1078 replies to this topic

[marktmurphy]

1h 45m in: http://www.bbc.co.uk...rammes/b041trdw , writer Chris Lunt (ITV's 'Prey') explains that he's off to start work on a script for another attempt at The Saint with a writer from Silent Witness. They're hoping to shoot in the UK and Europe and around the world and with less of an Americanized feel than last year's flop of a pilot, ideally with a UK broadcaster attached.

 

What's the hit rate like on The Saint? I think you'd have to say that most adaptations are rubbish, aren't they? Two or three good ones out of eight or nine?

[saint mark]

1h 45m in: http://www.bbc.co.uk...rammes/b041trdw , writer Chris Lunt (ITV's 'Prey') explains that he's off to start work on a script for another attempt at The Saint with a writer from Silent Witness. They're hoping to shoot in the UK and Europe and around the world and with less of an Americanized feel than last year's flop of a pilot, ideally with a UK broadcaster attached.

 

What's the hit rate like on The Saint? I think you'd have to say that most adaptations are rubbish, aren't they? Two or three good ones out of eight or nine?

 

Why is it a flop?

 

Who has seen it after all?

[Simon]

The US networks also famously passed on ITC's Saint back in Moore's day... this was before syndication tramped all over whatver was being networked at the time and so there was a reversal of decision.

 

Do pilots that aren't picked up ever see the light of day?  Is there a dumping ground for such product?

 

As for hit rates, my opinion is that as time marched on, so did the distance increase from that which was anything to do with Charteris.  My favourites to this day in terms of characterisation are the 1930s and 40s films.  Moore's advantage was that all the Charteris short stories were used as foundation until the colour series kicked off and had to create from scratch.  The less said about all that followed, the better.

[marktmurphy]

 

1h 45m in: http://www.bbc.co.uk...rammes/b041trdw , writer Chris Lunt (ITV's 'Prey') explains that he's off to start work on a script for another attempt at The Saint with a writer from Silent Witness. They're hoping to shoot in the UK and Europe and around the world and with less of an Americanized feel than last year's flop of a pilot, ideally with a UK broadcaster attached.

 

What's the hit rate like on The Saint? I think you'd have to say that most adaptations are rubbish, aren't they? Two or three good ones out of eight or nine?

 

Why is it a flop?

 

Who has seen it after all?

 

 

No-one saw it. That's why it's a flop!

[Simon]

Surely a flop is a considered result post cross sectional exposure to and review of the product.

 

The Saint pilot, and any other unseen pilot or piece of work, is just a work in-waiting.

 

Do pilots not picked up ever get shown?

[JohnnyWalker]

 

Do pilots not picked up ever get shown?

Yes, no idea why though.

[marktmurphy]

Surely a flop is a considered result post cross sectional exposure to and review of the product.

 

The Saint pilot, and any other unseen pilot or piece of work, is just a work in-waiting.

 

 

Or 'failure'. Hey; I'm only quoting the writer when I use the word 'flop'.

 

If the guys behind it considered it a 'work in waiting' then they wouldn't be canning it and trying a new approach.

[Simon]

Lol - fair play.

[Ian Dickerson]

The Saint has always had a sporadic hit rate; for every decent film (like The Saint in New York) there's the unintentional comedy of The Saint's Double Trouble. For any of the Vincent Price radio series, there was the Barrier and Aherne shows, which lasted a season each (and pretty much had Charteris at the helm as well). For any of Roger Moore's shows there's the Andrew Clarke pilot. 

 

Chris has already said on another public forum that calling Adam's pilot a flop was a mistake. But in some ways he's right, after all no series resulted from it, there the pilot failed and could reasonably be called a flop. But I think it's harsh to term it such, for whilst it struggled in the UK and US international reaction to it was great--it was the producer's (understandable) choice not to greenlight it since we hadn't got a UK or US network on board.

 

Will you get to see it? Probably in some form, for it wasn't cheap to produce. But where and when I just can't say yet.

[Bond Bombshell]

Good to hear from you Ian. It's also good to hear that despite the setbacks, the determined efforts to bring The Saint back to TV continue unabated. Personally I'm disappointed we won't get to see an Adam Rayner led series, but I guess that opens the door to other casting possibilities. Chris Lunt has said that the search is on for a "Roger Moore type character" but obviously they don't grow on trees so I'll be fascinated where you go next. Imo the number of established Brit actors who could play the role is very small. I can think of only four or five and they are arguably either too big, too old or too committed to other time consuming TV series. Best of luck to you. 

[saint mark]

The Saint has always had a sporadic hit rate; for every decent film (like The Saint in New York) there's the unintentional comedy of The Saint's Double Trouble. For any of the Vincent Price radio series, there was the Barrier and Aherne shows, which lasted a season each (and pretty much had Charteris at the helm as well). For any of Roger Moore's shows there's the Andrew Clarke pilot. 

 

Chris has already said on another public forum that calling Adam's pilot a flop was a mistake. But in some ways he's right, after all no series resulted from it, there the pilot failed and could reasonably be called a flop. But I think it's harsh to term it such, for whilst it struggled in the UK and US international reaction to it was great--it was the producer's (understandable) choice not to greenlight it since we hadn't got a UK or US network on board.

 

Will you get to see it? Probably in some form, for it wasn't cheap to produce. But where and when I just can't say yet.

 

Thanks Ian for the information given.

[scaramunga]

Any further news on The Saint film project?

[Ian Dickerson]

Not really, we're all busy writing various aspects of it...first deadline is in around four weeks...

[JCRendle]

http://www.radiotime...drama-the-saint
 

The Saint – otherwise known as the Saville Row-clad righter-of-wrongs Simon Templar – is to be reborn.
An ITV pilot will revive the scourge of international bad guys, originally invented by Leslie Charteris and played from 1962 to 1969 by Roger Moore before he became James Bond.
In fact, the pilot episode should be ready to film next year, says Ed Whitmore who is writing the new drama with Chris Lunt – the writer behind the John Simm drama Prey.

[marktmurphy]

Sounds rather vague, but the mention of ITV sounds positive. I'd like to hear it from them, though.

[Guy Haines]

I'd like to see The Saint back on the telly, whether it's the old Roger Moore & Ian Ogilvy series, or that short lived series with Simon Dutton. I'm a Saint fan. Wasn't there some sort of pilot show being made around 2012/13? - I recall seeing a trailer for it on YouTube, and Roger Moore was in it, amongst others, though obviously not as Templar any more.

 

Is the above anything to do with that?

[Simon]

This thread should probably be merged with the one long time existing Saint thread that discusses all this.

 

Also, Ian Dickerson probably subscribes to that thread as, whenever something pops up, he is quick to respond.

[Odd Jobbies]

Well it had to be itv's turn eventually. Hope they crack it, or at least do a better job than they did on their CI5: The New Professionals reboot that they made us suffer back in the late 90s.

[JCRendle]

http://www.digitalsp...-new-series.htm

[Dustin]

Topics merged.

[Ian Dickerson]

I'd like to see The Saint back on the telly, whether it's the old Roger Moore & Ian Ogilvy series, or that short lived series with Simon Dutton. I'm a Saint fan. Wasn't there some sort of pilot show being made around 2012/13? - I recall seeing a trailer for it on YouTube, and Roger Moore was in it, amongst others, though obviously not as Templar any more.

 

Is the above anything to do with that?

Some of the key personnel are the same but the lead writers are not.

[Dustin]

JCRendle beat me to it...

[JCRendle]

From Digital Spy: http://m.digitalspy....~p5k4gjsisyVJfO

 

Beat you to it, Dustin

 

http://www.digitalsp...-new-series.htm

[Dustin]

Ah, sorry! Better luck next time...

[Sharpe]

Any word on the completed pilot release? Still keen to see it, despite it not being picked up for a series.

 

An ITV series sounds great, assuming they pick the right man for the lead.

[clublos]

Any word on... anything?

[Ian Dickerson]

The Saint on the Radio; out and available on Amazon or direct from Radio Spirits.

The Saint; currently in development for ITV. If you don't follow Chris Lunt on Twitter you should, for you'd discover things like it's a sequel that he's nearly finished outlining...

Charteris Biography; a full and detailed biography of Leslie Charteris should be published in the New Year.

The Saint in the Movies: currently being written

The Saint in the Comics: a full and detailed history of the Saint's career in comics is currently being written.

There is lots of other stuff going on, but none yet so fully formed as these...

[saint mark]

 

The Saint on the Radio; out and available on Amazon or direct from Radio Spirits.

The Saint; currently in development for ITV. If you don't follow Chris Lunt on Twitter you should, for you'd discover things like it's a sequel that he's nearly finished outlining...

Charteris Biography; a full and detailed biography of Leslie Charteris should be published in the New Year.

The Saint in the Movies: currently being written

The Saint in the Comics: a full and detailed history of the Saint's career in comics is currently being written.

There is lots of other stuff going on, but none yet so fully formed as these...

 

Will your previous released book on the Saint in tv still see a release?

[Simon]

Great round up sir.  Thank you.

 

And yes, as I was reasding your update, I was about ask after your unfortunately published and supported Saint in TV book.  And if so, if it would sport a cover similar to your Radio book and the Charteris releases?

 

All the best for your many endeavours - am looking forward to all.  Just bought the 'Radio' book.

 

Also, am suprised you update this forum thread before your LeslieCharteris News page... 

 

But many thanks all the same.

[Ian Dickerson]

Great round up sir.  Thank you.

 

And yes, as I was reasding your update, I was about ask after your unfortunately published and supported Saint in TV book.  And if so, if it would sport a cover similar to your book and the Charteris releases?

 

All the best for you many endeavours - am looking forward to all.  Just bought the 'Radio' book.

Also, am suprised you update this forum thread before your LeslieCharteris News page... 

 

But many thanks all the same.

Yeah...I suffered a hard drive crash a few weeks ago and really must get round to reinstalling Dreamweaver. Thanks for the reminder.

 

And yes, I will be updating the Saint on TV at some stage. I suspect it'll happen to coincide with the ITV project ;-)