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The Avengers: The Inside Story by Patrick Macnee with Dave Rogers
02/02/2008 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
pub: Titan Books. 144 page illustrated hardback. Price: £17.99 (UK), $24.95 (US, $29.95 (CAN). ISBN: 978-1-84578-843-8). Buy The Avengers: The Inside Story in the USA - or Buy The Avengers: The Inside Story in the UK  check out website: www.titanbooks.com
This book is essentially a re-release of the 1997 book 'The Avengers And Me'. Having somehow missed the book the first time around, I can't compare any changes here to the original. What is important to know is that this is not a standard size hardback but one of the big flatter ones which means the photos, in black and white and colour, get the justice and size they deserve. For that reason alone this book is worth getting, especially if you're an Avengers fan.
A few years ago, I pulled the Emma Peel Avengers Boxset from America simply because it was the cheapest way to get it. Having a Multi-Region DVD player was an added incentive. 'The Avengers' is a classic of British TV. Totally iconic and stands the test of time. Patrick Macnee played John Steed throughout its run, initially with Ian Hendry and then with female leads, Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg, Linda Thorson and Joanna Lumley and Gareth Hunt (all right, so he's not female!).
This book is autobiographical over this period combined with memories from various people in production and cast of the events. Throughout, Macnee constantly reminds the reader that he isn't Steed and isn't particularly strong-willed enough to always speak out when he should on behalf of other actors' rights. If anything, I suspect this was typical of the time for a lot of TV actors where the situation was that they were treated as cattle and could easily be changed. One simply didn't want to rock the boat too much and be grateful for the pay you got. Television, when it started, was seen as a secondary medium to the theatre and even actors looked down on it. All these kinds of things would affect anyone involved, let alone see the entire picture. It's interesting that the final chapter of the book has Macnee's thoughts on what it is to be an actor and what is brought to a role that can make anyone shine. This is real insight that should be of interest to any developing actor let alone people like me looking in by its insightfulness.
When reading this book, you'll quickly discover that this doesn't just cover 'The Avengers' but how the studio operated and the internal politics over a twenty year period at ITV. The press junkets to promote the series across the world and oddly how few awards either the cast or production got. Indeed, Macnee and Blackman are the only ones to win one, The Variety Club ITV Personalities for 1963. For a series with such a reputation today, 'The Avengers' would have been picking them up all the time.
What I also liked about this book is how it fills in the gaps of explaining the roles of the people at the top like Sydney Newman, who also created a BBC series called 'Doctor Who', and producer Julian Wintle and what they did. Something a simple credit on the screen, at least in Wintle's case as Newman was never officially credited, certainly cannot cover.
This is not only a pleasant book but a delight to read. Macnee confesses to not being a writer but enabled by the writing talents of Dave Rogers and his own knowledge of 'The Avengers' has clearly made this a book you need to own if you love the series. Have I been gushy enough?
GF Willmetts
Photos: The Avengers (c) 1961-1969 CANAL+. The New Avengers (c) The Avengers (Film and TV Enterprises) Ltd by permission
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