Biographic - Sunday May 31, 2015 Comic Strip Licensing and Permissions

Transcript

"The Man From U.N.C.L.E" tv show ran for four seasons in the mid-1960s at the height of the spy craze. It was the brainchild of TV producer Norman Felton, who had enjoyed success wiht the "Dr. Kildare" series James Bond author Ian Fleming was briefly involved at the outset, and he contributed the name Napoleon Solo for the Tv show's lead character, legal wrangling prevented Felton from calling the show "Solo" so "The Man From U.N.C.L.E" was born U.N.C.L.E was an acronym for united network command for law and enforcement. The premise was a network of secret agents from around the world fighting common foes. TV and movie star Robert Vaughn, whose credits included "The Magnificient Seven" took the role of Napolean Solo. Scottish actor David McCallum was cast as Illya Kuryakin, an agent from the soviet union. The network wanted changes from the pilot and one executive insisted that McCallum's character be axed. However, he could only recall that the name began with the letter "K" which resulted in Will Kuulvua being replaced by Leo G. Carroll as Mr. Waverly, head of U.N.C.L.E. It was a fortuitous misunderstanding- when the show began airing in 1964. McCallum was a huge hit with viewers and quickly became a style icon and major heartthrob! The series was a worldwide success, sparking a merchandising bonanza and spawning movies, books, comic books and strips, and the spin-off series, "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E." "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." ended in 1968, and both Vaughn and McCallum- who briefly reprised their roles for a 1983 tv movie- subsequently enjoyed very successful careers in TV. This summer, 47 years after the TV series ended, "The Man From U.N.C.L.E" is coming to the big screen, with "Man Of Steel," star Henry Cavill as solo, Armie Hammer, as Kuryakin, and Hugh Grant as U.N.C.L.E chief Mr. Waverly in a movie directed as Guy Richie.

Tags