Mother (The Avengers)
Encyclopedia
"Mother" is a fictional character
in British TV series The Avengers
. "Mother" is a codename. In the series the incumbent in the role is a wheelchair using
male British government official. He made his debut in The Forget-Me-Knot, which was Emma Peel's final episode and Tara King's first. In subsequent episodes he gives orders to John Steed
and Tara King
. He appears in most episodes of series six, the last season of the series. In the television series Mother is portrayed by Patrick Newell
.
Actor Patrick Newell had played various characters in previous episodes of The Avengers, most recently Sir George Collins, a sometime Minister of the Crown
and close relative of the Attorney General, in season five's Something Nasty in the Nursery.
The 1998
film
based on the series, also titled The Avengers, depicts Mother giving orders to Steed and Mrs Peel. In the movie, he is portrayed by Jim Broadbent
.
he seems mobile, continuously moving his headquarters from such traditional locations as a stately home
to more eccentric locales such as a double-decker bus
or under water. Mother has a new base in practically every episode. The plots of several episodes involve attempts to assassinate
"Mother," so these moves are presumably a security measure.
female official called "Father
" as the second to Mother in rank. Father appeared in one episode of the series and in the 1998 film.
In another episode of the series Mother refers to an associate named "Grandmother".
's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier
, Harry Lime is in command of the British Secret Service acting as M
but is nicknamed "Mother" by several agents, including Emma Peel
.
In the Tom Stoppard
play Hapgood
the (female) senior secret agent Hapgood also has the nickname or codename 'Mother'.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in British TV series The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
. "Mother" is a codename. In the series the incumbent in the role is a wheelchair using
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
male British government official. He made his debut in The Forget-Me-Knot, which was Emma Peel's final episode and Tara King's first. In subsequent episodes he gives orders to John Steed
John Steed
John Steed is a fictional character and the central protagonist on the popular British series The Avengers and The New Avengers, played by Patrick Macnee and Ralph Fiennes in the movie....
and Tara King
Tara King
Tara King is a fictional character of British 1960s adventure television series The Avengers, played by canadian actress Linda Thorson. Sixth partner of agent John Steed , she appeared in season 6 of the series , playing 33 episodes. She is Emma Peel successor...
. He appears in most episodes of series six, the last season of the series. In the television series Mother is portrayed by Patrick Newell
Patrick Newell
Patrick David Newell was a British actor known for his large size. It is reputed he gained weight as a deliberate attempt to boost his career, marking him out for some niche roles...
.
Actor Patrick Newell had played various characters in previous episodes of The Avengers, most recently Sir George Collins, a sometime Minister of the Crown
Minister of the Crown
Minister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign. The term indicates that the minister serves at His/Her Majesty's pleasure, and advises the monarch, or viceroy, on how to exercise the Crown prerogatives...
and close relative of the Attorney General, in season five's Something Nasty in the Nursery.
The 1998
1998 in film
-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
based on the series, also titled The Avengers, depicts Mother giving orders to Steed and Mrs Peel. In the movie, he is portrayed by Jim Broadbent
Jim Broadbent
James "Jim" Broadbent is an English theatre, film, and television actor. He is known for his roles in Iris, Moulin Rouge!, Topsy-Turvy, Hot Fuzz, and Bridget Jones' Diary...
.
Bases and locations
In spite of his disabilityParaplegia
Paraplegia is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. The word comes from Ionic Greek: παραπληγίη "half-striking". It is usually the result of spinal cord injury or a congenital condition such as spina bifida that affects the neural elements of the spinal canal...
he seems mobile, continuously moving his headquarters from such traditional locations as a stately home
Stately home
A stately home is a "great country house". It is thus a palatial great house or in some cases an updated castle, located in the British Isles, mostly built between the mid-16th century and the early part of the 20th century, as well as converted abbeys and other church property...
to more eccentric locales such as a double-decker bus
Double-decker bus
A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or 'decks'. Global usage of this type of bus is more common in outer touring than in its intra-urban transportion role. Double-decker buses are also commonly found in certain parts of Europe, Asia, and former British colonies and protectorates...
or under water. Mother has a new base in practically every episode. The plots of several episodes involve attempts to assassinate
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
"Mother," so these moves are presumably a security measure.
Other family members
The humor of "Mother" as a codename for a man is emphasised by having a blindBlindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
female official called "Father
Father (The Avengers)
"Father" is the codename given to a blind female British government official who appears as a supporting character in the 1998 film The Avengers, based on a very brief appearance in the British TV series of the same name.-Role:...
" as the second to Mother in rank. Father appeared in one episode of the series and in the 1998 film.
In another episode of the series Mother refers to an associate named "Grandmother".
Rhonda
Mother's assistant is Rhonda, a tall blonde woman who never speaks. Mother commented on this in one episode, saying that her quietness was lovely. When she tried to respond he stopped her, saying not to spoil it. In another episode Rhonda appears to speak, but this is revealed to be an act of ventriloquism on Mother's part.In other media
In Alan MooreAlan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier is an original graphic novel in the comic book series The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O'Neill. It was the last volume of the series to be published by DC Comics. Although the third book to be...
, Harry Lime is in command of the British Secret Service acting as M
M (James Bond)
M is a fictional character in Ian Fleming's James Bond series, as well as the films in the Bond franchise. The head of MI6 and Bond's superior, M has been portrayed by three actors in the official Bond film series: Bernard Lee, Robert Brown and since 1995 by Judi Dench. Background =Ian Fleming...
but is nicknamed "Mother" by several agents, including Emma Peel
Emma Peel
Emma Peel was a fictional spy played by Diana Rigg in the British 1960s adventure television series The Avengers. She was born Emma Knight, the daughter of an industrialist, Sir John Knight.-Casting:...
.
In the Tom Stoppard
Tom Stoppard
Sir Tom Stoppard OM, CBE, FRSL is a British playwright, knighted in 1997. He has written prolifically for TV, radio, film and stage, finding prominence with plays such as Arcadia, The Coast of Utopia, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, Professional Foul, The Real Thing, and Rosencrantz and...
play Hapgood
Hapgood
Hapgood is a play by Tom Stoppard, first produced in 1988. It is mainly about espionage, focusing on a British female spymaster and her juggling of career and motherhood...
the (female) senior secret agent Hapgood also has the nickname or codename 'Mother'.