A TRIBUTE TO THE CHAMPIONS

Many readers will be sad to read of the passing of the American actor Stuart Damon. For much of the 60s and 70s, he was based in the UK and enlivened many an ITC programme. However, he will always be remembered for The Champions. The show’s producers claimed, ‘Our aim is to make incredibility credible’ – especially if it involved large amounts of stock footage and driving on the wrong side of the road in Hertfordshire.

So, the story so far. Craig Stirling, Dr. Sharon Macready, and Richard Barrett are three secret agents with ‘super powers’; albeit ones usually limited to the hurling of papier-mache rocks at very short-sighted villains. They also engage in low-grade telepathy, ever lower-grade mind control, while possessing the ever-useful ability to flick cups into a bin.

Damon played Stirling, and Alexandra Bastedo was cast as Dr. Macready. William Gaunt portrayed Barrett, whose primary duties were exposition dialogue and looking concerned.

As for their cars, Stirling favoured a US-spec metallic green Mercedes-Benz 220S Fintail and Richard would pilot a white 1963 Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600 Sprint Speciale, previously seen in The Saint and The Baron.

As for Dr. Macready, she used a variety of vehicles. The pre-credits sequence of The Gunrunners in which two drunks fell over amazed when she lifts her white Mini is especially notable. The typical ITC polished continuity ensures it changes from an Austin to a Morris in mid-scene. Indeed, some of the best automotive moments of The Champions occur in the pre-credits sequences where David Bauer’s narrator tells us of the trio’s special abilities.

And so The Mission has Sharon driving a powder blue MGB Roadster and repelling beatnik hitchhikers. Similarly, in The Interrogation, Barrett has a premonition of danger as he cruises along a country lane somewhere in Spain/France/Italy/Somewhere Vaguely Foreign. Suddenly, the back projection judders and a concerned looking Richard slams on his brakes. A few moments later, a child’s ball comes rolling out of a side street

As to my favourite episode, the pilot edition The Beginning is exceptionally splendid. Our heroes, wearing their best black roll-neck pullovers, are on a mission ‘behind the Bamboo Curtain’. Unfortunately, their plane (apparently made from Airfix) crashes in Tibet (which bears a remarkable similarity to Elstree Studios), before being nursed back to health by a local mystic. He bestows upon them special powers resulting in a profound observation from Richard: “”e all know something’s happened - we’re ‘different’.”

Alternatively, A Case of Lemmings features a handsome police Peugeot 404 and a Fiat 1800 Berlina. The story involves Craig (looking manly), Sharon (looking beautiful) and Richard (looking concerned) investigating the deaths of their fellow agents - only to discover Mr. Meeker from Rentaghost in the guise of a Mafia Don. Meanwhile, The Final Countdown features a memorable cameo from “The ITC White Jaguar”.

However, arguably the finest episode of The Champions has to be The Invisible Man. There is Stuart Damon in a Vauxhall PR Fleet grey & white VX 4/90 and, best of all, guest star Peter Wyngarde in a maroon Viscount. The latter is quite possibly the most decadent sight in the history of British television. All this, plus a title sequence that virtually defines the word ‘groovy’.

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