The Adventures of Ellery Queen is the title of two separate television series made in the 1950s. They are based on the fictional detective Ellery Queen and the cases he solves with his father Inspector Richard Queen.
The Adventures of Ellery Queen (DuMont and ABC)
The first series was telecast on DuMont Television Network from October 19, 1950 to December 6, 1951 (50 episodes) and ABC from December 16, 1951, to November 26, 1952 (43 episodes). It initially starred Richard Hart as Ellery Queen but he suddenly died of a heart attack in January 1951 and was replaced by Lee Bowman. Florenz Ames played Inspector Richard Queen. This was the first production by Irving and Norman Pincus. Donald Richardson was the director. Guest stars included Anne Bancroft, John Carradine, and Eva Gabor. Some of the scripts were written by Helene Hanff, who would go on to write the famous 1970 book 84, Charing Cross Road.[1] Bancroft would go on to play Hanff in the film adaptation of 84, Charing Cross Road in 1987.[2]
The ABC version was sponsored by Bayuk cigars, but that sponsorship ended with the last broadcast.[3]
Episodes
First Season - DuMont Network
- The Bad Boy
- The Mad Tea Party
- The Invisible Lover
- The Long Count
- The Three Lame Men
- The Human Weapon
- The Crooked Man
- The Adventure of the Blind Bullet
- Two Pieces of Silver
- The Hanging Acrobat
- The Star of India
- The Adventures of the Survivors' Club
- Prescription For Treason
- The House of Terror
- Murder in Hollywood
- The Adventure of the Man who Killed Cops
- The Hanging Patient
- The Adventure of the Jewel-Handled Knife
- The Case of the Falling Corpse
- The Adventure of the Strange Voyage
- The Madcap Robbery
- The Adventure of the Manhunt
- Murder at the Museum
- The Adventures of the Man who Enjoyed Death
- The Case of the Frightened Lady
- The Baseball Murder Case
- Murder for Twelve Cents
- The Key to Murder
- Death Spins a Wheel
- Dissolve to Death
- The Frame-Up
- The Happiness Club
- The Chinese Mummer Mystery
- Murder in the Zoo
- Death in a Capsule
- The Case of the Upright Man
- The Adventure of the Frightened Child
- The Adventure of the Ballet Murder
Second Season - DuMont Network
- The Adventure of the Twilight Zone
- The Dead Man who Walked
- Murder in the Death House
- The Garden of Death
- The Gridiron Murder
- The Coffee House Murder
- Death in a Ghost Town
- Murder to Music
- The Inside Man
- Pavanne for a Dead Princess
- The Adventure of the Shape-Up
- Death at the Opera
ABC Network
- Ticket to Nowhere
- A Christmas Story
- The Long Shot
- The Unhung Jury
- Death In the Sorority House
- The Feminine Touch
- Dance of Death
- One Week to Live
- Mr. Big
- Left-Cross
- The Red Hook Murder
- King Size Death
- The File of Death
- The Bar Peaceful Murder
- Doodle of Death
- The Men Without Faces
- Death of a Wax Doll
- Cat and Mouse
- Coroner's Inquest
- The Not So Private Eye
- Rehearsal for Murder
- Prize Catch
- The Case of the Heartbroken Men
- The Third Room
- The Pool of Death
- Dead Secret
- Case of the Canvas Shroud
- A Frame for a Chair
- The Winner was Death
- Confidential Agent
- The Ten Dollar Bill
- The Case of the Wise Man
- Ready For Hanging
- Legacy of Death
- Buck Fever
- Custom Made
- The Case of the Two-Faced Man
- A Touch of Death
- A Close-Up of Murder
- The Destructive Angel
- The High Executioner
- Companion to a Killer
- Double Exposure
The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen (NBC)
The second series was telecast on NBC from September 26, 1958 to June 5, 1959 (33 episodes). It featured George Nader as Ellery Queen for the first twenty episodes and Lee Philips for the remaining thirteen. Les Tremayne took the role of Inspector Richard Queen. It was produced by Albert McCleery.[4] Film star and Oscar-nominee Nancy Carroll made a guest appearance.
Episodes
- The Glass Village
- The King is Dead
- Ten Days of Wonder
- The Door Between
- The 8th Mrs Bluebeard
- Cat of Many Tails
- Death Before Bedtime
- Double, Double
- So Rich, So Lovely, So Dead
- Diamond-studded Typewriter
- Four and Twenty to Live
- Paint the Town Black
- The Hollow Man
- Bury Me Deep
- The Hinnolity Story
- The Jinn City Story
- Revolution
- The Murder of Whistler's Brother
- Death likes it Hot
- Margin of Terror
- Chauffeur Disguise
- Shadow of the Past
- The Chemistry Set
- Cartel for Murder
- A Girl Named Daisy
- The Paper Tigers
- The Lecture
- Confession of Murder
- Castaway on a Nearby Island
- The Curse of Aden
- Dance into Death
- Body of the Crime
- This Murder Comes to you Live
See also
References
- ↑ Fox, Margalit (April 11, 1997). "Helene Hanff, Wry Epistler Of '84 Charing,' Dies at 80". The New York Times. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
- ↑ Ebert, Roger (March 27, 1987). "84 Charing Cross Road". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
- ↑ "Network Sponsor Activity". Ross Reports on Television including The Television Index. October 26, 1952. p. 2. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
- ↑ "Mystery Series Planned by N. B. C.: New 'Ellery Queen' Plays to Begin Live on TV Sept. 26 -- McCleery Will Produce". The New York Times. August 11, 1958. p. 41. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
External links
- The Adventures of Ellery Queen (1950–1952) on CTVA
- The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen (1958–1959) on CTVA
- DuMont historical website
- A film clip Hanging Acrobat (December 21, 1950) is available for viewing at the Internet Archive