Shown in Great Britain for more than five years (debuting in 1961) before it caught on in America, The Avengers is a secret-agent thriller that almost bests James Bond. Jonathan Steed - an urbane, proper gentleman spy - and adventurous citizen Emma Peel repeatedly saved the world from diabolical schemes plotted by equally diabolical evil-doers (among them robots and man-eating monsters).
Emma Peel, in her leather boots and mini-skirts, is now considered one of the most liberated women on 60's television.
Cast and Characters
Patrick Macnee as Jonathan Steed
Diana Rigg as Emma Peel (1966-1968)
Linda Thorson as Tara King (1968-1969)
Patrick Newell as "Mother" (1968-1969)
Joanna Lumley as Purdey (1976)
Gareth Hunt as Mike Gambit (1976)
Broadcast History First Telecast: March 28, 1966 Last Telecast: September 15, 1969 Number of Episodes: 161
March 1966- July 1966, ABC, Monday 10:00-11:00pm
July 1966- September 1966, ABC, Thursday 10:00-11:00pm
January 1967- September 1967, ABC, Friday 10:00-11:00pm
January 1968- September 1968, ABC, Wednesday 7:30-8:30pm
September 1968- September 1969, ABC, Monday 7:30-8:30pm