The Avengers Series 1 Opening Titles and Closing Credits 1961

[all13Doctors]

Was not that exact scene used in a modern ghost movie?

[vashna3799]

The 1st season had a very "noirish" feel to it, a lot grittier, and the only season were Steed carried a gun and did the rough stuff ,also ,not a single leather clad female throughout.

[digipeeper]

Like most UK shows, this show did not survive the brutal decisions of neglect.

[altfactor]

The original format was much more serious.

This theme music remained for awhile, but by 1965, it was obvious the series was getting to be too light and whimsical for the original theme music, so the better-known theme by Laurie Johnson replaced it.

By the way, wasn't Season One in the UK shot on tape (with a couple of episodes broadcast live)??

[TimBrownYale]

i love it!

b&w

ONE camera

"ALSO starring patrick macnee"...

think how radically the production of this series changed between 1964 & 1965.

[topofthepopsguy]

Everyone may also be interested to hear that telesnaps(off-tvscreen photos) were discovered this last year for every episode of the primarily lost 1st season!Are all supposed to be published soon I believe.Were also seven ts from a Ian Hendry serial no one seems able to place?

[tomservo56954]

@topofthepopsguy Who knows when we Yanks will get to see them? It took 30 years for the Honor Blackman shows to air in the U.S.

(and the American term for "telesnaps" is "kinescopes")

[topofthepopsguy]

@tomservo56954 Not to contradict here in any way. Kinescopes are not telesnaps. You are thinking of what are caled telerecordings in the U.K., and kinescopes in the U.S. Telesnaps are off-screen photos of many parts of now lost tv material. Was quite a common practice for some time in europe, first pioneered by John Cura. Read into this individual, and you will see what I am refering to here. Thank you for the response post here!

[topofthepopsguy]

@tomservo56954 Tele-snaps (often known as Telesnaps) were off-screen photographs of British television broadcasts, taken and sold commercially by John Cura.From 1947 until 1968, Cura ran a business selling the 250,000-plus tele-snaps he took. The photographs were snapped in half of a normal frame of 35mm film, at an exposure of 1/25th of a second. Generally around 70-80 tele-snaps were taken of each programme. They were mostly purchased by actors and directors to use,prior to home video machines

[000MikeNZ000]

"Also starring Patrick Macnee"!! Wow. I used to watch the otiginal series as a youngster, and although I remember Ian Hendry I certainly didn't recall Patrick Macnee as being billed with a supporting role. Thanks for the nostalgic reunion!

[evamarimo]

it's really great that ARTE showed those episodes which survived (only two... :(

and the first half of the pilot)

I find Dr Keel to be a great character and its a pity I cant see more of him!

[JubalCalif]

Interesting! Did Ian Hendry's character have a sex change operation & become Honor Blackman's character?? Looks like it was a fascinating show when it had just a male cast. THANKS for posting! Love that jazzy theme song!

[madmax8903]

I'd love to see some of the first series with Ian Hendry,as well as the more of Honor Blackman.

[Reuzenman]

The series were recorded on film not on APEX so nothing is lost - me think. I would like to see those early series with Hendry and later Blackman.

[38lewis38]

@Reuzenman I was a Cameraman on the Avengers. Ian Hendry & Blackman The series was recorded on early AMPEX 2 1nch videotape. It could not be edited and was live to tape to each commercial break.

[34airflow]

Definitely jazz instead of pop. 

[hgsfdtref45]

Amazing to think this was how it looked and sounded originally. Also a great shame Ian Hendry didn't have as big a career as he should have.  Great performances in everything I've watched of his, thoroughly underrated actor of the 1960's and 70's.

[ewaf88]

Jazz music over opening credits never seems to date- and what a great one. RIP

[hillbillyprofane]

I love the "crumpled paper" look to the credits and the theme. The first series had such a dark tone, and the Steed character was quite sinister in some ways. Thanks for posting this!

[Zedwoman]

I saw the original surviving episodes on cable TV a few years back. I think it was the Mystery Channel that showed them at that time. They were great.

[merseymain]

RIP Johnny Dankworth

[weenielongus]

Man, did that episode run short, or were those closing credits for people who read really slow?!? It took a whole minute and a half to show just 17 names!! A fella could fall asleep reading those closing credits!!

[MirkodiWallenberg]

It is a pity the first series is almost lost for ever! I would have loved to see those episodes but that is the reality of live television without recording it!

[banjochris]

Oh, they recorded it. They just destroyed the recordings.

[dramaticguy]

Yes I've enjoyed the Hendry episodes,what s left 2 and quarter episodes.

I an Hendry really aged in 10 years saw him in The Sweeney in '75,looked like 20 years since The Avengers,not 10.

[Doubledig]

I was around then but don't remember these Ian Hendry episodes. The move to a female accomplice for Steed (Cathy Gale - played by Honor Blackman) probably increased viewing figures considerably and set the scene for Emma, Tara and Purdey later.

[caraqueno]

This theme really knocks my socks off. The more familliar Laurie Johnson theme of the Diana Rigg period and beyond was what I grew up with but the theme and music by Johnny Dankworth is more '60's, somehow more appropriate to "The Avengers", and is more intoxicating. I wish I had been able to see and hear these early episodes when they originally appeared! How great they're here for posterity.

Enjoy!

[SeanElGatoTelevision]

Unfortunately, only two episodes (and the first twenty minutes of the series premiere, "Hot Snow") currently exist from the first season (w/Ian Hendry; all the episodes starring Honor Blackman are all accounted for).

John Dankworth's original series theme song was released as a single several times in the UK (when it had to be re-recorded for the show).