Big deal with Chips Rafferty
U.N.C.L.E. Star To Make Movies Here - TV Week (Australia) Nov 12 1967
From Peter McDonald in Hollywood.
TV WEEK's Man on the Spot
This exclusive interview with Robert Vaughn and David McCallum is by staff writer Peter McDonald...who now heads the TV WEEK Hollywood Bureau.
Peter, Australia's top show business writer, flew to Hollywood by Lufthansa to write penetrating interviews with the top American stars.
His stories will take you behind the cameras of the world's leading TV shows.
Man from U.N.C.L.E. star Robert Vaughn will make movies in Australia following his visit with co-star David McCallum over Christmas.
"We plan to start shooting the first, Anybody Went to The Playhouse, towards the end of 1967," an excited Robert told me.
Robert (U.N.C.L.E.'s Napoleon Solo), was talking while he and David (Illya Kuryakin) were filming an African jungle scene at M-G-M's Hollywood studio.
"It's going to be one of the biggest adventures of my career," he said. "My production company over here, Ferporqui, has gone into a do-production deal with Chips Rafferty to make them.
"We're definitely going ahead with one movie there and in the five days I'm in Australia I'll be getting together with Chips, and others, to talk over arrangements and to complete, I hope, deals for two other film stories.
"We've already approached Margaret Leighton and Michael Wilding to play the leads in the first movie.
"This will be my debut as a producer so you can imagine how excited I am about it. At this stage I don't plan to take a role in it, but these things can change."
Bob was thoughtful. "You know it's funny how all these things begin," he said. "All this is happening because I decided to take lunch in the studio canteen a few months ago.
"Chips was there and we began chatting. The talk naturally, soon got around to movie making. Later, I dropped him a letter outlining what we would like to do.
"He read the script of Anybody Went to The Playhouse. He didn't understand it the first time, and re-read it twice. He's still not sure that he understands it.
"It's a rather arty story, you see! I wouldn't even attempt to explain it to you.
"Anyway, it lends itself to a sea coast locale. I meant either to shoot it in England or Australia. We eventually chose Australia because of the climate and the keenness of the industry there.
"The Australian Affair!" he laughed. "I'll tell you one thing, it's a pretty important stage for me.
"Months ago I decided to make a private trip to Australia when this season's shooting on U.N.C.L.E. ended.
"I told the boys here at M-G-M and to my surprise they offered to sponsor the trip for both David McCallum and myself. I was delighted."
What was the sudden interest in Australia? Was THRUSH setting up a branch office?
"Look," said Bob, suddenly serious. "I've never been to Australia, but it's figuring pretty largely in my life now and it's going to even more in the future.
"First of all, I want to go there and try to trace my step-mother.
"Maybe TV WEEK could do a little sleuthing for me here.
"Margaret went to Australia after my father died many years ago. We kept in touch for a long time and then she 'disappeared' until I got a letter through the studios about five years ago.
"We corresponded fairly regularly and then, and I don't remember how, we lost touch again. I've hunted everywhere for one of her old letters without luck.
"I don't have very much to go on, but I know she was living in a place, probably a suburb, outside Sydney.
"Her name was Margaret Vaughn, but she's remarried - to a Danish sea-captain, whose name I don't know.
"All this might sound like a mystery thriller to you, but, believe me, you've no idea how delighted I'd be if we could have a reunion while I'm in Australia."
I assured him of the Men from TV WEEK's help.
David McCallum by this stage, had been "rescued" from a river in which he had been thrown, complete with concrete block, and now it was Bob's turn.
He had to be rescued, unconscious, by a very attractive female Tarzan and a friendly gorilla named Baby.
The secret of these river dips, David confided in case the same fate ever befell me, was to hold tight on to the concrete block. That way the rope didn't pull too tightly on your neck and you didn't get too muddied.
"This Australian trip is going to be a real whiz," said David.
"Christmas is an important time for kiddies and I particularly want to be at home to spend it with mine, which, I think, is something every father will understand.
"It's going to be a hectic few days in Australia for me, but I'm really keen to see it. The last time I was there was years ago to shoot Robbery Under Arms.
"I saw nothing of the place. We went back of the outback with the spiders and insects. The crew was almost entirely English, so I might just as well have been at home in London."
David was, I warned him, certainly going to meet some Australians this trip, by the hundreds.
"I hope they're not expecting an U.N.C.L.E. superman," he said.
"I'm more fallible, more human, than Illya. In some ways, I suppose I am a little like him, a little mysterious.
"If I am, it's only because I demand that my private and working worlds don't become involved with each other. I drew the line between the two long ago and I've managed to keep it there."
"Some say I'm a deep, intense person, but it's more that I keep my thoughts to myself. I don't always find it easy to come straight out and say exactly what I think," said Bob. (sic)
Politics interest Bob deeply and he has strong views and he doesn't mind expressing them. Lately, he has even joined the campaigning for the California elections coming up soon.
"I don't think I could do that..."
"What did you think of the reception the Aussie Anti Vietnam campaigners gave President Johnson?" I asked Bob.
"Not bad at all," he said eagerly. "And I'll go with them all the way. Johnson's policy there is all wrong.
"I'll discuss it with Harold Holt while I'm there, if he's willing. I'll lecture on it if someone will invite me."
Note: Harold Holt was Australian Prime Minister at the time.
Does anyone know what happened to this Australian production venture? I cannot find any reference to this film online or in Vaughn's IMdb filmography, so I think the deal fell through.
Thanks to feathers for transcribing this article from microfiche. The photos with the article were of extremely poor quality, so they haven't been included here.
If you have this article and can make photo scans, please email clare.solovision@gmail.com