The man behind The Saint (From Borehamwood Times)

The man behind The Saint

12:01pm Friday 16th October 2009

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Veteran producer Bob Baker believed The Saint would work perfectly on television, writes PAUL WELSH.

I was sad to hear veteran film and television producer Bob Baker had died, albeit at the grand age of 93 years old.

I knew Bob in the Seventies and Eighties at Elstree Studios, where he maintained an office, and in 2006 he gladly agreed to return to unveil the plaque honouring Sir Roger Moore.

Bob cut his teeth on producing B movies or supporting features in the Fifties, ranging from The Seige Of Sidney Street to The Trollenberg Terror.

They were made on low budgets and often utilised fading second string Hollywood stars, but some have since gained a kind of cult status.

In 1962, Bob was introduced to the author of The Saint crime novels Leslie Charteris and persuaded him to sell the television rights.

The character had appeared in films in the Thirties, starring George Sanders, including one shot at Elstree.

Bob managed to persuade Lew Grade to back him and provide a budget of £60,000 an episode, which today would probably just pay the director’s salary.

He then considered Patrick MacGoohan for the part, following his small screen success in the Danger Man television series shot at MGM.

However, Patrick wanted script control and did not want the character to have any on-screen affairs, due to his Catholic beliefs.

So Bob approached Roger Moore, who signed up for what he thought were 30-minute episodes, but later discovered at the press conference they were to be one-hour episodes.

Bob decided that the series was to be a light hearted ‘fairytale’ show, so knives were never allowed in fight sequences and usually villains were dispatched by good old fisticuffs.

The series was filmed at Elstree and quickly became a success. It was originally shot in black and white but later moved into colour.

Bob also approached Jaguar to see if they would provide one of their new E Type sports cars for The Saint to drive in the episodes, but weirdly they saw little publicity value.

Instead, the production office secured the help of Volvo and they provided the iconic sports car for the show.

In 2006 when I was organising the plaque unveiling for Roger, I arranged for a Sixties Volvo to be borrowed from that company.

A second car was also provided by a specialist car service and that driver got Bob, Roger and other guests to sign his bonnet, which I presume he later laquered over to preserve.

I shall miss Bob and his gentlemanly style.

Another familiar face from ‘the Elstree story’ departs the scene and with him a wealth of knowledge and experience.

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