Simon Templar

Before he was James Bond, Sir Roger Moore was a television star and played the title role of "The Saint." He plays Simon Templar, an agent, who investigates crime like an American movie actress who is kidnapped with her co-star and a jewelry theft. Roger Moore is handsome and charming as the star. The episodes are crisp and fresh. I love the locations in London, England. The episodes are well written and executed in style with a talented cast and crew. The episodes are entertaining without being violent. It's no wonder that he was a perfect successor to play James Bond. I always liked him as Bond the best.

It's May 2004 and I was absolutely delighted to see yesterday that BBC America has begun running Roger Moore's The Saint again Monday through Friday.

As much as I enjoyed Moore as Bond, Simon Templer was his.

George Sanders was so dry (Louis Hayward and other one-timers don't really count here). Ian Ogilvy was actually a fine Templer.

However, Moore nailed it. Unlike Sanders, who played Templer like a fop that no one could possibly find the least bit threatening, intimidating or dangerous, Moore was suave and sophisticated without being above it all. Moore brought a needed sense of humanity to the role - and you could see that he could get tough if action & toughness were called for.

Moore had a hand in writing and contributing to the screenplays and the episodes he directed may be my favorites.

There was something comforting and familiar about the show's lower budget production values that just agreed with me. They were solid, professional. And Ed Astley's music was perfect. I'd love to get the soundtrack if it's available.

Ivor Dean as Inspector Claude Eustace Teal was an ideal foil. He was at times Templer's ally, his antagonist, amused and bemused and angered and frustrated at Simon to the point of full red-faced boil-over.

Too bad the kids of today aren't treated to this form of stylish entertainment on their boob tubes, because you can bet your bottom dollar that only 1 in 10,000 will discover it while channel surfing and become a fan.

I have been watching this one for several months on satellite TV: one channel broadcasts the color episodes, the other, the black-and-whites...

Still, these episodes are captivating. Roger Moore is the reason why he's the true "Simon Templar": charming, brave, suave and true knight for justice. If you watch the series, if you overlook the period (using dial phones mostly...), it hasn't changed a bit. The stories are actual and well written. Sometimes the Saint has to face real (and even surreal) dangers all over the world.

Lots of stars and actors have passed here. Donald Sutherland was one of them, so's Barry Morse and even Oliver Reed. Even Mr.Moore shared the screen with Ms.Moneypenny (from James Bond), Lois Maxwell.

The women are quite pretty in there, whether good or bad side. For the rest, Leslie Charteris made us travel around the world (even Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver were featured in a couple of episodes...) and we were in with lots of surprises (even if sometimes, it is noticeable that the same set was used to represent many locations...)

But The Saint is Roger Moore's Signature role. Way over James Bond !

And no need to imagine the Halo over the head when we recognized the famous Simon Templar at the beginning of each show... The Saint Lives !

The Saint is one of the best series I have ever seen. It's fun, It's exciting and the settings are always different. Roger Moore plays one of his better roles as the cool Simon Templar. It's no mistery why Roger Moore was picked as James Bond when Sean Connery stopped, he shows that in the Saint. Great Entertainment !

The modern day Robin Hood. This show is a classic. James Bond without the gadgets, or over the top criminals are here. The Saint was the work of Leslie Charteris; an Asian-American writer who penned many books and his character came to life in many 40's B-movies. There was even a show; with Vincent Price as the Saint. The defining Saint was of course Roger Moore's Simon Templar. A suave, sophisticated jet setter who always was available to do a good deed. His character had an edge; a perception at least, of an international rogue. He was first and foremost a man with a strong sense of right and wrong and would do anything to make things right. The Saint ran from 1962-1969 and is still beloved and with good reason. Roger Moore does the Saint with a flair and the supporting characters are always well defined and twists and turns of the plot are always there. There was an informal ensemble cast and many of the same actors play different characters. I had mixed feelings about Inspector Teal (Ivor Dean), he is always duped and his character, although well played, was a bit of an idiot. Still Inspector Teal had some charm. The series had recurring writers including my favorite: Terry Nation. (For those Doctor Who fans, Terry Nation is of course, the creator of the Daleks). Harry Junkin was the writer of the more fluid episodes.

Anyone who appreciates mystery, intrigue and well played characters, has to appreciate the Saint. The Saint gets 9.9/10 stars.