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Another magnificent one gone
Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 7:00 pm
by Long Run
Enjoyed him in the Magnificent Seven and Man from Uncle .
Actor Robert Vaughn, most famous as Napoleon Solo in Man From Uncle, has died today aged 83.
Vaughn, who also starred in the Magnificent Seven, Coronation Street and Hustle, is survived by wife Linda, son Cassidy and daughter Caitlin.
His manager Matthew Sullivan confirmed to Deadline this evening that that he had passed away following a short battle with acute leukemia.
“Mr. Vaughn passed away with him family around him,” the spokesperson said.
Tributes have already started to pour in following the news of Vaughn's death.
Stephen Fry was quick to tweet his respects for the late actor, writing: "Oh no. Robert Vaughn, such a fine actor, one of the best Columbo villains (no higher praise than that) & an utterly charming man, has died."Jeremy Vine added: "Sad to hear The Man From UNCLE has died. #RobertVaughn."
Sir Roger Moore then tweeted: "Sorry to hear the news about Robert Vaughn."
Born in New York City in 1932, Vaughn was destined for life in showbusiness as both his parents were performers.
His father, Walter Vaughn, was a radio actor, and his mother, Marcella Gaudell Vaughn, was a stage actress.
Re: Another magnificent one gone
Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 8:05 pm
by Big RR
He was a class act, and I recall loving the Man from UNCLE. He also seemed to turn up in a lot of movies--remember him in Towering Inferno? RIP
Re: Another magnificent one gone
Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 9:01 pm
by oldr_n_wsr
RIP Mr Vaughn.
Re: Another magnificent one gone
Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 9:22 pm
by Lord Jim
Sorry to hear this...
Big fan of the show when I was a kid...
I was an agent in good standing for the
United
Network
Command for
Law and
Enforcement....
I had one of these to prove it:
I recently caught a few episodes in a marathon on one of the retro channels...
Sure the show was a shameless effort to capitalize on the popularity of the Bond movies of the time, but it had its own campy charm...
Vaughn did a lot guest roles in some quality TV shows (like Columbo and Law and Order) but I also remember seeing him hosting an infomercial for some bogus hair growing product called the Helsinki Formula...
I remember feeling sorry for him when I saw that, and thinking, "Geez, he must really be hard up for bucks to take a gig like
this..."
Re: Another magnificent one gone
Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 10:05 pm
by Econoline
Sad news. I too fondly remember that show. I think I remember my sister and/or some of her friends having a crush on Napoleon Solo's sidekick, Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum). And I just now found out (by looking up the show on Wikipedia) that there was a tie-in with Sherlock Holmes
:U.N.C.L.E.'s primary adversary was THRUSH (WASP in the pilot movie). The original series never divulged who or what THRUSH represented, nor was it ever used as an acronym except in the U.N.C.L.E. novels written by David McDaniel; it is the Technological Hierarchy for the Removal of Undesirables and the Subjugation of Humanity,described as having been founded by Col. Sebastian Moran after the death of Professor Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls in the Sherlock Holmes story, "The Final Problem."
Re: Another magnificent one gone
Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 10:13 pm
by Big RR
that's odd econo--I don't recall ever reading one of the novels, yet I know that acronym for Thrush. I guess I either read something I forgot or heard it when I was a kid and never got it out of my mind. thanks.
Jim--I had a card like that as well--I think it came with some sort of UNCLE toy gun or something but I don't recall.
Re: Another magnificent one gone
Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 11:54 pm
by Lord Jim
That's interesting about THRUSH...
I had assumed it was just a take-off on the early Bond movie sinister bad guy group SPECTRE, ( (Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion)...
Re: Another magnificent one gone
Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 7:17 am
by Bicycle Bill
Big RR wrote:that's odd econo--I don't recall ever reading one of the novels, yet I know that acronym for Thrush. I guess I either read something I forgot or heard it when I was a kid and never got it out of my mind. thanks.
Jim--I had a card like that as well--I think it came with some sort of UNCLE toy gun or something but I don't recall.
It did. I had one of these back when I was 12 or so:
It came with the card along with a triangular badge like Solo, Kuryakin, Waverly, and others wore when they were at U.N.C.L.E. headquarters.
-"BB"-