In this ITC action series, a film star moonlights as a US government espionage agent.
Gene Bradley (Gene Barry) is an internationally famous film star whose glamorous public life provides the perfect cover for his real occupation: a clandestine agent for the United States government. He undertakes perilous missions across Europe, using his celebrity status to gain access to people and places that would be off-limits to a conventional spy. His primary contact is his seemingly mild-mannered business manager, Mr Parminter (Barry Morse), who assigns missions and coordinates support from other agents in Bradley’s network, including Diane (Catherine Schell) and Gavin Jones (Garrick Hagon).
This glossy ITC production was a late and largely unsuccessful entry in the gentleman-spy cycle of the era. The series was built as a vehicle for American actor Gene Barry, but the central performance lacked the finesse required for the role, and the character never achieved the credibility of his predecessors.
Despite location filming and a theme from John Barry, the programme was undermined by implausible and formulaic scripts that squandered the talents of its cast. The presence of a distinguished actor like Barry Morse, relegated to a passive supporting role, only highlighted the production’s creative shortcomings.
Broadcast: ITV-ATV-ITC, 26 Episodes, 29 September 1972 – 30 March 1973
Producer: Monty Berman
Executive Story Consultant: Dennis Spooner
Music by: John Barry
Main Cast: Gene Barry (Gene Bradley), Barry Morse (Mr Parminter), Catherine Schell (Diane), Garrick Hagon (Gavin Jones), Stuart Damon (Vince)
