Spy-Fi Goodness

The cinematic debut of Bond (there was a radio program in South Africa before this). Here, he is American agent Jimmy Bond, played by Barry Nelson. Not bad, all things considered, mostly due to Peter Lorre as Le Chiffre.

Patrick McGoohan stars as John Drake, an agent for NATO. These are a bit more subdued and cerebral than its cinematic counterpoints. McGoohan is icy calm and maintains the moral high ground. This would set the scene for McGoohan's masterpiece.

Though it predates the Bond films, things don't start to kick into high gear until Honor Blackman enters the picture. Once Emma Peel debuts, it takes off like a rocket. Loads of fun, with a nice mix of humor and action, with both realistic and fantastic plots.

The film that started it all! Not quite up to later standards, but still pretty exciting. The villain is a weak Fu Manchu rip-off, though.

The literary character was more of a detective and that's the character in the earlier movie series. Here, Roger Moore portrays Simon Templar as one part superspy, one part freelance troubleshooter. Very entertaining and better than his Bond, for my money.

One of the best written of the Bond series, and the start of the gadgets, with everyone's favorite attache case. It's a shame that SPECTRE Island is never revisited, as the hunt for it could have made for a great plot.

Things start to get rather grandiose, though it's pulled off masterfully! Ken Adams goes to town with the Fort Knox set.

Why stop at one spy when you can have two? Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin battle with the forces of THRUSH. It starts out well, but takes a downturn in the later seasons. The UNCLE Specials are by far the ultimate in spy weaponry. The series would spawn a film series, with episodes edited together and footage added to link the stories.

There's no turning back now. Gadgets and megalomaniacs dominate the films, from here on out! The Aston Martin is topped by the jetpack, an item no self respecting superspy should be without.

Bill Cosby and Robert Culp take on the baddies. Not quite as exciting as Bond or UNCLE, but a charming series in its own right.

The ultimate in spy spoof. Max Smart is the most hapless secret agent, but 99 will get him through. Pity the poor head of CONTROL, but hiss at the forces of KAOS!

Taught spy thriller that helped (along with Alfie) launch Michael Caine into stardom. Caine is Harry Palmer, the anti-Bond. Palmer's world is filled with reports and double-dealing bosses. The thinking man's spy.

Steampunk before the term existed. This series took the spy series back in time to the Old West, and gave us the coolest spy series of all. Very inventive, with charming leads. Michael Dunne as the recurring villain, Dr. Miguelito Loveless, makes this a classic. Dunne would have made a fantastic Bond villain.

Excellent adaptation of John Le Carre's best seller. Burton plays the part of the burnt out agent well, caught in Control's manipulation of the Russians. Great sequences along the Berlin Wall and a fine character piece. Real spy stuff here.

Rod Taylor stars in this spy spoof. Taylor is an ex-GI who accidentally saves the life of spy Trevor Howard. Sometime later, he finds himself recruited to be an assassin. He tries to continue the con, hiring Erik Sykes to hit his targets, but he soon has to do the job himself. Lots of fun in the British spoof.

This was more of a detective show, but it was draped in spy-fi trappings. Anne Francis is great as the very capable Honey West, who was far closer to Modesty Blaise than any of its cinematic efforts.

Spy spoof featuring tv's Dobie Gillis, Frankie Avalon (sans Annette), and Vincent Price. It won't win any awards, but it's entertaining enough.

Well, the first one did well enough to spawn a sequel. It's ok, better than some offerings out there.

Now that Bond's a hit, it's time to take the mickey out of it. Enter Dean martin as Matt Helm. This is by far the best of the series, with plenty of gags that work, some of the silliest gadgets (a gun that fires backwards!), and a great cast.

Spin-off from UNCLE, though not up to its standards (and they weren't that high for very long). Stephanie Powers is plenty sexy, though. Noel Harrison is there for some reason, but I can't fathom why.

Matt Helm returns, and is joined by Karl Malden and Ann Margret. not as good as The Silencers, but still pretty entertaining. The hovercraft is pretty cool and there is a decent henchman.

James Coburn stars in this superior spy spoof. Flint is a master of multiple disciplines and needs no weaponry, just a cigarette lighter. Lee J Cobb is a hoot and Flint's assistants put him one up on Bond.

Joseph Losey makes a hash of the wonderful comic strip. It is mostly a showcase for 60s camp, but it doesn't do much for the greatest female spy/adventurer. OK if you want surreal camp, not if you want serious action. Even Matt Helm took itself more seriously than this.

More rom-com than spy spoof, it has just enough elements of a spy parody to qualify. Doris Day and Rod Taylor make for a great couple, but Paul Lynde and Dom Deluise provide the laughs.

Harry Palmer is back and he must arrange for the defection of a Russian general. Everyone is lying in this one, and Palmer is in up to his neck. Great stuff here, with more action than IPCRESS.