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?
