Series 2 — Episode 23
Conspiracy Of Silence
Teleplay by Roger Marshall
Directed by Peter Hammond
Production No 3522, VTR/ABC/2451
Production completed: March 1 1963. First transmission: March 1 1963.
Production details
Episode 49
Production Number : 3255 (sic) - should be 3522
VTR/ABC/2451
Teddington Studio 1
Thursday 28th February 1963
| Camera rehearsal | 09.00–12.30 |
| Lunch break | 12.30–13.30 |
| Camera rehearsal | 13.30–18.00 |
| Supper break | 18.00–19.00 |
| Camera rehearsal | 19.00–21.00 |
Friday 1st March 1963
| Camera rehearsal | 10.00–12.30 |
| Lunch break | 12.30–13.30 |
| Camera rehearsal | 13.30–15.30 |
| Tea break, Line up, Normal scan, Makeup |
15.30–16.15 |
| Dress rehearsal | 16.15–17.30 |
| Notes | 17.30–18.00 |
| Line up | 18.00–18.30 |
| VTR | 18.30–19.30 |
Equipment
| Cameras: | 5 Pedestals - one to be on rostrume (sic). |
|---|---|
| Telecine: | ABC symbol, 35mm dubbed sound sequence, caption scanner and slides. |
Dubbed sound sequence is after the opening titles “Conspiracy of Silence”, Steed walking at the park and being shot at by Carlo. (2:50–5:15)
Running time
Expected: 51′25″ + 2 commercial breaks
Actual running time with bumpers: 51′58″
The bumpers between the acts are generally 10 seconds from fade in to the “End of Act” bumper to the end of audio before the commercial, a 10 second still without audio, then cut to the next act bumper. This would play with the theme for around 10 seconds. Accordingly, with the episodes being in 3 acts, the running time of the action is approximately a minute less than listed above, minus the opening and closing credits (normally 0′16″, with a 2" fade, and anywhere from 0′41″ to 1′20″, hard cut or 1" fade or mix, respectively).
Regional broadcasts
| Broadcaster | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| ATV London | 3/03/1963 | 10.45pm |
| ABC Midlands | 2/03/1963 | 10.05pm |
| ABC North | 2/03/1963 | 10.05pm |
| Anglia Television | 2/03/1963 | 10.05pm |
| Border Television | - | - |
| Channel Television | 2/03/1963 | 10.45pm |
| Grampian Television | 3/03/1963 | 10.45pm |
| Southern Television | 2/03/1963 | 10.05pm |
| Scottish Television | 25/04/1963 | 10.15pm |
| Tyne Tees Television | 2/03/1963 | 10.05pm |
| Ulster Television | 3/03/1963 | 10.45pm |
| Westward Television | 3/03/1963 | 10.45pm |
| Television Wales & West | 3/03/1963 | 10.45pm |
| Teledu Cymru (WWN) | 1/03/1963 | 10.45pm |
| ABN2 Sydney | 9/03/1964 | 7.30pm |
| ABV2 Melbourne | 8/10/1964 | 7.30pm |
TV Times listing
10.45 The Avengers
starring
Patrick Macnee
in
Conspiracy of Silence
Teleplay by Roger Marshalle
Also starring
Honor Blackman
Cast
| James | Artro Morris |
| Sica | Alec Mango |
| Carlo | Robert Rietty |
| John Steed | Patrick Macnee |
| Rickie | Sandra Dorne |
| Catherine Gale | Honor Blackman |
| Gutman | Roy Purcell |
| Lego | Himself |
| Terry | John Church |
| Arturo | Tommy Godfrey |
| Professor | Willie Shearer |
| Rant | Ian Wilson |
With
Elizabeth and Collins
The Avengers theme composed and
played by Johnny Dankworth
Settings by Stephen Doncaster
Directed by Peter Hammond
Producer John Bryce
Why does a clown want to murder Steed? Cathy joins a circus to find the answer
ABC Television Network Production
Lego is credited in the TV Times as playing himself but he receives no on-screen credit at the end of the the episode.
Episode availability
- Video - original footage held by Studio Canal, available on the Studio Canal series 1&2 DVD set
- Script - Tony Pelly’s copy of the camera script and scene breakdown
- Publicity Stills - at least 81
Murders
| Victim | Killer | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Terry | Carlo | revolver |
Transport
| Marque/type | Plate |
|---|---|
| none |
Continuity and trivia
- 15:16, 16:16 etc. - Honor Blackman, and pretty much everyone else on the set, can’t keep their eyes off Elizabeth’s tight little black shorts - and the even tighter little buttocks that are barely contained by them - whenever she walks past. By 23:14, Cathy’s started taking photographs of Elizabeth’s bottom and chatting her up.
- 19:00 — The professor reveals that a lion tamer uses a chair not simply to keep the lion at a distance but also that the lion doesn’t realise the man and chair are distinct so when he swipes at the chair, expecting to wound the man, and nothing happens, the lion gives up. He then goes on to tell Cathy that 22 trainers died of injuries over the last year.
- 20:00 — the cameraman can’t work out how to pan past Cathy to show the departing midget, and we have a shot with half her head out of shot.
- 27:04 — There’s a horrific juxtaposition of a whistling kettle in the background as Rickie talks about the accidental bombing of the convent, evoking the sound of falling bombs.
- 32:15 — Cathy starts coughing at the Professor’s cigar, but it might have been Peter Hammond’s direction for the lines in the script (page 34, shot 120).
- 38:07 — the director switches to a mid shot of Cathy looking at Rant, but it’s out of focus for the first second.
- 39:34 (38:24) - Macnee bursts out laughing when Honor says, completely deadpan, she took tattoos instead of needlework at school.
- 51:03 (49:57) - you can hear the wrangler whispering the tiger’s name, “Cheshire”, as he tries to coax a growl for the closing scene.
- Lego is credited in the TV Times as playing himself but he receives no on-screen credit at the end of the the episode. I don’t think this happens again until Sleeper.