The Baron(TV series)

The Baron
Created by	John Creasey(source) Monty Berman Robert S. Baker
Developed by	Terry Nation
Starring	Steve Forrest Sue Lloyd Colin Gordon Paul Ferris
Theme music composer	Edwin Astley
Composer	Edwin Astley
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No.of series	1
No.of episodes	30(list of episodes)
Production
Producer	Monty Berman
Running time	49 mins
Production company	Mid-Century Film Productions Ltd forITC
Original release
Network	ITV
Release	28 September 1966(1966-09-28)– 19 April 1967(1967-04-19)

The Baronis aBritish televisionseries made in 1965 and 1966, based on thebook seriesbyJohn Creasey(written under the pseudonym Anthony Morton) and produced byITC Entertainment.Thirty colour episodes were produced, and the show was exported to the AmericanABCnetwork.

Overview

The show starred an American actor,Steve Forrest,as John Mannering, an antiques dealer who drives aJensen C-V8with 'BAR 1' as the distinctive,personalised number plate.'The Baron' is portrayed as an occasional undercover agent working in an informal capacity for the head of the fictional British Diplomatic Intelligence, Templeton-Green (Colin Gordon) assisted by Cordelia Winfield (Sue Lloyd) and David Marlowe (Paul Ferris).

By contrast, in Creasey's original novels, Mannering is British and, after the first few novels, married. By transforming the character into an eligible bachelor and casting a Texan in the role, the producers decided that 'The Baron' would be nicknamed after the cattle ranch once run by his grandfather, described as being "200,000 acres [809.371 km²] 300 miles fromDallas".In the books he is a reformed jewel thief (the first few novels describing Mannering's "career" from his deciding to steal to his going straight) whose criminal ties served him well in investigating jewel, art, or antiques-oriented mysteries. For the TV series, Mannering's persona is depicted as absolutely straight with no suggestion of past criminality, a fact underlined by his being co-opted by British intelligence. In the episode "Red Horse, Red Rider", it is revealed that Mannering had been a US Army Captain during theSecond World War,serving in theMonuments, Fine Arts, and Archives programwhere he recovered art works from the Nazis. Following the war, he owned three antique stores and was a "charter member of thejet set".

The original series of 'The Baron' was last repeated and broadcast in colour byLondon Live (local TV channel)in 2023.

Cast and characters

• Steve Forrestas John Mannering (alias "The Baron" )
• Sue Lloydas Cordelia Winfield
• Colin Gordonas John Alexander Templeton-Green
• Paul Ferrisas David Marlowe

Although not regular cast members,Reginald MarshandDerek Newarkalso appeared in three episodes (once reprising earlier roles, and once playing different characters). Occasionally, actors were used twice but in different roles in the same run of episodes, includingPaul Maxwell,Peter Bowles,George MurcellandEdwin Richfield.

Production

Like other ITC shows,The Baronshared a lot of its production crew with the other productions of the time (Danger Man,The Saintetc.), including guest cast membersPeter WyngardeandBernard Lee,and directorsRoy Ward BakerandRobert Asher.The lion's share of the scripts were byDennis SpoonerandDalekcreatorTerry Nation.A few episodes were credited to Tony O'Grady, a pseudonym ofThe Avengerswriter-producerBrian Clemens.

The character of Mannering was, likeSimon TemplarinThe Saint,a member of thejet set,whose glamorous lifestyle was typified by air travel to exotic locations, which at the time was still only easily available to the wealthy. However, filming never left the UK; it was filmed chiefly in and aroundElstree StudiosinBorehamwood,Hertfordshire, then owned byAssociated British Pictures.Locations used included Haberdashers' Aske's School in Elstree,St AlbansandIvinghoe Beacon.These featured prominently in several other ITC series of the same era. The backlot at Elstree in particular was extensively used, being transformed alternately into Mannering's antiques shop, a Mexican town, a Parisian nightclub, an East European police station and many others besides.

Paul Ferris was originally cast as Mannering's assistant David Marlowe. However, after pressure from the US networkABC,Marlowe was dropped in favour of the more glamorous Cordelia who had appeared in the first episode. She is 'reintroduced' in "Something for a Rainy Day", the ninth episode to be made, although broadcast third. As originally broadcast, the 'Cordelia' and 'Marlowe' episodes are interspersed, even though Paul Ferris left the production after eight episodes were filmed.

As with other ITC series, the American market was vital; several episodes were overdubbed (e.g. "petrol" becoming "gas", "whisky" becoming "Scotch" ) to ensure they were fit for US audiences. Roy Ward Baker stated that owing to US sponsorship by a cigarette company, characters "were allowed to light up only in moments of leisure, never when they were frightened or under duress".The show did not do well enough on ABC and was syndicated midway through its run, which effectively ensured that no second series would be made.

The Baron's car was a silverJensenCV-8 Mk IIwith the registration BAR 1. Unlike theVolvodriven by Simon Templar, the exclusivity of the car meant the series did not generate the same sales boost asThe Sainthad done for Volvo. Cordelia drove a considerably less upmarketDAF Daffodil33. The episode "Something for a Rainy Day" featured shots of a whiteJaguarplummeting over a cliff. This footage, apparently filmed for this episode (from several angles), reappeared in several other episodes and series, in an attempt to render its high cost worthwhile.

The episode "Portrait of Louisa" was a reworking by Terry Nation of his earlier script "Lida", written for (and produced as) an episode ofThe Saint.

The Baron was the first ITC show withoutmarionettesto be produced entirely in colour. (ITC marionette seriesStingrayandThunderbirdshad been filmed in colour; the last fourteen of the thirty episodes ofThe Adventures of Sir Lancelotin 1956-57 had been shot in colour, as had the 1962 pilot episode ofMan of the World).

Feature films

Two films were put together for international cinema distribution byITC;these were compiled from the two-part episodes.Mystery Islandis a re-edit of the episodes "Storm Warning" and "The Island", whileThe Man in a Looking Glassis a combination of "Masquerade" and "The Killing". This led to further European releases in the 1960s of ITC films re-edited from episodes ofThe Saint,Danger Man,The ChampionsandMan in a Suitcase.

Episodes

Episodes were filmed between July 1965 and October 1966, on location and atElstree Studios.

Although filmed in colour, all episodes were broadcast in the UK in black and white, colour transmissions on ITV not commencing until November 1969.

Airdateis forATVMidlands.ITVregions varied date and order.

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Filmed	Original air date	Prod. code
1	"Diplomatic Immunity"	Leslie Norman	Dennis Spooner	Aug/Sep 1965	28 September 1966(1966-09-28)	104
A girl steals a valuableFabergéminiature from Mannering's London shop, and claims diplomatic immunity in the Pamaranean embassy. She is known to British Intelligence's head, Templeton-Green, who is investigating a number of antique thefts. Mannering, to regain his Fabergé, agrees to go to Pamaranea, where he is assisted by Templeton-Green's local agent Cordelia Winfield. Co-starring:Sue Lloyd,Colin GordonandPaul Ferris.Guest stars: Dora Reisser,Frank Gatliff,Michael Wolf, Jolyon Booth andClaire Davenport.
2	"Epitaph for a Hero"	John Moxey	Terry Nation	Oct 1965	5 October 1966(1966-10-05)	107
The Baron is an unwilling accomplice in a major jewel robbery when Cordelia is kidnapped. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd, Colin Gordon and Paul Ferris. Guest stars:Patricia HainesandPaul Maxwell.
3	"Something for a Rainy Day"	Cyril Frankel	Terry Nation	Nov/Dec 1965	12 October 1966(1966-10-12)	109
The Baron acts as go-between in a case involving an insurer's recovery of stolen treasure and the former thief's knowledge of their whereabouts. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars:Lois Maxwell,Ann Lynn,Patrick Allen,Derek Newarkand Julian Sherrier.
4	"Red Horse, Red Rider"	John Moxey	Terry Nation	Aug 1965	19 October 1966(1966-10-19)	102
Mannering finds himself transporting a priceless statuette out of a fascist state at the request of an ailing freedom fighter. Co-starring: Paul Ferris. Guest stars:Jane Merrow,John Bennett,Edward Brayshaw,Harold Goldblatt,Sandor ElèsandJohn Bryans.
5	"Enemy of the State"	Jeremy Summers	Dennis Spooner	Dec 1965	26 October 1966(1966-10-26)	110
Cordelia is arrested by a hostile government, and Mannering hatches a plan to exchange her for a top-ranking official. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd and Colin Gordon. Guest stars:Anton Diffring,Joseph Furst,John Abineri,Richard Carpenter,Gary Watson,Terence Lodge,George Roubicek,Stephen Hubay,Frederick Schiller,Martin Millerand Michael Wolf.
6	"Masquerade (part one)"	Cyril Frankel	Terry Nation	Feb/Mar 1966	2 November 1966(1966-11-02)	114
7	"The Killing (part two)"	Cyril Frankel	Terry Nation	Feb/Mar 1966	9 November 1966(1966-11-09)	115
The Baron acquires an exact double, as a criminal gang attempt to pull off the most audacious robbery of them all. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars:Bernard Lee,Kenneth J. Warren(as Fox-Stuart, substituting for Colin Gordon who was unavailable for filming),John Carson,Geoffrey Palmer,John Gilland Peter Thomas. Released as a feature film titledThe Man in a Looking Glass.
8	"The Persuaders"	Leslie Norman	Dennis Spooner	Oct 1965	16 November 1966(1966-11-16)	108
David Marlowe is kidnapped; as the ransom, Mannering is forced to sell a fake painting to a particular client. Why? Co-starring: Paul Ferris and Colin Gordon. Guest stars:James Villiers,Derek Benfield,Georgina Ward,Ronald Hines,Charles Houston, Reginald Jessup,Virginia StrideandMartin Wyldeck.
9	"And Suddenly You're Dead"	Cyril Frankel	Terry Nation and Dennis Spooner	Jan 1966	23 November 1966(1966-11-23)	112
The mysterious death in theFrench Alpsof a friend of Cordelia leads Mannering to uncover a plot to sell a particularly lethal strain ofgerm warfareto the highest bidder. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars:Alan MacNaughtan,Kay Walsh,Bernard Kay,John Collin,Vladek Sheybal,George Pravdaand Conrad Monk.
10	"The Legions of Ammak"	John Moxey	Michael Cramoy	Aug 1965	30 November 1966(1966-11-30)	103
The Baron is duped into facilitating an unusual deal between the King of Ammak and an eccentric millionaire to buy the Legions of Ammak, part of the Ammak Crown Jewels. David Marlowe, however, spots that the 'King' is an impostor, which uncovers a plot to depose the real King and carve up Ammak's oil-rich reserves. Co-starring: Paul Ferris. Guest stars: Michael Godfrey,Arthur Hewlett,Peter WyngardeandGeorge Murcell.
11	"Samurai West"	John Moxey	Brian Degas	Jul 1965	7 December 1966(1966-12-07)	101
The sale of a valuable Samurai sword stirs up old rivalries between a former Japanese prisoner-of-war commandant and a British prisoner. Co-starring: Paul Ferris. Guest stars:Lee Montague,Raymond Huntley,Jeanne Roland,Larry Taylor,Colin Jeavons,Hal Dyer,Royston TicknerandClifford Earl.
12	"The Maze"	Jeremy Summers	Tony O'Grady (pseudonym of Brian Clemens)	Jun/Jul 1966	14 December 1966(1966-12-14)	123
When the Baron comes to the aid of a frightened girl on a lonely country road, he suddenly loses 24 hours of his life. As he pieces together the puzzle of the missing hours, in the face of a sceptical police and Cordelia, he uncovers an assassination plot. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars: Alan MacNaughtan,Judith Arthy,Glynn Edwards,Royston Tickner andRichard Mathews.
13	"Portrait of Louisa"	John Moxey	Terry Nation	Sep 1965	21 December 1966(1966-12-21)	105
A close friend of Mannering is being blackmailed, but cannot confide in him. As he begins to suspect foul play, the race is on to find out who is blackmailing Louisa Trenton, and why. Co-starring: Paul Ferris. Guest stars:Moira Redmond,Terence Alexander,Jo RowbottomandBrian Wilde.
14	"There's Someone Close Behind You"	Roy Baker	Terry Nation and Dennis Spooner	Dec 1965	28 December 1966(1966-12-28)	111
When Mannering is the only witness to a murder perpetrated by a gangland boss, he decides the only way to protect himself is to go on the offensive. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars: Richard Wyler,Philip Madoc,Mike Pratt,Jerome Willis,Michael Robbins,Paul Harrisand Peter Forbes-Robertson.
15	"Storm Warning (part one)"	Gordon Flemyng	Terry Nation	Jul/Aug 1966	4 January 1967(1967-01-04)	125
16	"The Island (part two)"	Gordon Flemyng	Terry Nation	Jul/Aug 1966	11 January 1967(1967-01-11)	126
Attempting to locate a missing shipment at the docks inMacau,Cordelia stumbles upon a murder on board a cargo vessel. She is immediately taken prisoner, and John Mannering stows away in order to free her, unaware that he is about to uncover a plot to sabotage a US space mission. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars:Reginald Marsh,Dudley Sutton,John Woodvine,David Healy,Derek Newark,Andy Ho,Michael Chow,Michael HawkinsandJeffry Wickham.The episodes were spliced together into a film titledMystery Island.
17	"Time to Kill"	Jeremy Summers	Dennis Spooner	May/Jun 1966	18 January 1967(1967-01-18)	121
A famouscameowith a curse attached causes trouble for Cordelia when she tries to broker a deal, only to discover the owner has been murdered, and the killers are going to extreme lengths to obtain it. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars: David Garth,Peter Bowles,Edward Brayshaw, George Murcell,Hamilton Dyce,Geraldine Moffat,David Calderisiand Steven Scott.
18	"A Memory of Evil"	Don Chaffey	Terry Nation and Dennis Spooner	Jan/Feb 1966	25 January 1967(1967-01-25)	113
Templeton-Green assigns Mannering to investigate how art treasures looted by the Nazis and believed lost are finding their way on to the market. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd and Colin Gordon. Guest stars:Robert Hardy,Ann Bell,Edwin Richfield,Frederick Bartmann,Jon Rollason,John CazabonandJohn Tate.
19	"You Can't Win Them All"	Don Chaffey	Dennis Spooner	Apr 1966	1 February 1967(1967-02-01)	117
Discovering that Russian icons he had sold in good faith to a gallery have been substituted by fakes, The Baron attempts to secure the originals by playing the thief at his own game around a rigged poker table. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars:Sam Wanamaker,Peter Bowles, Reginald Marsh,David Burke,John Bown,Mark Dignam,Tony Caunter,John Cater,Edwin Brownand Ken Barker.
20	"The High Terrace"	Robert Asher	Dennis Spooner	Sep 1966	8 February 1967(1967-02-08)	128
Investigating the disappearance of a client and friend, Mannering uncovers a bizarre sect intent on defrauding its hapless followers. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars:Max Adrian,Jan Holden,John Collin andVeronica Hurst
21	"The Seven Eyes of Night"	Robert Asher	Terry Nation	Apr 1966	15 February 1967(1967-02-15)	118
The Baron is at the centre of an elaborate double-double-cross that revolves around the sale of the Seven Eyes of Night, a necklace once owned by theEmpress Joséphine.Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars:Jeremy Brett,Patricia English,Hilary Tindall,Christopher BenjaminandArnold Diamond.
22	"Night of the Hunter"	Roy Baker	Terry Nation	Jul 1966	22 February 1967(1967-02-22)	124
Mannering and Cordelia arrive in a small Balkan state to broker an antiques deal with the widow of its former president, only to find she is on the run from the newly-installed dictator. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars:Derek Godfrey,Katharine Blake,Walter Gotell,Garfield Morgan,David Garfield, Clive Cazes,David NettheimandEric Mason.
23	"The Edge of Fear"	Quentin Lawrence	Dennis Spooner	May 1966	1 March 1967(1967-03-01)	120
After an audacious theft takes place, the Baron is compelled to act as authenticator in the attempted sale of the most famous painting in the world. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars:William Franklyn,Willoughby Goddard,Alan Wheatley,John Abineri,Gerald SimandBarry Evans.
24	"Long Ago and Far Away"	Robert Asher	Dennis Spooner	Apr/May 1966	8 March 1967(1967-03-08)	116
When Cordelia goes missing on a routine assignment in South America, Mannering goes in search of her, only to uncover an attemptedcoup d'étatby a deposed former president. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars:Barrie Ingham,Douglas Wilmer,Alex Scott,Paul Stassino,Eric Pohlmann,Michael Forrest,David Swift,Annette Carrell,Barry Linehan,Jonathan Elsomand Conrad Monk.
25	"So Dark the Night"	Robert Tronson	Terry Nation and Dennis Spooner	Jun 1966	15 March 1967(1967-03-15)	122
Mannering and Cordelia travel to theWest Countryto value an estate, and become embroiled in the hunt for the proceeds of a bank robbery that took place several years earlier. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars:Gillian Lewis,George Baker,John Franklyn-Robbins,Freddie Jones,John Garrie,Caroline BlakistonandBrown Derby.
26	"The Long, Long Day"	Roy Baker	Tony O'Grady (pseudonym of Brian Clemens)	Apr/May 1966	22 March 1967(1967-03-22)	119
Assigned to provide safe escort for a witness to a Mafia murder, the Baron is caught in a standoff with the killers in a lonely Italian hilltop village. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars:Peter Arne,Dalia Penn,Eddie Byrne,John Bluthal,Brian Rawlinson,John Bryans,Derrick SherwinandSue McIntosh.
27	"Roundabout"	Robert Tronson	Terry Nation	Aug/Sep 1966	29 March 1967(1967-03-29)	127
Mannering discovers that his Paris shop is being used as a front for drug trafficking. Guest stars:Annette Andre,June Ritchie,Lisa Daniely,Edwin Richfield,Norman Bird,Ewan Roberts,Victor Beaumont,Sandor Elès andFrederick Treves.(This episode does not feature any of the regular supporting cast.)
28	"The Man Outside"	Roy Baker	Terry Nation	Sep 1966	5 April 1967(1967-04-05)	129
Mannering visits Scotland after the death of one of his associates in a car accident. Things take a mysterious turn when he spots someone in a local pub wearing the antique ring Mannering had instructed his associate to buy. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars:David Bauer,Paul Maxwell,Michael Coles,Jeremy Burnham,Donald Douglas,John Ringham,Joseph Greig andHarry Littlewood.
29	"Countdown"	Robert Asher	Terry Nation	Oct 1966	12 April 1967(1967-04-12)	130
Mannering comes up against a rival antiques dealer when a long-lost antique sword resurfaces. However, only one of them plays by the rules. Co-starring: Sue Lloyd. Guest stars:Edward Woodward,Philip Locke,Harold Lang,Peter Brace, Les White,Valerie Leonand David King.
30	"Farewell to Yesterday"	Leslie Norman	Harry W Junkin	Oct 1965	19 April 1967(1967-04-19)	106
Templeton-Green assigns Mannering to uncover an art-smuggling operation which is seeing priceless treasures from the Vatican being couriered to London. An old flame of the Baron is also involved, and Mannering is as keen to rescue her as he is to solve the mystery. Co-starring: Colin Gordon and Paul Ferris. Guest stars:Sylvia Syms,William Sylvester,Victor Maddern,Clive Cazes and Arnold Diamond.

DVD releases

The series was released by Network Video on Region 2 and by Umbrella Video (Australia) on Region 0DVD.Commentaries were recorded by Sue Lloyd,Johnny GoodmanandCyril Frankel,among others.Entertainment Onereleased the complete series on Region 1 DVD on 10 March 2009.

External links

• The BaronatIMDb