Brian Clemens pt2
Jan. 29th, 2025 10:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ali15sonWHY EXACTLY DID THE SERIES END
BC LWT thought it was too expensive. Two months after it ended they wished they had continued. By todays standards the series was very economic.
DID THE INITIAL CTITICISM FROM SO-CALLED-EXPERT-TV-CRITICS HURT
BC No, i never pay attention to critics. Look at the things they like. They loved "morse" which is like watching paint dry......very slowly.
WAS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEWIS AND MARTIN REALLY THAT HOSTILE OR DID THE MEDIA BLOW IT UP
BC Blown up. After all it did get us publicity which is always good.
DO YOU THINK IT WAS A MISTAKE TO NOT DEVELOP MORE OTHER MEMBERS OF CI5 AS THE SERIES CONTINUED SO THAT THEY COULD CARRY ON THE SERIES WHEN SHAW AND COLLINS' CONTRACT RUN OUT.
BC I do but LWT didn't have the guts to use them.
IF MARTIN WAS AS UNHAPPY AS HE STATED IN THE C4 DOCUMENTARY THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU LET HIM GO.
BC I would have been happy to let him go. At the time he didn't tell anyone that he wanted to go. We are not mind readers.
WAS LEWIS HAPPY. HE HAS SINCE BEEN QUOTED AS STATING THAT HE WAS ASHAMED OF SOME EPISODES.
BC Lewis was happy at the time and these days would be happy to be in it again, infact if the remake goes ahead he will be in it again.
HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO OR KEPT IN TOUCH WITH ANY OF THE TEAM
BC I have spoken to Lewis a few times. I have also kept in close contact with some writers and directors.
WHO DECIDED TO MAKE GORDON JACKSON MORE INVOLVED IN THE ACTION.
BC It was simply a production decision.
DID IT BOTHER HIM
BC Gordon never told me it bothered him. I though it was a welcome change of pace for him and helped get rid of his "Butler" image.
WHY WASN'T THE FEATURE FILM MADE AND WHAT WERE THE IDEAS FOR IT.
BC There were several ideas, most of which i forget now. Martin wanted script approval and i never gave that to an actor. Had we made the film it could well have opened the way into hollywood for him and the international stardom he seems to crave so much. As it is his chance has now gone.
WE READ IN AN INTERVIEW THAT YOU WERE QUOTED AS SAYING THAT YOU THOUGHT THAT "THE PROFESSIONALS" WOULDN'T LAST AS WELL AS "THE AVENGERS". DO YOU STILL THINK THAT.
BC Yes i still think that. "The Professionals" has got a new lease of life right now but "The Avengers" has been running non-stop for more than 30 years hence i doubt "The Professionals" will have that longevity.
YOU'VE WROTE SO MUCH GREAT STUFF. ANY TIPS FOR BUDDING WRITERS.
BC The best tip for budding writers is to write! The best advice i ever had was writing is merely 'arse to chair and pen to paper'
WHAT'S THE FUTURE GOT IN STORE
BC Future projects? Well, movies, Night Witches, more Bugs perhaps Paradise Squad - a cop series set in the caribbean, another play, it's endless really and of course maybe a remake of "The Professionals".
BC LWT thought it was too expensive. Two months after it ended they wished they had continued. By todays standards the series was very economic.
DID THE INITIAL CTITICISM FROM SO-CALLED-EXPERT-TV-CRITICS HURT
BC No, i never pay attention to critics. Look at the things they like. They loved "morse" which is like watching paint dry......very slowly.
WAS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEWIS AND MARTIN REALLY THAT HOSTILE OR DID THE MEDIA BLOW IT UP
BC Blown up. After all it did get us publicity which is always good.
DO YOU THINK IT WAS A MISTAKE TO NOT DEVELOP MORE OTHER MEMBERS OF CI5 AS THE SERIES CONTINUED SO THAT THEY COULD CARRY ON THE SERIES WHEN SHAW AND COLLINS' CONTRACT RUN OUT.
BC I do but LWT didn't have the guts to use them.
IF MARTIN WAS AS UNHAPPY AS HE STATED IN THE C4 DOCUMENTARY THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU LET HIM GO.
BC I would have been happy to let him go. At the time he didn't tell anyone that he wanted to go. We are not mind readers.
WAS LEWIS HAPPY. HE HAS SINCE BEEN QUOTED AS STATING THAT HE WAS ASHAMED OF SOME EPISODES.
BC Lewis was happy at the time and these days would be happy to be in it again, infact if the remake goes ahead he will be in it again.
HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO OR KEPT IN TOUCH WITH ANY OF THE TEAM
BC I have spoken to Lewis a few times. I have also kept in close contact with some writers and directors.
WHO DECIDED TO MAKE GORDON JACKSON MORE INVOLVED IN THE ACTION.
BC It was simply a production decision.
DID IT BOTHER HIM
BC Gordon never told me it bothered him. I though it was a welcome change of pace for him and helped get rid of his "Butler" image.
WHY WASN'T THE FEATURE FILM MADE AND WHAT WERE THE IDEAS FOR IT.
BC There were several ideas, most of which i forget now. Martin wanted script approval and i never gave that to an actor. Had we made the film it could well have opened the way into hollywood for him and the international stardom he seems to crave so much. As it is his chance has now gone.
WE READ IN AN INTERVIEW THAT YOU WERE QUOTED AS SAYING THAT YOU THOUGHT THAT "THE PROFESSIONALS" WOULDN'T LAST AS WELL AS "THE AVENGERS". DO YOU STILL THINK THAT.
BC Yes i still think that. "The Professionals" has got a new lease of life right now but "The Avengers" has been running non-stop for more than 30 years hence i doubt "The Professionals" will have that longevity.
YOU'VE WROTE SO MUCH GREAT STUFF. ANY TIPS FOR BUDDING WRITERS.
BC The best tip for budding writers is to write! The best advice i ever had was writing is merely 'arse to chair and pen to paper'
WHAT'S THE FUTURE GOT IN STORE
BC Future projects? Well, movies, Night Witches, more Bugs perhaps Paradise Squad - a cop series set in the caribbean, another play, it's endless really and of course maybe a remake of "The Professionals".
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Date: 2025-01-29 11:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-01-29 11:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-01-29 05:36 pm (UTC)Thank you very much for taking the effort to write part two down for us. And if he only knew how long our love for 'The Professionals' lasts.
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Date: 2025-01-29 05:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-01-29 07:26 pm (UTC)I am so glad MS didn't go.
Very interesting, thanks for sharing it with us.
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Date: 2025-01-29 07:28 pm (UTC)Thankyou for taking a look.
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Date: 2025-01-29 07:39 pm (UTC)And there wasn't such a hostility between MS and LC — nice to read that.
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Date: 2025-01-29 07:43 pm (UTC)Thankyou.
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Date: 2025-01-29 09:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-01-29 09:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-01-30 02:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-01-30 07:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-01-30 08:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-01-30 08:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-02-01 11:25 am (UTC)It's like all the media stories about MS stopping the re-runs because he wanted to be a fancy actor and not known just for Pros - they were stopped because he stood up and pointed out that the actors weren't getting fair re-run fees from the company, it went to court, and it took years, but a judge found in his favour. I've seen this reported in a (small!) newspaper article that someone put in their Pros scrapbook, so I know it was true. I thought I'd taken a photo of it at the time, but can I find it...?! If I ever do I'll post it.
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Date: 2025-02-01 11:59 am (UTC)Thankyou.
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Date: 2025-02-01 12:03 pm (UTC)I'm definitely keeping an eye out for the article - though it was only a snippet, barely reported. Presumably the drama of hating MS was much more fun for most publications... :(
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Date: 2025-02-01 12:10 pm (UTC)