Gale Force

(Although women in the Western world have made significant strides towards equality throughout the years, the same cannot be said for Eastern women still dominated by the male hierarchy. For all the comment about male chauvanist pigs and sexism in the Western world, it is as nothing compared with what the women trapped in certain other cultures must endure on pain of death.)

It was really World War II that helped Western woman - in particular English and American - break out of the straight-jackets which society had placed them in. Most men went off to war, women had to fill the breaches left behind and did so. (On the other hand, German women were confined to kinder, kirche, kuche and under the Nazi system were able to make no strides towards independence.)

After the war, men came home to get their jobs back, and women were once more 'out in the cold,' but the seams of the straight-jackets had been weakened.

....

The Avengers first episode, Hot Snow,aired on January 7, 1961, and starref Ian Hendry as Dr. David Keel, and Patrick McNee as the shadowy John Steed. 26 episodes were made. When Ian Hendry left the series, Honor Blackman was given the role of Mrs. Catherine Gale. The first couple of scripts for the second season had been written as David Keel scripts, and when Honor Blackman took over, only the name of the character was changed, so Blackman/Gale's role was very much a strong and independant one.

The first Mrs. Catherine Gale episode is Mr. Teddy Bear, was aired on September 29, 1962.

Blackman continued for two seasons, leaving in 1964 to star as Pussy Galore in the James Bond film, Goldfinger. Diana Rigg took over as Mrs. Emma Peel.

Continued soon