Hot damn, the ’60s were just full of great Secret Agent shows and movies. From James Bond to Man from U.N.C.L.E. to Honey West to Jonny Quest to Get Smart, you couldn’t turn the TV dial without finding some sort of Russian spy trying to rule the world (damn Russians). Today, our favorite blond spy, Illya Kuryakin makes a small cameo via Bud’s black turtleneck.
Edit: I forget not everyone here was alive and watching ’60s TV. Some of you were alive, but can’t remember the ’60s. So, here’s Illya Kuryakin and the Man from U.N.C.L.E. logo from the TV series.
Spies with Turtlenecks Rule
Johnny Rivers’ “Secret Agent Man” was on the charts at the pinnacle of the spy business on TV in the USA in the ’60s. The UK’s “Danger Man” became “Secret Agent Man” here in the USA. And it featured Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake. I am also a “Saint” fan with Roger Moore. To me, Moore was more Bond then Connery, but I’ll get my head bit off by the Connery fans out there, but hey, it’s my opinion.
ILLLLLLYAAAAAA! I came as close as I’ve ever come to the weird world of fandom due to that character. David McC was just too hot for words 🙂
Blimey, Johnny Rivers. Now you’ve tripped the memories button! My first-ever frontline gig in Hellay. Ah, the nostalgia…
AWESOME ‘camera angle’ in the last panel. Ohhh yeahh.
I know you don’t listen to the tunes I post, BUT check out the album title. I thought of you immediately.
😛
Well of course you did. Being in JR’s band *at* the Whisky WAS my first-ever frontline gig!
Love the edit BTW. Way back then, I befriended a fellow ex-pat just because his family had a telly and I could go over to watch U.N.C.L.E. One of my few telly experiences, and a cherished one at that 🙂
Yeah… going out the front door might not have been a good idea.
And who’s this Illya Kuryakin fellow? Sound, British, I guess, Indian at that.
Go Google “Man from U.N.C.L.E.”, a TV series from the ’60s and you’ll see who he is. The original black turtlenecked spy, that’s who!
Nah, Ilya/Illya is a Russian name. As is the rest. It was considered quite brave to have a ‘Russian’ character as a co-star back in the middle of the Cold War, even if said Russian was played by a Scotsman :DC
hell, byron … they still have cereal premiums, only they’ve gotten better. i’ve got my eye on this cap’n crunch t-shirt …
–dee!
p.s. hi tafkan, long time… 🙂
I *just* ordered that t-shirt! 🙂
Cap’n Crunch was one of my favorite cereals to buy as they always had some sort of offer or another on it. Had the Treasure Chest cereal bowl, the model of the Guppy, hand puppets of the crew and the Cap’n and on and on…
I believe it was General Mills (Cheerios, et al) that had the more popular ones back in the day… I just remember filling out envelopes to Battle Creek, MI a lot…
😛
Remember the Bullwinkle story where Boris and Natasha were trying to bring down the world’s economy with counterfeit box-tops?
Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale… how could we talk about the great spies of the 1960s and not have mentioned them yet?
Well, if we’re going for a complete list of spy shows… the best of them all… “I Spy” with Robert Culp and Bill Cosby. Shot in Black & White, well written, suspenseful and a touch of humor from Mr. Cosby without making it campy or silly. Way ahead of it’s time in many aspects, particularly by having Cosby as a co-star. Hard to believe it was big deal back then that a black actor was a co-lead in a major TV series. We have made *some* progress… not enough, but some.
🙂
heh. i’m a couple of “proof of purchase seals” away from getting that shirt. well, and scrounging up the $3.49 of course. 🙂 you’ll have to tell me if the shirt is cool or not. i have to wonder how they could make a t-shirt bad… 🙂
so strange that those cereal companies all had/have their “premium” fulfillment centers located in other places when they’re almost all headquartered in minnesota …
Yeah, in the same boat. I have the seals (why not box tops any more? Damn…) But making sure my check for $3.49 is good is another story some days. Damn economy…
We had all the mills!
otcha Dee!
Erm, I thought Captain Crunch was an old-skool phone hacker…
oy! 🙂 it’s been ages.
he was. he got his nickname from the cereal, primarily because one of their “free toy inside” premiums was a whistle that, when blown, just happened to emit a perfect 2600hz tone.
Ah, that makes sense. I’ve very little knowledge of the strange universe of breakfast cereals, since I was brought up on porridge (which I love love love to this day) and *still* think that plain cornflakes or wheat bikkies are, y’know, awfully threatening… 😛
What? The freakin’ toy whistle that Sea Dog used on the Guppy could enable you to make free long distance calls back in the day? Jesus, how did I miss that … especially since my best friend worked at Bell Labs in the 80s, and my wife’s father worked at Bell Labs his entire life.
I had to Google that one. Funny as hell. May have to have Bud resurrect his love of Cap’n Crunch now (I gave up the “Crunch Dust” bit years ago…).
Next you’ll find out that every secret decoder ring in ever cereal box in history actually did decode secrets. Muhahahaha…
Actually, David “Illya Kuryakin” McCallum is currently on NCIS as
Dr. Donald Mallard, and he still has women swooning! While I like Roger Moore as Bond, finding out he’s a pooftah kinda tipped the scales for me to prefer Connery, Dalton, and Daniel Craig more these days. I don’t have a problem with anyone who is Gay, in fact several of my friends are, but a playboy James Bond should not be played by a gay man any more than Batman should be (sorry!)
Your story is heating up, and your artwork is getting better every time. Thanks again Byron!
Eh, the actor’s personal life has nothing to do with their performance. And Moore is still a better Bond any day. Now, he had his stinker films, but the GREAT ones more than made up for it. “Live and Let Die” is the best Bond film in my opinion, that and 1977’s “Spy Who Loved Me” is a far second.
The current Bond is ick. Now Pierce Brosnan was a great Bond as well. Had I been younger, I probably would rank him the best Bond.
Connery and Brosnan FTW! Though I have to protest – as I’ve done for so many years now – at ANY kudos being sent in Roger Moore’s direction. The man is and always has been incapable of acting. At ALL. With one exception: a small and unregarded old fillum called The Man Who Haunted Himself. Only time I’ve ever seen Moore turn in an even vaguely believable performance.
Re cinematic Bonds – interestingly the much-sneered-at George Lazenby was actually far closer to canonical Bond as Fleming envisioned him than any of the most-beloved Bonds have been. Likewise for Timothy Dalton and Daniel Craig. I do love Craig as an actor, and I think he does a superb job in the so-called Bond movies, but IMO they’re not really Bond movies. The Bond movie – read that as BOND!MOVIE! – has long since become its own bubble universe, and the new run of so-calleds are not keeping up that tradition :-S
I feel the same way, Drew, only with me it’s Star Trek — I could never really accept Leonard Nimoy as Spock once I found out he wasn’t a real alien. I’ve got nothing against humans, mind you — some of my best friends are human — but an alien shouldn’t be portrayed by a human actor any more than a robot should be.
:-p
Ha! Makkabee, you rock. 🙂
No, no… I rock… he’s just funny. 🙂
I’ll take that.
Well, for as much as I make you laugh, you make me laugh. So, you deserve it! Now, make with the funny…
😛
I think it’s frakking scandalous that Caprica Six wasn’t played by a real robot…
Hang on…what? Roger Moore came out? After kazillionty marriages to women, and assorted children? Are we talking about the same Roger TheSaintandshittyuselessfauxJamesBond Moore who went with his definitely female wife to the royal wedding in Monaco only a few weeks ago? ~is very confused~
And don’t forget “The Wild Wild West” — secret agents, gilded age style!
Get Smart was always my favorite of that bunch, though. Pity they lobotomized it when they turned it into “Inspector Gadget” — just because something’s a children’s cartoon doesn’t mean it has to be stupid. But the original? Definitely need to add that to my DVD collection.
Man, almost forgot “Wild, Wild, West”! Conrad and Martin were a great team and that show was high on my list back in the day.
Now that movie with Will Smith sucked balls big time. What an abomination.
“Get Smart” did comedy and spoofing the right way. I have only caught a glimpse or two of the “Inspector Gadget” cartoon (not up my alley) but had to take my kids to the movie back in 1999 or so.
I’ve never seen more than snatches of the film versions of WWW or IG. The former looked like it was trying to be MiB in cowboy hats instead of staying true to the spirit of the original, and the latter… well, no matter how much glitter you sprinkle on a turd, it’s still shitty. I respect the actors involved — they’ve all done excellent work in other films — but some projects are just doomed.
Ooh, I remember that one! I even saw an episode of it once. Wonderful stuff – and would I be right in thinking The Wild Wild West was *the* seminal steampunk event?
I actually managed a music store-video store combo back in the day! The early 90’s, a Sam Goody-Suncoast [no longer in business]. Those were the days, all the free music I wanted and no cops to tell me no! Being the manager had it perks, but managing teenagers aged me quickly! o.O
…is this a flashback?!? o.O Why am I remembering this???
This explains a LOT more about you! Any retail job is nuts, but a music/video store combo would drive me absolutely crazy. “Do you have this in Beta?” and all that nonsense. Free music would be a HUGE benefit though.
Seems you were Bud in another life. Did you get laid as much as Bud? I didn’t…
😛
I was constantly getting laid! By Manny Palms and her five fingered friends! [smirk]
…I don’t think I know anyone who has gotten laid as much as Bud, the man is a legend I tell ya! [grin]
“Rosie, you wear my ring. When you hold me tight, Rosie, that’s my thing…”
Um, Jackson Browne, what are you singing about? Hmmm..
Bud is a legend… he hardly tries and gets laid. I never had Bud’s volume, but I had my fair share of women lay some whopper of pick up lines on me. The best one: “I bet you’re good in bed.” How can you NOT answer that one? True story.
Pleeeeeease tell me you were the man who coined the phrase “CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!”…
Damn, that would have been a good come back… but alas, I’m not that sharp witted (still not).
No, I believe the answer was “There’s only one way to find out.” The odd thing was we were not in a bar or at a party. I was walking her home from the Library and the college had stated that us guys should escort said females back to their dorms for safety reasons. We weren’t even talking about sex, so the comment came from left field.
So, that was a first for me. 😛
Dude. We’re mammals. *Everything* is about sex!
Love the top banner! I loved I Spy! and The Wild Wild West, had to watch the Man from U.N.C.L.E, but never was into the spy thing or “Bond”. Must be a male thing! LOL
Thank you, Barb! I use to change the header all the time, but of late I’ve forgotten to update it for holidays and such.
To quote George Carlin: “You know there are spies at the airport. Your job: find ’em.” Yeah, spies are kinda a guy thing for sure, especially Bond who is the epitome of male chauvinistic pigs, especially in the ’60s.
~this Bond films lover looks down at her chest~
~this Bond films lover looks between her legs~
Er…um…
Can I look too?
Carlin would have been a great Spy. Though I can tell Barb why us boys were into spies. We are known for lying, but not for lying well. Let’s face it, the only mystery a woman sees in a guy is when he’s next to her not telling her the same bull most guys say to impress her. Truth is, women are better liars than we are, and even we saw through most of the badguys (Thanks to awesome shows) so why would they be into shows about men who are lying when they know that they could do all that without the gizmos. (doesn’t help men are headlining the shows too, Agent 99 aside.) They can make men spill their guts and get into private events/areas without too much effort, so why see some shmuck do it all fancy-like? Sorry if it’s a rant, but that’s how I see it. Keep up the awesomeness, Byron.
Rant away… I do. 🙂
And thanks for the thumbs up, man!
How can you mention TV spies or Patrick McGoohan (who was actually a native New Yorker, by the way http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_McGoohan) without mentioning “The Prisoner”?
While not a spy show per se (we never really learn which side is holding McGoohan’s character captive) it was probably one of the best Cold War-era mindfucks ever made. (Arguably, only “The Parallax View” might be better if you’re willing to look past Warren Beatty’s rather twee-to-the-point-of-self-indulgent performance. Not a feat that I’ve ever been able to manage…)
In my researching “Danger Man” I read where a lot of folks think the “Prisoner” character was actually the protagonist from “Danger Man”. I guess one sub-character appeared in both shows sealing the deal for these folks. I don’t consider “Prisoner” a true spy show, but it is a damn good show and a *great* example of the ’60s shooting style for TV.
THIS.
Am I going mad or did Bruce Willis do a semi-respectable version of Secret Agent Man on his “Rhythm and Blues” LP? In fact I think I actually bought that LP, back during or after the Moonlighting days! Ah those were the days … but after the ’70’s it must be said! 😀
Oh and great comic Byron, loved all the old Spy shows myself! Preferred Connery as Bond and also quite like Craig’s version, amazingly! 😀 Hated Roger Moore’s awful acting!
Now, be serious… is there any “real” acting in Bond movies? We watch for the women and the explosions. Moore’s movies had a ton of both, as did most Bond films. The new Bond films are *not* Bond films, and I agree with TAFKAN on that point. Good films, but not Bond in the strict sense.
I think what draws me to Moore is “Live and Let Die” which for me is the best Bond film. “Thunderball” is right there next to it as well, but it’s showing it’s age now. For sure, every other Moore Bond film stunk the place up… “Man with the Golden Gun”, “Octopussy” are good examples of really bad Bond films. Moore also played Bond way too long and was too old in the end to pull off the macho Bond. They needed to get Pierce Brosnan in sooner, but there were legal issues with Brosnan’s TV series at the time. Dalton was a terrible Bond by the way.
~nods~ I still can’t abide Moore LIEK EVAR, but there’s no doubt that he blundered his way through some of the most fun and visually spectacular Bond movies!
BTW I’d read several of Fleming’s novels as a child, before the first official Bond Movie (i.e. Dr No) ever came out.
Thx Bob, for finally being the one to mention Willis in a musical context without spitting. Actually he wasn’t bad at all!
I agree with TAFKAN, I think that Lazenby was definately closer to the character that Fleming wrote about, followed by Dalton & Craig. Fleming’s Bond was really not very nice, and a lot rougher and unrefined than the movie Bonds. Overall, tho, I still have to go with Connery; best Bond ever.
In resurecting the great TV spy shows of the 60’s, how has everyone (I think) missed the best one? Mission: Impossible?!! I lived for that show. My wife would also chime in were she “here”, & throw in her 2 cents for Honey West & The Avengers…
Aw, man, you’re right! Jesus, “Mission: Impossible” was a great show! Wonder how many tiny reel-to-reel tape players were burned up in that show? I can remember the original team leader Daniel Briggs in 1966!
Yes, overall Connery is Bond only because he was the orginal (well, original successful Bond). But I think Brosnan played Bond the best and I’m not liking the new Bond films at all, and it has nothing to do with Craig. Now, I’ve never read ANY of Fleming’s books, so I have nothing but the films themselves to compare to.
Man, drawing Bud in a black turtleneck has sure opened a huge can of worms here in the comments section! Seems I should draw a Spy comic then…
😛
“Seems I should draw a Spy comic then…”
Rod, meet back. Muhahaha. Muhahahahaha. Muhahahahahahaheeheehee!
Ahahahahaha! Now Byron HAS to do a strip/wallpaper in which every member of the band is pulling off a Mission Impossible mask of *another* band member’s face… 😛
“…throw in her 2 cents for Honey West & The Avengers…”
Egads, how could we forget Diana Rigg’s leather catsuit! ~dies dribbling~
Ah, yes! Emma Peel is certainly needed today. (I had a schoolboy crush on Diana Rigg when The Avengers was on it’s U.S. run on ABC.) But let’s not sell her replacement, Tara King (the lovely and talented Linda Thorson); who, in my opinion at least, admirably filled the rather large go-go boots that Ms. Rigg vacated for — ironically enough — the Bond movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service; short.
Yes, Thorson did a very good job, although her character was created to have, shall we say, far less elegance and coolth than Mrs Peel’s.
Also, let us not forget Cathy Gale (Peel’s predecessor, played by Honor Blackman IIRC), also a gorgeous and elegant character!
Unfortunately I’ve never been blessed to see any of the Gale episodes. I know that they’re on DVD, but the only set I’ve seen was on eBay — and for Southeast-Asia-encoded players (R5, I think) at that!
Farewell then to George ‘Wexford’ Baker. It was nearly George ‘James Bond’ Baker, but that never came to be, perhaps happily. He brought integrity and grace to his roles. Flash wasn’t his thing. A gentleman.
I say he should have been Buddet in a sexy Emma Peel or Modesty Blase catsuit why hotter and leave the black sweater to Sterling Archer he invited it.