Not wanting to close the case file on Honey West but rather add to Paul A's research [see comments today] I was drawn into Anne Francis's obituary, which appeared in the Los Angeles Times in January 2011 when she died aged 80.
Anne Francis played Honey West in the TV show in the Sixties. Its only when you look into her life that you realise just how many films and TV shows she was in and how far back she goes.
Its only now that its clicked properly. She played Altaira in Forbidden Planet, the droid-like daughter of the despot scientist Morbius. What an amazing thing to have been in and reading her orbituary its clear that she and none of the cast knew how big it would later become, the Granddaddy of Sci-Fi moviedom. In that sense it reminds me a lot of the original Star Wars flicks and how the young cast had no idea what a monster they were in.
Its strange how Honey West was pulled after 30 episodes on TV but Anne provides the answer in the obituary. The Avengers. Ironically Honor Blackman had turned down the role of Honey. She was first choice. I must admit its hard to compete with Cathy Gale/ Emma Peel and Steed especially if the networks bought the British show for a good price. Having said that I'm sure Honey West will be viewed in the same light as these more famous agents as forming an important part of that vanguard of powerful leading ladies on Sixties TV.
Her TV partner John Ericson died this Spring aged 93.
I read somewhere that a Honey West movie was once considered and one Reece Witherspoon would play Honey. Here's ABC News' take on the story https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=103629&page=1. Oddly they call the original authors of the novels Firling. I thought it was Fickling. Hmmm.
I don't think Witherspoon's Honey ever left the hive but she does have an uncanny resemblance to Anne Francis seen here on the left. Reece that is!
Have you any memories to share of Anne Francis or Forbidden Planet or anything else she starred in readers?
Thank you for all the extra information. Forbidden Planet from 1956 featured Anne Francis in a mini skirt several years before the mini was 'invented' by Mary Quant in the 1960s (and they were being worn in old movies decades before that, just not on the High Street). I think Reese Witherspoon would have made a good Honey West, and she does look enough like Anne Francis to have fitted the role. I have also discovered that there is a book available on the series, with details of the 30 episodes made, and cast interviews. Honey West - A Biography of the TV Series, by John C. Fredriksen, Bear Manor Media. The date seems a bit confused, Amazon say 2016, but the few pages shown give the copyright date as 2009, which presumably is correct.
ReplyDeletePerhaps if the series had been made in colour, it would have been repeated more in later years, and would be better known today. As I grew up with black and white TV I am happy to still watch these classic shows in their original form. I may have only just discovered Honey West, but I am now a fan. Thank you for bringing her to my attention.
I remember when Burke's Law was revived back in the '90s (with original star Gene Barry) and Anne Francis made a cameo appearance as Honey Best - the first letter of the surname no doubt being changed to avoid copyright problems. As Honey West first appeared in the '60s Burke's Law before getting her own show, it was a nice little nod to history.
ReplyDeleteHey thats cool Kid. Honey Best. I like it. Ive just read that she also appeated in Kung Fu once - wow! - and The Satan Bug, which has become eerily topical.
DeleteThank you for that extra little piece of information - there is always another piece to be found, another fragment to the story.
ReplyDeleteHoney West was actually quite a terrible TV show, very low budget and badly written, but I loved it because of Anne Francis, and its generally goofy atmosphere. I recall one episode where Honey battled a big robot, and it was the same man-in-suit robot making the rounds on TV at the time, seen in other shows such as Gilligan's Island and The Munsters! And thank goodness there was never a movie remake of Honey West with Reese Witherspoon - that would have been a disaster from start to finish, especially loaded down with the obligatory CGI junk-cartoon fx! (I never understood why some folks desire to see crummy modern Hollywood remakes of old TV favorites, its sort of like trying to make a flavorless synthetic remake of Grandma's delicious apple pie.) Thankfully, we have the old black and white series to enjoy indefinitely...
ReplyDeleteI recently tried to watch the re-make of Ghostbusters. I have nothing against the all-female team at all but it was pants compared to the original. As you say Zigg, why bother? Carrie is another example which I caught on TV this week. Diabolical. Leave it to Sissy Spasek!
DeletePaul Adams from New Zealand
ReplyDeleteI have just watched my second episode on You Tube, The Owl and the Eye, about a stolen jade Owl - in this she almost drowns a US Customs agent, after mistaking him for a bad guy. Yes, she is half Mike Hammer, the mean half. Totally wonderful series.
You're converted Paul!
DeleteI read Modesty Blaise in the London Evening Standard. Great art and stories. The novels were rather formulaic but great stuff. The movie sucked and it's only the Johnny Dankworth music that makes it worth watching, though that alone isn't worth your time.
ReplyDeleteI will send Woodsy scans of an interview with Peter O'Donnell the author.
Thanks Terran. I will have to check out Modesty. I wonder if it ever spawned a toy, doll or game?
DeleteWatching my third episode, I have just noticed that the credits say 'Based on the Honey West novels by Skip and Gloria Fickling' - rather than G.G. Fickling, which is the name on the books.
ReplyDeleteWow, Paul. You'll be an expert! Yes, the two Ficklings are mentioned on Wikipedia.
DeleteIn the Ghostbusters re-make, Ecto-1 is changed from a modified Ambulance to a modified Hearse, why ? Also, it gets very little screen time, which is a pity, and does not seem to have much equipment.
ReplyDeleteI keep seeing re-makes of the Ecto 1 at boot sales now. Its much smaller than the 80's original and nowhere near as exciting I must say. Still, my Grandson has one so I'll keep stumm!
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