The Avengers Forever: Quote, Unquote

	Quote, Unquote: Season 2 Page 2 of 7

Patrick Macnee, Actor, on Steed's new partner, Cathy Gale: "This woman is so formidably modern that Steed is going to feel more old fashioned than ever."

Honor Blackman, Actress, on her new role: "One thing about Cathy is that she's as tough as blazes. She can take it. Let's face it, we are all sick of the conventional role for the English girl in the English thriller. She sits down looking scared and handing out tea and sympathy. Cathy Gale is new and different."

Michael Whitaker, Costume Designer, on dressing Cathy Gale: "Cathy is fascinating. She is glamorous. But she is practical too and her wardrobe has to reflect this. That is why I have used such a lot of leather in Cathy's clothes. And culottes—those divided skirts—are just right for a woman who one minute has to look poised and serene and the next could be jumping into a shooting fray with a band of thugs. I designed these in June, a month before the Paris collections came out, and why they did, I found that they were right in line with the new fashions."

Julie Stevens, Actress, on an inauspicious television acting debut: "I did once have a part in a TV play but I was never seen on the screen. It was in a naval story. I stood behind a screen and when my big moment came I said 'Lieutenant Madison wanted in the ante-room, please!' "

Honor Blackman, Actress, on her preparing in the gym for fight scenes: "I couldn't go on stopping villains by producing a gun. I'm not a killer and at the same time I couldn't pretend to heave men over my shoulder. It had to be the real thing. It's a funny thing, but recently all the actors whom I have had to fight are telling the director that they want to know exactly what I'm going to do before I do it. I suppose they are getting rather apprehensive: let's face it, everyone is afraid of getting hurt. Poor lambs."

Patrick Macnee, Actor, on Honor Blackman: "Honor wanted to learn how to handle a gun properly for her role as Cathy so I took her to see a friend of mine who used to belong to the French Resistance in Marseilles. He thought the clothes were wonderful too!"

All quotes sourced from TVTimes magazine, 1961
Compiled by Alan Hayes