"The Persuaders!" (1971) TV series 1971-1972

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

18 September 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Plot:

English Lord Brett Sinclair and American Danny Wilde are both wealthy playboys, they are teamed together...

Plot Keywords:

Playboy | Cult Favorite | Car Chase | Mission | Duo

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Tony Curtis	...	Danny Wilde (24 episodes, 1971-1972)
Roger Moore	...	Lord Brett Sinclair / ... (24 episodes, 1971-1972)
Laurence Naismith	...	Judge Fulton (11 episodes, 1971-1972)

Also Known As:

"The Friendly Persuaders" (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:12 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Trivia:

In one episode Tony Curtis answers a hotel telephone with the words, "Bernard Schwartz? Never heard of him." Bernard Schwartz is Tony Curtis's real name

Quotes:

[Brett's Uncle Angus has just been squashed flat by a falling courtyard door, the latest in a string of murders of Brett's relatives]
Kate: Poor Uncle Angus. Meanest man I ever met. Probably worth millions.
Danny Wilde: Imagine. All that money and he died flat.
Lord Brett Sinclair: Well, uh, as someone once said, "To lose one relative is misfortune. To lose two is carelessness."
Kate: Oscar Wilde.
Lord Brett Sinclair: Thank you. But I have lost six. Which is absolute, downright negligence!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Comedy Connections: To the Manor Born (#4.5)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

The Persuaders

Inspired!

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!