The Man From U.N.C.L.E. - U.N.C.L.E. in Popular Culture

U.N.C.L.E. in Popular Culture

References to the show in popular culture began during its original broadcast when it was parodied in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show, fittingly titled "The Man from My Uncle", References in other televison shows have continued over the years, including a 2011 episode of Mad Men, "The Chrysanthemum and the Sword". It has also been referenced in other television shows including Get Smart, Angry Beavers, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, and Laugh-In. An episode of Tom & Jerry from the Chuck Jones era entitled "The Mouse from H.U.N.G.E.R." paid homage to the show, with Jerry as a secret agent tasked with the mission of retrieving a sizeable stash of cheese from the villainous Tom Thrush (portrayed by Tom).

In Roddy Doyle's Booker Prize-winning novel Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha set in Ireland in the 1960s, the titular protagonist watches the show and mentions Napoleon Solo at several points in the novel.

In 1986 David McCallum reunited with then The A-Team series regular Robert Vaughn in an episode of the show entitled "The Say U.N.C.L.E. Affair" in an homage to The Man from U.N.C.L.E., complete with "chapter titles", the word "affair" in the title, the phrase "Open Channel D", and similar scene transitions.

It was also referenced in Glad commercials in the late 1960s and early 1970s, which starred the "Man from GLAD", a trench coat wearing agent who flew around in his combination boat/helicopter demonstrating Glad products to suburban housewives and saving the day.

In the NCIS episode "The Meat Puzzle" (Season 2 Episode 13), Agent Caitlin "Kate" Todd asks Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs "What did Ducky (McCallum's character Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard) look like when he was younger?" Gibbs replies, "Illya Kuryakin".

Outside of television, elements from the show have been seen in novels such as Randall Garrett's Too Many Magicians, comic books such as the 1964 UK comic Wham! and the 2007 The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier, audiobooks such as the Doctor Who Judgement of the Judoon, and videogames such as Duke Nukem 3D and Team Fortress 2.

Musical examples include Elvis Costello's 1980 album Get Happy!!, and an Argentinian Funk duo who took the name Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas honoring the fictitious spy. Alma Cogan paid a similar tribute to the Russian agent in her single "Love Ya Illya," released in 1966 under the pseudonym "Angela and the Fans". In the 1980s, Cleaners From Venus penned "Ilya Kuryakin Looked at Me"; the song was later covered by The Jennifers. The English 2 Tone band The Specials made an instrumental song called "Napoleon Solo". It was also the name of a Danish 2 Tone band. Space–surf band Man or Astro-man? covered the theme song for their 1994 EP Astro Launch. The Pet Shop Boys song "Building A Wall", from their 2009 album Yes, contains the lyric "Jesus and the Man From U.N.C.L.E." The British trip-hop group U.N.K.L.E. derive their name from the show.

Marvel Comic's creator Stan Lee stated in the introduction notes of "Son Of Origins" that the Marvel Universe spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D. was inspired by the Man From U.N.C.L.E. television program.

In an interview for a retrospective television special, David McCallum described a visit to the White House during which a Secret Service agent told him, "You're the reason I got this job."