Adventure Theater is a dramatic anthology series that aired on NBC from June 16, 1956, through September 1, 1956.[1] The series was produced in England in 1953, but was never broadcast there as a series.[2] It was also known as Calling Scotland Yard.
Adventure Theater | |
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Also known as | Calling Scotland Yard |
Genre | Drama |
Directed by | Paul Dickson |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 13 |
Production | |
Executive producers | Edward J. Danziger Harry Lee Danziger |
Production companies | Danziger Productions, Ltd. |
Original release | |
Network | NBC |
Release | June 16 September 1, 1956 | –
Series structure
editActor Paul Douglas was the program's host[1] and introduced each of the two-act plays that composed the series. Each introduction involved a memento or souvenir that he had brought back from England. The story about the object led into that week's episode.
Cast
editWith the exception of Douglas, all of the featured cast members were British actors and included Hugh Latimer, Laurence Naismith, Anthony Nicholls, Derek Blomfield, Jack Watling, Maurice Denham, Robert Raglan, Hazel Court, Derek Bond and Kay Walsh.
Broadcast history
editSponsored by the American Tobacco Company and Hudnut,[3] the series was broadcast in 1956 on Saturday evenings as a summer replacement for Your Hit Parade.[1] The series returned in 1957 with repeats of the original 13 episodes.[4]
Episodes
editSome of the episodes were re-titled for broadcast in the United States.
- "The Missing Passenger" (also known as "Ladies of Leisure")
- "Falstaff's Fur Coat"
- "The Thief of London"
- "Thirty Days to Die"
- "The Wedding Gift" (also known as "Present for a Bride")
- "The Final Twist"
- "The Javanese Dagger"
- "The Ripper Strikes"
- "The Wilful Widow"
- "The Stranger on the Sea"
- "The Corpse of Pleasant Avenue"
- "The Man Who Stayed Alive"
- "The Sable Scarf"
Film adaptations
editTale of Three Women | |
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Directed by | Paul Dickson Thelma Connell |
Produced by | Edward J. Danziger Harry Lee Danziger |
Starring | Gilbert Harding |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Two films were made from the series for release in UK theaters in 1954, each comprising three episodes from the series, linked by Gilbert Harding.
Gilbert Harding Speaking of Murder
editFeaturing the episodes:
- "The Missing Passenger"
- "Falstaff's Fur Coat", starring H. Marion Crawford[5]
- "Thirty Days to Die"
Tale of Three Women
editThe Wedding Gift
editA man marries off his girlfriend to a wealthy diamond merchant then murders him.
Cast
edit- Hazel Court as Trude
- Derek Bond as Max
- David Horne as Hines
- Oliver Johnston as Butler
The Thief of London
editA professional pickpocket makes his gift pay.
Cast
edit- Jack Watling as Dick
- Gene Anderson as Pamela
- Peter Gawthorne as Sir Frederick
- Helene Cordet as Maria
- Michael Ripper as Simpkins
The Final Twist
editA jeweller robs himself and commits murder.
Cast
edit- Karel Stepanek as Alfred Dykemann
- Catherine Finn as Joanna, his dyke
- Philip Leaver as Groote
- Patricia Owens as Mary
- Gordon McLeon as Counsel
- Robert Perceval as Inspector Clarke
- Digby Wolfe as Brightwell
References
edit- ^ a b c McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 16. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
- ^ Terrace, Vincent (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2007 (Volume 1). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-3305-6.
- ^ "Network Adventure Shows". Billboard. August 18, 1956. p. 12. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
- ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present (9 ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. pp. 14–15. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
- ^ "TV Key Previews". The Capital Times. Wisconsin, Madison. August 10, 1956. p. 21. Retrieved May 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
edit- Adventure Theater at IMDb
- Adventure Theater at CTVA