''Adventure Theater'' is a dramatic anthology series that aired on NBC from June 16, 1956, through September 1, 1956. The series was produced in England in 1953, but was never broadcast there as a series. It was also known as ''Calling Scotland Yard''.

Series structure

Actor Paul Douglas was the program's host 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

With the exception of Douglas, all of the featured cast members were British actors and included

Hugh Latimer Hugh Latimer ( – 16 October 1555) was a Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge, and Bishop of Worcester during the Reformation, and later Church of England chaplain to King Edward VI. In 1555 under the Catholic Queen Mary I he was burned at the ...

Laurence Naismith Laurence Naismith (born Lawrence Johnson; 14 December 1908 – 5 June 1992) was an English actor. He made numerous film and television appearances, including starring roles in the musical films '' Scrooge'' (1970) and the children's ghost fil ...

, Anthony Nicholls,

Derek Blomfield Derek Blomfield (31 August 1920 – 23 July 1964) was a British actor who appeared in a number of stage, film and television productions between 1935 and his death in 1964. Career He trained at LAMDA and made his first stage appearance a ...

Jack Watling Jack Stanley Watling (13 January 1923 – 22 May 2001) was an English actor. Life and career Watling was born 13 January 1923 in Chingford, Essex, England. The son of a travelling scrap metal dealer, Watling trained at the Italia Conti Academy ...

Maurice Denham William Maurice Denham (23 December 1909 – 24 July 2002) was an English actor who appeared in over 100 films and television programmes in his long career. Early life Denham was born on 23 December 1909 in Beckenham, Kent, the son of Eleanor ...

, Robert Raglan, Hazel Court, Derek Bond and Kay Walsh.

Broadcast history

Sponsored by the American Tobacco Company and Hudnut, the series was broadcast in 1956 on Saturday evenings as a summer replacement for '' Your Hit Parade''. The series returned in 1957 with repeats of the original 13 episodes.

Episodes

Some 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

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''

Featuring the episodes: *"The Missing Passenger" *"Falstaff's Fur Coat", starring H. Marion Crawford *"Thirty Days to Die"

''Tale of Three Women''

''The Wedding Gift''

A man marries off his girlfriend to a wealthy diamond merchant then murders him.

=Cast

= * Hazel Court as Trude * Derek Bond as Max * David Horne as Hines * Oliver Johnston as Butler

''The Thief of London''

A professional pickpocket makes his gift pay.

=Cast

= *

as Dick * Gene Anderson as Pamela *

Peter Gawthorne Peter Gawthorne (1 September 1884 – 17 March 1962) was an Anglo-Irish actor, probably best known for his roles in the films of Will Hay and other popular British comedians of the 1930s and 1940s. Gawthorne was one of Britain's most called-up ...

as Sir Frederick *Helene Cordet as Maria *

Michael Ripper Michael George Ripper (27 January 1913 – 28 June 2000) was an English character actor who appeared in many British horror and science fiction films. Career Ripper began his film career in quota quickies in the 1930s and until the late 195 ...

as Simpkins

''The Final Twist''

A jeweller robs himself and commits murder.

=Cast

= * 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

External links

*
''Adventure Theater''
at CTVA {{The Danzigers 1956 American television series debuts 1956 American television series endings 1950s American anthology television series 1950s American drama television series Black-and-white American television shows American English-language television shows NBC television dramas