Colin Fish, an actor-director like so many of his contemporaries, played the role of Mother in the Sonovision version of The Avengers. It is also believed that he may well have directed the unbroadcast pilots for the series, made at AFS Studios. 

He was born on 19th January 1929 in Blackburn, Lancashire, and married the actress Elizabeth Hamilton in 1952. He commenced his career in his native England. His early credits included the BBC serial Abigail and Roger (1956) and a single episode of another BBC production, Captain Moonlight - Man of Mystery, which was transmitted in 1958.

Among his directing credits were the Sonovision drama series Squad Cars and a play with visiting diva, Marlene Dietrich. It was reputed that Dietrich was less than co-operative. One of her co-stars in the play recounted how Colin Fish gave the instruction: "Please approach the mike slowly, Miss Dietrich" (so that her approaching footsteps could be recorded), to which Dietrich replied: "Can you not bring the mike to me?" - Fish however, denies this. "That's absolute rubbish. She was a delight to work with. She even wrote me a letter saying it was some of the best work she had ever done."

Outside of The Avengers, Colin worked for the South African Broadcasting Corporation for many years, as the Senior Drama Producer for the English Service in Johannesburg.

Colin Fish sadly died on 28th October 2006 in Johannesburg, South Africa, after a long illness.

by Donald Monat with Alan Hayes
with thanks to Denis Kirsanov