Shirley Eaton: “The reason why people are huge stars is nothing to do with acting. It’s the magic. It’s something you can’t actually explain. Very few have that extra quality. You’re born with it. It’s luck.” Interesting thoughts on 'screen presence'. Nurture or nature? Or both.

BOTD 1969, Shane Warne was a magician. I still haven't fully computed his 'Gatting ball', 31 years on.

Christine (1958). A period drama with a young Alain Delon looking impossibly handsome as a lieutenant, opposite Romy Schneider, who was already a major star. One of those films about liasons dangereuses which is destined to end in tragedy. My introduction as a student to Delon.

Roger Ebert: "Angel Heart is a thriller and a horror movie, but most of all it's an exuberant exercise in style, in which Parker and his actors have fun taking it to the limit". A film I enjoyed back in the late-80s but haven't revisited since. Maybe I should.

Richard Levinson: "When Bill and I were writing the [stage] play, we had a scene that was too short, and we had already had Columbo make his exit. We were too lazy to retype the scene, so we had him come back on and say, 'Oh, just one more thing...' It was never planned."

Amanda Barrie, BOTD 1935, turns up in the penultimate Danger Man adventure as Rosemary Riley, a young student of Japanese theatre living in Tokyo in the former apartment of a murdered female M9 agent. No exotic trip for Amanda though as Shepperton Studios stood in for Japan. 🇯🇵🗾

1968. Psychedelic titles, Gene Barry on great form as a cold-blooded psychiatrist wife-killer, even happy to discuss the 'art of murder' with Columbo. Lots of late-60s Pop Art and Op Art and a cunning 'gotcha'. Prescription: Murder was meant to be a one-off TV Movie, but...

The stylishly shot murder scene sets the template for Columbo. Violence is conveyed rather than captured on camera as we cut between a killer's beaded forehead & a hand gripping the curtain, before becoming lifeless. A viewer's imagination is a powerful tool for any director. IMO

Happy 53rd birthday The Persuaders! The ultimate tongue-in-cheek, buddy action-adventure, first broadcast Sept 71. No more studio backlots/stock footage, as Tony Curtis & Roger Moore headed to the French Riviera. It all started with a fight over a cocktail: one olive or two? 🍸🫒

Emma Peel brings the high IQ and charm, while John Steed offers his ability to mix the perfect Martini in Dad's The Danger Makers.

"Not enough flexibility in the wrist, weight on the wrong foot. Friendly advice!" Emma Peel is unimpressed with Steed's patronising fencing advice in the very first Macnee-Rigg scene viewers would see. Mrs Peel would soon learn what Mrs Gale knew, that he is an agent provocateur.