Fights, Fast Cars, and Fashion: The Making of The Persuaders (Roger Moore & Tony Curtis Documentary)

Go behind the scenes of a cult ITC action drama in 'The Morning After: Remembering The Persuaders!'. Created by Robert S. Baker and first broadcast on ITV in 1971, the series featured fights, fast cars, distinctly '70s fashions, and starred Tony Curtis and Roger Moore as Danny Wilde and Brett Sinclair, a mismatched team of crime fighters who took on cases that the police could not.
'The Persuaders!' was the one of the the last big-budget action adventure series from Lew Grade's ITC/ATV empire and was Roger Moore's final television project before being cast as 007 in the James Bond franchise.
In this documentary, exclusive interviews with the cast and crew reveal the genesis and tumultuous production of the short-lived but extremely popular series - including run ins with the law, conflicts between actors, the difficulty of finding success in America, and early plans for a second series that never came to pass.
An international hit, 'The Persuaders!' was known under many titles, including - 'De Speelvogels' (Belgium), 'Amicalement Vôtre' (France), 'Die Zwei' (Germany), 'De Versierders' (Netherlands), Snobbar som Jobbar (Sweden) and 'Attenti a Quei Due" (Italy).
Contributors: Roger Moore, Tony Curtis, Robert S. Baker, JOhnny Goodman, Roy Ward Baker, Tony Spratling, Malcolm Christopher, Ken Baker, Brian Clemens, Peter Price, and Stuart Damon.
Produced and Directed by: Stephen La Rivière and Thomas Cock
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Find us online!
• Century 21 Films Facebook - / century21films
• Century 21 Films Twitter - / century21films
• Thunderbirds Facebook - / thunderbirds65
• Thunderbirds Twitter - / thunderbirds65
• Instagram - / century21films
• Website - www.century21f...
• Shop - century21films...
--------------------------------------------------------------------
About Us:
About Me:
Century 21 Films Ltd is a multi-faceted production company whose work spans drama to documentary, miniature effects to puppet shows. It was founded by a group of filmmakers who first collaborated on Filmed in Supermarionation, the story of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's hit puppet shows including Thunderbirds, Stingray and Captain Scarlet.
Since then, we have worked for a multitude of high-profile clients including ITV, BBC, Mammoth Productions, British Film Institute and the Halifax working on projects such Thunderbirds, Endeavour, Doctor Who and The Twilight Zone.
In addition to our regular filmmaking services, we specialise in ‘Supermarionation’ - the puppetry filming technique used to make shows like Thunderbirds and have collaborated with ITV repeatedly to provide specialised services. Our work has been featured on The One Show, This Morning, Good Morning Britain, BBC News, ITV News and Mastermind.
#filmedinsupermarionation #thunderbirds #century21films

[@edwardburek1717]

This was a magic show, and still is. Moore and Curtis at the top of their game, ITC at their very best, and let's not forget that magnificent John Barry score.

[@Loveapug1234]

@@edwardburek1717 I was born 1967. Very early memory from the early 70s watching with my Nan. Remember the theme really well and the titles with the split-screen history of them both. When Curtis and Moore appears written on the screen, I remember at the time, it looked the same as the font on a packet of Spangles!!! WOW

[@paulgeraghty1448]

Tony Curtis and Roger Moore were perfect together. What a dynamic pairing. Absolutely loved the show and still do ❤

[@bonnie43uk]

Ahh, used to love friday evenings at 9pm, The Persuaders. Then a Hammer Horror film at 10:30. Great times for a 13 year old kid in the UK.

[@Holby-Fans]

It was broadcast on Fridays? When I was watching it, it was shown on Sunday afternoons.

[@bonnie43uk]

@Holby-Fans ah, ok, are you in the UK?

[@Holby-Fans]

@@bonnie43uk Yes, I'm in Croydon, England. I checked, and yes, it seems the series was originally broadcast on Fridays. I must have been watching re-runs in 1973.

[@bonnie43uk]

@Holby-Fans yeah, the mind plays tricks on us, good ol wikipedia.

[@Holby-Fans]

@@bonnie43uk I actually looked in up a Persuaders fan webpage. But I had NEVER seen it on a Friday as a kid. So I guess they must have done the re-runs on Sundays in 1973 pretty quickly, probably to cash in on Roger Moore being the new James Bond at the time. On Friday nights I used to watch Hawaii Five O.

[@onlyme219]

The theme tune was excellent

[@Cta2006]

by John Barry

[@Loveapug1234]

It really was. As was Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)

[@Loveapug1234]

@@Cta2006 Sorry, wrong series but did John Barry also do the theme to Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)? I know I could Google it.....

[@NoName-zm1ks]

Nah, the Saint’s theme is the one of the all time greats.

[@onlyme219]

@@NoName-zm1ks I didn't say it wasn't

[@kevinbeck6785]

Another brilliant series the great Moore and Curtis

[@hrrproductions553]

Now that was a really fantastic documentary from Century 21 Films in my opinion! 😁😉👍

[@jackmessent3490]

Great to revisit this documentary! John Barry's music was stunning!

[@jezlang2214]

I bought the 45 and played it so much I almost wore out the grooves!

[@MaaKauanSitten]

It was pure GOLD to be 9 years old and this was what The Swedish Television served us on a Saturday evening.

[@tabby2499]

Thank you . I lovved and still love Show . Thanks.

[@adlv]

Wonderful series. In Argentina was a huge huge success, reruns for several years and of course always waiting for a new season that never came. I expected that after Roger Moore was free from 007 movies, someone would try to reunite them their chemistry was unique. Roger, Tony and everyone involved, thanks for a job well done.

[@moose6509]

Great doc. I love the quote ´Tony was the actor but Moore was the star´ so true. You can clearly see that Roger was charm personified and Curtis was a ( that word he called Joan Collins).

[@julianwalls1077]

But she was one and still is one when she dies stories will come out..😢

[@alexallan-musicaaovivo500]

I was only 7 in 1974 when it aired in Brazil. The opening and the theme had me mesmerized. I couldn´t watch because it was late night tv. The opening stayed in my mind forever.

[@stevekitt52]

Loved that show and the dynamic byplay is always fun to watch. While I was in Japan 5 years ago, we came across a car museum in Tochigi and they had the same model Ferrari Dino there...but it had been given a respray job that must have been laid on with a hosepipe! I have never felt more like finding a hardware shop and buying a load of assorted grit paper and rubbing compound and doing a proper job on it!

[@alanolden.7575]

Absolutely brilliant series

[@milanbujna2957]

One of my favourite TV series ever since I watched it as a boy in the 90's on a german TV. Thanks to YT I can watch it whenever I want.

[@FussellFilms23]

One of the best opening credits and music of all time as well.

[@lablackzed]

Good old days when tv was worth watching .

[@58biggles]

I loved this series

[@johnclay7644]

Great informative documentary.

[@maggiemay6625]

We loved this show in our house when tv was magic❤️🇬🇧🇺🇸❤️

[@GordonLindemann]

seen this before on you tube-use to like this programme too/plus roger moore is my fav actor and overjoyed when he was ordered to play james bond

[@lizvickers7156]

I was 15 in 1974 and watched this programme religiously.

[@dazzlingdavedainty]

Great intro with a great theme tune

[@NoName-zm1ks]

Wow! Tony Curtis remembering that episode with guest star Joan Collins, just wow!

[@simonlunt353]

I can’t find anything wrong with this great tv show just wish they were a second season the music couldn’t have been any better Roger & Tony were just perfect for this show 😊

[@kazamshah4543]

I'm sure the woke world will find plenty of things to pick at from this iconic show.

[@GilesChristopher-h1b]

Lovely seeing my late father in this. i know it was one of his favourite jobs he worked on,

[@soulgeistsearch]

I used to love to see the series....😊😊😊😊

[@eddierae8945]

Back when we had 3 channels on TV , this series fired your imagination. Great TV

[@jezlang2214]

I was 10 and my parents had divorced, no dad around, and this show comes on. I "adopted" Rog as my surrogate dad. He truly saved me from a much sadder childhood. I met Tony Curtis once and we chatted about the show but he was so short I couldn't stop noticing the scabs from his recent hair plugs. Oh dear. Sadly I never met Rog my "dad" but years later a friend who was a career London copper (on the Met) said he raised money for them IN PERSON every year. No fuss, no publicity. Just a lovely, HUMBLE man. Bought everybody's drinks at the pub afterwards as well. Only complaint, my mate said, was none of the lads really got to meet him cos all the wives and girlfriends crowded around him the whole time!

[@Merylstreep1949]

Oh hell yes❤ I'm American but know about this show Would love to see a video like this on The Avengers if possible please

[@Retroscoop]

John Steed and the three lovely ladies he got help from, the deliciously frivolous humour and inventive scenario's, the British tongue in cheek replies... Ahhhh yes ! And also a superb soundtrack ! They don't make them like this anymore !

[@spo-h4u]

It was so funny, Charisma of them two was brilliant, they was on top form

[@HopliteWarlord]

Tony Curtis and Roger Moore were perfect for The Persuaders

[@PaulRubery-u4u]

Loved that aston martin 👍🇬🇧

[@RicardoCardenas-nd8ky]

Espectacular estos hombres son leyenda lo mejor de la tv

[@stephenlever419]

The arrogance and confidence of Tony Curtis was a brilliant appointment

[@ChristophRiegel]

great documentary, thank you

[@JohnSwindells-zm4sq]

Thanks for a really interesting video 😊

[@Tony-sw5dd]

Very good

[@iammtablet7851]

I grew up Watching this show and I loved it.

[@Retroscoop]

Tony is... Tony... Yeahhh. Tony is an actor, Roger is a star... Yes ! Great series, very funny characters, 2 beautiful cars (why was there never a Ferrari 246 as spacious as an Aston Martin ?) and a great soundtrack. However, this top notch soundtrack sounded rather for a spy movie, it sounded deadly serious, immediately images of Iron Curtains, mean East German border guards and Spy Bridges came to mind. While the series was deliciously frivolous and not serious at all...

[@dmer-zy3rb]

they did make an 4 seater Ferrari during the time - its called Ferrari 365 and it was a stunning car!

[@flybobbie1449]

One think to notice about these shows the decor of scenery was very colourful, for the new fangled colour TV's. My home walls at moment inspired by these shows, sandy yellow at moment, were orange last year!

[@chrisjonckheere8138]

Best series ever. Pitty there were only 24 episodes.

[@spo-h4u]

Wish there was 48

[@jezlang2214]

Yeah Grade killed the second season because it didn't "sell" in America. On the bright side, having only 24 makes them more special, AND it freed Rog to do Bond.

[@KiltedGreen]

I had no idea that Stuart Damon might have been Danny Wilde!

[@QHarefield]

How much better it might have been!

[@deaconfrost4100]

Lol Tony was a crazy genius....great actor but definitely crazy...he did what he did because he could and he knew it😂🤣😈

[@61sticky]

Great doc, the show? I always wanted to love it, I worshipped Moore and Curtis, the John Barrie theme was stunning with a brilliant opening story theme of their lives, thereafter it was a sort of, style over substance, the scripts were poor, the incidental music was poor, and the direction was second rate. But, I look back fondly, the cars, locations and that opening score and storyline.

[@QHarefield]

'Wanted to love it' .... Hmmm, yes. It promised more than it gave - the sum of the parts being less than the whole. I will watch anything with Roger Moore in; Tony Curtis, I could take or leave. After seeing this docu, I am more inclined to leave.

[@61sticky]

@QHarefield yeah, tend to agree TC was arrogant and came across as desperate, but remember his fine film roles, we cannot forget those.

[@hopebgood]

I remember the opening titles and theme tune were great. That's about it tbh.

[@dmer-zy3rb]

great documentary, i really enjoyed Tonys and Rogers interviews! i only know the show with the german "comedy dub" which began to be a big trend in the 70s and 80s here in europe. also with bud spencer and terrence hill movies. people who worked on the german dub interestingly consider this series kind of a boring dud that only got success because of the comedy dub - which other countries apparantly duplicated after the success in germany.

[@TheManFromUNCLEIllya]

What a great show this was. So much fun. And a great pairing. Though it’s funny listening to Tony’s recollections. I don’t think he remembers the difference between character and real life. Nor that he was an actor, not a scriptwriter or Assistant Director or Stunt Coordinator. He must’ve been a handful. Though regardless, a legend all the same.

[@joanne26]

I’ve seen this documentary back in the day I loved watching this series with Roger and Tony for the reasons in your video title Does ANYONE know why I always saw Tony wearing BLACK GLOVES????? 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@laustinspeiss]

The series 1 DBS was so much better looking than the later model with single headlights.

[@robhavock9434]

This is still big today in 2025 a re production is needed.

[@julianwalls1077]

But would they have same chemistry and anything now will be more woke!😢

[@kazamshah4543]

What the hell for? The whole world has changed, and gone crazy for woke!!!!

[@spaceoddity5674]

The epitomy of SUAVE 😊

[@lencolgan987]

Loved this classic series, unfortunately curtis comes across as arrogant in this particular documentary, ITCs finest hour !

[@stevenmorley1639]

This is obviously I.T.C ( A.T.V) Associated .Beyond the original Century 21 Contract . Lou Grade in his pomp was Certainly a " King Pin " within the I.T.V network . London Networks in the 60's were way behind , interesting. In terms of Documentarys , Granada T.V were streets ahead.

[@brittakriep2938]

In Germany the show with was called ,Die Zwei ' ( The two) and rather sucessfull, for reason of funny translating into german.

[@SamLowryDZ-015]

Curtis and his 'don't give a f@ck' attitude' are not endearing and I can't see why he was tolerated.

[@zakofrx]

He still had his younger fame to bring in viewers and becsue of his problems he was cheap at the time..

[@martijn9560]

What happened to the university episodes?

[@nonplusultra6630]

❤

[@potiqun]

華麗な冒険

[@GianniBarberi]

1990?

[@RayhanAhmed-qr3vz]

These actors were gifted by ALLAH been watching them since a child it all stoped immediately After there deaths .

[@QHarefield]

I wonder why.

[@jeandozier5260]

📺👍💖👏🙏

[@wetpaint46]

As an American, Curtis was an arrogant ass! What a jerk!

[@kiragrandad]

Whilst I liked Curtis, he comes over as an arrogant idiot. After this he made nothing of note. Whereas Moore went on to bigger things.

[@wetpaint46]

As

[@HuberHeinrichHuber]

Monteverdi. Das einzige je gebaute Schweizer Auto. Motorrad- Boss Hoss - Chevrolet, ist auch ein Schweizer Produkt 😊!

[@lawsonic]

Joan Collins - Start Trek in the 60's and The Persuaders in the 70, Dynasty in the 80s and still alive with make up in 2025

[@cesarcui462]

otro actor que tambien hubiese dado la talla era Dean Martin, 10 años mayor que Moore

[@JonTheComputerDoctor]

The Astin hit thre Dino.

[@Bilirubins]

Apart from the Marilyn Monroe movie he was in Without Googling him, name another famous movie he was in.

[@Loveapug1234]

Spartacus for one 😂

[@julianwalls1077]

They were not a success in the Usa because the US networks screwed them in terms of placement. They put up against the most successful us show in America at that time Misson Impossible!😢

[@Loveapug1234]

@@Bilirubins Still not Googled..... don't have to as I prefer to remember. Tony Curtis also in The Sweet Smell Of Success with Burt Lancaster. Been a while since I have seen it though. Due a repeat viewing. Not sure if I remember this correctly but I think Tony Curtis was also in The Vikings again with Kirk Douglas, who were both definitely in Spartacus

[@davidhampshire7723]

The Boston Strangler, and nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance.

[@Loveapug1234]

@@davidhampshire7723 Owww man!!! Good call re. The Boston Strangler 👍😁 Gave you a like for that one. And I was born in Hampshire but don't live there now!!!

[@tombrunila2695]

This look very interesting, but I an NOT going to watch it! Why? Because knowing what happened during filming behind the scenes would destroy enjoyment of watching it!