 Although he started as a stand-up comedian-turned-gag-writer, Dennis Spooner will always be credited as the creative drive behind the ITC-produced action-adventure series of the 1960s and early 1970s. He entered the TV industry as a drama writer, although he had contributed comedy material to Harry Worth's BBC series, Granada's Bootsie and Snudge (ITV, 1960-63) sitcom series and Tony Hancock's revival attempt with Hancock (ITV, 1963). Among his early work, Spooner contributed episodes to the police procedural No Hiding Place (ITV, 1959-67) during its early years, the similar Ghost Squad (ITV, 1961-63) and the 1961 Ian Hendry/Patrick Macnee period of The Avengers (ITV, 1961-69). It was also during this time that he wrote for the Gerry Anderson children's science fiction series Supercar (ITV, 1961-62), Fireball XL5 (ITV, 1962-63), Stingray (ITV, 1964-65) and Thunderbirds (ITV, 1965-66). Staying with the science-fantasy genre, Spooner created scripts for the Doctor Who (BBC, 1963-89) series, namely the six-part 'The Reign of Terror' (1964) and the four-part 'The Time Meddler' (1965), as well as serving as script editor on various other episodes during January-June, 1965. Spooner's prolific ITC period, working for the most part with producer Monty Berman, began with the 30-episode undercover agent drama The Baron (ITV, 1966-67), to which he contributed most of the scripts (often in collaboration with Terry Nation). With writer Richard Harris he co-created the espionage-crime series Man in a Suitcase (ITV, 1967-68). With Monty Berman he co-created the counter-espionage series Department S (ITV, 1969-70), the fantasy-espionage The Champions (ITV, 1969-71) and the Department S spin-off series Jason King (ITV, 1971-72), the latter adventure featuring the flamboyant exploits of Peter Wyngarde's ultra-fashionable author-cum-adventurer. Spooner was also co-creator (with Berman, again) and executive story consultant for the Gene Barry secret agent drama The Adventurer (ITV, 1972-73). Perhaps Spooner's most enduring creation for ITC was the supernatural private eye series Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) (ITV, 1969-70). Part typical ITC adventure, part comical ghost mis-adventure (in the Thorne Smith vein), Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) impressed itself into the imagination of a generation. Amusingly peculiar for its time, silly-but-fun for now, the series was honoured with a remake by Working Title Television for BBC TV in 2000-2001. Tise Vahimagi
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FILM & TV CREDITS
