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Bowler Hats and Kinky Boots: The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to "The Avengers"
‘Always keep your bowler on in times of stress. And watch out for diabolical masterminds.’
The Avengers is one of the most stylish and influential television series of all time, blending action and adventure with outrageous villains and a camp sense of fun. It introduced the public to the central characters of John Steed, Cathy Gale, Emma Peel and Tara King, and made international stars of actors Patrick Macnee, Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg and Linda Thorson.
This is the most in-depth reference work about the show. It covers all aspects, going through the production episode by episode, with full behind-the-scenes details. Assembled from ABC Television documentation, including daily progress reports and internal letters and memos, to give a complete day by day picture of how the series progressed from videotape to film and from black and white to colour. In addition, the author has spoken and corresponded with many people who worked on the series, to give the fullest picture yet of how this classic and stylish British production was assembled.
This volume also covers The New Avengers, the South African radio series, the stage play and the 1998 feature film.
The Avengers is one of the most stylish and influential television series of all time, blending action and adventure with outrageous villains and a camp sense of fun. It introduced the public to the central characters of John Steed, Cathy Gale, Emma Peel and Tara King, and made international stars of actors Patrick Macnee, Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg and Linda Thorson.
This is the most in-depth reference work about the show. It covers all aspects, going through the production episode by episode, with full behind-the-scenes details. Assembled from ABC Television documentation, including daily progress reports and internal letters and memos, to give a complete day by day picture of how the series progressed from videotape to film and from black and white to colour. In addition, the author has spoken and corresponded with many people who worked on the series, to give the fullest picture yet of how this classic and stylish British production was assembled.
This volume also covers The New Avengers, the South African radio series, the stage play and the 1998 feature film.
810 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2014
12 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Michael Richardson
142 books10 followersLibrarian Note:
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There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 3, 2019
As one of the most iconic TV shows in history, The Avengers has had quite a lot of material written about it. This is the best book I've found that gathers most of that data all in one place, and it's actually better than most web-based fansites I've seen.
If you're a devoted fan, you're apt to pick up just about anything you spot about the show, but if you were to pare it all down to one book, this would be the one to hang onto!
If you're a devoted fan, you're apt to pick up just about anything you spot about the show, but if you were to pare it all down to one book, this would be the one to hang onto!
July 17, 2015
Probably the moat comprehensive and detailed book on The Avengers and The New Avengers that there's ever likely to be. And obsessive amount of detail which must have taken years of painstaking research to document is on nearly every page. Clearly a labour of love for the author.
© Koplowitz 2015
© Koplowitz 2015
July 9, 2016
Unofficial yet the most comprehensive book you will ever read on this , my favourite tv show . Tons of detail in over 700 pages . I use it as a reference as I watch my dvd s , so many things are pointed out by Richardson you see the episodes like it was the first time .
August 4, 2020
All I see everywhere are 5-star reviews saying this is the book ever on the TV show 'The Avengers'. I would argue that. It's certainly the most comprehensive book on the show. It obviously too a great deal of research from the author, who clearly loved the show. So... why isn't it the best for me?
I just find it awfully 'dry'. It is more like a school text book. It has no warmth or humour. No pictures whatsoever... a bit like an anti-version of 'The Avengers - A Celebration' book that I reviewed last month, that had lots of pictures and little information. It's also not something you can read from start to finish. It's more of a book you dip into.. or read while on the loo. But boy is it heavy! So reading it is a struggle sometimes.
This is good... but for a show with so much humour and warmth, I expected something more... warm with at least a bit of humour. It's probably personal preference.
For me... the best book I've thus far read is 'The Avengers: The Inside Story' by Patrick Macnee jhimself. It's a short but sweet book, rather like a child's 'annual' (like the Beano or Dandy) that you used to get at Christmas. It was full of memories and I did not want it to end. Any book that leaves you wanting more is a thing to be cherished.
This one sadly, is not like that. It's more like 'The Guinness Book of Hit Singles' used to be... for pulling out to settle an debate or argument about a show. Maybe I'll change my mind come winter time when I can settle down with it more comfortably.
I do certainly appreciate the time, effort and skill that went into this book though, and I would recommend it to anyone obsessed with the show, as I am.
I just find it awfully 'dry'. It is more like a school text book. It has no warmth or humour. No pictures whatsoever... a bit like an anti-version of 'The Avengers - A Celebration' book that I reviewed last month, that had lots of pictures and little information. It's also not something you can read from start to finish. It's more of a book you dip into.. or read while on the loo. But boy is it heavy! So reading it is a struggle sometimes.
This is good... but for a show with so much humour and warmth, I expected something more... warm with at least a bit of humour. It's probably personal preference.
For me... the best book I've thus far read is 'The Avengers: The Inside Story' by Patrick Macnee jhimself. It's a short but sweet book, rather like a child's 'annual' (like the Beano or Dandy) that you used to get at Christmas. It was full of memories and I did not want it to end. Any book that leaves you wanting more is a thing to be cherished.
This one sadly, is not like that. It's more like 'The Guinness Book of Hit Singles' used to be... for pulling out to settle an debate or argument about a show. Maybe I'll change my mind come winter time when I can settle down with it more comfortably.
I do certainly appreciate the time, effort and skill that went into this book though, and I would recommend it to anyone obsessed with the show, as I am.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews