The Frighteners

"The Frighteners" is the fifteenth episode of the first series of the 1960s cult British spy-fi television series The Avengers, starring Ian Hendry, Patrick Macnee and Ingrid Hafner, and guest starring Willoughby Goddard, Philip Gilbert, Stratford Johns, Doris Hare, Neil Wilson and Philip Locke. It was first broadcast by ABC on 27 May 1961. For many years it was the only full episode which remained from the first series until the earlier episode Girl on the Trapeze was discovered in 2001 and the later episode Tunnel of Fear in 2016; as of 2022 it is the earliest complete episode to feature both Steed and Keel and the earliest surviving episode to feature Steed (owing to the debut episode, Hot Snow surviving in incomplete form and extant footage ending before Steed's appearance and Girl on the Trapeze not featuring the character at all). The Frighteners was directed by Peter Hammond, designed by Robert Fuest, and written by Berkely Mather. Plot A wealthy businessman, Sir Thomas Weller, hires criminal thug racket named "The Frighteners" led by "The Deacon" to persuade his daughter's ill-suited boyfriend Jeremy de Willoughby to leave her. Weller is aware that de Willoughby is a gold digger. Dr Keel and Steed rescue de Willoughby from the gang and Steed investigates him, whilst Keel investigates the organisation. Concurring with Weller that de Willoughby is a scammer, it is up to Steed and Dr Keel to frighten his daughter away from de Willoughby. Cast Ian Hendry as Dr. David H. Keel Patrick Macnee as John Steed Ingrid Hafner as Carol Wilson Willoughby Goddard as The Deacon Philip Gilbert as Jeremy de Willoughby Philip Locke as Moxon Doris Hare as Mrs. Briggs / Doris Courtney Stratford Johns as Sir Thomas Weller Dawn Beret as Marylin Weller David Andrews as Nigel Godfrey James as Nature Boy Neil Wilson as Beppi Colisimo Eric Elliott as Butler Ann Taylor as Secretary Ralph Tovey as Waiter, Nicholl Benn Simons as Inspector Charlie Foster Eleanor Darling as Flower Seller Ben Nightingale as Fred the Cabbie Victor Charrington as Breckin Frank Peters as Janitor Charles Wood as Police Constable