Persuaders News Bites

The October issue of Total Film Magazine (on newsstands now in the US and featuring a reversible poster of both Quantum of Solace teasers on pack; Britain's already got the November issue with Daniel Craig on the cover) features an interview with Steve Coogan ("The Confessions of Steve Coogan") in which they ask him about the status of film version of The Persuaders, set to star Coogan and Ben Stiller in the roles originated by Roger Moore and Tony Curtis. Coogan first says it's in development hell, then, when they follow up and ask if that means the project is dead, he says no. The actor seems confident that The Persuaders will still find its time; that time just hasn't come yet. He says you've always got to have lots of different projects in development. I'm glad Total Film asked about that, because there's been very little news on The Persuaders movie of late. Last we heard, it was rumored to star Hugh Grant and George Clooney, but from what Coogan says it seems pretty clear that the movie is still in development with himself and Stiller as Lord Brett Sinclair and Danny Wild.

The original Wilde, meanwhile, has just written a new book (as has the original Sinclair, of course). Tony Curtis's brand new autobiography, American Prince: A Memoir, devotes just a few pages to The Persuaders, but does pack a few good stories into those pages. Among them are the oft-told tale of how he was detained at Heathrow for having marijuana and a handgun in his luggage (funny to hear from the actor's own perspective) and an amusing anecdote about filming the episode "Five Miles To Midnight" in which Curtis himself doesn't come out in the best light. Apparently while filming a scene with guest star Joan Collins, Curtis became frustrated with her and called her an extremely unkind word that starts with a "C." (Which, by his account, she was being.) When they finally did the shot, instead of playing her part Collins jumped out of the truck they were in and announced to everyone what he had called her, then ran off to her trailer. Curtis had to apologize in order to get the temperamental actress back on set. He still had to get the last word in, of course, and it's worth picking up the book to see what that last word was...