Robert Vaughn, R.I.P.

Actor Robert Vaughn, the last surviving cast member of The Magnificent Seven and for his role as Napoleon Solo on the 1960's TV series The Man From U.N.C.L.E. has passed away following a brief battle with acute leukemia. Vaughn was 83.

In recent years, Vaughn had become a fixture on British TV with roles in Hustle as well as the long running soap opera Coronation Street.

Stephen Fry took to Twitter and declared, "Oh no. Robert Vaughn, such a fine actor, one of the best Columbo villains (no higher praise than that) & an utterly charming man, has died."

It is high praise indeed. In fact, Vaughn is the only actor to have played both murderer and victim in the Columbo series.

There were two special qualities Vaughn had as an actor. The first was his voice with that Mid-Atlantic accent. The second were those expressive eyes which were capable of both charm and terror often at the same time.

It was only a couple of years ago that I began watching The Man From U.N.C.L.E. on MeTV. But it has become one of my favorite TV shows and was dismayed that Guy Ritchie didn't have the courtesy to approach Vaughn or David McCallum (who, of course, played Ilya Kuryakin) for the big screen version. Even if they were to have turned it down, it would have been nice of him to ask.

Sadly, Channel D is forever closed.

But although gone, Robert Vaughn has much to offer. Half a century ago, Hollywood actors were of the liberal variety and Vaughn was no exception. But what separates Vaughn from today's Hollywood liberals is that the man knew of what he spoke. Vaughn was an early opponent of the Vietnam War and held his own with William F. Buckley on that subject in what could be described as a battle of the Mid-Atlantic accents. If today's liberals were to approach their opposition to Donald Trump in this manner they will be taken far more seriously. They would be wise to listen and learn.