The Pie and Bovril Dead Pool 2023

[Bully Wee Villa]

The Man from Undertaker.

[Florentine_Pogen]

When I was a wean in the 60's I had a thing for Russia, mainly after watching Lev Yashin in 66 WC and David McCallum as Ilya Kuryakin (sp?) in Man from UNCLE.  RIP to Maryhill's finest.

McCallum as Illya Kuryakin

The Man from U.N.C.L.E., intended as a vehicle for Robert Vaughn, made McCallum into a sex symbol, his Beatle-style blond haircut providing a trendy contrast to Vaughn's clean-cut appearance. McCallum's role as the mysterious Russian agent Illya Kuryakin was originally conceived as a peripheral one. McCallum, however, took the opportunity to construct a complex character whose appeal rested largely in what was shadowy and enigmatic about him.^[8] Kuryakin's popularity with the audience as well as Vaughn and McCallum's on-screen chemistry were quickly recognized by the producers, and McCallum was elevated to co-star status.

Although the show aired at the height of the Cold War, McCallum's Russian alter ego became a pop culture phenomenon. The actor was inundated with fan letters, and a Beatles-like frenzy followed him everywhere he went.^[8] While playing Kuryakin, McCallum received more fan mail than any other actor in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's history, including such popular MGM stars as Clark Gable, Robert Taylor and Elvis Presley.^[11] Hero worship even led to a record, "Love Ya, Illya", performed by Alma Cogan under the name Angela and the Fans, which was a pirate radio hit in Britain in 1966. A 1990s rock-rap group from Argentina named itself Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas in honour of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. character.

McCallum received two Emmy Award nominations in the course of the show's four-year run (1964–'68) for playing the intellectual and introverted secret agent.^[8]

McCallum and Vaughn reprised their roles of Kuryakin and Solo in a 1983 TV film, Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.. In 1986 McCallum reunited with Vaughn again in an episode of The A-Team entitled "The Say U.N.C.L.E. Affair", complete with "chapter titles", the word "affair" in the title, the phrase "Open Channel D", and similar scene transitions.

In an interview for a retrospective television special, McCallum recounted a visit to the White House during which, while he was being escorted to meet the U.S. president, a Secret Service agent told him, "You're the reason I got this job."

 

Edited September 25, 2023 by Florentine_Pogen

[Eednud]

9 minutes ago, Florentine_Pogen said:

When I was a wean in the 60's I had a thing for Russia, mainly after watching Lev Yashin in 66 WC and David McCallum as Ilya Kuryakin (sp?) in Man from UNCLE.  RIP to Maryhill's finest.

I’ve still got my Man from UNCLE ID card somewhere. 

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

4 minutes ago, Eednud said:

I’ve still got my Man from UNCLE ID card somewhere. 

I used to have number 2 and 11 badges in my youth.

[deegee]

From “sapphire and steel” to “ashes to ashes, dust to dust”.

[PossilYM]

1 hour ago, Zen Archer (Raconteur) said:

I derive no pleasure whatsoever from this news.

David McCallum 90

Sorry to hear about the man from Maryhill.

[peasy23]

I think with David McCallum's passing that only leaves John Leyton as the last man standing from The Great Escape cast.

[Eednud]

 

[Fullerene]

The Invisible Man is gone.  Didn't see that coming.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

 

[welshbairn]

1 hour ago, Eednud said:

I’ve still got my Man from UNCLE ID card somewhere. 

I had the car but I think it broke first time I tried to get Kuryakin and Solo to shoot out of their windows.

[Aim Here]

I take it we can use the transuranic heavy elements now.

[Lurkst]

[Melanius Mullarkey]

8 hours ago, Eednud said:

I’ve still got my Man from UNCLE ID card somewhere. 

Did you use that to get into Oz?

[hk blues]

28 minutes ago, Lurkst said:

Heads Gone thread for this pish.

[JustOneCornetto]

7 hours ago, peasy23 said:

I think with David McCallum's passing that only leaves John Leyton as the last man standing from The Great Escape cast.

William Russell still alive as well

[Sergeant Wilson]

7 hours ago, welshbairn said:

I had the car but I think it broke first time I tried to get Kuryakin and Solo to shoot out of their windows.

I had a car as well, but it worked fine. You must be a bit heavy handed.

[scottsdad]

41 minutes ago, JustOneCornetto said:

William Russell still alive as well

He is indeed. 

And he's one of my 2 solo shots this year. 

[GordonD]

8 hours ago, welshbairn said:

I had the car but I think it broke first time I tried to get Kuryakin and Solo to shoot out of their windows.

I had one too. Always wondered how 'secret' they were driving around with that big logo on the bonnet.

[Lurkst]

Every Halloween without fail my old man regales us with the tale of two boys turning up at the front door dressed in black and claiming to be "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." Their turn was a full on fight scene, involving throwing each other over the sofa and table, while my mum desperately attempted to protect anything of value.