The Mother Muffin Affair

THE GIRL FROM U. N. C. L. E. Only lasted one season in the fall of 1966, the obvious highlight this third episode, "The Mother Muffin Affair," featuring the great Boris Karloff in drag as Agnes Tewksbury, aka Mother Muffin. While the actor had played female roles during his barnstorming stage days (such as one of the ugly sisters in "Cinderella!") this, to my knowledge, was the only time when he essayed a female role on screen, playing it completely straight (or about as straight as an U. N. C. L. E. Episode normally would be). There is certainly a good deal of humorous running around, as well as a leading role for Robert Vaughn's Napoleon Solo (which explains the absence of Noel Harrison). Stefanie Powers would go on to greater things like HART TO HART in the late 70s. Reportedly, when Karloff first saw himself in full makeup he bemoaned, 'I look like a 2-dollar whore!' While the producers initially considered Judith Anderson for the role, they recalled how the script described the character as looking like 'Boris Karloff in drag,' and the actor relished the challenge. His greatest laugh arrived while sitting in his dressing room with the door open, surprised by two young boys, ages 8 and 6, the older one taking one look at this elderly woman to exclaim: "Jesus Archie, that's the ugliest old broad I've ever seen in my life!"