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Note: This article was first published in PAGEANT, a US men's magazine. The photos and text were later republished in Japan's SCREEN magazine.
The colour-tone photos are direct scans from the incomplete Japanese article I have in my possession. The English magazine text and B&W photos kindly sent by Bernard N come from a reprint in "UNCLE H.Q. Newsletter," a MfU and GfU fanclub publication in circulation from 1976 to 2001. Please note the B&W photos are of poor quality. Also note the article refers to six girls, but it seems that only five appear in the photo shoot - Stefanie Powers is absent.
Pageant two-page spread |
SCREEN one page shot - Ann Elder cropped out.
Clockwise from top left: unknown model, Marlyn Mason ("Fiddlesticks" and "Deadly Quest"), Linda Gaye Scott ("Very Important Zombie"), Brioni Farrell ("Deadly Goddess"), Robert Vaughn, three unknown models, David McCallum, Mary Ann Mobley ("Moonglow").
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Ann Elder inset shot |
For Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn), fighting THRUSH plots as NBC-TV's Man From U.N.C.L.E. is not really a Solo job. He's got partner Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum) and an inexhaustible supply of exotic ladies to rescue from perilous plights. The women always turn out to be in pretty good shape, after all. See for yourself as PAGEANT takes a close-up look at five of U.N.C.L.E.'s shapeliest distractions.
 First is Greek-born Brioni Farrell. She's also the gal in chains [bottom far right], but with her acting lessons at Northwestern University and numerous TV roles behind her, there's no holding her down. |
 Marlyn Mason [top centre] shreds the spider's web with the same saucy impatience that impelled her to sing and dance at 9 and play her first stage role at 13. Marlyn's been on Broadway and in musical revues, but no matter what the medium, she certainly cuts a dashing figure.
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 Linda Scott [top far right] went to finishing school in Switzerland, and when she returned, she reported, "I'm so well finished I'm ready for anything." Nonetheless, the bats in U.N.C.L.E. almost finished her off. Buxom Linda has turned down TV roles that capitalize solely on her looks. She's a trained singer and would like to be a blend of Barbra Streisand and Bette Davis.
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  Mary Ann Mobley [bottom left] is manipulated into firing a shot at Illya, but off-screen she's no marionette. Mary Ann came out of the University of Mississippi to win the 1958 Miss America contest, then used the $10,000 prize to study acting with the late Lee Strasberg. She made her movie debut in Girl Happy and last year appeared in one episode as the "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E." Somebody else got the part in this year's series of that name.
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 Villains have bound blonde Ann Elder [bottom far left/inset] in the opening sequence, but she's bound for better things. Ann can act - she has ample TV credits and a hitch with the Second City Revue in Chicago - and she can write - nightclub acts and commercials she describes as "offbeat."
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 To make sure that the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement isn't just a Solo performance, U.N.C.L.E.'s executive officer, Alexander Waverly (Leo Carroll) has called in pretty April Dancer (actress Stefanie Powers) to thrash THRUSH in a ladylike way. "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E." and her partner Noel Harrison (actor Rex's son) will have their own hour every Tuesday evening and will have Solo, Illya and Mr. Waverly over from the Friday night "Man from U.N.C.L.E." show from time to time. Stefanie, 24, leads a personal life that would seem to qualify her for secret agentry. She speaks French, Russian, and Polish fluently and keeps trim by swimming, skiing, riding, and surfing. Though this will be her first starring role in television. Stefanie had an important part in the movie remake of Stagecoach and in numerous other Hollywood films.
[Maybe it's just the bad photo quality, but this shot looks NOTHING like Ms. Powers. For a selection of better photos, check out Meredy's Salute to Stefanie Powers.]
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