by Andrew Staton
Honor Blackman was the first woman to bring Martial Arts to UK television as Cathy Gale in the Avengers, and she changed the way film fights were filmed and depicted.
Enter Emma Peel, a young woman who used every technique in the Karate manual, instead of an old-fashioned straight punch to the jaw, and then having dealt with the villain she would give a bow of respect.
Where Cathy Gale used her Judo and Ju-jitsu to throw a man with a flick of the wrist, Emma Peel used a Knife Hand block and a Karate punch to ward off attackers. The lady who played Emma was non-other than Yorkshire born, and now late, Dame Diana Rigg. She joined The Avengers as a 26-year-old Shakespearean actress.
She had been taking Karate lessons which made her no carbon-copy Cathy. She admitted at the time after a battling practice session at A.B.C.’s Teddington studios that it was hard work. The man behind all her moves was Ray Austin, fight arranger for the series, who often spun her by her auburn hair and then let her go, so the girl who turns men on their heads landed almost on hers. But she always came back with a few hefty karate kicks, or even a barrage of Karate punches, so that in turn she dumped Mr. Austin and training partner wrestler “Dazzler” Joe Cornelius unceremoniously on the floor. It was noted that her partner-in-counter-espionage, Patrick Macnee, who played the suave John Steed, said: “I’m glad she’s on my side. I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end.”
She wore special leather outfits and Zip suits for fighting, which have now become a trademark of the show. Now we cannot be certain, however if Bruce Lee saw the color Avengers series on American TV perhaps he got the idea for his Game of Death yellow cat suit from Mrs. Peel… It may be a coincidence that her catsuits were always brightly colored with a stripe down both sides, or maybe Bruce was an Avengers fan.
In the black and white episode A Touch of Brimstone she uses her Karate to fight a French Savate expert. Don’t forget this was a fist show on TV in the mid-sixties. At the time Diana said: “I enjoy the rough stuff. Its fun knocking people about and getting paid for it.”
Diana was born in Doncaster, in Yorkshire, on July 20th, 1938. She had spent the early part of her life at Jodhpur, Rajputna in India. Her family was in the Indian Government Service. Later, she was sent home to school at Great Missenden in Bucks. Eventually, her parents returned to Yorkshire to settle in Leeds.
There, Diana finished her education at Fulneck Girls’ School, enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (The RADA) and two years later graduated to an acting career. So with the help of Ray Austin she became the Yorkshire Dame who brought Karate to U.K.Television.
60th Anniversary Avengers Celebration Online Event
To Celebrate the unique performance of Dame Diana Rigg as Emma Peel , on 29th January 2021, STUDIOCANAL is presenting a very special event to celebrate not only Dame Diana ,but also the 60th Anniversary of the ground-breaking cult Sixties TV series THE AVENGERS, with an ourscreen online event, offering 5000 fans a unique chance to enjoy episodes of the show ‘together’, hosted by some very special guests, with Q&As, discussion of the series, and tributes to stars Diana Rigg and Honor Blackman. Fans will be able to interact using the ourscreen live chat bar, enjoying the social experience in real time, from the comfort of home.
As John Steed might say, “How absolutely splendid!” If you would love to attend, please go to the following website and enjoy a truly nostalgic look at Martial arts in the sixties.
| Virtual Cinema by ourscreen | The Avengers 60th AnniversaryCelebrate the 60th anniversary of the ground-breaking cult Sixties TV series THE AVENGERS with an exclusive virtual event featuring three episodes and Q&A’s with very special guests. This celebratory evening is a tribute to one of the most endearing British TV creations of all time. Join us as we raise our bowler hats to the marvel (ahem) that is The Avengers! Watch 3 classic episodes; Tunnel …www.ourscreen.com |
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