I thought I should share with you this great “ComingAnarchy.com-esque” television series I have been watching: Reilly – Ace of Spies.
It is the story of Sidney Reilly, a real-life master spy at the turn of the 20th century. Reilly was a contemporary of Younghusband, Curzon and Chirol and was an inspiration for Sir Ian Fleming’s character James Bond. Among other adventures, Reilly helped to secure Persian oil resources for Britain’s new oil-fired navy and also tried to overthrow the Bolshevik government in 1918.
The television drama, Ace of Spies, originally ran in 1983 on ITV. It was rebroadcast a couple of years ago in North America, unfortunately I was in the Far East during that time so I missed it. An old War Studies prof—who is actually coming back from Afghanistan this week—recommended the series to me saying, “[Younghusband], you are gonna love this [show].” Well, I am loving it and I think readers of CA will as well. Check it out.
Reilly fiction and fact.
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COMMENTS / 4 COMMENTS
Memphis added these pithy words on 05 Mar 08 at 8:09 amIndeed this is an fascinating series. I managed to record the series on VHS and it is now available on DVD. The series took some creative liberty with his actual career but not too much.
Despite Reilly’s amazing career he is not that well known. There is a paperback “Reilly: Ace of Spies” you would enjoy by Robin Bruce Lockhart who is ths son of a colleague of Reilly.
There is also a great story about “C”, Reilly boss at British Secret Service and his wooden leg. I won’t say as it is too good to spoil!
Younghusband added these pithy words on 05 Mar 08 at 5:19 pmMemphis, the genesis of the SIS is a brilliant story. I am planning on picking up the 2004 Reilly book by Cook to learn more.
purpleslog added these pithy words on 08 Mar 08 at 6:33 amI watched the show on PBS in the 1980’s (must have been 83 or 84) it was rebroadcast cast a few years ago. It is a lot of fun.
