The un-Professionals

[Miss Guided]

Originally Posted by batman Yep ... here he is before and after.

Mikey Rouke had surgery due to vanity more than anything else - he could not take the fact some hollywood heroes grow old. he had chin and cheek implants and a lift due to a receeding hairline. I used to feel sor for him, but after rather racist comments about the causes of the LA Riots - he lost all credibilty.
He is a saddo who sucks.

[45doyle]

I loved it, but then I would with my 'username'?

The whole show has formed a basis for a 10-year long project resulting in a publication by yours truly coming in the Summer.

The series was riddled with problems from day 1 (a la 'The Adventurer' with Gene Barry) and there is so much to tell that went on behind-the-scenes.

[julian_craster]

Do catch today's episode, Friday ITV4 @3.00PM....One of the best...

with Lyndon Brook, Maurice Denham, and a wonderfully venal Peter Woodthorpe (as a corrupt councillor), directed by Anthony Simmons (Four in the Morning, Black Joy), a story of corrupt concillors on the 'Housing Commitee' and the crooked building trade, and just as relevant in 2008 as it was in 1978 ! (even more so, perhaps)

Some things never change, regardless of which party is is in power.....

[Lord Brett]

Originally Posted by julian_craster Do catch today's episode, Friday ITV4 @3.00PM....One of the best... with Lyndon Brook, Maurice Denham, and a wonderfully venal Peter Woodthorpe (as a corrupt councillor), directed by Anthony Simmons (Four in the Morning, Black Joy), a story of corrupt concillors on the 'Housing Commitee' and the crooked building trade, and just as relevant in 2008 as it was in 1978 ! (even more so, perhaps) Some things never change, regardless of which party is is in power.....

That'll be Not a Very Civil Civil Servant, one of my favourites, and quite an unusual episode within this series. Peter Woodthorpe lights up the screen, and it's a shame he didn't get highger profile roles until he wound up as the pathologist in Inspector Morse.

Considering we both like this one, the following quote from the Proferssionals website Avengers Mark One Productions Web Site - Producers of The Avengers,The New Avengers and The Professionals regarding the episode is somewhat ironic:

Brian Clemens was most unhappy with this episode. In the Autumn 1992 edition of Timescreen magazine he recalled having rejected the script on the grounds that he couldn't follow the plot! However as LWT were not prepared to buy another script, they ordered the episode to be made regardless.

[Shadwell]

Originally Posted by 45doyle I loved it, but then I would with my 'username'? The whole show has formed a basis for a 10-year long project resulting in a publication by yours truly coming in the Summer. The series was riddled with problems from day 1 (a la 'The Adventurer' with Gene Barry) and there is so much to tell that went on behind-the-scenes.

Looking forward to your book. I like the Professionals. It's a shame it wasn't as good as the Sweeney though. I reckon Regan and Carter could take Bodie and Doyle.....

[HeiwaNidan]

Gonna put some Lewis Collins stories straight...

Everyone seemed to think Martin Shaw was a trained ACtor, whereas Lewis Collins was just a real-life toughie who got a lucky break. NOT TRUE. Lewis was also a trained actor. He was a graduate of LAMDA, the same drama school that Martin Shaw went to. Lewis has played many "real" acting parts on stage including Romeo in "Romeo & Juliet", Mack the Knife in "The Threepenny Opera", the title role in "Tamburlaine the Great", and has had many fantastic reviews for his work.

Tought guy in real life. NOT REALLY. More an adrenalin junkie. Learned to ride motorbikes as a child; learned to shoot air rifles as a teenager and won many competitions and trophies for his marksmanship; learned judo as a teenager, to brown belt standard. After starting the Professionals got interested in parachuting, and joined the TA, gaining the coveted Red Beret. Also moved from judo to ju-jitsu and achieved first dan standard. Now does sky-diving and holds a private pilot's licence.

After "Who Dares Wins" Lew had some really unlucky breaks, with about 6 film projects falling through due to finance issues. He did 3 crap foreign films for the money, and a few guest appearances on the odd show (He was in an episode of "Robin of Sherwood", currently being repeated on ITV3 - his performance is worth seeing as he plays a very camp Sheriff of Nottingham!) then went off to study at UCLA, where he graduated as a film director.

He now lives in LA with his wife and 3 children. His wife was a schoolteacher and used to run a nursery. She now has her own Montessori school. Lew has business interests which include real estate and computing, and will still do the occasional acting job but only if the script interests him. He got so bored with playing a cop or a soldier that he would prefer to be out of acting work than go back to those roles again.

Further proof that there's more to him than just a tough guy - he started off as a ladies' hairdresser; can play piano, drums and guitar and was a member of several Merseyside bands, most notably The Mojos; writes songs, ballads and poetry; spent a year teaching drama to deaf children after being in rep; won a beautiful baby contest when he was 2; was voted sexiest man on TV 5 years in a row, and was involved in the real-life rescue of a child in a car accident. And he used to collect cuddly toys.

His last TV appearance was as a doctor in an episode of "The Bill" in 2002.

[batman]

Originally Posted by HeiwaNidan Gonna put some Lewis Collins stories straight...

You give the impression that you feel Lewis has been done wrong on this thread. Not so. Lewis is very popular among Britmovie members and we are aware of Lewis' varied career and talents. His later career and current happy life in LA has also been discussed before, but thanks for filling in a few gaps.

[Lord Brett]

As a Professionals fan who doesn't even mind Lew's Swiss/Italian/wherever movies that much (I'd much sooner watch Codename:Wildgeese than Who Cares Who Wins) that was a really interesting posting. Thanks from me, too.

[oxfam1uk]

Is it true that Lewis Collins is the son of the manager of the pop group Badfinger, and was closely involved with their touring ?

Two of its members tragically killed themselves, after being swindled out of their earnings (particularly for the song "Without you").

[batman]

Lewis' father Bill was a road manager for The Beatles and did later become manager of Badfinger.



''The story of the British rock group Badfinger is told in this book, using information from interviews with family and friends of the group. The group were responsible for such hits as "Without You", but the two principle songwriters committed suicide before seeing the rewards of their success. This book is interesting because the group was managed by Lew's father Bill Collins and therefore Lew is mentioned quite a few times.''

source - Lewis Collins:More Than A Professional

[Shadwell]

Thanks for the info on Lewis, HeiwaNidan. He's certainly got a few strings to his bow! I'm glad things seem to be working out for him as I've always liked him "The Professionals." I reckon he would have made a convincing James Bond but that's just the breaks actors get. Still, good to hear things are okay with him....

[batman]

Lewis is obviously a very talented man and, as Shadwell says, it is good to hear he is enjoying life. It doesn't surprise me that Lewis got bored with all the cop/soldier parts he had been doing. For a guy as talented and intelligent as him it must have been a tad repetitive. I do like a quote from him that I saw on IMDB about his encounter with the Bond producers ...

"I was in Cubby Broccoli's office for five minutes, but it was really over for me in seconds. I have heard since that he doesn't like me. That's unfair. He's expecting another Connery to walk through the door and there are few of them around. I think he's really shut the door on me. He found me too aggressive. I knew it all -- that kind of attitude. Two or three years ago that would be the case, purely because I was nervous and defensive. I felt they were playing the producer bit with fat cigars. When someone walks into their office for the most popular film job in the world, a little actor is bound to put on a few airs. If Cubby couldn't see I was being self-protective I don't have faith in his judgment."

[HeiwaNidan]

Originally Posted by batman Lewis is obviously a very talented man and, as Shadwell says, it is good to hear he is enjoying life. It doesn't surprise me that Lewis got bored with all the cop/soldier parts he had been doing. For a guy as talented and intelligent as him it must have been a tad repetitive. I do like a quote from him that I saw on IMDB about his encounter with the Bond producers ... "I was in Cubby Broccoli's office for five minutes, but it was really over for me in seconds. I have heard since that he doesn't like me. That's unfair. He's expecting another Connery to walk through the door and there are few of them around. I think he's really shut the door on me. He found me too aggressive. I knew it all -- that kind of attitude. Two or three years ago that would be the case, purely because I was nervous and defensive. I felt they were playing the producer bit with fat cigars. When someone walks into their office for the most popular film job in the world, a little actor is bound to put on a few airs. If Cubby couldn't see I was being self-protective I don't have faith in his judgment."

Perhaps if he'd turned up dressed in something suave rather than combat gear, he might have been in Cubby's office a bit longer!

[SirOllyBolly]

Should have walked into his office, punched the cigar out of his mouth and said "I'm not here to let you blow smoke up my ass!"

In a Bond-stylee.

[davidb]

its a load of rubbish when viewed today ,but a hugely enjoyable load of rubbish ! i still want a capri like bodie"s or an rs 2000 like doyles !