Jason King (TV series)
A dandy author turned adventurer in international intrigue.
Jason King is a British television series that starred Peter Wyngarde as its title character. Produced by ITC Entertainment, it ran for a single season of 26 hour-long episodes, broadcast from 1971 to 1972. The show follows the continuing exploits of Jason King, a dilettante dandy and novelist who first appeared in the 1969 series *Department S*.
In *Department S*, King was part of a team of investigators. In this spin-off, he has left that work to focus on writing adventure novels about a character named Mark Caine, who looks, acts, and dresses much like King himself. None of the other regular characters from *Department S* appear, though the department is occasionally mentioned in dialogue. King’s research and the requests of people in need take him to international locations, where he becomes entangled in adventures involving glamorous women, exotic settings, menacing villains, political turmoil, or espionage.
The first episode shows King pitching a Mark Caine novel to a television executive, with the story alternating between King’s own interpretation and the executive’s version. King’s version is stylish and classy; the executive’s adds suspense, clichés, and more revealing costumes for the women. In both imagined adaptations, Wyngarde plays Mark Caine. The Mark Caine book titles often use four short words, reminiscent of Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels. The most frequently mentioned title is *Index Finger Left Hand*; another is *To China Yours Sincerely*, a parody of Fleming’s *From Russia With Love*.
Later episodes show King trying to write while his publisher, Nicola Harvester, pressures him about deadlines. He is usually distracted by women and the adventures of his own life, and is sometimes tricked by Ryland of the British Government into helping with international political matters. All these events later find their way into the Mark Caine novels.
The cast includes Peter Wyngarde as Jason King, Anne Sharp as Nicola Harvester, Ronald Lacey as Ryland, and Dennis Price as Sir Brian.
The series was created by Dennis Spooner and produced by Lew Grade’s ITC Entertainment, which had success with shows like *The Saint* and *Danger Man*. Unlike earlier ITC series shot on 35mm film, *Jason King* was filmed on 16mm to cut costs. Episodes were written to include travel to various European locations, where Wyngarde had already been taken for outdoor loca
- Genre
- Adventure / Espionage
- Starring
- Peter Wyngarde
- Country of origin
- United Kingdom
- No. of seasons
- 1
- No. of episodes
- 26
- Original release
- 1971–1972
- Production company
- ITC Entertainment
Lore & Background
The series was created by Dennis Spooner and made by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment. Unlike previous ITC series shot on 35mm film, Jason King was filmed on 16mm to cut costs. Episodes were written to include travel to various European locations where Peter Wyngarde had been brought for outdoor location filming, and these shots were included in the narratives.
Reader's Guide
Jason King holds significance as a cult British television series from the early 1970s, notable for its stylish protagonist and international adventure format. The character's fashion choices were cited by Mike Myers as an inspiration for his Austin Powers character. Kim Newman also drew inspiration from King, especially his clothes, for the psychic crime fighter Richard Jeperson. The series was parodied by The Two Ronnies in a 1973 sketch, and later served as the basis for Jason Bentley in the Comic Strip Presents episode Detectives on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown (1993). Peter Wyngarde expressed being flattered by the affectionate parody but insisted Jason King would never wear crushed velvet. The series was shown internationally and has been released on DVD in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and Germany.
Did You Know?
- The series was filmed on 16mm film instead of 35mm to cut costs.
- The Mark Caine book title mentioned most often in the series is Index Finger Left Hand.
- Peter Wyngarde's fashion in the series was named by Mike Myers as an inspiration for Austin Powers.
- The Two Ronnies performed a parody sketch of Jason King in 1973.
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