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{{short description|English screenwriter and television producer}}
{{Short description|English screenwriter and television producer (1931–2015)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2012}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2012}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Brian Clemens <br /> <small>[[Order of the British Empire|OBE]]</small>
| name = Brian Clemens <br /> <small>[[Order of the British Empire|OBE]]</small>
| image =
| image = Portrait_of_Brian_Clemens.jpg
| image_size =
| image_size =
| caption =
| caption =
| birth_name = Brian Horace Clemens
| birth_name = Brian Horace Clemens
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|7|30|df=y}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|7|30|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Croydon]], [[Surrey]], [[England]]
| birth_place = [[Croydon]], [[Surrey]], [[England]]
| death_date ={{death date and age|df=y|2015|1|10|1931|7|30}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2015|1|10|1931|7|30}}
| death_place =
| death_place =
| education =
| education =
| occupation = Film and television producer, screenwriter
| occupation = Film and television producer, screenwriter
| spouse = Brenda Prior (m. 1955–1966),<ref name="TV Times" /> Janet Elizabeth Clemens (m. 1979–2015; his death)
| spouse = Brenda Prior (m. 1955–1966)<ref name="TV Times" /> <br> Janet Elizabeth Clemens (m. 1979–2015; his death)
| partner = Diane Enright (~1966–1976)<ref name="TV Times" />(Till her suicide)
| partner = Diane Enright (~1966–1976)<ref name="TV Times" /> (Till her suicide)
| parents =
| parents =
| children = Two with Janet Elizabeth.<ref name="Classic Images"/>
| children = Two with Janet Elizabeth.<ref name="Classic Images"/>
}}
}}


'''Brian Horace Clemens''' {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|OBE}} (30 July 1931 – 10 January 2015) was an English [[screenwriter]] and [[television producer]]. He worked on the British TV series ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' and created ''[[The New Avengers (TV series)|The New Avengers]]'' and ''[[The Professionals (TV series)|The Professionals]]''.
'''Brian Horace Clemens''' [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] (30 July 1931 – 10 January 2015) was an [[England|English]] [[screenwriter]] and [[television producer]], possibly best known for his work on ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' and ''[[The Professionals (TV series)|The Professionals]]''. Clemens was related to [[Mark Twain]] (Samuel Langhorne Clemens), a fact reflected in the naming of his two sons, Samuel Joshua Twain Clemens and George Langhorne Clemens.<ref name="Classic Images">{{cite web|url=http://www.classicimages.com/1999/may99/clemens.html |title=Interview with Brian Clemens, Classic Images website, May 1999 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041030063936/http://www.classicimages.com/1999/may99/clemens.html |archive-date=30 October 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbcamericashop.com/default.asp?cpa=product&id=4042&ctl=81&cc=21248&tt=UpsellClick|title=BBC America website|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070625074530/http://www.bbcamericashop.com/default.asp?cpa=product|archive-date=25 June 2007}}</ref>


==Early life ==
==Early life ==
Clemens was born in [[Croydon]], [[Surrey]] to Suzanna (née O'Grady) and Albert,<ref name="The Guardian">[https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/jan/12/brian-clemens The Guardian]</ref> an engineer, who also worked in [[music halls]].<ref name="Classic Images"/> Clemens left school aged 14.<ref name="TV Times">{{cite news |url=http://deadline.theavengers.tv/tvtClemens77.htm|title= TV Times magazine | page=22 | date=22 October 1977}}</ref>
Clemens was born in [[Croydon]], [[Surrey]], to Suzanna ([[née]] O'Grady) and Albert,<ref name="The Guardian">{{cite web |title=Brian Clemens obituary |date=2015-01-12 |website=[[The Guardian]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408013929/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/jan/12/brian-clemens |archive-date=2023-04-08 |url-status=live |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/jan/12/brian-clemens}}</ref> an engineer, who worked in [[music halls]].<ref name="Classic Images"/> Clemens said he was related to [[Mark Twain]] (Samuel Langhorne Clemens), and reflected this in the naming of his two sons, Samuel Joshua Twain Clemens and George Langhorne Clemens.<ref name="Classic Images">{{cite web|url=http://www.classicimages.com/1999/may99/clemens.html |title=Interview with Brian Clemens, Classic Images website, May 1999 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041030063936/http://www.classicimages.com/1999/may99/clemens.html |archive-date=30 October 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbcamericashop.com/default.asp?cpa=product&id=4042&ctl=81&cc=21248&tt=UpsellClick|title=BBC America website|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070625074530/http://www.bbcamericashop.com/default.asp?cpa=product|archive-date=25 June 2007}}</ref> He left school aged 14.<ref name="TV Times">{{cite news |title=TV Times magazine |url=http://deadline.theavengers.tv/tvtClemens77.htm |date=22 October 1977 |page=22}}</ref>


Following [[National Service]] in the [[British Army]] at [[Aldershot]],<ref name="BFI"/> where he was a weapons training instructor in the [[Royal Army Ordnance Corps]],<ref name="TV Times"/> Clemens wanted to be a journalist but decided he did not have any qualifications. He was offered a job with a [[private detective]] agency, but this involved taking a training course in the city of [[Leeds]] and, as he had been away from home in [[London]] for two years, he decided he did not want to go away again.<ref name="TV Times"/> Instead, he worked his way up from messenger boy at the [[J. Walter Thompson]] [[advertising agency]].<ref name="BFI">{{cite web |url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/473675/index.html|title= British Film Institute profile of Brian Clemens}}</ref> While he was a [[copywriter]] there, he had a thriller [[screenplay]] accepted and shot by [[BBC TV]] - ''Valid for Single Journey Only'' (1955).<ref name="TV Times"/> This brought him to the attention of independent, low-budget movie producers, the [[The Danzigers|Danziger brothers]].<ref name="BFI"/>
Following [[National Service|national service]] in the [[British Army]] at [[Aldershot]],<ref name="BFI"/> where he was a weapons training instructor in the [[Royal Army Ordnance Corps]],<ref name="TV Times"/> Clemens wanted to be a journalist but decided he did not have any qualifications. He was offered a job with a [[private detective]] agency, but this involved taking a training course in the city of [[Leeds]] and, as he had been away from home in London for two years, he decided he did not want to go away again.<ref name="TV Times"/> Instead, he worked his way up from messenger boy at the [[J. Walter Thompson]] [[advertising agency]].<ref name="BFI">{{cite web |title=British Film Institute profile of Brian Clemens |url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/473675/index.html}}</ref> While he was a [[copywriter]] there, he had a thriller [[screenplay]] accepted and shot by [[BBC TV]], ''Valid for Single Journey Only'' (1955).<ref name="TV Times"/> This brought him to the attention of the [[The Danzigers|Danziger brothers]], independent, low-budget movie producers.<ref name="BFI"/>


==TV career==
==TV career==
===Writer===
===Writer===
From the mid-1950s onwards, Clemens was a staff writer for the Danzigers, churning out dozens of quickie scripts for assembly-line 'B' movies and half-hour television series such as ''[[Mark Saber]]'' (ITV, 1957–1959; aka ''[[Saber of London]]''), ''White Hunter'' (ITV, 1958–1960), ''[[The Man from Interpol]]'' (ITV, 1960–1961), and ''[[Richard the Lionheart (TV series)|Richard The Lionheart]]'' (ITV, 1961–1965).<ref name="BFI"/>
From the mid-1950s onward Clemens was a staff writer for the Danzigers, churning out dozens of quickie scripts for assembly line [[B movie|'B' movies]] and half-hour television series such as ''[[The Vise (1955 TV series)|Mark Saber]]'' (ITV, 1957–1959; also known as ''Saber of London''), ''White Hunter'' (ITV, 1958–1960), ''[[The Man from Interpol|Man from Interpol]]'' (ITV, 1960–1961), and ''[[Richard the Lionheart (TV series)|Richard The Lionheart]]'' (ITV, 1961–1965).<ref name="BFI"/>


He also wrote for [[ITC Entertainment]]'s thriller series ''[[The Invisible Man (1958 TV series)|The Invisible Man]]'' (ITV, 1958–1959), ''[[Sir Francis Drake (TV series)|Sir Francis Drake]]'' (ITV, 1961–1962), and ''[[Danger Man]]'' (ITV, 1960–1961; 1964–1967; aka ''Secret Agent''),<ref name="BFI"/> for which he had also written the pilot.<ref name="Classic Images"/> His output was so prolific during the late 50s and throughout the 1960s that he frequently used the [[pseudonym]] Tony O'Grady.
He wrote for [[ITC Entertainment]]'s thriller series ''[[The Invisible Man (1958 TV series)|The Invisible Man]]'' (ITV, 1958–1959), ''[[Sir Francis Drake (TV series)|Sir Francis Drake]]'' (ITV, 1961–1962), and ''[[Danger Man]]'' (ITV, 1960–1961; 1964–1967; also known as ''Secret Agent''),<ref name="BFI"/> for which he had written the pilot.<ref name="Classic Images"/> His output was so prolific during the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s that he frequently used the [[pseudonym]] Tony O'Grady.


He wrote the second episode for ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' but not the pilot as is often stated in 1961<ref name="TV Times"/> and was the script editor, associate producer and main scriptwriter for ''The Avengers'' series<ref name="BFI"/> (ITV, 1961–1969) and, according to the [[British Film Institute]]'s profile of him, "brought this spirit of burlesque to his other series - most notably with ''[[Adam Adamant Lives!]]'' (BBC, 1966-1967), but also with ''[[The Baron]]'' (ITV, 1966-1967), ''[[The Persuaders!]]'' (ITV, 1971-1972), ''[[The Protectors]]'' (ITV, 1972-1974), and ''[[The Adventurer (TV series)|The Adventurer]]'' (ITV, 1972-1974) - resoundingly poking fun both at the genre they were imitating and the sources of their inspiration."<ref name="BFI"/>
He wrote the second episode for ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]''<ref name="BFI"/> (ITV, 1961–1969) in 1961<ref name="TV Times"/> but not the pilot, as is often claimed. He also wrote one other episode ("One for the Mortuary") for the first season and multiple episodes of the third season. Beginning in the fourth season, Clemens became the script editor, associate producer and main scriptwriter for the series. Due to his rapid working rate and productivity, Clemens would frequently perform extensive rewrites of other writers' scripts to ensure the show consistently matched his creative sensibilities; fellow ''Avengers'' writer Roger Marshall later noted that "his influence pervades almost every scene"<ref>{{cite web | url=http://theavengers.tv/forever/bio-marshall.htm | title=The Avengers Forever: Roger Marshall }}</ref> of the show's later seasons.


It was Clemens who cast [[Diana Rigg]] to replace departing star [[Honor Blackman]] in ''The Avengers''. He was later quoted as saying, "I didn't do Diana a very good service. It made her an international star but I think I could have done more for her as far as the script was concerned. She was rather a stooge to [[Patrick Macnee]]'s Steed."<ref name="TV Times"/> He did not choose [[Linda Thorson]] to replace Rigg.<ref name="TV Times"/>
Clemens cast [[Diana Rigg]] to replace departing star [[Honor Blackman]] in ''The Avengers''. He was later quoted as saying, "I didn't do Diana a very good service. It made her an international star but I think I could have done more for her as far as the script was concerned. She was rather a stooge to [[Patrick Macnee]]'s Steed."<ref name="TV Times"/> He did not choose [[Linda Thorson]] to replace Rigg.<ref name="TV Times"/>

According to the [[British Film Institute]]'s profile of him, he "brought this spirit of burlesque to his other series – most notably with ''[[Adam Adamant Lives!]]'' (BBC, 1966–1967), but also with ''[[The Baron (TV series)|The Baron]]'' (ITV, 1966–1967), ''[[The Persuaders!]]'' (ITV, 1971–1972), ''[[The Protectors]]'' (ITV, 1972–1974), and ''[[The Adventurer (TV series)|The Adventurer]]'' (ITV, 1972–1974) – resoundingly poking fun both at the genre they were imitating and the sources of their inspiration."<ref name="BFI"/>


===Producer===
===Producer===
Clemens created the [[BBC TV]] [[sitcom]], ''[[My Wife Next Door]]'' (1972) but left the scriptwriting to [[Richard Waring (writer)|Richard Waring]]. The series won a [[BAFTA Award]] as Best Situation Comedy Series. Made around the same time, the TV movie ''[[The Woman Hunter]]'' (also 1972) was scripted by Clemens and fellow ITC writer [[Tony Williamson (television writer)|Tony Williamson]] from the former's story. It was Clemens' first American credit.
Clemens created the BBC TV [[sitcom]] ''[[My Wife Next Door]]'' (1972) but left the scriptwriting to [[Richard Waring (writer)|Richard Waring]]. The series won a [[British Academy Television Award for Best Scripted Comedy|BAFTA Award for Best Situation Comedy Series]]. Made around the same time, the TV movie ''[[The Woman Hunter]]'' was scripted by Clemens and fellow ITC writer [[Tony Williamson (television writer)|Tony Williamson]] from the former's story. It was Clemens' first American credit.


He followed this with a twist-in-the-tail anthology series ''[[Thriller (UK TV series)|Thriller]]'' (ITV 1973–1976; aka ''Menace''), for which he wrote all the stories as well as 38 of the scripts.<ref name="TV Times"/>
He followed this with a twist-in-the-tail anthology series ''[[Thriller (UK TV series)|Thriller]]'' (ITV 1973–1976; also known as ''Menace''), for which he wrote all the stories as well as 38 of the scripts.<ref name="TV Times"/>


In the mid-1970s, Clemens sued fellow writer [[Terry Nation]] for plagiarism claiming he had given the concept of the 1975 TV series ''[[Survivors (1975 TV series)|Survivors]]'' to Nation in the late 1960s and that had he registered the idea with the [[Writers' Guild of Great Britain]] in 1965. Nation strenuously denied the claim. Both sides agreed to discontinue the case due to escalating legal fees.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bignell|first= Jonathan & Andrew O'Day|title=Terry Nation|page =21|publisher= Manchester University Press|year=2004|ISBN=0-7190-6547-X}}</ref>
In the mid-1970s, Clemens sued fellow writer [[Terry Nation]] for plagiarism, saying he had given the concept of the 1975 television series ''[[Survivors (1975 TV series)|Survivors]]'' to Nation in the late 1960s and that had he registered the idea with the [[Writers' Guild of Great Britain]] in 1965. Nation strenuously denied the allegation. Both sides agreed to discontinue the case due to escalating legal fees.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bignell |first1=Jonathan |last2=O'Day |first2=Andrew |title=Terry Nation |publisher=[[Manchester University Press]] |year=2004 |page=21 |isbn=0-7190-6547-X}}</ref>


Clemens company The Avengers (Film and TV) Enterprises Ltd<ref name="TV Times"/> created as a French/Canadian/British co-production<ref name="BFI"/> ''[[The New Avengers (TV series)|The New Avengers]]'' (ITV 1976-1977). The series cost £125,000 an episode to produce and was not a critical success, but sold to 120 countries.<ref name="TV Times"/> To cast the central female role of [[Purdey (The New Avengers)|Purdey]], Clemens considered "about 700 girls", interviewed 200, read scripts with 40 and screen-tested 15<ref name="TV Times"/> before choosing [[Joanna Lumley]]. His company Avengers Mark One Productions went on to produce ''[[The Professionals (TV series)|The Professionals]]'' (ITV, 1977–1983).<ref name="BFI"/>
Clemens' company The Avengers (Film and TV) Enterprises Ltd<ref name="TV Times"/> created a French/Canadian/British co-production,<ref name="BFI"/> ''[[The New Avengers (TV series)|The New Avengers]]'' (ITV 1976–1977). The series cost £125,000 an episode to produce and was not a critical success, but sold to 120 countries.<ref name="TV Times"/> To cast the central female role of [[Purdey (The New Avengers)|Purdey]], Clemens considered "about 700 girls", interviewed 200, read scripts with 40 and screen-tested 15<ref name="TV Times"/> before choosing [[Joanna Lumley]]. His company Avengers Mark One Productions went on to produce ''[[The Professionals (TV series)|The Professionals]]'' (ITV, 1977–1983).<ref name="BFI"/>


In the early 1980s, he was twice asked to produce a [[United States]] version of his most successful series - ''The Avengers U.S.A.'' for producer [[Quinn Martin]] and ''The Avengers International'' for Taft Entertainment<ref name="BFI"/> but neither version materialised. An earlier attempt by Clemens at a US-based ''Avengers''-style series resulted in his writing and co-producing the hour-long pilot film ''Escapade'' which was aired by [[CBS]] in 1978; again, this project did not proceed to series.<ref>Goldberg, L. (2015). Television fast forward: sequels & remakes of cancelled series 1955-1992. Calabasas: Adventures in Television.</ref> However, he did write episodes for the US TV series ''[[Darkroom (TV series)|Darkroom]]'' (ABC-TV, 1981–1982), ''[[Remington Steele]]'' (NBC, 1982–1987), and ''Max Monroe: Loose Cannon'' (CBS, 1990).
In the early 1980s he was twice asked to produce a U.S. version of his most successful series - ''The Avengers U.S.A.'' for producer [[Quinn Martin]] and ''The Avengers International'' for [[Taft Entertainment]]<ref name="BFI"/> but neither version materialised. An earlier attempt by Clemens at a US-based ''Avengers''-style series resulted in his writing and co-producing the hour-long pilot film ''Escapade'' which was aired by [[CBS]] in 1978; again, this project did not proceed to series.<ref>Goldberg, L. (2015). Television fast forward: sequels & remakes of cancelled series 1955-1992. Calabasas: Adventures in Television.</ref> However, he did write episodes for the US TV series ''[[Darkroom (TV series)|Darkroom]]'' (ABC-TV, 1981–1982), ''[[Remington Steele]]'' (NBC, 1982–1987), and ''[[Max Monroe: Loose Cannon]]'' (CBS, 1990).


Back in the UK, he worked on the BBC TV's ''[[Bergerac (TV series)|Bergerac]]'' (1981–1991), the anthologies ''[[Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense]]'' (ITV, 1984–1986) and ''Worlds Beyond'' (ITV, 1984–1989), and adapted [[Gavin Lyall]]'s espionage thriller ''The Secret Servant'' as a 3-part drama for BBC TV (1984).<ref name="BFI"/>
Back in the UK, he worked on the BBC's ''[[Bergerac (TV series)|Bergerac]]'' (1981–1991), the anthologies ''[[Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense]]'' (ITV, 1984–1986) and ''Worlds Beyond'' (ITV, 1984–1989), and adapted [[Gavin Lyall]]'s espionage thriller ''[[The Secret Servant (Lyall novel)|The Secret Servant]]'' as a three-part drama for the BBC (1984).<ref name="BFI"/>


He then, in the US again, worked on the ''[[Father Dowling Mysteries]]'' (NBC, 1989; ABC-TV, 1990–1991), as executive script consultant for the feature-length revival series of [[Raymond Burr]]'s ''[[Perry Mason (TV film series)|Perry Mason]]'' (CBS, 1985–1995) for which he also wrote three teleplays. He also wrote for the [[Dick Van Dyke]] mystery series ''[[Diagnosis: Murder]]'' (CBS, 1992–2001).<ref name="BFI"/>
He then, in the US again, worked on the ''[[Father Dowling Mysteries]]'' (NBC, 1989; ABC-TV, 1990–1991), as executive script consultant for the feature-length revival series of [[Raymond Burr]]'s ''[[Perry Mason (TV film series)|Perry Mason]]'' (CBS, 1985–1995) for which he wrote three teleplays. He wrote for the [[Dick Van Dyke]] mystery series ''[[Diagnosis: Murder]]'' (CBS, 1992–2001).<ref name="BFI"/>


He also wrote for the ''[[Bugs (TV series)|Bugs]]'' TV series in the UK (BBC, 1995–1999) and ''[[Highlander: The Series]]'' in the US. Clemens' final credit was for ''[[Jane Doe (film series)|Jane Doe: How To Fire Your Boss]]'' in 2007.
He wrote for the ''[[Bugs (TV series)|Bugs]]'' TV series in the UK (BBC, 1995–1999) and ''[[Highlander: The Series]]'' in the US. Clemens' final credit was for ''[[Jane Doe (film series)|Jane Doe: How To Fire Your Boss]]'' in 2007.


==Films==
==Films==
In 1971 he wrote and produced for [[Hammer Film Productions|Hammer]] films ''[[Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde]]'' and, in 1972, wrote and directed ''[[Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter]]'' (his only directorial effort). He also wrote the screenplays and/or stories for the feature films ''[[Operation Murder]]'' (1957),
In 1971, he wrote and produced for [[Hammer Film Productions]] ''[[Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde]]'' and, in 1972, wrote and directed ''[[Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter|Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter]]'' (his only directorial effort). He also wrote the screenplays and/or stories for the feature films ''[[Operation Murder]]'' (1957),
''[[The Tell-Tale Heart (1960 film)|The Tell-Tale Heart]]'' (1960), ''[[Station Six-Sahara]]'' (1963), ''[[The Peking Medallion]]'' (1967), ''[[And Soon the Darkness]]'' (1970), ''[[See No Evil (1971 film)|See No Evil]]'' (1971), ''[[The Golden Voyage of Sinbad]]'' (1974), ''[[The Watcher in the Woods (1980 film)|The Watcher in the Woods]]'' (1980), and ''[[Highlander II: The Quickening]]'' (1991).<ref>[http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3327693/r-p-brian-clemens-writer-see-evil-thriller-dies-age-83/ R.I.P. Brian Clemens, Writer of ‘See No Evil’ And ‘Thriller’, Dies At Age 83]</ref>
''[[The Tell-Tale Heart (1960 film)|The Tell-Tale Heart]]'' (1960), ''[[Station Six-Sahara]]'' (1963), ''[[The Peking Medallion]]'' (1967), ''[[And Soon the Darkness (1970 film)|And Soon the Darkness]]'' (1970), ''[[See No Evil (1971 film)|See No Evil]]'' (1971), ''[[The Golden Voyage of Sinbad]]'' (1973), ''[[The Watcher in the Woods (1980 film)|The Watcher in the Woods]]'' (1980), and ''[[Highlander II: The Quickening]]'' (1991).<ref>[http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3327693/r-p-brian-clemens-writer-see-evil-thriller-dies-age-83/ R.I.P. Brian Clemens, Writer of ‘See No Evil’ And ‘Thriller’, Dies At Age 83]</ref>


===Selected filmography===
===Selected filmography===
* ''[[At the Stroke of Nine]]'' (1957)
* ''[[At the Stroke of Nine]]'' (1957)
* ''[[Operation Murder]]'' (1957)
* ''[[Operation Murder]]'' (1957)
* ''[[The Betrayal]]'' (1957)
* ''[[The Betrayal (1957 film)|The Betrayal]]'' (1957)
* ''[[Moment of Indiscretion]]'' (1958) (co-written with ''[[Eldon Howard]]''
* ''[[Moment of Indiscretion]]'' (1958) (co-written with [[Eldon Howard]])
* ''[[Woman's Temptation]]'' (1959)
* ''[[Woman's Temptation]]'' (1959)
* ''[[An Honourable Murder]]'' (1960)
* ''[[An Honourable Murder]]'' (1960)
* ''[[Identity Unknown (1960 film)|Identity Unknown]]'' (1960)
* ''[[Identity Unknown (1960 film)|Identity Unknown]]'' (1960)
* ''[[The Tell-Tale Heart]]'' (1960)
* ''[[The Tell-Tale Heart (1960 film)|The Tell-Tale Heart]]'' (1960)
* ''[[Return of a Stranger (1961 film)|Return of a Stranger]]'' (1961)
* ''[[Return of a Stranger (1961 film)|Return of a Stranger]]'' (1961)
* ''[[Station Six-Sahara]]'' (1962)
* ''[[Station Six-Sahara]]'' (1962)
* ''[[The Corrupt Ones]]'' (1967)
* ''[[The Corrupt Ones]]'' (1967)
* ''[[And Soon the Darkness]]'' (1970)
* ''[[And Soon the Darkness (1970 film)|And Soon the Darkness]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Blind Terror]] aka See No Evil'' (1971)
* ''[[See No Evil (1971 film)|Blind Terror]]'' (also known as ''See No Evil''; 1971)
* ''[[Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde]]'' (1971)
* ''[[Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde]]'' (1971)
* ''[[The Golden Voyage of Sinbad]]'' (1973)
* ''[[The Golden Voyage of Sinbad]]'' (1973)
* ''[[Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter]]'' (released 1974, filmed in 1972)
* ''[[Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter|Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter]]'' (released 1974; filmed 1972) (also director)
* ''[[The Watcher in the Woods (1980 film)|The Watcher in the Woods]]'' (1980)
* ''[[The Watcher in the Woods (1980 film)|The Watcher in the Woods]]'' (1980)
* ''[[Highlander II: The Quickening]]'' (1991)
* ''[[Highlander II: The Quickening]]'' (1991)
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==Theatre==
==Theatre==
In 2008 Clemens wrote the play ''Murder Hunt'', which was performed at [[The Mill at Sonning]] and starred David Monteith as Captain K'Maka, a native African policeman who has to find the murderer amongst a bunch of guests stranded at a remote safari lodge.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.millatsonning.com/Murder%20Hunt.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080526204420/http://www.millatsonning.com/Murder%20Hunt.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-05-26 |title=Murder Hunt |work=The Mill at Sonning web site }}</ref> The list of plays he helped to write and produce:<ref>{{cite web|website=doollee.com|url=http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsC/clemens-brian.html|title=Brian Clemens|access-date=15 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514040758/http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsC/clemens-brian.html|archive-date=14 May 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 1988, Clemens wrote the play ''Holmes and the Ripper'', which was inspired by [[Stephen Knight (author)|Stephen Knight]]'s book ''[[Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution]]''. The play has the great detective [[Sherlock Holmes]] and his colleague [[Dr. Watson]] become embroiled in the grisly murders in Whitechapel in 1888. The play would be adapted into an audio drama by [[Big Finish Productions]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://theatricalia.com/play/5j2/holmes-and-the-ripper/production/c59 | title=Production of Holmes and the Ripper &#124; Theatricalia }}</ref>
In 2008 Clemens wrote the play ''Murder Hunt'', which was performed at [[The Mill at Sonning]] and starred David Monteith as Captain K'Maka, a native African policeman who has to find the murderer amongst a bunch of guests stranded at a remote safari lodge.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.millatsonning.com/Murder%20Hunt.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080526204420/http://www.millatsonning.com/Murder%20Hunt.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-05-26 |title=Murder Hunt |work=The Mill at Sonning web site}}</ref> The list of plays he helped to write and produce:<ref>{{cite web|website=doollee.com|url=http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsC/clemens-brian.html|title=Brian Clemens|access-date=15 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514040758/http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsC/clemens-brian.html|archive-date=14 May 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>


{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
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|-
|-
| 1986 || Sting in the Tale || Dennis Spooner || Drama ||
| 1986 || Sting in the Tale || Dennis Spooner || Drama ||
|-
| 1988 || Holmes and the Ripper || || Mystery || Based on the Whitechapel murders and Sherlock Holmes
|-
|-
| 1990 || Anybody for Murder? || Dennis Spooner || Drama ||
| 1990 || Anybody for Murder? || Dennis Spooner || Drama ||
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==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Clemens married his first wife Brenda Prior in 1955, and they were divorced in 1966.<ref name="TV Times" /> From 1967, he was with the actress Diane Enright, who was [[Diana Rigg]]'s stand-in as [[Emma Peel]] during the 1965-1967 Avengers series. Enright committed suicide in 1976.<ref name="TV Times"/> He then married Janet Elizabeth with whom he had two sons; they stayed together until his death.
Clemens married his first wife Brenda Prior in 1955; they divorced in 1966.<ref name="TV Times" /> From 1967, he was with the actress Diane Enright, who was Diana Rigg's stand-in as [[Emma Peel]] during the 1965-1967 Avengers series. Enright died by suicide in 1976.<ref name="TV Times"/> He then married Janet Elizabeth with whom he had two sons; they stayed together until his death.


Clemens was appointed [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=59446 |date=12 June 2010 |page=9 |supp=y}}</ref>
Clemens was appointed [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=59446 |date=12 June 2010 |page=9 |supp=y}}</ref>


==Death==
==Death==
Clemens died at home on 10 January 2015, aged 83.<ref>[http://www.inquisitr.com/1747229/brian-clemens-dies-creator-avengers-the-professionals-videos/ Brian Clemens Dies, Creator Of ‘Avengers,’ ‘The Professionals’]</ref> The cause of death was a leaking [[aneurism]]. His son said his father had died shortly after watching an episode of ''The Avengers'', his last words were: "I did quite a good job."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2015/avengers-writer-brian-clemens-dies-aged-83/|title=The Avengers writer Brian Clemens dies aged 83|publisher=thestage.co.uk|date=13 January 2015}}</ref>
Clemens died at home on 10 January 2015, aged 83.<ref>[http://www.inquisitr.com/1747229/brian-clemens-dies-creator-avengers-the-professionals-videos/ Brian Clemens Dies, Creator Of ‘Avengers,’ ‘The Professionals’]</ref> The cause of death was a leaking [[aneurysm]]. His son said his father had died shortly after watching an episode of ''The Avengers'', and that his last words were: "I did quite a good job."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2015/avengers-writer-brian-clemens-dies-aged-83/|title=The Avengers writer Brian Clemens dies aged 83|publisher=thestage.co.uk|date=13 January 2015}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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Latest revision as of 15:07, 6 December 2024

Brian Clemens
OBE
Born
Brian Horace Clemens

(1931-07-30)30 July 1931
Died10 January 2015(2015-01-10) (aged 83)
Occupation(s)Film and television producer, screenwriter
Spouse(s)Brenda Prior (m. 1955–1966)[1]
Janet Elizabeth Clemens (m. 1979–2015; his death)
PartnerDiane Enright (~1966–1976)[1] (Till her suicide)
ChildrenTwo with Janet Elizabeth.[2]

Brian Horace Clemens OBE (30 July 1931 – 10 January 2015) was an English screenwriter and television producer. He worked on the British TV series The Avengers and created The New Avengers and The Professionals.

Early life

[edit]

Clemens was born in Croydon, Surrey, to Suzanna (née O'Grady) and Albert,[3] an engineer, who worked in music halls.[2] Clemens said he was related to Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens), and reflected this in the naming of his two sons, Samuel Joshua Twain Clemens and George Langhorne Clemens.[2][4] He left school aged 14.[1]

Following national service in the British Army at Aldershot,[5] where he was a weapons training instructor in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps,[1] Clemens wanted to be a journalist but decided he did not have any qualifications. He was offered a job with a private detective agency, but this involved taking a training course in the city of Leeds and, as he had been away from home in London for two years, he decided he did not want to go away again.[1] Instead, he worked his way up from messenger boy at the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency.[5] While he was a copywriter there, he had a thriller screenplay accepted and shot by BBC TV, Valid for Single Journey Only (1955).[1] This brought him to the attention of the Danziger brothers, independent, low-budget movie producers.[5]

TV career

[edit]

Writer

[edit]

From the mid-1950s onward Clemens was a staff writer for the Danzigers, churning out dozens of quickie scripts for assembly line 'B' movies and half-hour television series such as Mark Saber (ITV, 1957–1959; also known as Saber of London), White Hunter (ITV, 1958–1960), Man from Interpol (ITV, 1960–1961), and Richard The Lionheart (ITV, 1961–1965).[5]

He wrote for ITC Entertainment's thriller series The Invisible Man (ITV, 1958–1959), Sir Francis Drake (ITV, 1961–1962), and Danger Man (ITV, 1960–1961; 1964–1967; also known as Secret Agent),[5] for which he had written the pilot.[2] His output was so prolific during the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s that he frequently used the pseudonym Tony O'Grady.

He wrote the second episode for The Avengers[5] (ITV, 1961–1969) in 1961[1] but not the pilot, as is often claimed. He also wrote one other episode ("One for the Mortuary") for the first season and multiple episodes of the third season. Beginning in the fourth season, Clemens became the script editor, associate producer and main scriptwriter for the series. Due to his rapid working rate and productivity, Clemens would frequently perform extensive rewrites of other writers' scripts to ensure the show consistently matched his creative sensibilities; fellow Avengers writer Roger Marshall later noted that "his influence pervades almost every scene"[6] of the show's later seasons.

Clemens cast Diana Rigg to replace departing star Honor Blackman in The Avengers. He was later quoted as saying, "I didn't do Diana a very good service. It made her an international star but I think I could have done more for her as far as the script was concerned. She was rather a stooge to Patrick Macnee's Steed."[1] He did not choose Linda Thorson to replace Rigg.[1]

According to the British Film Institute's profile of him, he "brought this spirit of burlesque to his other series – most notably with Adam Adamant Lives! (BBC, 1966–1967), but also with The Baron (ITV, 1966–1967), The Persuaders! (ITV, 1971–1972), The Protectors (ITV, 1972–1974), and The Adventurer (ITV, 1972–1974) – resoundingly poking fun both at the genre they were imitating and the sources of their inspiration."[5]

Producer

[edit]

Clemens created the BBC TV sitcom My Wife Next Door (1972) but left the scriptwriting to Richard Waring. The series won a BAFTA Award for Best Situation Comedy Series. Made around the same time, the TV movie The Woman Hunter was scripted by Clemens and fellow ITC writer Tony Williamson from the former's story. It was Clemens' first American credit.

He followed this with a twist-in-the-tail anthology series Thriller (ITV 1973–1976; also known as Menace), for which he wrote all the stories as well as 38 of the scripts.[1]

In the mid-1970s, Clemens sued fellow writer Terry Nation for plagiarism, saying he had given the concept of the 1975 television series Survivors to Nation in the late 1960s and that had he registered the idea with the Writers' Guild of Great Britain in 1965. Nation strenuously denied the allegation. Both sides agreed to discontinue the case due to escalating legal fees.[7]

Clemens' company The Avengers (Film and TV) Enterprises Ltd[1] created a French/Canadian/British co-production,[5] The New Avengers (ITV 1976–1977). The series cost £125,000 an episode to produce and was not a critical success, but sold to 120 countries.[1] To cast the central female role of Purdey, Clemens considered "about 700 girls", interviewed 200, read scripts with 40 and screen-tested 15[1] before choosing Joanna Lumley. His company Avengers Mark One Productions went on to produce The Professionals (ITV, 1977–1983).[5]

In the early 1980s he was twice asked to produce a U.S. version of his most successful series - The Avengers U.S.A. for producer Quinn Martin and The Avengers International for Taft Entertainment[5] but neither version materialised. An earlier attempt by Clemens at a US-based Avengers-style series resulted in his writing and co-producing the hour-long pilot film Escapade which was aired by CBS in 1978; again, this project did not proceed to series.[8] However, he did write episodes for the US TV series Darkroom (ABC-TV, 1981–1982), Remington Steele (NBC, 1982–1987), and Max Monroe: Loose Cannon (CBS, 1990).

Back in the UK, he worked on the BBC's Bergerac (1981–1991), the anthologies Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense (ITV, 1984–1986) and Worlds Beyond (ITV, 1984–1989), and adapted Gavin Lyall's espionage thriller The Secret Servant as a three-part drama for the BBC (1984).[5]

He then, in the US again, worked on the Father Dowling Mysteries (NBC, 1989; ABC-TV, 1990–1991), as executive script consultant for the feature-length revival series of Raymond Burr's Perry Mason (CBS, 1985–1995) for which he wrote three teleplays. He wrote for the Dick Van Dyke mystery series Diagnosis: Murder (CBS, 1992–2001).[5]

He wrote for the Bugs TV series in the UK (BBC, 1995–1999) and Highlander: The Series in the US. Clemens' final credit was for Jane Doe: How To Fire Your Boss in 2007.

Films

[edit]

In 1971, he wrote and produced for Hammer Film Productions Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde and, in 1972, wrote and directed Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter (his only directorial effort). He also wrote the screenplays and/or stories for the feature films Operation Murder (1957), The Tell-Tale Heart (1960), Station Six-Sahara (1963), The Peking Medallion (1967), And Soon the Darkness (1970), See No Evil (1971), The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973), The Watcher in the Woods (1980), and Highlander II: The Quickening (1991).[9]

Selected filmography

[edit]

Theatre

[edit]

In 1988, Clemens wrote the play Holmes and the Ripper, which was inspired by Stephen Knight's book Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution. The play has the great detective Sherlock Holmes and his colleague Dr. Watson become embroiled in the grisly murders in Whitechapel in 1888. The play would be adapted into an audio drama by Big Finish Productions.[10]

In 2008 Clemens wrote the play Murder Hunt, which was performed at The Mill at Sonning and starred David Monteith as Captain K'Maka, a native African policeman who has to find the murderer amongst a bunch of guests stranded at a remote safari lodge.[11] The list of plays he helped to write and produce:[12]

Year Title Collaboration Genre Notes
1971 The Avengers Terence Feely Stage version of television show
1972 Lover Thriller
1972 Shock! Thriller
1973 Dear Heart Terence Feely Drama Loosely based upon life of Joe Orton
1975 Edge of Darkness Drama
1977 Our Kid One act Drama Based upon the Moors Murders and Myra Hindley
1979 I'm Only Going to Kill her Dennis Spooner Comedy
1979 Will You Still Love Me in the Morning Dennis Spooner Sex comedy
1982 All About Murder Thriller
1986 Sting in the Tale Dennis Spooner Drama
1988 Holmes and the Ripper Mystery Based on the Whitechapel murders and Sherlock Holmes
1990 Anybody for Murder? Dennis Spooner Drama
1993 Inside Job Thriller
2001 The Devil at Midnight Thriller
Without Trace
2006 Strictly Murder Thriller
2012 Murder Weapon Thriller

Personal life

[edit]

Clemens married his first wife Brenda Prior in 1955; they divorced in 1966.[1] From 1967, he was with the actress Diane Enright, who was Diana Rigg's stand-in as Emma Peel during the 1965-1967 Avengers series. Enright died by suicide in 1976.[1] He then married Janet Elizabeth with whom he had two sons; they stayed together until his death.

Clemens was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours.[13]

Death

[edit]

Clemens died at home on 10 January 2015, aged 83.[14] The cause of death was a leaking aneurysm. His son said his father had died shortly after watching an episode of The Avengers, and that his last words were: "I did quite a good job."[15]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "TV Times magazine". 22 October 1977. p. 22.
  2. ^ a b c d "Interview with Brian Clemens, Classic Images website, May 1999". Archived from the original on 30 October 2004.
  3. ^ "Brian Clemens obituary". The Guardian. 12 January 2015. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023.
  4. ^ "BBC America website". Archived from the original on 25 June 2007.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "British Film Institute profile of Brian Clemens".
  6. ^ "The Avengers Forever: Roger Marshall".
  7. ^ Bignell, Jonathan; O'Day, Andrew (2004). Terry Nation. Manchester University Press. p. 21. ISBN 0-7190-6547-X.
  8. ^ Goldberg, L. (2015). Television fast forward: sequels & remakes of cancelled series 1955-1992. Calabasas: Adventures in Television.
  9. ^ R.I.P. Brian Clemens, Writer of ‘See No Evil’ And ‘Thriller’, Dies At Age 83
  10. ^ "Production of Holmes and the Ripper | Theatricalia".
  11. ^ "Murder Hunt". The Mill at Sonning web site. Archived from the original on 26 May 2008.
  12. ^ "Brian Clemens". doollee.com. Archived from the original on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  13. ^ "No. 59446". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 2010. p. 9.
  14. ^ Brian Clemens Dies, Creator Of ‘Avengers,’ ‘The Professionals’
  15. ^ "The Avengers writer Brian Clemens dies aged 83". thestage.co.uk. 13 January 2015.
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