A Man Called Sloane
Encyclopedia
A Man Called Sloane was an American
secret agent
adventure television series that aired on NBC
during the 1979-1980 television season. It was a Woodruff Production in association with QM Productions, and became the final series produced by Quinn Martin
's company to debut (Barnaby Jones
was the last remaining QM program to be cancelled, in 1980).
The series starred Robert Conrad
as Thomas R. Sloane III, a freelance spy who takes on occasional assignments for UNIT, a secret American intelligence operation run by "The Director," played by Dan O'Herlihy
. (Unlike nearly all the other stars of series produced by QM Productions, Conrad was billed above the title - Robert Forster
was the only other person to receive such an honour as Banyon
.) The secret entrance to UNIT headquarters was through a toy store. KARTEL was the evil secret organization that was UNIT's nemesis. Aiding Sloane's missions was Torque, his deadly right-hand man played by Ji-Tu Cumbuka
. Torque had a mechanical hand with interchangeable parts (drill, saw blade, etc.) that often helped during their assignments. The pair were also assisted by "Effie", a computer voiced by Michele Carey
.
A Man Called Sloane was an amalgam
of elements from numerous spy series of the previous 15 years, including The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
, Mission: Impossible
, and Conrad's own The Wild Wild West
. One of the more expensive series produced during the season, it failed to gain an audience and was cancelled after 12 episodes were broadcast.
A year later, NBC aired a TV movie entitled Death Ray 2000, which was actually the original pilot
for the series. The movie starred Robert Logan
as Sloane. Cumbuka also appears as Torque, however in the pilot film, the character was a villain.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
secret agent
Secret Agent
Secret Agent is a British film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, loosely based on two stories in Ashenden: Or the British Agent by W. Somerset Maugham. The film starred John Gielgud, Peter Lorre, Madeleine Carroll, and Robert Young...
adventure television series that aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
during the 1979-1980 television season. It was a Woodruff Production in association with QM Productions, and became the final series produced by Quinn Martin
Quinn Martin
Quinn Martin was one of the most successful American television producers. He had at least one television series running in prime time for 21 straight years , an industry record.-Early life:...
's company to debut (Barnaby Jones
Barnaby Jones
Barnaby Jones is a television detective series starring Buddy Ebsen and Lee Meriwether as father- and daughter-in-law who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles. A spin-off from Cannon, the show ran on CBS from January 28, 1973 to April 3, 1980, beginning as a midseason replacement...
was the last remaining QM program to be cancelled, in 1980).
The series starred Robert Conrad
Robert Conrad
Robert Conrad is an American actor. He is best known for his role in the 1965 CBS television series The Wild Wild West, in which he played the sophisticated Secret Service agent James T. West, and his portrayal of World War II ace Pappy Boyington in the television series Baa Baa Black Sheep...
as Thomas R. Sloane III, a freelance spy who takes on occasional assignments for UNIT, a secret American intelligence operation run by "The Director," played by Dan O'Herlihy
Dan O'Herlihy
Daniel O'Herlihy was an Oscar nominated Irish film actor.-Early life:O'Herlihy was born in Wexford, Ireland in 1919. His family moved to Dublin at a young age...
. (Unlike nearly all the other stars of series produced by QM Productions, Conrad was billed above the title - Robert Forster
Robert Forster
Robert Forster is an American actor, best known for his roles as John Cassellis in Haskell Wexler's Medium Cool, and as Max Cherry in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown, the latter of which gained him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.- Early life :Forster was born Robert Wallace...
was the only other person to receive such an honour as Banyon
Banyon
Banyon is a detective series broadcast in the United States by NBC as part of its 1972-73 television schedule, though a standalone two-hour television movie was broadcast first in March 1971. The series was a Quinn Martin Production Banyon is a detective series broadcast in the United States by NBC...
.) The secret entrance to UNIT headquarters was through a toy store. KARTEL was the evil secret organization that was UNIT's nemesis. Aiding Sloane's missions was Torque, his deadly right-hand man played by Ji-Tu Cumbuka
Ji-Tu Cumbuka
Ji-Tu Cumbuka is an American veteran stage and screen actor.-Career Biography:...
. Torque had a mechanical hand with interchangeable parts (drill, saw blade, etc.) that often helped during their assignments. The pair were also assisted by "Effie", a computer voiced by Michele Carey
Michele Carey
Michele Carey is an American actress. She was also a child piano prodigy and a model. Touted as a discovery of Howard Hawks, she made her film debut in Hawks' El Dorado , starring John Wayne and Robert Mitchum...
.
A Man Called Sloane was an amalgam
Amalgamation (fiction)
Amalgamation or amalgam, when used to refer to a fictional character or place, refers to one that was created by combining, or is perceived to be a combination, of several other previously existing characters or locations...
of elements from numerous spy series of the previous 15 years, including The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is an American television series that was broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1964, to January 15, 1968. It follows the exploits of two secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who work for a fictitious secret international espionage and law-enforcement...
, Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible is an American television series which was created and initially produced by Bruce Geller. It chronicled the missions of a team of secret American government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force . The leader of the team was Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves, except in...
, and Conrad's own The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West is an American television series that ran on CBS for four seasons from September 17, 1965 to April 4, 1969....
. One of the more expensive series produced during the season, it failed to gain an audience and was cancelled after 12 episodes were broadcast.
A year later, NBC aired a TV movie entitled Death Ray 2000, which was actually the original pilot
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
for the series. The movie starred Robert Logan
Robert Logan
Robert F. Logan, Jr. is an American actor who has appeared in numerous films and television programs, the most notable of which were a very successful series of family adventure movies in the 1970s....
as Sloane. Cumbuka also appears as Torque, however in the pilot film, the character was a villain.
Episode list
- Night of the Wizard
- The Seduction Squad
- Tuned For Destruction
- Masquerade of Terror
- Demon's Triangle
- The Venus Microbe
- Collision Course
- Samurai
- Sweethearts of Disaster
- Lady Bug
- Architect of Evil
- The Shangri-la Syndrome