Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Playlists
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Drama
    Drama TV Shows - 1960s 2 Mins Read

    Saint, The

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    1 9 6 2 – 1 9 6 9 (UK)
    118 x 60 minute episodes

    Simon Templar (Roger Moore) was dashing, sophisticated and independently wealthy. He was also a crook – but a gentlemanly, modern-day Robin Hood-type of crook who would brush aside Chief Inspector Teal (Ivor Dean), who he mockingly described as “Scotland Yard’s finest”.

    saint_022

    His calling card, a stick figure with a halo (representing a saint), was very well known in society circles – and by the police forces of six continents.

    The police regarded him, however, as a mixed blessing because he was dedicated to justice but often used illegal means to achieve his goals.

    The Saint had long been a popular character in fiction, first in the best-selling novels of mystery writer Leslie Charteris and later in a series of movies and radio shows in the 1930s and ’40s.

    The Saint TV series ran for seven years and was sold to some 80 countries, which was extremely beneficial to star Roger Moore as his deal gave him a share of the worldwide profits. The role of Simon Templar also ultimately led to Moore playing James Bond.

    saint_133

    The son of a London policeman, Moore used to be a film cartoonist and a photographic model for anything from swimwear to toothpaste. He once explained in an interview, that unlike his character, he would run a mile to avoid a fight.

    Filming of The Saint switched to colour in 1966, resulting in an obvious tightening of the budget for props.  The show, however, continued its triumphant commercial success. Some estimates put its earnings as high as £370 million.

    Since Moore owned the rights to the colour segments, this would have made him a very wealthy man.

    saint_636

    Many people ran a mile to avoid Return of the Saint (with Ian Ogilvy replacing Moore in the title role) in 1978.

    Another version of The Saint surfaced during 1989-1990 with Simon Dutton playing the role in a series of made-for-TV movies. Val Kilmer also had a go in the late 90s.

    The role of Simon Templar was originally offered to Patrick McGoohan, but he turned it down because he didn’t like the way the script called for the Saint to have an affair with a different girl each week.

    Simon Templar 
    Roger Moore
    Chief Inspector Claude Eustace Teal 

    Ivor Dean

    Related Posts

    • Case Histories of Scotland Yard
      Case Histories of Scotland Yard
      1 9 5 5 (UK) This half-hour drama series based on…
    • Stryker of the Yard
      Stryker of the Yard
      1 9 6 1 - 1 9 6 2 (UK)…
    • Pursuers, The
      Pursuers, The
      1 9 6 1 - 1 9 6 2 (UK) 39…
    • Chief, The
      Chief, The
      1 9 9 0 - 1 9 9 5 (UK) 35…
    • Cloning of Joanna May, The
      Cloning of Joanna May, The
      1 9 9 2 (UK) 2 x 80 minute episodes This…
    • Baron, The
      Baron, The
      1 9 6 6 - 1 9 6 7 (UK) 30…
    • Ivanhoe
      Ivanhoe
      1 9 5 8 - 1 9 5 9 (UK) 39…
    • Rocket Robin Hood (and His Merry Spacemen)
      Rocket Robin Hood (and His Merry Spacemen)
      1 9 6 6 - 1 9 6 9 (Canada) 52…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleManimal
    Next Article Knight Rider

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    You May Also Like
    • All Our Yesterdays
      1 9 6 0 – 1 9 7 3 (UK) 1 9 8 7 – 1 9 8 9 (UK) A […]
    • Laurie Hill
      1 9 9 2 (USA) 10 x 30 minute episodes Laurie Hill (DeLane […]
    • Lawnmower Man, The (1992)
      Government scientist Lawrence Angelo (Pierce Brosnan) discovers […]
    • Doctor Christian
      1 9 5 6 (USA) 40 x 30 minute episodes This adaptation of the […]
    • Playdays (Playbus)
      1 9 8 8 – 1 9 9 7 (UK) 145 x 25 minute episodes This […]
    • Salty
      1 9 7 4 – 1 9 7 5 (USA) 20 x 30 minute episodes When their […]
    Twitter Feed
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disco Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2022 Nostalgia Central
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.