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MikeR
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Joined: 19 Jul 2009
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Location: UK
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 Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 12:05 am Post subject: Bowler Hats and Kinky Boots: The Ultimate Avengers Book |
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After spending three years assembling and writing the most detailed book ever on The Avengers, The New Avengers and The Avengers feature film, Telos Publishing have now scheduled Bowler Hats and Kinky Boots for a summer release.
At slightly over 800 pages this book is now available to pre-order on the Telos website www.telos.co.uk although it will become available later on both Amazon UK and Amazon USA and there will also be a Kindle version. This design will be the cover.
Compiled from official paperwork from ABC Television, Iris Productions, Telemen Productions, ABC Television Films, The Avengers (Film & TV) Enterprises and Warner Brothers, including internal correspondence and daily progress reports, this volume gives a day by day account of how the series progressed. In addition to this information, the author has also spoken and corresponded with many people who worked on the series, thus giving the fullest picture yet of how this classic and stylish British production was assembled. This volume also covers the South African radio series and the stage play.
Just to wet your appetite I can confirm that you will also discover the answers to the following…
Who was the first actress considered as Ian Hendry’s replacement?
Which episode of The Avengers was vetted by The Ministry of Defence before transmission?
Which major member of the videotaped production was later invited to join the team at Elstree Studios making the series on film and turned it down?
Before the Associated British Picture Corporation decided to fund the series on film, ABC Television considered making the series as a co-production with another ITV regional company, but which one?
Besides the UK, which other country was considered for filming episodes of The Avengers?
In spring 1965 Honor Blackman was offered the lead in which primetime American TV series?
Which black and white Diana Rigg episode besides A Touch of Brimstone had cuts?
Which director was verbally reprimanded by Albert Fennell for rewriting portions of a film series script in his lunch break?
Further to this, there is the full story behind the proposed Broadway Avengers play and the 1965 feature film project that was to have location filming in the Middle East.
All this and more can be found in Bowler Hats and Kinky Boots. |
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Alan
A Touch of Brimstone
Joined: 01 Sep 2008
Posts: 2987
Location: The Edge of Avengerland
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 12:22 am Post subject: |
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Congratulations, Mike. I know just how long you've been working on this!
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Alan
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denis rigg
The Bird Who Wrote Too Much
Joined: 06 Sep 2008
Posts: 1582
Location: Moscow, Russia
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 12:46 am Post subject: |
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Wow, this is fantastic news. 
I am glad that it is not banal book, and the whole journey into history with little-known facts and rare material. It certainly should be in collection of Avengerfans and I feel I will long time carefully study all the details.
Well done, Mike!
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Darren
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Joined: 01 Sep 2008
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Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 1:03 am Post subject: |
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Wonderful!!! This sounds right up my street. Definitely be getting this.
Looking forward to the final cover. |
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mousemeat
A Touch of Brimstone
Joined: 04 Sep 2008
Posts: 4267
Location: Elvis Central, U.S.A.
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 1:21 am Post subject: |
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| denisrigg wrote: | Wow, this is fantastic news.
I am glad that it is not banal book, and the whole journey into history with little-known facts and rare material. It certainly should be in collection of Avengerfans and I feel I will long time carefully study all the details.
Well done, Mike! |
great news...and i can't wait to purchase one..and dive right into it.
true labour of love...well done! |
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anti-clockwise
The Bird Who Wrote Too Much
Joined: 17 May 2013
Posts: 1683
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 6:49 am Post subject: |
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Mike this is wonderful news and it just answered my question to you. I have been longing for a behind the scenes book.I can't think of anything more complete and you would be the one to do such a stellar project. Congratulations and I have no doubt it will be a great success for you as well as make many of us fans very thrilled to read. I wish I had the champagne fountain that Steed built to give you a glass. Cheers!
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MikeR
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Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 6:53 am Post subject: |
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| anti-clockwise wrote: | | Mike this is wonderful news and it just answered my question to you. I have been longing for a behind the scenes book. I can't think of anything more complete and you would be the one to do such a stellar project. Congratulations and I have no doubt it will be a great success for you as well as make many of us fans very thrilled to read. I wish I had the champagne fountain that Steed built to give you a glass. Cheers! |
Margo, I've been keeping quiet about the book here on the forum for what seems like years and years, mainly because there's always something that goes wrong when you're trying to do something like this. I've been lucky with Telos Publishing as they have shown the interest in the project after two other publishers took it on and then let me down. I'm extremely pleased to be finally getting there. |
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Andrew Pixley
Have Fingers... Will Type!
Joined: 02 Sep 2008
Posts: 420
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 7:28 am Post subject: |
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In case anyone even has the vaguest doubt about Mike's forthcoming book ... I can tell you that as far as I'm concerned it should be the most exciting thing available on the production of "The Avengers". The work he's done on this is quite, quite amazing, and the level of detail will be truly brilliant. Can't wait to see the finished version.
All the best
Andrew
Last edited by Andrew Pixley on Wed Apr 16, 2014 11:02 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Darren
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 10:45 am Post subject: |
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I was thinking how encyclopaedic your knowledge was, Mike, and now I know why.
I'm so fascinated by the behind the scenes on any show I love so I'm incredibly excited for this.
I hope that there will be some titbits to include comments on for my chapters in Rodney's books.
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MikeR
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 11:06 am Post subject: |
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| Darren wrote: | I was thinking how encyclopaedic your knowledge was, Mike, and now I know why.
I'm so fascinated by the behind the scenes on any show I love so I'm incredibly excited for this.
I hope that there will be some titbits to include comments on for my chapters in Rodney's books.
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Thanks for the kind words Darren.
I'm sure that a lot of the new information presented in the book will find its way into other books and onto websites, but that does not bother me. Part of writing the book was to raise the profile of The Avengers and it will hopefully do that. Another thing I wanted to do was go further and provide some of the answers that the various books written by Dave Rogers did not. Not that I think Dave did a bad job, I think he did a very good job, considering that he did not have the internet or have call on a world of Avengers enthusiasts to assist him. I've researched The Avengers since the early 80s, so I have had a huge oppotunity to amass considerable information during that time and as I'm sure a great many people would also like to know this information, the logical solution was a book. |
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anti-clockwise
The Bird Who Wrote Too Much
Joined: 17 May 2013
Posts: 1683
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 4:19 pm Post subject: |
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Mike I am also amazed by you. I can't believe that you could have such a great book that is turned down by other publishers and falls through after the promise that they will take you on. I heard there was a book but some vague ness about it and had no idea it was indeed you as the author. The perfect fit and the other publishers loss! Also a brilliant time for publication with the 50th anniversary of the film era. I can't wait to read the book. Is this going to be in separate volumes or be as heavy to lift as "War and peace?" Thank goodness for kindle! Be sure of whatever length I will read every page. Please keep us informed! You have made my day! Oh and great cover. Did you design it? It's perfect!
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Anthony McKay
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Joined: 20 Oct 2008
Posts: 133
Location: New Zealand
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 8:25 pm Post subject: |
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| I also hear there might be a Kindle version of the book? |
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MikeR
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 11:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Anthony McKay wrote: | | I also hear there might be a Kindle version of the book? |
Tony
Upon publication, Bowler Hat and Kinky Boots will also be available on Kindle and Nook worldwide. |
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Speed Six
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Joined: 19 Oct 2011
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Location: The Open Road
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 2:04 am Post subject: |
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| I also had a feeling something like this might be on the way, following some of Mike's posts on various forums recently. It sounds as if it it's an absolute must for any Avengers fan. Well done Mike ! |
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MikeR
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 2:28 am Post subject: |
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| Speed Six wrote: | | I also had a feeling something like this might be on the way, following some of Mike's posts on various forums recently. It sounds as if it it's an absolute must for any Avengers fan. Well done Mike ! |
Yes Sam, you obviously remember me trying to track down New Avengers locations over on Brit Movie sometime ago, which was for this project. Like various other people who have posted both here and on Brit Movie regarding my various enquiries you will receive a thank you in the book for your assistance. |
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Timeless A-Peel
A Touch of Brimstone
Joined: 31 Aug 2008
Posts: 4866
Location: New Scotland, Canada
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 4:09 am Post subject: |
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Wow, Mike, you did a good job of keeping this under your (bowler) hat!  I had no idea anything like this was in the works! But it sounds absolutely spectacular, and I can't wait to read it. It'll fill a niche not covered by most of the other books on the show. It's nice to finally have all the behind-the-scenes info pulled together in one place. I love that it's inclusive as well, with the radio series and the stage play. They deserve to be explored further in print. 
Fantastic work, and I know we're all going to love the results!
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MikeR
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 4:25 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the kind words Timeless.
As I mentioned higher up the thread I've wanted to get this into the open for months and years, but resisted because of all the things that can and frequently do go wrong when planning something like this. I wanted to write a book covering the complete works of The Avengers and so that included The New Avengers, the feature film, radio series and the stage play. Needless to say I soon discovered thet The Avengers is a very big subject to start writing about. |
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Timeless A-Peel
A Touch of Brimstone
Joined: 31 Aug 2008
Posts: 4866
Location: New Scotland, Canada
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 4:35 am Post subject: |
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| MikeR wrote: | Thanks for the kind words Timeless.
As I mentioned higher up the thread I've wanted to get this into the open for months and years, but resisted because of all the things that can and frequently do go wrong when planning something like this. I wanted to write a book covering the complete works of The Avengers and so that included The New Avengers, the feature film, radio series and the stage play. Needless to say I soon discovered thet The Avengers is a very big subject to start writing about. |
I can imagine. But I'm sure the results will be worth it! Again, it's great to have everything covered in one book, beyond the original series and TNA to all of the various spin-offs. But I completely understand the desire to not want to say anything until it was a sure thing. It's incredibly heartening that books like these are still being written about the show so long after it ended.
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mrs_emma_peel
Have Fingers... Will Type!
Joined: 08 Feb 2010
Posts: 295
Location: North-East England
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 5:06 am Post subject: |
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Your book sounds and looks absolutely splendid Mike - a gold mine of meticulously researched Avengers information -
looking forward to pre-ordering my copy
James |
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Speed Six
Little Wonder
Joined: 19 Oct 2011
Posts: 195
Location: The Open Road
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 9:27 am Post subject: |
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| MikeR wrote: | | Speed Six wrote: | | I also had a feeling something like this might be on the way, following some of Mike's posts on various forums recently. It sounds as if it it's an absolute must for any Avengers fan. Well done Mike ! |
Yes Sam, you obviously remember me trying to track down New Avengers locations over on Brit Movie sometime ago, which was for this project. Like various other people who have posted both here and on Brit Movie regarding my various enquiries you will receive a thank you in the book for your assistance. |
Thanks Mike, that's very kind. Always happy to help if I can. |
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