Few images sum up the dashing Jason King, as played by actor Peter Wyngarde in the television series Department S (1968-69) and Jason King (1971-72) more than the sight of a stocky, jowly bloke with an afro in a pin striped suit flying through the air, fists-flying. Oh yes, The Professionals had nothing on Jason “the bruiser” King…
Except perhaps the tiny but insurmountable detail that the above image, used on the cover of a Dutch TV Comic book, is completely at odds with the way the character was portrayed on TV. But then you already knew that. But that doesn’t make it any the less charming in its absurdity. The past is a foreign country, of course, but twice as foreign when it comes to translating a TV series concept for local merchandising. Which is why I’m not going to even attempt an article on the dark corners of warped reinvention where the likes of Jason King, UFO and The Persuaders found themselves when European merchandising companies got their clammy hands upon them.
A far less absurd but just as exuberant way of selling Jason King was the lightweight celebrity photo-spread, and no magazine of the early 70s seemed to be more accomplished at this that German TV listings journal Bravo. I say thus with utterly false authority by the way. It could feasibly be the case that Australia, with its legions of Wyngarde fanatics, did just as good a job of covering the King phenomenon. But let us forget Australia for now (see, easy wasn’t it?) and revel in the truly exceptional coverage Bravo gave to both Department S and Jason King on first transmission in a series of snippets recently unearthed by researcher and archivist Bernard Dunne, a man for whom the phrase “no stone un-turned” certainly applies. Next stop for him: Australia. He just doesn’t know it yet.
Anyway, here’s a gallery of Bravo’s bravura spreadage:
- Reflections…
The Man in the Elegant Room 