The Saint's Blog devoted to news and rumors about The Saint and Leslie Charteris. Simon Templar, alias The Saint, was played by Roger Moore in the 1960's TV show featuring the Volvo 1800.
Please e-mail any current news and rumors about The Saint to:
And now for your viewing pleasure. The Star Wars Saint! This is the front cover of Gerçekleşen Düşler, a Turkish paperback edition of The Saint by Leslie Charteris. It is by far one of the strangest ones I've ever seen, as it features C3PO of Star Wars fame. What's the connection? Is there a ST3PO that we need to know more about?
Coming in at number six is The Saint's Volvo 1800 as driven by Roger Moore in the classic 1960s TV show, The Saint:
6. Volvo P1800 - The Saint Something fast, sporty and flashy was needed to match the style of the mysterious Simon Templar, first played by Roger Moore in the '60s. In the end, the Volvo P1800 was chosen over a similar Jaguar E-Type because of its sleek look and power (and, well, because Jaguar didn't want to supply one). Aside from a few cosmetic changes to the bumper, license plate and trim, the Volvo car remained unchanged during filming. Therefore, the car's elongated hood, rounded headlights and wide front grille remained unmistakable throughout the show's run.
The exotic P1800 contributed to the smoothness Moore's character exuded, as he was often seen zipping through city streets in the two-door speedster.
Cool fact: Roger Moore liked the P1800 so much that he bought one for himself.
From: Bill Krzastek Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 19:47:24 -0400 Subject: Re: ST1 News May 2007 Part 1
Hello to all,
Just wanted to let everyone know that "ST1" had a successful weekend at the Carlisle Import Festival. I met alot of "Saint" fans there as auto enthusiasts had come from as far away as Sweden to attend the event. Many photos were taken of the car and the backround exhibit. Several people told me how much this car meant to them and how happy they are to know that it still exists and has been sympathetically restored.
I was also quite surprised to learn that "ST1" was on the cover of the event magazine as well as the dash plaque and the event shirt! WOW, you can imagine how special this was! Attached is a photo of the exhibit and the magazine.
Next month, "ST1" will cross the border for a show in Canada. Stay tuned!
12th May 2007 marks the 100th anniversay of the birth of Leslie Charteris, one of our famous former pupils.
Leslie Charters was a hugely successful and popular writer from the 1930s almost to the end of the twentieth century. He is often credited with inspiring Ian Fleming in the creation of James Bond.
Born Leslie Charles Bowyer-Yin to a Chinese father and an English mother. His father was a physician who claimed to be able to trace his lineage back to the emperors of the Shang Dynasty. Hebecame interested in writing at an early age, at one point creating his own magazine with articles, short stories, poetry, editorials, serials, and even a comic strip.
Of course, he is best known for his creation of Simon Templar, "The Saint" who appeared in almost one hundred novels and the well-know TV series of the 1960s, and 70s. Played most famously by Roger Moore, Simon Templar is known as the Saint because of his initials (ST), and also because of his heroic adventures that fly in the face of an otherwise dubious reputation, giving him the reputation of a type of "Robin Hood" who uses questionable methods to "right wrongs".
Templar uses a number of aliases, often using the initials S.T. and often leaves a card behind showing a stick-man drawing of a man with a halo, which is the logo of both the books and TV series.
In order for me to give you an line-by-line translation, I'd have to download the clip again, and I don't have time to do that right now.
In general, the interview was pretty typical and covered pretty familiar ground. The interviewer wanted to know how Leslie came up with Simon's name (he tried some options and picked the best one), what his writing method was (insert paper into the typewriter and start with the first line), was he happy with the Hollywood movies (no, but there were French ones being considered) and a few other related topics. Of course there was the obligatory "I'm sorry, but my French isn't very good," line from Leslie which the interviewer quickly discounted.
I'm sure people who are more fluent or who watch with purpose of translating the clip will be along shortly to do a much better job of providing you with a better, fuller and more complete translation, but I hope that gives you a sense of the interview.
Perhaps someone can comment below with a better translation?
Happy 100th Birthday to Leslie Charters: the creator of Simon Templar, alias The Saint!
Leslie Charteris was born in Singapore 100 years ago today on May 12, 1907 as Leslie Charles Bowyer Yin. Leslie legally changed his name by deed-poll to Leslie Charteris in 1926. He died in Windsor, England on April 15, 1993 at age 85.
View more foreign language editions.
