Alexander Waverly
Encyclopedia
Alexander Waverly is a fictional character from the 1960s television show The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
and its spin-off series The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.
.
The original series was remarkable for pairing an American Napoleon Solo
and a Russian Illya Kuryakin
as two spies who work together for an international espionage
organisation at the height of the Cold War
. Mr. Waverly is the head of the U.N.C.L.E.
organisation and was played by the veteran English actor Leo G. Carroll
.
executive reportedly suggested that the person with the name beginning with 'K' be omitted. It later emerged that he had meant the Russian spy Illya Kuryakin played by David McCallum
. The show's producers thought he meant Kuluva. Although his scenes in the pilot episode 'The Vulcan Affair' were re-shot with Carroll in the role, Kuluva did appear as Mr. Allison in To Trap a Spy
, a feature-length production based on the pilot which was released to cinemas in 1964.
In eventually casting Carroll in the role, the programme makers took a considerable departure from this original concept since the actor was in his 70s at the time. However, the casting was also apt since Carroll had featured in many of Alfred Hitchcock's films and Hitchcock's work was a touchstone for the show's originators. Indeed, he had played the 'Professor', the head of the espionage agency in North by Northwest
, the film which inspired Norman Felton
to bring the spy genre to the small screen.
. In one episode he presides over an annual meeting of the regional heads ('The Summit Five Affair').
In contrast to the ambiguity surrounding the backgrounds of Solo and Kuryakin, we are given some insight into Waverly's family situation. He mentions a grandson called Melvin in 'The Bat Cave Affair'. His cousin Lester Baldwin (also played by Carroll) appears in 'The Bow Wow Affair'. His brother-in-law is Professor Hemingway of Y.I.T., who he sometimes uses as a consultant ('The Mad, MAD Tea Party Affair'). In 'The Cap and Gown Affair' it emerges that Waverly is an alumnus of Blair University. His niece Maude Waverly, played by Yvonne Craig
, appears in the U.N.C.L.E. film One Spy too Many although she does not feature in 'The Alexander the Greater Affair' the two-part television episode on which the film is based.
Mr. Waverly was also a regular in the short-lived, spin-off series The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., making Carroll one of the first actors to play the same role in two television shows.
In the first two seasons Waverly is depicted as an unsentimental, tough, pragmatic leader. By the third season, however, he is presented as a more human, though still pragmatic, character. In the third season two-part episode 'The Concrete Overcoat Affair,' Solo objects to the fact that his partner Kuryakin has been sent on a suicide mission. Although he chastises the agent for questioning his authority, Waverly allows him to go to Kuryakin's aid. As Solo leaves, Waverly can be heard muttering, "Alexander Waverly, sentimental grandmother of the year."
Although primarily working out of headquarters, on rare occasions Waverly joins in missions in the field. He goes undercover in the 'The Pieces of Fate Affair' and during the show's fourth season, he is captured along with three of his agents. He masterminds their escape with the aid of a blade hidden in a flower in his buttonhole ('The Deep Six Affair').
, the series that replaced U.N.C.L.E. His final lines on screen are "Mr. Kuryakin, come quick. I think I've found THRUSH headquarters at last." Carroll died in 1972 and his character did not appear in the 1983 reunion movie The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.:The Fifteen Years Later Affair where it is implied that Mr. Waverly has died relatively recently. The character appeared in the 1983 independent film The Time Lord from U.N.C.L.E., this time played by Chris Brainherd.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is an American television series that was broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1964, to January 15, 1968. It follows the exploits of two secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who work for a fictitious secret international espionage and law-enforcement...
and its spin-off series The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. is an American spy-fi TV series that aired on NBC for one season from September 16, 1966 to April 11, 1967. The series was a spin-off from The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and used the same theme music composed by Jerry Goldsmith, which was rearranged into a slightly different,...
.
The original series was remarkable for pairing an American Napoleon Solo
Napoleon Solo
Napoleon Solo is a fictional character from the 1960s TV spy series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The series was remarkable for pairing the American Solo, played by Robert Vaughn, and the Russian Illya Kuryakin as two spies who work together for an international espionage organisation at the height of...
and a Russian Illya Kuryakin
Illya Kuryakin
Illya Nickovetch Kuryakin is a fictional character from the 1960s TV spy series The Man from U.N.C.L.E..The series was remarkable for pairing an American Napoleon Solo and the Russian Kuryakin as two spies who work together for an international espionage organisation at the height of the Cold War...
as two spies who work together for an international espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
organisation at the height of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. Mr. Waverly is the head of the U.N.C.L.E.
U.N.C.L.E.
U.N.C.L.E. is an acronym for the fictional United Network Command for Law and Enforcement, a secret international intelligence agency featured in the TV series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.. Both were 1960s TV series produced in the United States.U.N.C.L.E. is an organization...
organisation and was played by the veteran English actor Leo G. Carroll
Leo G. Carroll
Leo Gratten Carroll was an English-born actor. He was best known for his roles in several Hitchcock films and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Topper.-Early life:...
.
Background
The pilot for the show featured a 'Mr. Allison' as the head of U.N.C.L.E., a character described as a pedantic man in his 50s. Will Kuluva was originally cast in the role, however he was replaced by Carroll after the pilot episode when an NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
executive reportedly suggested that the person with the name beginning with 'K' be omitted. It later emerged that he had meant the Russian spy Illya Kuryakin played by David McCallum
David McCallum
David Keith McCallum, Jr. is a Scottish actor and musician. He is best known for his roles as Illya Kuryakin, a Russian-born secret agent, in the 1960s television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E., as interdimensional operative Steel in Sapphire & Steel, and Dr...
. The show's producers thought he meant Kuluva. Although his scenes in the pilot episode 'The Vulcan Affair' were re-shot with Carroll in the role, Kuluva did appear as Mr. Allison in To Trap a Spy
To Trap a Spy
To Trap a Spy is the feature length film version of the pilot episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. starring Robert Vaughn and David McCallum. It is the third and longest version of the same story. The original U.N.C.L.E. pilot "Solo" was filmed in color and, as was standard at the time for U.S...
, a feature-length production based on the pilot which was released to cinemas in 1964.
In eventually casting Carroll in the role, the programme makers took a considerable departure from this original concept since the actor was in his 70s at the time. However, the casting was also apt since Carroll had featured in many of Alfred Hitchcock's films and Hitchcock's work was a touchstone for the show's originators. Indeed, he had played the 'Professor', the head of the espionage agency in North by Northwest
North by Northwest
North by Northwest is a 1959 American thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason, and featuring Leo G. Carroll and Martin Landau...
, the film which inspired Norman Felton
Norman Felton
Norman Felton is a British-born American television producer, best known for his involvement in shows such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Dr. Kildare, both on NBC.-Background:...
to bring the spy genre to the small screen.
Character
Along with Solo and Kuryakin, Alexander Waverly was the only character to appear on the show on a weekly basis. He is one of five regional heads in charge of the multi-national organisation, though his position appears to be that of primus inter paresPrimus inter pares
Primus inter pares is Latin phrase describing the most senior person of a group sharing the same rank or office.When not used in reference to a specific title, it may indicate that the person so described is formally equal, but looked upon as an authority of special importance by their peers...
. In one episode he presides over an annual meeting of the regional heads ('The Summit Five Affair').
In contrast to the ambiguity surrounding the backgrounds of Solo and Kuryakin, we are given some insight into Waverly's family situation. He mentions a grandson called Melvin in 'The Bat Cave Affair'. His cousin Lester Baldwin (also played by Carroll) appears in 'The Bow Wow Affair'. His brother-in-law is Professor Hemingway of Y.I.T., who he sometimes uses as a consultant ('The Mad, MAD Tea Party Affair'). In 'The Cap and Gown Affair' it emerges that Waverly is an alumnus of Blair University. His niece Maude Waverly, played by Yvonne Craig
Yvonne Craig
Yvonne Joyce Craig is an American actress best known for her role as Batgirl from the 1960s TV series Batman, and as the Orion Marta in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “Whom Gods Destroy”.-Early life and career:...
, appears in the U.N.C.L.E. film One Spy too Many although she does not feature in 'The Alexander the Greater Affair' the two-part television episode on which the film is based.
Mr. Waverly was also a regular in the short-lived, spin-off series The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., making Carroll one of the first actors to play the same role in two television shows.
Personality
Waverly is the stereotypical Englishman, formal, reserved, dressing in tweeds and smoking a large pipe. He addresses everyone by their courtesy titles and surnames. He is the head of Section One in U.N.C.L.E. headquarters in New York. He appears to have been something of a ladies man in his youth ('The Bow Wow Affair).In the first two seasons Waverly is depicted as an unsentimental, tough, pragmatic leader. By the third season, however, he is presented as a more human, though still pragmatic, character. In the third season two-part episode 'The Concrete Overcoat Affair,' Solo objects to the fact that his partner Kuryakin has been sent on a suicide mission. Although he chastises the agent for questioning his authority, Waverly allows him to go to Kuryakin's aid. As Solo leaves, Waverly can be heard muttering, "Alexander Waverly, sentimental grandmother of the year."
Although primarily working out of headquarters, on rare occasions Waverly joins in missions in the field. He goes undercover in the 'The Pieces of Fate Affair' and during the show's fourth season, he is captured along with three of his agents. He masterminds their escape with the aid of a blade hidden in a flower in his buttonhole ('The Deep Six Affair').
Afterlife
In 1968 Carroll made his final appearance in the role one week after the show's cancellation when he appeared on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InRowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In is an American sketch comedy television program which ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to May 14, 1973. It was hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin and was broadcast over NBC...
, the series that replaced U.N.C.L.E. His final lines on screen are "Mr. Kuryakin, come quick. I think I've found THRUSH headquarters at last." Carroll died in 1972 and his character did not appear in the 1983 reunion movie The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.:The Fifteen Years Later Affair where it is implied that Mr. Waverly has died relatively recently. The character appeared in the 1983 independent film The Time Lord from U.N.C.L.E., this time played by Chris Brainherd.