#also i want to hug David Fane

[robertfrancisvaughn1122-blog]

November 8: Favorite Roles [*]

In the previous post, I named my top 7 favorite Robert Vaughn characters with a brief explanation of their background and this post will explain more about them and the reasons why they made my list. Please bare in mind that I haven't seen his entire filmography yet...

1) The Man from U.N.C.L.E. - Napoleon Solo Napoleon Solo is an agent of Section II: Operations and Enforcement who works alongside his friend/partner, Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum) and wears a badge with the number eleven (the badge originally was the Roman numeral II but after the series switched to color, Robert Vaughn picked the number '11' on accident and became his official number through the rest of the show, including the 1983 reunion movie). Unlike his partner, he rarely loses his temper and tries to be an optimist even in the most intense situations. The agent is laid-back, sociable and is a "serial womanizer" but he believes women that are created equal and treats them with respect as well as affection. He has a very high sense of style and his looks do not change during the first three years but in the final season, he wears double-breasted suits and his hair is quite longer. The character is one of my top favorites because his personality is completely different from 007 and he tries to keep a positive mind through any dangerous situation. Robert had stated in one of his interviews that he was playing himself and some aspects of his personality is obvious in a lot of the episodes. He has the personality of a class act and true gentleman who will treat you with the utmost respect. His positivity is something that attracted me to both Napoleon and Robert because I try to keep a positive mind despite moments of anxiety triggers which takes an emotional toll on you. I am still learning more about the character but he definitely is at the top of my list.

2) The A-Team - General Hunt Stockwell General Hunt Stockwell is the newest boss of the A-Team who is responsible for blackmailing the team into doing an unknown number of unspecified missions in return for granting a full pardon for their crimes. He has a cold and manipulative personality, rarely showing or displaying emotion but admits that he has respect for the team and Hannibal (George Peppard). There's not much known about his background but his assistant reveals that if Stockwell doesn't call into a unknown location at certain intervals, his operative would dissolve. He spent some time in Hong Kong where he built up an intelligence network. From time to time, he has a habit of reminding the team that "I'm going to do this....my way." In an episode called "The Say U.N.C.L.E. Affair", Stockwell is reunited with his longtime friend and former partner, Ivan Trigorin where he is captured and tortured by him to get information about a secret Russian jet. (The episode reunited Robert with David, his friend and co-star from 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'). I loved the introduction of General Hunt Stockwell because, despite being the antagonist, he is mysterious and nobody knows of his true intentions towards the team. There were moments where you wanted to kick his ass because of his treatment towards the team but he also had a job to do that was unpleasant. When Stockwell was captured and tortured for information by Trigorin, they could've let him get killed but the team came to his rescue. This was the first character I vaguely remember whenever I watched reruns of the show and I have a soft spot in my heart for Stockwell. The reunion between Robert and David in The Say U.N.C.L.E. Affair and their hug is so genuine as two old friends are glad to see one another again.

3) Harry Rule - The Protectors Harry Rule is a wealthy international private investigator who takes on cases that protects the innocent and belong to an organization called "The Protectors". He works alongside friends, the Contessa Caroline di Contini (Nyree-Dawn Porter) and Paul Buchet (Tony Anholt) who usually work outside of London when they're not with Harry. Despite the obvious flirting and a few romantic instances, there is no real romantic relationship between Harry and Contessa. The Protectors is an interesting series but the lack of interest from the production people, not much is known about any of the characters. If the show would've lasted longer, we might find out more about Harry and a potential of a romantic relationship between he and Contessa would be a possibility. Interesting fact that in one of the season 1 episodes, Robert met his future wife, actress Linda Staab, which was directed by him. Harry is one of my favorite characters but he reminds me of Napoleon Solo at a certain point but his background is vague which means it could be filled in or made up through fanfiction. The first episode reveals that Harry does have an ex wife and a child.

4) Bill Fenner - The Venetian Affair He is an ex-CIA operative who has turned into a journalist and is suddenly sent to Venice in order to investigate a suicide bombing at a peace conference. Bill is officially out of retirement and his ex-wife, Sandra Fane (Elke Sommer) is top of the suspect list, believed to be a Communist sympathizer. Despite all that, both Bill and Sandra share a few romantic moments. She is unfortunately shot in front of him which stirs up emotions in him, including anger. As I watch the entire film, it reminds me of a Man from UNCLE episode but much darker and Bill is almost like Napoleon Solo but his personality is different. Bill is still effected by Sandra's leaving and he still does love her. In his 2009 autobiography, Robert stated that he was attracted to Elke, who played his ex-wife in the movie but she was dating a friend of his so the romance was a no-go. The chemistry between the 2 actors is obvious on-screen and being a CIA operative can take an emotional toll.

5) Hayden Danzinger - Columbo He is the executive of an automotive company who is currently on a cruise with his wife (Jane Greer), as well as a few of his friends, but he has been having an affair with Rosanna Wells (Poupée Bocar), a lounge singer on the ship, and she threatens to expose the affair to his wife. After inhaling a drug which stimulates a heart attack before jumping into the pool, he quietly sneaks into her room and he shoots her in the back, writing the letter "L" in lipstick to blame the murder on the piano player (Dean Stockwell). The evidence eventually piles up against Hayden and Lieutenant Columbo (Peter Falk), who is on the cruise with his wife, reveals to the captain (Patrick Macnee) that he is the murderer. Like some of his villains, Danzinger is an interesting character because he doesn't seem the type of man who would kill a beautiful woman and he doesn't seem to become really irritated by Columbo's presence. Of course, in his true fashion Robert's character breaks out into a smile. I really don't have a reason why this character is a favorite but I think the style Robert plays him in, he's a likable guy!