Wednesday 9 September 2009

HOT NEWS -THE SAINT REDISCOVERED

Actual publication date unknown - even the author can't recall when exactly it was published, though he knows he wrote it around 1962 - 1963. Who is the author? - well none other than Archive friend and western writer, Keith Chapman AKA Chap O'Keefe. And in a piece of duplicity fitting of Simon Templar himself he wrote it while contracted to a competing company.

" I probably wrote the script in 1962 or 1963, since I joined Micron in August 1962. Once I'd sold it to the Spanish agent, I couldn't follow what happened to it for obvious reasons. I was employed in a senior position by another, competing publishing company, for whom I was also scriptwriting."

What we do know is that it was published by Thorpe and Porter, titled The Saint no 1 and sold for 1 shilling. It also forms the centrepiece of our Saint weekend - one of the four 16-page strips will be published here in its entirety. This rarity has not been seen for decades and The Archive is proud, not to mention pleased as punch, to present it for the enjoyment of fans everywhere. Think of it - 16 pages of Keith Chapman's take on the modern day Robin Hood of crime.

Check out author, Keith Chapman's latest western HERE


SAINT RELATED - THIS QUOTE COMES FROM ROGER MOORE SPEAKING ON HIS OWN WEBSITE AS PART OF A QUESTION/ANSWER SESSION - "it’s Vancouver they will be shooting in – primarily because part of the budget is being raised there.

James Purefoy isn’t the Saint, as his availability changed I’m afraid, but they do have a rather excellent actor signed up ... not sure if I’m allowed to say just yet, but his initials are DS.

My son is one of the producers and, being a good son, he offered his old dad a few days work. So I shall pop up in the show in a nice little role, and if it goes to a series hopefully they’ll keep inviting me back!"


Now does Roger mean Dougray Scott

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Don't know that it was "my take", Gary -- I was very young then and working to a brief and notes that came from Mr Charteris. But more about that at the weekend.

Gary Dobbs/Jack Martin said...

Well Keith - I know I speak on behalf of all the Archive readers when I say we are grateful to be able to read this long lost rarity. You have a "NOPRIZE" for being an all round good guy.

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