QM Productions attempts its own Bond

In the new issue of HMSS, there’s an article about spy-oriented episodes of “The FBI,” the longest running show produced by QM Productions. Well, about 30 years ago, QM Productions tried to do a Bond-like TV show. The pilot for this was called “Death Ray 2000.” And it’s up on YouTube. Here’s part I:

By this time, Quinn Martin had sold his company. So while it’s listed as being “A QM Production,” he wasn’t around for this.

QM’s T.R. Sloane character was picked up as a series, but not until a lot of reworking. The lead was recast with none other than Robert Conrad. A villain in “Death Ray 2000” was turned into T.R. Sloane’s sidekick.  Dan O’Herlihy as Sloane’s boss was retained, but got a shave and moved his office behind a toy store front.

Here’s an opening titles from the series:

“A Man Called Slone” didn’t last long, getting canceled after 12 episodes at the start of the 1979-80 TV season.