A coated article and method for producing the coated article are described. The article is coated with a system which provides protection against oxidation and corrosion and which significantly reduces the substrate temperature. An MCrAlY layer is applied to the article to be protected and a columnar grain ceramic is applied by vapor deposition to the MCrAlY coated article. An alumina layer which exists between the MCrAlY layer and the columnar ceramic layer provides for the adherence of the columnar layer to the MCrAlY layer. An important feature of the invention is that the interface between the MCrAlY layer and the alumina layer has a low surface roughness and this greatly improves the columnar ceramic layer adherence.