April Dancer is a fictional character portrayed by Stefanie Powers. She is the main character of the 1960's TV series The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., a spin-off of the popuar spy show The Man from U.N.C.L.E. An early iteration of the character appeared in the Man from U.N.C.L.E. episode 'The Moonglow Affair'.
April is an American spy who works for an international espionage organisation known as U.N.C.L.E. (United Network Command for Law and Enforcement) with her partner Mark Slate. The two travel the world under the orders of Alexander Waverly to defend humanity against U.N.C.L.E.'s more sinister counterpart, THRUSH.
Biography[]
General[]
Although it is never seen during the series, in the tie-in novels it is said that April lives in a duplex apartment in the east Thirties.[6]
Early Life[]
Not much is known about April Dancer's early life. It is mentioned in one of the tie-in novels that she was born in Old Orchard, Maine.[6] She was an army brat and her family travelled around for much of her childhood[7], this is where she picked up many of the languages that she speaks.[6] Early into the Vietnam war her father, Colonel Frederick Dancer, was shot by a sniper and died. Her mother also passed away two months following this, effectively making her an orphan.[6]
It is said that she was educated at Radcliffe.[6] She is also mentioned to have studied in Paris for a time.[8]
U.N.C.L.E. Career[]
Agent Dancer was U.N.C.L.E.'s first female enforcement agent. She was partnered with British agent Mark Slate.
Relationships[]
Mark Slate[]
April and Mark have a close relationship and are very comfortable around each other. They are often described as having a sibling relationship, which is backed up by how often they tease each other. In the tie-in novels, April will often refer to Mark as being like an 'older brother' to her.[6] In the series, she is often seen to roll her eyes at his antics and possibly thinks of herself as the more responsible of two, however she is just as likely to get admonished by Mark for being reckless.[9]
Alexander Waverly[]
Unlike many of his agents, Mr. Waverly seems to be rather fond of April. He is rarely impatient or cross with her and will give her preferential treatment. April likes and respects Mr. Waverly and isn't afraid to voice her opinions to him.
Napoleon Solo[]
As her senior agent, it is clear that April is less confident around Napoleon than she is around Mark. Napoleon in turn acts protectively towards her.[10]
Skills[]
Languages[]
Sports & Hobbies[]
- Able to swim and knows basic lifesaving skills[15][16]
- Skilled fencer[16]
- Trapeze aerialist[17]
- Dancer[9][18][19]
- Karate (mentioned by Jean when listing things that they have in common)[14]
- Able to play clarinet[20]
Weaknesses[]
Gadgets[]
- Communicator pen. April carries the standard issue U.N.C.L.E. communicator that is disguised to look like a pen. In one episode April even writes with it, showing that it also works.[22]
- Radio. April carries around a small hand-held radio which is also an U.N.C.L.E. communicator, a listening device, and can fire sleep darts.[18][23]
- Hat band. The two charms on the band of April's cowboy hat are a communicator device and act as a speaker and microphone respectively. One is also used as a spyglas.[24]
- Cigarettes. The packet of cigarettes that April carries will emit a sleeping gas when inhaled.[24]
- Lighter. April's lighter emits a puff of smoke when triggered. Presumably this is a sleeping gas.[24]
- Perfume. April's perfume bottle actually contains sleeping gas.[18]
- Lipstick gun. At least one of the lipsticks in her purse is able to fire a single bullet.[24]
- Explosive compact. April's powder compact explodes when closed in the correct manner.[24]
- Charm bracelet. April wears a charm bracelet around her wrist, from which she will sometimes pull a charm and throw it onto the ground. Upon hitting the ground, these charms will often explode or emit smoke screens.[15][18]
- Explosive strips. The hem of April's dress is sometimes lined with explosive strips.[15]
- Belt torch. The buckle on one of April's silver belts has a torch built into it.[19]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Birds of a Feather Affair
- ↑ The UFO Affair
- ↑ The Faustus Affair
- ↑ The Prisoner of Zalamar Affair
- ↑ The Paradise Lost Affair
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 Michael Avallone, The Birds of a Feather Affair (1966).
- ↑ The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The U.F.O. Affair (Episode 16, 3 January 1967).
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Simon Latter, The Global Globules Affair (1967).
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Mata Hari Affair (Episode 4, 4 October 1966).
- ↑ The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Mother Muffin Affair (Episode 3, 27 September 1966).
- ↑ The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Garden of Evil Affair (Episode 8, 1 November 1966).
- ↑ The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Little John Doe Affair (Episode 13, 13 December 1966).
- ↑ The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Catacomb and Dogma Affair (Episode 18, 24 January 1967).
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Petit Prix Affair (Episode 24, 7 March 1967).
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Danish Blue Affair (Episode 7, 25 October 1966).
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Atlantis Affair (Episode 9, 15 November 1966).
- ↑ The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Romany Lie Affair (Episode 12, 6 December 1966).
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Horns-of-the-Dilemma Affair (Episode 6, 18 October 1966).
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Drublegratz Affair (Episode 19, 31 January 1967).
- ↑ The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Low Blue C Affair (Episode 23, 28 February 1967).
- ↑ The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Moulin Ruse Affair (Episode 17, 17 January 1967).
- ↑ The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Double-O-Nothing Affair (Episode 26, 21 March 1967).
- ↑ The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Prisoner of Zalamar Affair (Episode 2, 20 September 1966).
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Furnace Flats Affair (Episode 22, 21 February 1967).