The Baron - The Complete Series [DVD] [1966]

Despite having the familiar Lew Grade cheap-but-handsome appeal, 'The Baron' lacks the something that made 'Saint' and 'Suitcase' great.Plots are reheated from many that went before - and many yet to come - but that's standard for ITC. More damagingly, 'The Baron' doesn't have an iconic theme tune or title sequence, which is disastrous.Points for the roster of guests ~ the usual unprincipled heels: Allen, Madoc, Wyngarde, Bowles .. and intriguing ingenues: Syms, Haines, Merrow, Furneaux . .Co-star Sue Lloyd is always worth a look. Bit like 'adult' heroine, Alex Harper - - so I'm told.As The Baron's hapless assistant, see odd performances by Paul Ferris, who went on to score music for 'Witchfinder General', 'Creeping Flesh' and Cliff Richard, before effecting suicide due to awful Huntington's.As with all these shows, for those interested in classic menswear there's much to admire/steal. Super crisp, slim suits are on view. Shirt/tie combinations are always harmonious - even on the nasties. Cufflinks glint and pocket square options spiff. In the uber-style heritage of Astaire, Grant and Bond, 'The Baron's males are clean-cut and dapper.Always stars for this rightness.No boutonnieres, but 'The Baron' isn't bad for what it is - standard well-acted, well-shot crime drama - but it's nowhere near your Gideons or Hopkirks . . what ever could be?

Taking one back to 1966-67 era when television stories were told in a straight forward way. One of those series that is a must to see London locations where streets did not have many cars or pedestrians and motorways contained a few cars not like you see now. Not forgetting actors in their younger days some of which are no longer with us. A series that is a trip down memory lane. All of the episodes I can remember now which I saw in B & W but one can see it now in colour and the format is 16.9, not as it was, 4.3 Thanks for the memory A must see TV series for those of a certain age !!

I've always been puzzled why this series is not routinely repeated on Satellite TV while "The Saint", "The Persuaders", etc reappear regularly. (I think maybe it had something to do with Broadcasting Rights...?)I loved the "Baron" books by John Creasey, and imo Steve Forrest portrayed the suave John Mannering superbly. Some of the episodes seem a little dated but the list of guest stars who went on to be famous actors is formidable. All-in-all, a great reminder of a much-loved programme of my youth.

The Baron is one of those 'greats' you remember watching as a kid. Along with Dept S, Man In A Suitcase, R&H(D), The Saint, The Prisoner, etc it is very much a creation of its time, yet it still knocks the spots off many of todays series with their sanitized stories and dull music. Being a DVD, the image is a little soft on a 75" screen, but the sound is clear and vibrant. I dont know if a bluray version would ever be a possibility. Nevertheless I'm enjoying the revisit. Recommended.

The Baron uses many of the same actors as the two above shows, and sets look similar to 'The Saint'. Steve Forrest is no Moore or McGoohan, but then who is? Plots are somewhat similar to Saint, but still the shows are very enjoyable, and so if you are looking for something similar to the Saint and Danger Man, this is as good as you are going to get. Of course I still enjoy the early Avenger episodes that I saw in the mid 1960's, but that is a horse of a different color--or, as actor Rags Ragland used to say 'That's the color of a different horse'--so I dont mean to say the Baron is better than Steed and Peel-or even Honor B., but those were rather more Sci-Fi, so Baron still 'shows' to Saint ('Win') and Danger Man ('Place') . By the way, was it Ragland-or 'Duffy' of Duffy's Tavern? Who used to say 'You can't judge a cover by it's Book'!

For those familiar with THE SAINT they will be happy to know that this series is almost exactly the same! Same sets, same pieces of clothes, same villains, same gorgeous ''saint girls,'' same style, and almost exactly the same music with the exception of the main theme. The main actor not having the same charisma as Roger Moore probably explains why it lasted for around one fourth of the SAINT episodes, but with the exception of a handful of episodes which are less interesting, all the others are rather surprisingly very interesting. Anyway, it's a good value for the money and you get a picture in the gallery of the 2 lead actors of the 2 series together as they often shot episodes on opposite sides of the same wall!...

This really does travel well. Produced in the late 60s, it has all the hallmarks of the Roger Moore 'Saint' series. The Baron (Steve Forrest) is an international Antiques dealer with a taste for crime fighting. (Sue Lloyd) plays his faithful assistant: Cordelier and the whole series is shot in colour.

Got this as a gift for my brother on his birthday and he loves it. Having grown up in the era of The Avengers, Jason King, The Champions and many other classic series it takes him back to a more entertaining time on British TV.Would recommend to anyone with a taste for more interesting and classic series.