Stephen Boyd

[batman]

I am trying to remeber the name of a 60s stephen boyd spy film which i remember as being called 'the corrupt' ... i was only about 8 at the time and can't remember what it was about. it was in a double bill with either 'the viking queen' or a spaghetti western called 'ringo and his golden pistol'. imdb dont have it listed but it does list a film called 'assignment k'. are these indeed the same film?

thanks

batty

[JamesM]

Was this at the cinema?

[D Cairns]

There is a 60s spy caper called THE CORRUPT ONES but it's with Robert Stack. And there are a couple of 60s spy capers with Stephen Boyd, but they're called ASSIGMENT K and POPPIES ARE ALSO FLOWERS. Could it be you're mixing these up?

[john walter skinner]

re the query regarding film fairs; i always attend the one at central hall,westminster,the next one is january 20,2007;i remember attending the very the very first one,it was called moviejumble at wimbledon,in september 1973 and the guy opposite me with a stall was ed mason, the guy who now runs movie fair!!-john walter skinner,worthing...

[Moor Larkin]

Speaking of Mr. Boyd and halls reminded me that Stephen Boyd shared some theatrical roots with Patrick McGoohan. They both performed with the Midland Theatre Company, Mr. McGoohan in 1952-53 and Mr. Boyd in 1953-54. I recall a note on another forum from someone who held a programme from a 1953 "Ali Baba" xmas show at the Co-op Hall in Nuneaton, which was one of the 'touring' venues that the Midland Theatre Company performed at, featuring Stephen Boyd in a couple of different roles.



The Beatles performed at the same venue in 1962 apparently.

[Mr Cosmo]

Going back to the original post - I seem to remember THE VIKING QUEEN was the top part of a double bill and the b-move was THE PEKING MEDALLION - released in the US as THE CORRUPT ONES, but I don't recall Stephen Boyd being in it.

Teh VIKING QUEEN is famous because despite it being about Ancient Britain - one of teh characters wears a wrist watch. I think it was released on the ABC circuit around 1966 / 1967.

[ChristineCB]

Wot? Appointments weren't kept in Ancient Britain? Phamaceuticals weren't dispensed with the utmost of care?!! I certainly would have considered a wrist-watch useful back then, especially since I understand the Romans lagged a bit on cell-tower construction. Something about "only in urban areas". No wonder they collapsed.

[David Brent]

Another good actor who died young.



Stephen Boyd is best remembered for his performance in 'Ben-Hur' (1959) but he may have gone on to bigger and better things. He was origionally cast as Marc Anthony in 'Cleopatra' (1963) but as filming suffered long delays he was forced to drop out of the cast in order to honor prior commitments. He was replaced by Richard Burton.

In 1977 Boyd died of a heart attack while playing golf. He was aged only 48.



Dave.

[Jim]

name='David Brent']Another good actor who died young.



Stephen Boyd is best remembered for his performance in 'Ben-Hur' (1959) but he may have gone on to bigger and better things. He was origionally cast as Marc Anthony in 'Cleopatra' (1963) but as filming suffered long delays he was forced to drop out of the cast in order to honor prior commitments. He was replaced by Richard Burton.

In 1977 Boyd died of a heart attack while playing golf. He was aged only 48.



Dave.

Another heavy smoker I believe. I remember seeing his fingers of his right hand, and like John Gregson's they were yellow with nicotine!



Both good actors too!

[Lord Brett]

If you get the chance, try to catch Stephen Boyd's appropriately deranged performance in the absolutely barmy anti-drug thriller Kill (aka Kill, Kill, Kill) - imdb lists it as baing made in 1971, but it looks a couple of years earlier.



Director Romain Gary cast SB opposite his wife Jean Seberg and James Mason as an ultra-violent anti-drug agent ho goes around wearing a brown leather jacket and no shirt.



The finale has to be seen to be believed, as a halucinating Mason sees the main cast bouncing on trampolenes while shooting machine gune. The music's great, too (and available on CD).

[Jack Gurney]

I saw said film on ITV late one Wednesday night with me Mum around 1984/5: she wasn't too impressed, even as a lifelong James Mason fan!! I always wanted to see it again- and finally got a copy from the great Kev Lyons of The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film and Television about three years ago. However, would you believe, after all that waiting, I haven't gotten round to watching it yet.



At the time (ie the mid 80s) I didn't know much about directors (well, I was like, eleven) and didn't make the link, but I was fascinated to see it was directed by Romain Gary, who wrote some of the Pan and Fontana Horror Stories that I used to read back in my 'yoof'.



I really should watch the film soon.

[batman]

name='D Cairns']There is a 60s spy caper called THE CORRUPT ONES but it's with Robert Stack. And there are a couple of 60s spy capers with Stephen Boyd, but they're called ASSIGMENT K and POPPIES ARE ALSO FLOWERS. Could it be you're mixing these up?

'The Corrupt Ones' aka 'The Peking Medallion' it must be. Sam Boone remembers it being on a double bill with 'The Viking Queen' so you both can't be wrong. I must have got my leading men mixed up.



Thanks. Now to try and track it down.



Bats

[Mr Cosmo]

I think I am going to confuse you once more. I have rechecked and the film that was released as the b-movie with THE VIKING QUEEN was simply called THE CORRUPT (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057549/). You may want to check it out in case the plot bears any similarity to what you remember - but this was a French film and Stephen Boyd was nowhere to be seen in it. The movie that was released with RINGO AND HIS GOLDEN PISTOL was IVORY COAST ADVENTURE (Gentleman de Cocody, Le (1965)) which again boasted no well known names.



Earlier, I was talking about THE CORRUPT ONES also known as THE PEKING MEDALLION which again doesn't have Stephen Boyd and it was released on a double bill with BACHELOR GIRL APARTMENT (also known as ANY WEDNESDAY).



So I am coming to the conclusion that if you are certain Stephen Boyd played in it it can only be Assignment K (1968) which I started watching one night but gave up on when I realised I had to believe in John Alderton as a secret agent.



Sorry about the confusion. The guy in THE VIKING QUEEN still wears a watch though!

[batman]

name='Sam Boone']I think I am going to confuse you once more. I have rechecked and the film that was released as the b-movie with THE VIKING QUEEN was simply called THE CORRUPT (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057549/). You may want to check it out in case the plot bears any similarity to what you remember - but this was a French film and Stephen Boyd was nowhere to be seen in it. The movie that was released with RINGO AND HIS GOLDEN PISTOL was IVORY COAST ADVENTURE (Gentleman de Cocody, Le (1965)) which again boasted no well known names.



Earlier, I was talking about THE CORRUPT ONES also known as THE PEKING MEDALLION which again doesn't have Stephen Boyd and it was released on a double bill with BACHELOR GIRL APARTMENT (also known as ANY WEDNESDAY).



So I am coming to the conclusion that if you are certain Stephen Boyd played in it it can only be Assignment K (1968) which I started watching one night but gave up on when I realised I had to believe in John Alderton as a secret agent.



Sorry about the confusion. The guy in THE VIKING QUEEN still wears a watch though!

You're right, I am now totally confused. I definitely remember the title being 'The Corrupt' so perhaps I am getting my 'corruptions' all mixed up as well as my leading men. The only answer is to try and track down all these films and watch them, in the name of serious research of course.



Cheers for all your efforts, Bats.

[batman]

I was only a young lad at the time so it was easy to get these two hunky dudes mixed up ..... thanks again for all your help .... the hunt is on Bats.

[D Cairns]

None of the stars of the French THE CORRUPT seem to resemble Stephen Boyd AT ALL! You can Google them and see for yourself. But it does seem likely this was the film, or at least the title, you remember.

[batman]

Michel Auclair and Claude Dauphin



..... stars of 'The Corrupt' .....



I reckon I remember Michel Auclair's dimple in his chin and mistakenly thought he was Stephen Boyd, 'cos it definitely couldn't be Claude Dauphin.



I guess that solves the mystery ... it was 'The Corrupt'.



Many thanks again .... Bats.