A,which limited its run.Roger Moore is perfectly cast as Lord Brett Sinclair ,as is Tony Curtis as the Brooklyn born Danny Wilde ,seeking adventure and fun in the hotspots of the Italian and French Rivieras.What a shame the Americans had such bad taste in the '70's and never gave this show a chance.When you consider some t.v. series that had a long run in the U.S.A. that were not up to the quality of the Persuaders it makes one wonder about the taste of television viewers.
Poor Timing
P_Cornelius2 July 2004
The Persuaders would likely have been an international hit in America and abroad had it premiered a few years earlier--although the fact that Roger Moore and much of the production staff of The Persuaders was then making The Saint would have precluded the possibility. By 1971, however, the glamor of the jetsetting elite was just about to give way to mass tourism made possible by the Boeing 747. And the exotic world of Euro-spies and Cold War intrigue was about to be replaced by a mature Euro-terror movement, as exemplified by Baader-Meinhof and the Red Army Faction. The urbane world of Patrick McGoohan's Danger Man, Patrick Macnee's The Avengers, and Roger Moore's The Saint was about to disappear behind the nihilism and grimy proletarianism of Palestinian terrorism and Black September's Munich Massacre. The Persuaders suddenly looked out of place.
Not to mention that, while Roger Moore was on his way up (to James Bond), Tony Curtis was on his way down as a movie star (1965's The Great Race was Curits' last good role in movies). In fact, I always thought that since Beau Maverick (Roger Moore) had grown from TV's Maverick into Brett Sinclair, it would only have been appropriate that James Garner's Bret Maverick been hired as "Beau" Wilde. Not likely, of course, since Garner was still a major film star. But it would have been interesting, although I must admit watching The Persuaders on STARZ' Action channel and on the recently released DVD, I've been won over by Curtis' ad libbing and level of physical energy.
Final verdict: a great series that was just a few years too late in getting on to the tube. But note that the episodes filmed in Britain are far better than those that take place in the south of France.
Not to mention that, while Roger Moore was on his way up (to James Bond), Tony Curtis was on his way down as a movie star (1965's The Great Race was Curits' last good role in movies). In fact, I always thought that since Beau Maverick (Roger Moore) had grown from TV's Maverick into Brett Sinclair, it would only have been appropriate that James Garner's Bret Maverick been hired as "Beau" Wilde. Not likely, of course, since Garner was still a major film star. But it would have been interesting, although I must admit watching The Persuaders on STARZ' Action channel and on the recently released DVD, I've been won over by Curtis' ad libbing and level of physical energy.
Final verdict: a great series that was just a few years too late in getting on to the tube. But note that the episodes filmed in Britain are far better than those that take place in the south of France.
Nothing Tops The Persuaders!
andrew-sacco13 January 2007
Tony Curtis and Roger Moore give spectacular performances in what is perhaps one of the best TV Series ever. The premise of the show, the acting, the chemistry are amazing. Lucky for us, the DVD release has afforded us the chance to marvel again. And we are not disappointed. The show's superior wit, acting and ambiance stand above the crowd. A synergistic mix of great writing, Curtis' witty ad-libbing, Roger Moore's excellent acting add up to a sum greater than it's parts. The sometimes convivial, sometimes needling, bantering and quipping between Moore and Curtis give the show the real flavor of an off-the-cuff, unrehearsed performance. The show has a real energy and flow that keeps us wanting more. It also works marvelously due to the fact that both Moore and Curtis were allowed to let some of their real personalities shine through -- they were cast perfectly and they weren't laboring to be something they were not.
Moore like it
Lejink20 October 2017
Perhaps the last hurrah for all those wonderful escapist programmes from the late 60's and early 70's, "The Persuaders" took the genre to the max with star power and location shooting the likes of "Department S", "Randall And Hopkirk Deceased" and "The Champions" could only dream of. I remember when the show came out in 1971 there was such a buzz about it, all to do of course with the curiosity of the dream pairing of Curtis and Moore as the mix and match lead characters and after catching a load of the cleverly assembled title sequence and John Barry's brilliant theme tune, it was easy to watch from there.
Sure the writing and direction were by ITC stalwarts Terry Nation, Basil Deardon, Ian Broadley and the like plus the plots always seem to manage to include a pretty girl for the terrific two to squabble over and an exotic location to punch out the baddies, but it's really all about the star quality of Moore and Curtis playing out their posh Englishman versus moxy Yankee routine with petty squabbling, grudging respect, many a disorganised word and even the odd fist fight.
Anyway I've just watched the first two episodes and thoroughly enjoyed them. Sure it's dated in many ways, with its dodgy fashion sense and especially its condescending outlook towards women, but I still find it as entertaining as I did all those years ago on Friday nights at 7.30 round our family's old black and white TV set.
Sure the writing and direction were by ITC stalwarts Terry Nation, Basil Deardon, Ian Broadley and the like plus the plots always seem to manage to include a pretty girl for the terrific two to squabble over and an exotic location to punch out the baddies, but it's really all about the star quality of Moore and Curtis playing out their posh Englishman versus moxy Yankee routine with petty squabbling, grudging respect, many a disorganised word and even the odd fist fight.
Anyway I've just watched the first two episodes and thoroughly enjoyed them. Sure it's dated in many ways, with its dodgy fashion sense and especially its condescending outlook towards women, but I still find it as entertaining as I did all those years ago on Friday nights at 7.30 round our family's old black and white TV set.
Best show ever!
deana_lisi25 February 2015
This is easily one of the best shows that I have ever watched. I've always loved Tony Curtis and Roger Moore, and to see them both together would be the last thing you would expect, but it was the best thing the show's creators ever did. Tony and Roger's characters of Danny Wilde and Brett Sinclair are complete opposites, (except for the fact that they are both rich playboys) and they are truly hilarious to watch. You can see how much fun they had playing their roles, (especially Tony, who was always smiling, doing goofy things, and saying the funniest lines...I'm convinced that he ad-libbed half of what he said). The show was visually beautiful, being filmed in England, France, Scotland, etc. It completely boggles my mind that the show didn't catch on in America! It's such an awful, awful shame, as I could watch this show every day. (I have both sets, and have been doing just that, lol.) If you can get your hands on the DVDs (which are VERY expensive now...I'm sure glad I bought mine 12 years ago) don't hesitate. You'll treasure this show for the rest of your life. OH, I can't end this review without mentioning the AWESOME theme music! One of the best TV themes I've ever heard!
A joy to watch!
cwatson638728 January 2022
Dan-dan-da-na
Dan-dan-da-na
Dan-dan-da-na-na
Dan-dan--dan-da-na
Curtis & Moore play a couple of chalk&cheese playboys initially blackmailed into taking down a continental crime lord. After gaining respect for each other in the initial eposode the formula is repeated at various location usually involving saving a damsel in distress in the passing.
Undemanding fun, for me part of this fun is identifying the weekly guest stars, usually stalwarts of various other ITC productions. A period piece where no pert bosom or buttocks go unogled.
Oh, and did I mention the theme tune?
Curtis & Moore play a couple of chalk&cheese playboys initially blackmailed into taking down a continental crime lord. After gaining respect for each other in the initial eposode the formula is repeated at various location usually involving saving a damsel in distress in the passing.
Undemanding fun, for me part of this fun is identifying the weekly guest stars, usually stalwarts of various other ITC productions. A period piece where no pert bosom or buttocks go unogled.
Oh, and did I mention the theme tune?
Not just another PI show
jawlaw6 August 2006
This show stands out as one of the best shows ever killed in its first season. The balance of action, humor, plot, and plot twists came together to make this, in my mind, the best PI show (next to the Rockford Files) of the 70's. What a shame that it was given only 24 episodes to prove itself.
I remember how cool the characters were and how fresh the humor--including one scene where Tony Curtis bursts out of the show to answer the phone. It turns out to be a wrong number and he speaks brusquely: "No this is not Bernie Schwartz!!!" Of course the punch line for those in the know was that this was Curtis' given name before going to Hollywood.
The good news is that some one besides those writing here recognizes the unique quality of this show. Ben Stiller will appear in a movie rendition of the show which is now in pre-production. Whether it will become another "Starskey and Hutch" type spoof, or attempt to stay true to the original remains to be seen. Stiller will assume the amiable role of Danny Wilde played by Curtis in the original.
I remember how cool the characters were and how fresh the humor--including one scene where Tony Curtis bursts out of the show to answer the phone. It turns out to be a wrong number and he speaks brusquely: "No this is not Bernie Schwartz!!!" Of course the punch line for those in the know was that this was Curtis' given name before going to Hollywood.
The good news is that some one besides those writing here recognizes the unique quality of this show. Ben Stiller will appear in a movie rendition of the show which is now in pre-production. Whether it will become another "Starskey and Hutch" type spoof, or attempt to stay true to the original remains to be seen. Stiller will assume the amiable role of Danny Wilde played by Curtis in the original.
never mind the plots, this is how tv should be
grunsel22 August 2002
I dont think i have seen Tony Curtis so happy as he appears to be in this role. Whether its 'acting' happy or not, his and Moore's relationship lights up the screen, bringing cheerful escapist television into any living room.
A very enjoyable show
jimpayne196720 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The Persuaders starred Tony Curtis -an authentic Hollywood star - and Roger Moore who was just about Britain's biggest TV star after The Saint. It first showed during the late summer of 1971 and finished its first run in the February of the following year. It was broadcast on a Friday evening and was unmissable. It was repeated a couple of times in the seventies then disappeared for years. It was one of those programmes that had a nostalgia surrounding it almost as soon as it disappeared and I can remember in the late eighties having conversations with friends about the opening credit sequence, the John Barry theme tune, the cars, the gorgeous female guests and the episode where Tony Curtis turns up in drag at the end.
I can remember it cropped up in the Channel 4 season TV Heaven - introduced by the great Frank Muir- with the series opener- Overture- being broadcast. The BBC ran it in the mid90s and in a time of Cracker,Between the Lines, NYPD Blue and Trainspotting it seemed a bit lightweight and a bit jokey. But I saw the whole thing again recently and was pleasantly surprised at how good it still is.
The opening credits are as good as I remember them - a genuine masterpiece of editing- and Barry's theme tune though more serious in tone than many of the episodes which follow is a classic too. I had remembered from its last run 20 odd years ago that too many of the episodes veered too close to comedy but now in episodes like The Man in the Middle - with Terry-Thomas guesting- and A Death in the Family the humour seems right. Of course some of the episodes are a bit naff- the Gold Napoleons may have the considerable benefit of having Susan George in it but it is really not that great and Nuisance Value and Anyone Can play are pretty weak too. Mostly though the stories are less comedic and contrived than the show's camp reputation has it - it was once memorably spoofed by Harry Enfield as the Playboys- with Someone Like Me, The Morning After and the final episode Someone Waiting being especially good.
Legend has it that the two stars did not get on well - though neither ever said so- but they looked to be having a whale of a time. Curtis is a star of at least two cinema classics and although his hair colour seems to change between episodes he is fine as he usually was. Moore though is the real revelation. He is now looked on as something of a joke - largely because he overstayed his time as Bond and his increasingly lazy performances in the Saint - but here he is terrific as the privileged, titled Brett Sinclair.
The Persuaders is not perfect but if you are in need of cheering up and some glamour it comes close to perfection
I can remember it cropped up in the Channel 4 season TV Heaven - introduced by the great Frank Muir- with the series opener- Overture- being broadcast. The BBC ran it in the mid90s and in a time of Cracker,Between the Lines, NYPD Blue and Trainspotting it seemed a bit lightweight and a bit jokey. But I saw the whole thing again recently and was pleasantly surprised at how good it still is.
The opening credits are as good as I remember them - a genuine masterpiece of editing- and Barry's theme tune though more serious in tone than many of the episodes which follow is a classic too. I had remembered from its last run 20 odd years ago that too many of the episodes veered too close to comedy but now in episodes like The Man in the Middle - with Terry-Thomas guesting- and A Death in the Family the humour seems right. Of course some of the episodes are a bit naff- the Gold Napoleons may have the considerable benefit of having Susan George in it but it is really not that great and Nuisance Value and Anyone Can play are pretty weak too. Mostly though the stories are less comedic and contrived than the show's camp reputation has it - it was once memorably spoofed by Harry Enfield as the Playboys- with Someone Like Me, The Morning After and the final episode Someone Waiting being especially good.
Legend has it that the two stars did not get on well - though neither ever said so- but they looked to be having a whale of a time. Curtis is a star of at least two cinema classics and although his hair colour seems to change between episodes he is fine as he usually was. Moore though is the real revelation. He is now looked on as something of a joke - largely because he overstayed his time as Bond and his increasingly lazy performances in the Saint - but here he is terrific as the privileged, titled Brett Sinclair.
The Persuaders is not perfect but if you are in need of cheering up and some glamour it comes close to perfection
An Excellent Show, but it could've been so much better!
jammontgomery20 May 2023
Like what I've said in the headline, it's an excellent show, I really liked it, I actually got hooked up in the first viewing.
The pairing of Moore and Curtis really worked, they have great chemistry, which is rare (not many on screen pairings really clicked and have great chemistry, especially the modern ones these days).
John Barry's score has some intrigue and mystery, sound a bit like a modern crime thriller, it's magnificent.
Ken Thorne's contribution also were a hidden gems, I really liked those soundtracks in this show, why those composers nowadays don't make like those anymore? It's the soundtrack I can listen even without watching the show, I really liked those soundtracks, it's full of good vibes, so Barry + Thorne = and you have an excellent piece of music and sound!
Their acting were also great (Moore,Curtis and Naismith as Judge Fulton), they're all great.
I'm also giving some extra points for Tony Curtis doing his own stunts here, despite of his age, it's really obvious that he had put a lot more effort into this show, also as Moore said in some interviews that Curtis didn't liked to follow some of the scripts much, so I think it also helped a bit? I think so. He's really inventive and it's really evident in this show, the man had talents, I've watched him in films like Some Like It Hot and I think he's a bit of method actor who can embody every character that he's playing, and he proved it again here.
Of course that's not to ignore Sir Roger Moore, he oozed a lot of charisma in here, he's so handsome and a bit cute (it's said that he gained a bit weight here by drinking real champagne) and I don't see any problem with that, nor it does made him looked bad, it's not, in fact he's still good looking, and also like Curtis, some of his lines were also ad-libbed too.
As a pair, they really looked cute together (their banters and etc.), their bromance really got me.
As to the plots, some of them needs some suspension of disbelief, well, it's still a comedy, so it's just pure fun and escapism from the harshness of reality.
Lord Brett Sinclair and Danny Wilde are both male fantasies, wish fulfillments, they're exactly the types of what men wanted to be, men wanted to be them, being a jet setter playboy, living their life in the fast lanes, non stop adventures, women, gambling, luxuries, driving fast cars, that's what men wanted, and these two characters gave it to them!
Is it dated? Yes, not much in Sinclair, I think Sinclair was a lot more gentleman than Wilde, watching those episodes many times, I'm really noticing some of Wilde's comments towards/regards women, I don't know if this was an intention from Curtis' part or it's naturally a part of the character's attitude (since he came from Slums with no proper education or breeding, I suppose, I mean Lord Brett Sinclair had proper breeding and very educated compared to Wilde), I don't know, but it's just some of his comments about women or maybe the way he acted towards them are a bit dated, but it's very much of its time, and it's the fun that overshadowed it, so I don't mind it that much, it doesn't matter, it's fun and there's the essence of friendship between the two leads, so I don't mind it.
So we're now going down to the cons, again like what's written in the headline, it could have been so much better, there's a lot of potential in this show, and with some little bit more polishing and some additions, it could have been one of the best shows of the 70's.
Okay, let's start with Danny Wilde himself, since I've talked about him, is it me or he's not given a lot more to do in this show? Because it's seemed like all of the big time plots were all about Sinclair, half of the episodes in the Persuaders where it's all about Sinclair being in danger and Danny needs to save him, I think it's a bit unfair, think of those episodes like "Someone Like Me", "Greensleeves" "A Death In The Family", "The Morning After", "That's Me Over There" and "Somebody's Waiting" those episodes where the main focus is Sinclair.
When it comes to those episodes where the focus is Wilde, it's still Sinclair overshadowing him, that's why I liked "Angie, Angie" because it's where Wilde had been given his due, we learned more about him, and the episode "Element of Risk" where again, he's given a lot more to do than just to act as Brett's typical partner, maybe "A Home of One's Own" too, but I looked at that episode as focused on both of them.
And those episodes are very few, as in very few, those episodes that's mainly focused on Wilde was so very few.
Also, poor Danny Wilde, when it comes to the plots that's focused on him, it's all about him being mistaken for a wrong man or identity.
And one thing that overshadowed Danny Wilde, again, is in the locations, sure, there were several shots in Europe, but also half of them where the plot was shot in England, so it's Danny Wilde who would comes off as 'fish out of the water' in that country, since Sinclair was a native Englishman, so in some cases, Danny Wilde tends to act like a bit ignorant and fool because he didn't came from that country, again, a bit unfair.
It also doesn't help that okay, I know Tony Curtis was great comedian, but here, he's the one who's doing foolish things, he's the one being played for comic relief, Sinclair at least had a bit of seriousness to him, I think both of them should be comic, because they're duo, they're supposed to be equals in all aspects, but here, it's like they've made Danny Wilde a bit of a joke or played for laughs, I know this is a bit of comedy show, but I wished they've also gave Sinclair some comic or funny moments, it looked like they've only gave Sinclair some comic moments in the "Overture" episode, but the rest of the shows was him being semi-serious, with all of the comic moments going to Wilde, again that's why I liked "Angie, Angie" because that episode gave Wilde at least a bit of seriousness other than being as a comic relief, I liked to see more of that from Danny Wilde (and from Tony Curtis in general).
It's seemed like the most favored one in this show was Sinclair.
We've learned about the background of Sinclair a lot, but not hearing much on Wilde, especially his Oil Business, I'm wondering if he's still minding it? It looked like that he'd already left his business in US, I wish there's a plot where it's aimed at Wilde's business (maybe have a villain who have a plan of taking over Danny Wilde's business).
And I also liked to see Lord Brett Sinclair being a 'fish out of the water' in America, like how Danny does in England, I think it would give fairness to both, like have also Sinclair act a bit ignorant while he's in America because of different culture and life, it would have been so much interesting.
No doubt the show performed poorly in America at the time, because the show didn't gave them enough due.
Had they gave America a bit exposure (location wise), it would've likely to garner higher ratings.
That issue (being unfair to Wilde in some cases) led to me giving the show 9 stars instead of 10.
The show is great, rewatchable, enjoyable, and fun, it's a shame that this show ended up so prematurely, with only 24 episodes, it's too soon for this show to die that early.
I think this show had a lot of stories to tell, but not able to tell them all, because American audiences already killed them off, which I also couldn't blame, given that it's more British-centric show.
Also there's Moore accepting the Bond role, which is unfortunately, because to be honest, I enjoyed him here in this show more than as he was Bond, so I prefer this a bit to his Bond.
There's some talks at the time that they're going to replace him with Noel Harrison, I wished they stuck with that decision instead of killing this show off, I think it could still work given maybe that Tony Curtis was still continuing to the role, so I think Tony Curtis could've handled him, he's still one of those who have carried the show, so I'm a bit interested on how a Tony Curtis - Noel Harrison pairing would've worked out, it's a shame really, it's a shame.
I don't think a modern reboot or a remake of this would've worked, I don't think any of the modern actors of today could've pull a chemistry and banter like what Curtis and Moore had shown.
The pairing of Moore and Curtis really worked, they have great chemistry, which is rare (not many on screen pairings really clicked and have great chemistry, especially the modern ones these days).
John Barry's score has some intrigue and mystery, sound a bit like a modern crime thriller, it's magnificent.
Ken Thorne's contribution also were a hidden gems, I really liked those soundtracks in this show, why those composers nowadays don't make like those anymore? It's the soundtrack I can listen even without watching the show, I really liked those soundtracks, it's full of good vibes, so Barry + Thorne = and you have an excellent piece of music and sound!
Their acting were also great (Moore,Curtis and Naismith as Judge Fulton), they're all great.
I'm also giving some extra points for Tony Curtis doing his own stunts here, despite of his age, it's really obvious that he had put a lot more effort into this show, also as Moore said in some interviews that Curtis didn't liked to follow some of the scripts much, so I think it also helped a bit? I think so. He's really inventive and it's really evident in this show, the man had talents, I've watched him in films like Some Like It Hot and I think he's a bit of method actor who can embody every character that he's playing, and he proved it again here.
Of course that's not to ignore Sir Roger Moore, he oozed a lot of charisma in here, he's so handsome and a bit cute (it's said that he gained a bit weight here by drinking real champagne) and I don't see any problem with that, nor it does made him looked bad, it's not, in fact he's still good looking, and also like Curtis, some of his lines were also ad-libbed too.
As a pair, they really looked cute together (their banters and etc.), their bromance really got me.
As to the plots, some of them needs some suspension of disbelief, well, it's still a comedy, so it's just pure fun and escapism from the harshness of reality.
Lord Brett Sinclair and Danny Wilde are both male fantasies, wish fulfillments, they're exactly the types of what men wanted to be, men wanted to be them, being a jet setter playboy, living their life in the fast lanes, non stop adventures, women, gambling, luxuries, driving fast cars, that's what men wanted, and these two characters gave it to them!
Is it dated? Yes, not much in Sinclair, I think Sinclair was a lot more gentleman than Wilde, watching those episodes many times, I'm really noticing some of Wilde's comments towards/regards women, I don't know if this was an intention from Curtis' part or it's naturally a part of the character's attitude (since he came from Slums with no proper education or breeding, I suppose, I mean Lord Brett Sinclair had proper breeding and very educated compared to Wilde), I don't know, but it's just some of his comments about women or maybe the way he acted towards them are a bit dated, but it's very much of its time, and it's the fun that overshadowed it, so I don't mind it that much, it doesn't matter, it's fun and there's the essence of friendship between the two leads, so I don't mind it.
So we're now going down to the cons, again like what's written in the headline, it could have been so much better, there's a lot of potential in this show, and with some little bit more polishing and some additions, it could have been one of the best shows of the 70's.
Okay, let's start with Danny Wilde himself, since I've talked about him, is it me or he's not given a lot more to do in this show? Because it's seemed like all of the big time plots were all about Sinclair, half of the episodes in the Persuaders where it's all about Sinclair being in danger and Danny needs to save him, I think it's a bit unfair, think of those episodes like "Someone Like Me", "Greensleeves" "A Death In The Family", "The Morning After", "That's Me Over There" and "Somebody's Waiting" those episodes where the main focus is Sinclair.
When it comes to those episodes where the focus is Wilde, it's still Sinclair overshadowing him, that's why I liked "Angie, Angie" because it's where Wilde had been given his due, we learned more about him, and the episode "Element of Risk" where again, he's given a lot more to do than just to act as Brett's typical partner, maybe "A Home of One's Own" too, but I looked at that episode as focused on both of them.
And those episodes are very few, as in very few, those episodes that's mainly focused on Wilde was so very few.
Also, poor Danny Wilde, when it comes to the plots that's focused on him, it's all about him being mistaken for a wrong man or identity.
And one thing that overshadowed Danny Wilde, again, is in the locations, sure, there were several shots in Europe, but also half of them where the plot was shot in England, so it's Danny Wilde who would comes off as 'fish out of the water' in that country, since Sinclair was a native Englishman, so in some cases, Danny Wilde tends to act like a bit ignorant and fool because he didn't came from that country, again, a bit unfair.
It also doesn't help that okay, I know Tony Curtis was great comedian, but here, he's the one who's doing foolish things, he's the one being played for comic relief, Sinclair at least had a bit of seriousness to him, I think both of them should be comic, because they're duo, they're supposed to be equals in all aspects, but here, it's like they've made Danny Wilde a bit of a joke or played for laughs, I know this is a bit of comedy show, but I wished they've also gave Sinclair some comic or funny moments, it looked like they've only gave Sinclair some comic moments in the "Overture" episode, but the rest of the shows was him being semi-serious, with all of the comic moments going to Wilde, again that's why I liked "Angie, Angie" because that episode gave Wilde at least a bit of seriousness other than being as a comic relief, I liked to see more of that from Danny Wilde (and from Tony Curtis in general).
It's seemed like the most favored one in this show was Sinclair.
We've learned about the background of Sinclair a lot, but not hearing much on Wilde, especially his Oil Business, I'm wondering if he's still minding it? It looked like that he'd already left his business in US, I wish there's a plot where it's aimed at Wilde's business (maybe have a villain who have a plan of taking over Danny Wilde's business).
And I also liked to see Lord Brett Sinclair being a 'fish out of the water' in America, like how Danny does in England, I think it would give fairness to both, like have also Sinclair act a bit ignorant while he's in America because of different culture and life, it would have been so much interesting.
No doubt the show performed poorly in America at the time, because the show didn't gave them enough due.
Had they gave America a bit exposure (location wise), it would've likely to garner higher ratings.
That issue (being unfair to Wilde in some cases) led to me giving the show 9 stars instead of 10.
The show is great, rewatchable, enjoyable, and fun, it's a shame that this show ended up so prematurely, with only 24 episodes, it's too soon for this show to die that early.
I think this show had a lot of stories to tell, but not able to tell them all, because American audiences already killed them off, which I also couldn't blame, given that it's more British-centric show.
Also there's Moore accepting the Bond role, which is unfortunately, because to be honest, I enjoyed him here in this show more than as he was Bond, so I prefer this a bit to his Bond.
There's some talks at the time that they're going to replace him with Noel Harrison, I wished they stuck with that decision instead of killing this show off, I think it could still work given maybe that Tony Curtis was still continuing to the role, so I think Tony Curtis could've handled him, he's still one of those who have carried the show, so I'm a bit interested on how a Tony Curtis - Noel Harrison pairing would've worked out, it's a shame really, it's a shame.
I don't think a modern reboot or a remake of this would've worked, I don't think any of the modern actors of today could've pull a chemistry and banter like what Curtis and Moore had shown.
Classy nostalgia, albeit dated
merrywater30 April 2015
I remember as a kid I used to run home every time I heard the theme of The Persuaders. Strangely, I do not recall much of the content. I guess not being that familiar with English at the time, or the plot devices, made me watch it only out of fascination of car chases and such.
Being an adult, and having improved my English, I can enjoy the sparkling dialogue which does add considerably to my appreciation of this TV show.
It's rather lightweight entertainment though, and the episodes are full of logic gaps and all kinds of flaws, sometimes to the point of getting ridiculous, but the chemistry between Curtis and Moore is what's it all about for me. I find it difficult to understand that the two of them didn't hit it off, if that's indeed true. Maybe it isn't.
Besides the nostalgia, the theme music, the dialogue and the timing of the protagonists, it's the suave outdoor settings, in particular those shot in France and Italy, that make this series unforgettable. I don't believe there ever was another show that could compete with The Persuaders with respect to this.
The often far-fetched plots, the overly cheesy pre-disco music and the abundance of rear projection all cause me to feel more or less indifferent about the episodes. Two things that really annoy me are the slightly claustrophobic indoor scenes (often recycling details and furnishing) i.e. studio shots, and some of the female actors, such as the Maria girl in the Overture Episode who was portrayed as some kind of bomb shell, but actually came along as a plain looking hag.
Being Swedish, I won't bother to comment on the inaccuracies of the episode allegedly partly filmed in Sweden...
Being an adult, and having improved my English, I can enjoy the sparkling dialogue which does add considerably to my appreciation of this TV show.
It's rather lightweight entertainment though, and the episodes are full of logic gaps and all kinds of flaws, sometimes to the point of getting ridiculous, but the chemistry between Curtis and Moore is what's it all about for me. I find it difficult to understand that the two of them didn't hit it off, if that's indeed true. Maybe it isn't.
Besides the nostalgia, the theme music, the dialogue and the timing of the protagonists, it's the suave outdoor settings, in particular those shot in France and Italy, that make this series unforgettable. I don't believe there ever was another show that could compete with The Persuaders with respect to this.
The often far-fetched plots, the overly cheesy pre-disco music and the abundance of rear projection all cause me to feel more or less indifferent about the episodes. Two things that really annoy me are the slightly claustrophobic indoor scenes (often recycling details and furnishing) i.e. studio shots, and some of the female actors, such as the Maria girl in the Overture Episode who was portrayed as some kind of bomb shell, but actually came along as a plain looking hag.
Being Swedish, I won't bother to comment on the inaccuracies of the episode allegedly partly filmed in Sweden...
The Ultimate Seventies Schlock!
CosmicDwellings15 October 2000
Lord Brett Sinclair(Roger Moore) and Daniel Wilde(Tony Curtis) fighting crime all over the U.K. and Europe in the name of justice, with two flashy cars and a pair of eyes for the ladies. In a way, it was a good notion that the Producers decided to pull the plug on this series after just 24 episodes, because it adds to the uniqueness and rarity of it all. In another sense they had no choice but to quit whilst they were ahead, well in the U.K. and Europe anyway, because it was the American market that finally decided it's fate-shame really, but how do you come up against an already established cult like 'Mission Impossible' at it's peak.
'The Persuaders!' is prime-time escapism thanks to the combination of two glittering actors both at the top of their respective fields at the time. But what a strange combination, but the whole thing worked. Every series has it's own stand-out and exceptional episodes and this series was no different. The highly recommended ones come in the form of: 'Overture'(the pilot), 'Angie...Angie', 'The Gold Napoleon', 'Someone Like Me', 'Greensleeves', 'Someone Waiting', 'The Morning After' and 'The Long Goodbye'. We also have other due notable episodes like 'Take Seven' in which we see Tony Curtis deliver one of the best comedic performances of the whole series, set in a barber's shop. Finally who could forget the bronx warrior doing his fancy fight scene stunts in 'The Old, The New and The Deadly'. So, there we have some gems amongst gems in a gem of a series, with a great mixture of action and comedy. Enjoy...
'The Persuaders!' is prime-time escapism thanks to the combination of two glittering actors both at the top of their respective fields at the time. But what a strange combination, but the whole thing worked. Every series has it's own stand-out and exceptional episodes and this series was no different. The highly recommended ones come in the form of: 'Overture'(the pilot), 'Angie...Angie', 'The Gold Napoleon', 'Someone Like Me', 'Greensleeves', 'Someone Waiting', 'The Morning After' and 'The Long Goodbye'. We also have other due notable episodes like 'Take Seven' in which we see Tony Curtis deliver one of the best comedic performances of the whole series, set in a barber's shop. Finally who could forget the bronx warrior doing his fancy fight scene stunts in 'The Old, The New and The Deadly'. So, there we have some gems amongst gems in a gem of a series, with a great mixture of action and comedy. Enjoy...
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