Jason King (TV series)
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| Jason King | |
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 British DVD release |
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| Genre | Action Adventure |
| Running time | 60 min. |
| Creator(s) | Dennis Spooner |
| Starring | Peter Wyngarde |
| Country of origin | UK |
| Original channel | ITV |
| Original run | September 15, 1971–April 28, 1972 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
Jason King was a UK television series produced from 1971 to 1972. Each episode was one-hour in duration, and the series had a run of one series of 26 episodes. It was broadcast in the UK and was also screened in Australia.
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[edit] Series premise
The series featured the further adventures of the eponymous character who had first appeared in Department S (1969). In that series he was a dilettante dandy working as part of a team of investigators. In Jason King he had left that service and was concentrating on writing adventure novels following the adventures of the fictional Mark Caine, who closely resembled Jason King in looks, manner, style, and personality. None of the other regular characters from Department S appeared in this series.
In the course of visiting international locations as part of his research, or through being summonsed by people needing assistance, King would be frequently imbroiled in adventure stories featuring glamourous women, exotic locations (for the era), menacing villains, political turmoil, or espionage intruigue.
The first episode depicted King's retelling of a Mark Caine novel to a television executive which alternated between King's interpretation of events, followed by the television executive's version. King's version showed style and class while the executive's version featured added suspense, more cliches, and had the women in more revealing costumes. In the footage representing both men's vision of the novel adapted for the screen, Mark Caine was portrayed by Wyngarde.
Subsequent episodes featured Wyngarde playing King trying to write his novels and being hassled by his publisher Nicola Harvester about deadlines. King, however, was usually distracted by beautiful women and his real-life adventures and was sometimes tricked by Ryland of the British Government into assisting the Government in international political matters: all of which later found their way into the adventures of the fictional Mark Caine.
[edit] Background
The series was created by Dennis Spooner and like its predecessor was made by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment production company (which had become successful with such series as The Saint and Danger Man), for ATV - Grade's broadcasting subsidiary of ITC.
[edit] Legacy
King's choice of fashion was named by Mike Myers as an inspiration for his popular movie character Austin Powers. He was also the basis for Jason Bentley, played by Peter Richardson in the 1993 Comic Strip Presents episode Detectives on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown.
An analogue of Jason King appears in the comic book series The Invisibles written by Grant Morrison as "Mr. Six", the so-called "Last of the International Playboys", and member of "Division X"
The character of Jason Wyngarde, Mastermind, was partially inspired by Peter Wyngarde and Jason King (The character was invented in the 1960s, but the name of Jason Wyngarde was only attached to him much later).
Repeats of the show can now be seen on ITV4.
[edit] Cast
- Peter Wyngarde....Jason King
[edit] Repeat guest-stars
- Anne Sharp...Nicola Harvester
- Ronald Lacey....Ryland
- Dennis Price....Sir Brian
- Richard Marner....Signor Czibor / Markovitch
- Anton Rodgers....Phillipe de Brion
[edit] Selected Quotes
- "A bit too early for coffee; I'll have a Scotch" - Jason, ordering breakfast in a cafe.
- After being held at gunpoint and given a plane ticket with orders to leave the country, Jason replies: "Thank you for your concern, but I never fly economy".
