Tarot, Telepathy and Tea-Time Terrors

The Making of a Cult Classic

In 1970, the writer Trevor Preston was inspired to write a children's fantasy series featuring elements of mystery and investigation when he realised that children of a certain age were watching police crime series more and more. In preparation, Preston "read a few books on magic."

By early summer, he was ready to submit a proposal to Thames Television. Below, that proposal is reproduced in its entirety. You will note that at this time the title of the series is Tarot and Ace of Wands is the title given to a proposed villain (the most brilliant art thief of all time).

TAROT
AN OUTLINE FOR A NEW CHILDREN'S SERIAL
by
TREVOR PRESTON

In trying to conceive and develop a new serial super hero there are just so many precedents: Robin Hood, Superman, Sherlock Holmes, Batman, Dick Barton, Sexton Blake, etc., etc., that one inevitably overlaps and re-states basic qualities common to the super-hero archetype. However, the thing that one must consciously avoid is pilfering a bit here and a bit there to make up a synthetic patchwork character.

TAROT in conception, in intention, is a super-hero. He has his again inevitable and dramatically invaluable accomplices. To try and develop a solo superman, a hermit-like hero with no intimate associations would, particularly when considering a children's television series, be dramatically difficult and scarcely desirable since it would present the character as isolated and cold which would alienate rather than encourage the viewer to identify with him. Although many mysteries surround TAROT, although at times he may appear enigmatic, his anonymity and for want of a better word 'magical' qualities will I think add a dimension of expectant excitement to the basic detector - righter of wrongs - solver of mysteries, but throughout it must be made very apparent that TAROT has all normal human attributes, vulnerability, fallibility, affection, fear, etc.

Frankly we don't know enough about the perceptual process of children's television viewing, what elements attract and hold their attention, what bores them, with what type of figures they identify and in what way, what is seen as real and what as fantasy, but from my own experience it is impossible for any writer/actor/director to hold his audience if the characters are 'unbelievable' (a difficult term to define in this context).

In TAROT I want to develop an antitheses to the technocratic detective… intercontinental two-way radios secreted in lighters, microcamera cuff links, instant solution by computer, boffinism, these sorts of things only add to the dehumanisation of the character, his dependence on gadgetry and gismos, the bacchanalia of our technocratic turn-on reduces him from a human into a humanoid.

TAROT solves his mysteries by a pot-pourri of highly developed human attributes: advanced intuition, premonition, inscrutable logic, acute intelligence, a poetic sense of human weakness and predictability and a garnishing of what might be called unusual psychic powers, hypnosis, telepathy, extra-sensory perception, all at one time condemned as music hall chicanery but now openly accepted by scientists and psychologists, though still holding a sense of mystique (magic) for the layman.

Having said this, it is important not to stray into the territory of science fiction. TAROT, faced with a threatening situation cannot melt walls with Kryptonic eyesight, when presented with a devious adversary, cannot read his mind or use any exaggerated, extra human power to gain advantage. His overall advantage is that his natural human accomplishments, both mental and physical are more highly developed and co-ordinated.

Also acts of fortuitous coincidence must be used to a minimum if at all, kids just don't accept the easy way out and once one has indulged in a piece of lazy production the believability that the hero really was vulnerable, really was threatened, is lost and this can only lead to a rejection of the character and his exploits.

TAROT's field of activity again has precedents, but I hope he will be his own blend of super sleuth. He can put right what the law cannot because he works outside the law (that is not to say in any way in opposition to it). But his justice is a poetic one rather than a more prosaic, merely lawful one, he embodies a moral attitude but he is also an avenger, a knight errant, a twentieth century Robin Hood with a pinch of Merlin, a dash of Houdini with a natural genius for disguise, but a character anchored in reality - the reality of our times. Sometimes his methods might be questionable but his battle of wits always conclude with the triumph of good over evil.

The attitude of the authorities to TAROT is one of non-comprehension as to his methods, unawareness of his activities, and suspicion engendered by his superiority. Not as in the case of say Sherlock Holmes or even The Saint where they bear the cross, indeed sometimes even invite liaison with interference in police matters.

TAROT never causes the police any trouble and often provides them with invaluable information that always arrives anonymously. TAROT tends to 'use' the police, of this they are quite aware but consider his contributions justify their pinched pride. Although I mention the police they will rarely be involved, TAROT has no particular senior officer at New Scotland Yard that he favours or contacts.

Our stories are set entirely around TAROT, his accomplices, his clients, desperate people to whom the normal procedures of detection and justice are inadequate or impossible, because of certain circumstances to enlist, and TAROT's adversaries often, though not always recurring villains, formidable kings and queens of crime, the royalty of the underworld who have done battle with TAROT before and of whom TAROT has a very special knowledge and a crusading desire to see their machinations terminated permanently.

These of course can be developed gradually, and other writers can add their own. A quartet of baddies I have thought of are DOG, Diogenyes Osimandius Gronk, the ultimate assassin, THE ACE OF WANDS the most brilliant art thief of all time, MADAME NO FACE, international villainess who dabbles in anything from abduction and blackmail to high finance con-tricksting, and the MORTISTI, a black hooded fraternity with a special vendetta against TAROT for his interference in their many and monstrous crimes.

A few other titles I just enjoyed jotting down were: TARANTULA - BARON DE GULDENSTUBE - CALIOSTRO - LE COMPTE AUGUSTE - SAUL GOODKIND - COLONEL BONESTEEL - TARZANA. With this cast of villains, because the criminal passion they share makes them abnormal in a general sense, we can afford to be a little more bizarre, more flamboyant, but they too must be 'believable' in their own context and in their special relationship with TAROT… Mad scientists out to revenge themselves on mankind, ex S.S. top brass, escapees from Nuremberg determined to establish a fourth Reich, are out!

Now, TAROT as a personality. I think he should be about thirty, extremely attractive without that tinge of latent femininity apparent in some actors. Tall, lithe, physical without the least suggestion of a front row forward. Of course he can more than adequately defend himself from direct physical assault, but would do so with the grace of a matador rather than the savagery of a commando, and if physical violence can be avoided, with TAROT it is, his interest is to solve mysteries to combat crime, not prove his toughness, however this is not to say he is in any way passive.

Since we have to appeal to a wide age range, stories have to work on two basic levels, development of visual impact with action sequences for the younger viewers and maintain a credible storyline with exciting implications to hold and involve the imaginations of the older children. Again, to add to my list of negatives, studio "punch ups" are rarely successful, difficult and time consuming to shoot, and tend more often than not to obtain the opposite to the excitement they were intended to.

Of course confrontations must occur, direct threat, capture and escape, inquisition of the hero by villain and minions, cliff hanging are all part of the whole concept of this type of serialisation, but TAROT's Houdini-ish qualities, both mental and physical, supported by the particular talents of his associates will be our forte rather than the more banal Batmanesque gymnastics.

TAROT lives in a Japanese styled apartment, somewhere in London (Mayfair or the converted top of a Southwark Warehouse?). Because of moveable walls, sliding panels, adjustable multi-level flooring, minimal furniture and decoration, an architectural phenomenon with endless permutations, where the delicacy of the East meets the functionalism of the West, we can, throughout a lot of episodes avoid the visual boredom that can evolve if one of the major sets is a domestic one.

Again, this would depend a great deal on how the set is used by directors, we must get across an exciting, attractive and active working environment not a clinical box, TAROT is a crusader, detective and illusionist not a surgeon.

TAROT's wardrobe. The tradition is that the hero has some sort of uniform with which he is immediately associated and recognised, they may differ in the extreme from Batman's cloak and hood to John Steed's bowler and buttonhole. I think rather than this, we make TAROT's wardrobe extensive but significant to his character overall. To totally contrast the futuristic feel of his H.Q. I feel that he should be very elegant in a sort of up-dated Pre-Raphaelite way, with a penchant for pure silk, fine velvet, and unusual headwear.

What must be avoided is the itinerant dandy type, a sort of Beau Brummel of crime, also any form of campishness would be anathema. I realise of course that this is encroaching into the designer's territory but I'm sure I don't need to stress the importance of this aspect of mounting a series personality. A great deal of character construction can be done with odd idiosyncrasies that our hero has, his love of certain books which in his odd moments of relaxation he reads and re-reads. "Alice Through the Looking Glass" is a firm favourite, his passion for ultra-modern jazz, loves playing scrabble, crossword puzzles, Russian cigarettes etc., these of course can be discussed and developed as we go.

Also, Eisenstein advised his students when they were developing characters to try and associate them with animals. When I think of TAROT, birds come to mind, The hawk? Too savage. The owl? Too sagacious. The crow? Too sly. TAROT has a pet toucan (surely the most absurd of birds since the extinction of the Dodo) named OSCAR, and like the witch's cat he is a sort of familiar at times taking on almost a human identity. One could even play with the idea that OSCAR is a reincarnation and that TAROT can even converse with him. (This would be changed as the series was developed pre-broadcast).

TAROT has three accomplices/friends/assistants/associates whatever you want to call them … LULLI … MR SWEET … and SAM. Each have their own special relationship with TAROT, their own particular place in his strange organisation and their own specialised functions. They know each other intimately but are rarely all involved together, although they work with and for TAROT they also have a certain autonomy in as much as they quite often act as individuals, quite often pair up, less often trios, occasionally all four become 'trapped' together.

But with TAROT very much in the front of most of the activity it will be useful to have his faithful three to counterpoint his activities by using parallel dramatic build up i.e.: TAROT unknowingly heads for big trouble, LULLI aware of the danger potential desperately tries to get to him before the sky falls in… or… MR SWEET suddenly realising that he has been duped and inadvertently exposed TAROT to the menace of one of our hero's most persistent and vengeful adversaries enlists the aid of LULLI or SAM or both to avert catastrophe.

As well as having their unique roles in TAROT's team they should have their own area of appeal to the kids. LULLI is the beautiful girl to compliment TAROT physically, a hint of romance but used with delicacy, she is young, vital, at times naïve, vulnerable because of her femininity but also has the guile unique to females.

MR SWEET is older, fifty plus, avuncular, eccentric, quirky, amusing and loveable, though definitely not a donnish teddy bear, he is quite capable of amazing and very unorthodox action if a situation demands it.

SAM is TAROT's 'man' (not servant), provides muscle if required, a sort of heavy but by no means stupid, more the reformed rogue type, in his mid thirties, done everything, been everywhere (even to prison), knows everyone who one shouldn't know, impulsive, cheerful, impudent, tough and totally dedicated to TAROT.

LULLI
Between eighteen and twenty, she should compliment, but at the same time contrast TAROT in looks—if he is dark she must be fair, if he is fair—she dark etc., but they must both be ultra attractive. She has a perfect star birth mark on one cheek.

Although she is well aware of the latest gear she tends to be very unconventional and also unpredictable with her clothes, one day she might turn up looking like something left over from a psychedelic peep show, the next as though she had stepped from the pages of Vogue.

LULLI is loaded money-wise, her father is a big man in the city, fingers in just about every profitable pie, a brilliant and respected speculator. LULLI is a clever girl but got bored with university where she was studying philosophy and left; in fact, boredom is LULLI's arch enemy, she is a compulsive "doer" but until she met TAROT had no burning ambition to burn up her incredible energy.

She often amuses herself by assuming false identities and taking on weird jobs: a London Transport clippie, she edited an underground paper, worked for a while in cabaret as a knife thrower's dolly target etc., etc. This talent for chameleon-ability is very useful to TAROT and quite often we discover LULLI as a hat girl at a club, a masseuse at a health farm or temporary secretary to an eminent politician.

Unlike TAROT with his brilliance for total disguise, LULLI is always herself but in different and very varied circumstances. LULLI became involved with TAROT quite by accident when they realised simultaneously while passing in the street that they had an advanced telepathic communication; since, LULLI has worked closely with TAROT and has proved invaluable if at times a little, to say the least, precocious.

LULLI worships TAROT but never gets more than an encouraging hug or thank you kiss on the forehead. I had originally thought of giving her a fantastically fitted out houseboat on Chelsea Reach, but I think she is more of a high-class gypsy and tends to move around a lot, never staying in a flat—castle—hotel—or room over a strip club, too long.

MR SWEET
Owns an antiquarian bookshop in Bloomsbury. (The second of the permanent/recurring sets). He has an international reputation as a lepidopterist and entomologist, people travel from all over the world to acquire rare first editions or exchange theses on ants with him.

But MR SWEET is also known by a much smaller enclave of people as the only person that can put them in touch with the famous yet anonymous TAROT. MR SWEET has two major roles to play in the organisation, the first as front man and go-between, adventures begin with someone in trouble approaching MR SWEET in the hope that he will consider their dilemma important and interesting enough to enlist the very unique services of TAROT on their behalf.

Secondly, MR SWEET has a photographic memory and can almost always be relied upon to provide TAROT with obscure items of information and equipment that he may have urgent need of. MR SWEET, because of his amazing capacity for absorbing facts is a sort of walking computer but has a distinct edge over his transistorised counterpart in that he has the unique human understanding of the illogical.

MR SWEET and TAROT are very close, but when they meet there is also a strange formality between them. MR SWEET is always addressed as "MR SWEET" by all including TAROT. Also, MR SWEET is the only person who knows the secret of TAROT's true identity, even our hero is in the dark here—he may be the heir to a great fortune—the offspring of a diseased genius—the son of a circus clown—or he may even be extra-terrestrial. Who knows—only MR SWEET—and he's not saying.

SAM
SAM has been in his time seaman, grave-digger, fish porter, fair booth boxer, bodyguard to a playboy millionaire, but when he met TAROT he had hit an all-time low and was busking around the smoke as a sack and chain man for a worn-out old escapologist.

SAM spent two short spells in prison, the first for housebreaking, the second for his part in a greyhound doping racket. When TAROT met the man he saw an immediate potential and so he invited SAM to become his chauffeur and has over a period of a couple of years trained SAM to use his natural abilities and initiative.

Now, because SAM lives with TAROT he knows a great deal about his methods, even so TAROT manages at times to totally mystify SAM. He has incredible "connections" all over London and in most of the provincial major cities, there are a lot of people who owe SAM "favours" and he has no hesitation in using his contacts to help TAROT.

SAM likes to think of himself as a bit of a philosopher and writes very funny bad poetry which he is immensely proud of. He should not be developed as the all-too-obvious cockney light relief, nor as the east end heavy but as a very human and likeable guy who has seen a lot of life in a short time, knows a lot of people, but has found in his work with TAROT something really worth doing at last.

Of course, he can be very amusing and has his own inimitable way of speaking, but he can also be as hard as nails and quite ruthless if TAROT, LULLI or MR SWEET are in any way threatened. He's in his mid-thirties, well made, could easily pass for a fighter, dresses very simply, again to contrast TAROT's elegance, always in black, ready for a fast car ride, breaking into a building, abducting someone, anything that TAROT might ask of him. SAM should be a natural con-man and everyone's favourite uncle.

Following on from Preston’s above proposal he set out the plotlines for four episodes: The Smile, Episodes Two and Three (no titles given), and One and One Are Four (which ultimately swapped places in the running order with The Smile – episode two would be The Mind Robbers and three Now You See It, Now You Don’t). Preston then finishes his proposal with the following comments: ‘I can't see much point in paragraphing possible storylines until we have really worked out just what we want from the series.

'This can only be done by throwing the basic ideas around and around until we arrive at something. With a totally new series to create we can, in theory, do anything, make the stories move bizarre more fantastic or the opposite, more documentary more realistic, factual, or indeed, we needn't tie ourselves down to any single area of appeal, some could be amusing, some quite frightening, others straight cliff hangers with the emphasis on action rather than intricate plot development. Of course, I have some pretty clear ideas on how I would like the idea developed which I hope come across in this breakdown, but one is very open to pushing it around until we arrive at a workable solution. So please treat these notes more as a first working drawing from which we have together to develop a blueprint that is going to be exciting to work on and mutually acceptable.’

From here things seemed to move very fast. Pamela Lonsdale was brought in as producer of the series and developed the characters along with Preston and by July 1970 Thames Television issued the following press release:

For Young Viewers from THAMES

'A C E   O F   W A N D S'

THAMES TELEVISION continue their special interest in children's programming (such as SEXTON BLAKE and TYRANT KING) with this unusual new 13 half-hour episode series launched on the Network - 29 July 1970.

'Tarot' (the Ace of Wands) is a twentieth century Robin Hood with a pinch of Merlin and a dash of Houdini. By profession he is a renowned illusionist, by vocation a righter of wrongs. To help solve the mysteries, Tarot uses all his magic skills which range from sleight of hand and escapology to hypnosis and telepathy. Sometimes his methods might be surprising but his confrontations with the formidable Kings and Queens of crime always end with the triumph of 'Good' over 'Evil'.

Tarot has three associates - 'Lulli', 'Sam' and 'Mr. Sweet'. All have their own particular place in his organisation and their own specialised functions. Lulli is young, beautiful and intelligent. She studied philosophy at Oxford for a while then got bored and left. She is a compulsive 'doer'. She met Tarot by accident when she backed her beach buggy into his E-type Jaguar and they subsequently discovered that they had an advanced telepathic communication. Since then Lulli has worked as Tarot's assistant on stage and off, and has proved invaluable.

Sam is Tarot's right hand man. He's done everything, been everywhere (even to prison) and has incredible 'connections'. There are a lot of people who owe Sam favours and he has no hesitation in using his contacts, he is impulsive, cheerful, tough and totally dedicated to Tarot.

Mr. Sweet is an antiquarian bookseller with an international reputation as a lepidopterist and entomologist. He has a major role to play for Tarot as front man and go-between. Adventures often start with someone in trouble approaching Mr. Sweet in the hope that he will enlist the unique services of Tarot on their behalf. Mr. Sweet is lovable, amusing, eccentric but quite capable of amazing and unorthodox action if a situation demands it.

There is another member of the set, Tarot's pet owl 'Ozymandias'. 'Ossie', as he is called, is a Malayan fishing owl, just over one foot high, has buttercup yellow eyes and makes a whistling sound when he is excited. He is devoted to Tarot, Lulli and Mr. Sweet but has reservations about Sam who calls him a 'cross-eyed cuckoo'.

The stories are centred around Tarot and his friends versus their adversaries - the 'Royalty' of the underworld.

Unfortunately, the original production files on the series were disposed of by Thames, and details of recordings are virtually non-existent. Season two opened in July 1971.

How the characters were portrayed, and details of the actors chosen to play them, can be found in the review of Ace of Wands on this website.