Episode cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Patrick Macnee | ... | John Steed | |
Linda Thorson | ... | Tara King | |
Ian Ogilvy | ... | Baron Von Curt | |
Ray McAnally | ... | Arcos | |
Norman Jones | ... | Zerson | |
Bernard Horsfall | ... | Captain Smythe | |
Patrick Newell | ... | Mother | |
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William Ellis | ... | Bruno |
Hal Galili | ... | David Nadine | |
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Nicole Shelby | ... | Helga |
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Rosemary Donnelly | ... | Miranda |
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Gloria Connell | ... | Maid |
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Michael Corcoran | ... | Perova |
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Ross Hutchinson | ... | Chairman |
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Reg Whitehead | ... | Etola |
Enemy agent Arcos has invented a form of instant plastic surgery and he uses it to imprison Steed and create a double, who is sent to throw a spanner in the works at an important peace conference at a country house. Although Steed overpowers his jailer and escapes, Miss King still has to deal with the matter of more than one doppelganger for her colleague though none seem to survive for very long. Until Steed arrives she is assisted by a dashing blond German count. Written by don @ minifie-1
"They Keep Killing Steed" is the last story involving a double of Steed, and by far the weakest, despite director Robert Fuest's constant attention to detail, which keeps things interesting no matter what transpires. Ray McAnally ("The Positive Negative Man") is the lead villain Arcos, who kidnaps the real Steed to hold hostage while an imposter replaces him at an important peace conference, created by a serum that changes molecular structure, dubbed "instant plastic surgery" (THE OUTER LIMITS used the same serum in 1963's "The Hundred Days of the Dragon"). Steed manages to foil the sabotage plot by instigating multiple duplicates (we actually see a total of 7!), which, amazingly, all get through security, one after the other! None of it makes for a great episode, but Ian Ogilvy proves why he would be a fine replacement for Roger Moore a decade later in RETURN OF THE SAINT. Bernard Horsfall ("The Cybernauts" and "The Fear Merchants") appears as Captain Smythe, who orders all Steeds to be shot on sight, but one sneeze and you might miss the microscopic cameo from delicately lovely redhead Angharad Rees, star of Hammer's 1971 "Hands of the Ripper."