The Saint returning to TV

[Ktrek]

The character Simon Templar (otherwise known as The Saint) has been around for a very very long time. First starting out in books in the 1920's and then made into films in the late 1930's and early 1940's. The beloved actor George Sanders (who also played in the 1940's "The Falcon" series before his brother Tom Conway took over as the Falcon) was the second actor to play The Saint and carried the franchise for five films until Hugh Sinclair took over for two and then a final burnout of the series by Louis Hayward in 1953 (The Saint Returns). The 1940's also had a long running radio series with none other than Vincent Price playing the role of Simon Templar. In the 1960's there were a couple of French made films with the beloved character but it wasn't until Roger Moore, who was later to famously play James Bond, made his debut as The Saint in a couple of TV movies that the character was surprisingly revived. Moore would go on to play the role of Simon Templar from 1962 to 1969. A long run by any standards and 113 episodes to show for it. 

Well, you know you can't keep a good character down and in 1978 the character was revived for two seasons of the TV show The Return of The Saint played by Ian Ogilvy. And then appears out of the blue in one of the made for TV movies of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. in 1984.

But is that the end? Nope! Simon Templar resurfaces again in 1989 for some made for TV movies (six to be exact) played by Simon Dutton. Then finally by Val Kilmer in the not so good 1997 film simply titled "The Saint".

So it's no wonder that someone would once again be looking at reviving this character for TV. It should be interesting to see what kind of modern day spin they can give to the character. All in all nothing will probably ever be quite as good as those old George Sanders films and the later Roger Moore TV shows. So, my expectations will not be too high but hopeful. I just wonder why nobody has ever looked at the Doc Savage stories for a movie or TV series? *sigh*

Here is an article about the new TV series taken from Coming Soon.

James Purefoy is the New Saint
Source: The Hollywood Reporter March 10, 2008


"The Saint" is coming back to TV via a contemporary take on Leslie Charteris' books, with James Purefoy in talks to topline as the debonair international thief Simon Templar, says The Hollywood Reporter.

Producers Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana, writer Jorge Zamacona, feature producer Bill Macdonald, Roger Moore -- who played Templar in the 1960s British series -- and his son Geoffrey Moore are all involved in the project.

Levinson is set to direct the two-hour TV movie/backdoor pilot, which will be produced independently and then shopped to the networks.

Macdonald has been associated with "Saint" on and off for 17 years. In 1991, he acquired the rights to the books for producer Robert Evans. The two went on to produce the 1997 feature starring Val Kilmer.

Kevin

[Meds]

Doc Savage Man of Bronze was made into a film with Ron Ely in the title role in 1975. And a good old yarn it was too. I was named after Simon Templar (the roger moore version so my mother says) and been very happy to tell people that. Being born in 1973 my saint was really Ian Ogilvy but i've seen the Sanders films and loved them. Rofer Moore brilliant, Val Kilmer bloody awfull.
Would like to see it go back to the Charter books if possible, lets keep our fingers crossed.

[Dan M]

Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana are good names to have associated with a project.  I'll be looking forward to this.

Purefoy was screen tested for the role of James Bond in 1995 for Goldeneye, but ultimately lost the role to Pierce Brosnan.

[Ktrek]

Doc Savage Man of Bronze was made into a film with Ron Ely in the title role in 1975. And a good old yarn it was too.

Yea Simon I'm aware of the Ron Ely film and have a copy. I enjoy it's campiness. I've always thought that Doc had more potential for an ongoing series than Indiana Jones, but for whatever reasons nobdy has really picked up on this. In the 1960's and 1970's he was extremely popular with young people because of all the Bantam paperbacks they had been putting out for years. Oh well!

Kevin

[Meds]

This is a classic theme tune to Return of the Saint

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK1dtGfMGBo

[Ktrek]

that's cool Simon! These are the ones I mostly remember:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRlbmV39Zhw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phvZf6EHac4&feature=related

Kevin

[Meds]

How brilliant. You don't get tv themes or titles in fact like that anymore.