Sixties City - The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Season 1 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. TV Series U.N.C.L.E. Feature Films

The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.
Stefanie Powers
Noel Harrison
Leo G. Carroll
MGM / ARENA - 29 Episodes

Somewhere in New York City . . .
In November 1965, following the success of the 'Man from U.N.C.L.E.' shows, a spin-off series entitled 'The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.' was proposed that eventually went on air from 13th September 1966. It featured Stefanie Powers as agent April Dancer with Noel Harrison playing her sidekick / partner agent Mark Slate and Leo G. Carroll playing U.N.C.L.E. chief Alexander Waverly simultaneously in both shows. A 'pilot' was filmed in December 1965 as an episode in the original series and was screened as 'The Moonglow Affair' on 25th February 1966 with former Miss America Mary Ann Mobley playing agent April Dancer and Nigel Fell taking the part of Mark Slate in a story that saw the two agents brought in to retrieve a secret radiation weapon that had been responsible for immobilising agents Solo and Kuryakin. The episode achieved good ratings and led to the decision to expand it into a separate series.

Mobley and Fell were replaced by Stefanie Powers and Noel Harrison in March 1966 for no stated reason, but arguably to bring in two younger actors with less of an age gap between them (Mobley was 27 and Fell was 42) to appeal to the youth audience and 'fashion consciousness' of the show. Also, the change would make Mark Slate British, in keeping with the multi-national culture of U.N.C.L.E. Harrison was apparently chosen to replace Fell after the producer's wife saw him singing on Johnny Carson's 'Tonight' Show. At around the same time, another new character was brought in called Randy Kovacks, played by Randy Kirby. He was intended to be a 'keen teen' who hung around U.N.C.L.E. HQ, helping out occasionally, but the character never caught on and was dropped after 13 episodes. Despite the success of the pilot and much pre-release publicity critics panned the show, being critical of the stars' acting qualities. Harrison voiced concerns that "...the only way it will work is if our show is different, rather than the same. More towards laughs, I mean".

The spin-off followed much the same storylines and format as the original series but was noticeably more 'campy'. Attempts were made to cross-promote it with the more successful original series by introducing a couple of 'cross-over episodes - Mark Slate appearing with Illya Kuryakin in 'The Galatea Affair' and Napoleon Solo partnering April Dancer in 'The Mother Muffin Affair' (the episode that featured Boris Karloff in drag!) but the show failed to build a following. Despite good initial viewing ratings, it became trapped in the 'no-man's land' between drama and comedy and was cancelled after only one season of 29 episodes. The 'Girl' series is generally blamed for the move towards the more significant 'campiness' of the 'Man' series in its third season.

SEASON 1 1966-67

1 "The Dog-Gone Affair" September 13th, 1966 THRUSH agents have developed a drug that they intend to use to gain world domination. Mark Slate informs UNCLE of their plans and April Dancer is given the task of sourcing an antidote - unfortunately for her it comes from fleas on a dachshund!	2 "The Prisoner of Zalamar Affair" September 20th, 1966 Mark Slate is sent to the Arabian State of Zalamar to act as a guard to the ruler, Ali Hassen. A problem arises when Hassen's daughter, Fatima, is kidnapped and April Dancer is called in to act as a double for Fatima while they try to locate and rescue her.	3 "The Mother Muffin Affair" September 27th, 1966 Boris Karloff plays 'Mother Muffin', head of a London-based academy for assassins. UNCLE agents April Dancer and Napoleon Solo are paired together in an assignment to retrieve a coin that will lead them to Lisa, daughter of key Mob witness Vito Pomade, to prevent her from falling into Mother Muffin's clutches. They are chased around London by inept assassins, captured, and nearly converted into wax replicas of themselves.
4 "The Mata Hari Affair" October 4th, 1966 Belly dancer Mata Hurens dies in a train explosion while trying to deliver an important message to UNCLE chief Alexander Waverly. April Dancer is assigned to find out who is responsible and disguises herself as the belly dancer to try and attract further attention from the assassins.	5 "The Montori Device Affair" October 11th, 1966 UNCLE security is threatened when the THRUSH organisation steal a Monotori, which is a vital listening device used by UNCLE agents. Alexander Waverly is worried that THRUSH plan to use the device to sabotage a world leader conference so April Dancer and Mark Slate are assigned to retrieve the device.	6 "The Horns-of-the-Dilemma Affair" October 18th, 1966 DeSada, leader of THRUSH in Central America, plans to gain control of a powerful new rocket and has the machine's designers kidnapped. April and Mark Slate become involved in the world of bullfighting as they try to find the victims, but their problems are multiplied when they also have to contend with a THRUSH scientist who has invented a machine that wipes people's memories.
7 "The Danish Blue Affair" October 25th, 1966 A microdot is planted into some Danish cheese by THRUSH and a problem arises when Stanley Umlaut eats it. April Dancer and Mark Slate are sent to Denmark to locate Umlaut, rescue him from THRUSH and retrieve the microdot.	8 "The Garden of Evil Affair" November 1st, 1966 A doctor's life becomes endangered when he formulates a new serum that enables the minds of dead people to be 'transplanted' into living relatives. THRUSH, UNCLE and a lethal cult called The Cambodyses are all vying to get hold of the mind changing serum ... and the doctor's granddaughter.	9 "The Atlantis Affair" November 15th, 1966 A professor called Antrum has spent his life trying to locate the lost city of Atlantis, believing that the city contains some rare crystals that can concentrate the sun's power. When THRUSH kidnaps him, April Dancer and Mark Slate are assigned to find him, but end up being themselves captured.
10 "The Paradise Lost Affair" November 22nd, 1966 THRUSH are finalising their plans to dominate countries in the South Pacific region by creating submarine smuggling lanes. Mark Slate manages to get on board one of their ships and get a copy of their plans, but when he and April are forced to abandon ship, April finds herself imprisoned by the ruler of a remote Pacific island. Slate comes to her aid, but they then have to contend with the ship's captain who has tracked them down and needs to retrieve the plans.	11 "The Lethal Eagle Affair" November 29, 1966 While a retired THRUSH agent, Gita Volander, is observing the testing of a new invention April Dancer is attacked by an Eagle. The inventor succeeds in making the eagle disappear and re-appear in a cage, Volander gets excited about the potential it has to control humans.	12 "The Romany Lie Affair" December 6th, 1966 A wealthy circus owner called Sadaricci obtains money by unscrupulous means. When an embittered countess discovers that his dealings on the stock market are the cause of her financial hardship she intends to reveal his fraudulent activities. Sadaricci murders her but then finds that UNCLE agents are investigating the case as well.
13 "The Little John Doe Affair" December 13th, 1966 When big-time gambler Joey Celeste approaches UNCLE with the intention of informing on his syndicate bosses he finds himself becoming the target of one of their 'hit men'. April Dancer is assigned to ensure that Celeste manages to remain alive while getting from Italy to the UNCLE headquarters in New York.	14 "The Jewels of Topango Affair" December 20th, 1966 UNCLE agents April Dancer and Mark Slate are assigned to protect the jewels, and king, of Topango. The mission becomes a lot more difficult than originally planned when April is duped and drugged at the airport and Mark Slate somehow goes missing.	15 "The Faustus Affair" December 27th, 1966 When a complete stranger offers Professor Quantum whatever he wants for a Light Variator, his latest invention, UNCLE become involved. April gains employment as a laboratory assistant but the situation becomes more complicated when the Professor falls for her and is prepared to give her the device, but only if she will accept his advances.
16 "The U.F.O. Affair" January 3rd, 1967 A contract is put out on April Dancer by Dossetti, a crime syndicate boss, when he learns that she is close to exposing their activities. However, the contracted assassin has different ideas and forces April to become one of his harem. Meanwhile, the syndicate boss is planning to rob the Royal Palace and needs a distraction.	17 "The Moulin Ruse Affair" January 17th, 1967 Scientist Dr. Vladimir Toulouse has invented a pill that gives excessive strength to anyone who takes it. He threatens to create an army to destroy the world unless UNCLE can come up with the massive ransom he demands. April Dancer and Mark Slate are assigned to nip his plans in the bud before it's too late.	18 "The Catacomb and Dogma Affair" January 24th, 1967 A highly successful international thief called Horsh is captured by April and Mark Slate in Venice, but manages to escape while they are escorting him to the Yugoslav border. April Dancer finds herself in big trouble when she tries to recapture him alone and Mark Slate has to rescue her while also preventing the theft of valuable items from the Vatican.
19 "The Drublegratz Affair" January 31st, 1967 THRUSH are plotting to assassinate the three sons of the King of Drublegratz so that, when he dies, they can acquire control of his country. Mark Slate and April Dancer are assigned to protect the remaining two heirs to the throne when one of them is killed in a mysterious 'accident'.	20 "The Fountain of Youth Affair" February 7th, 1967 The Baroness Blangstead has created a new serum that can provide eternal youth and is willing to offer the secret formulation to wives of political leaders in exchange for top secret information. When April and Mark's informant becomes a murder victim they set out to apprehend the Baroness.	21 "The Carpathian Caper Affair" February 14th, 1967 Mark Slate finds himself in a lot of trouble when he manages to lose a tape recording that contains vital information about THRUSH's latest plan for world domination - by replacing major world leaders with look-alike replicas. April Dancer helps Mark try and retrieve the information before the plan can be put into action.
22 "The Furnace Flats Affair" February 21st, 1967 After an important mineral resource, Titerian crystals that have the power to kill, are discovered at the 'Utter Anguish' gold mine, UNCLE face extensive competition from THRUSH to get control of the valuable mineral when the mine owner dies.	23 "The Low Blue C Affair" February 28th, 1967 An ambitious but ageing mobster has ambitions to obtain control of a small Mediterranean country but has to arrange for two people to 'disappear' in order to do it 'legally'. When he succeeds in disposing of the reigning Duke, April Dancer and Mark Slate are sent to persuade Major Stella to take over as the country's ruler and upset the mobster's plan.	24 "The Petit Prix Affair" March 7th, 1967 A French academy for Civil Administrators always arranges a 'commando exercise' for its graduating students. When Alexander Waverly becomes aware that there are plans for some kind of hijack he sends in April Dancer and Mark Slate to investigate further.
25 "The Phi Beta Killer Affair" March 14th, 1967 A 'bodyguard' service is owned and run by a former classmate of Alexander Waverly's, so when one of their clients becomes the victim of murder Waverly tries to help out by sending April Dancer and Mark Slate along to investigate. They find that only the bodyguards were present at the time of the murder, but none of them can remember it happening.	26 "The Double-O-Nothing Affair" March 21st, 1967 The THRUSH organisation has developed a new mobile force that threatens to disrupt UNCLE operations. Mark Slate manages to infiltrate the group and records some of their transmissions but, while making his escape, he gets shot in the leg causing him to lose the evidence. April dancer takes over the case in an attempt to thwart THRUSH's plans, much to Mark's annoyance.	27 "The U.N.C.L.E. Samurai Affair" March 28th, 1967 Alexander Waverly learns that a notorious Japanese war criminal is hiding somewhere in Hawaii, a fact that may help UNCLE locate a stolen submarine. Agents April dancer and Mark Slate are sent to Hawaii to persuade the criminal's sister but it becomes obvious that she is involved as well. In their mission they encounter a man-eating plant and get involved in a Samurai battle with a life-sized warrior statue.
28 "The High and the Deadly Affair" April 4th, 1967 Posing as an airline stewardess, April Dancer is on board the same plane as Mark Slate (disguised as a big game hunter) that is also carrying a number of people to a Council of World Scientists. One of the scientists has created a substance that can be carried by harmless birds but which can cause death to humans. Also on the flight is a doctor who has developed an antidote. Mark and April have been assigned to prevent a confrontation between the two.	29 "The Kooky Spook Affair" April 11th, 1967 Lucky old Mark Slate inherits a property in England and when April, who is key witness against a Thrush Agent, has her life threatened, Alexander Waverly suggests that she stays with Mark until the date of the trial. The peace is shattered when Mark finds his own life in danger from a relative who wants to inherit the stately home themselves.