The Radio Detectives

Episodes

SeriesEpisodeTitleFirst
Broadcast
RepeatedComments
0101Send For Paul Temple1998052020131119/20 (BBC7)
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By Timothy! A world of car-bombs, poison cocktails, gentlemen and rogues - where the villains had better watch out!

Detective aficionado and expert, Professor Jeffrey Richards recalls the indomitable husband and wife team, Paul and Steve Temple, who battled criminals and scoundrels.

Featuring the definitive suave Paul Temple actor, Peter Coke.

Plus vintage recordings from the legendary BBC radio series.

Affectionate five-part series about popular radio detectives.

Producer: Jon Rolph

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 1998.

Professor Jeffrey Richards recalls the husband and wife team that battled villains.

0102The Voice Of Sherlock Holmes1998052720131120 (BBC7)
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/14 (BBC7)
/30 (BBC7)
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Armed with a pipe, hansom cab and violin, Professor Jeffrey Richards probes the varied incarnations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most celebrated Baker Street creation, Sherlock Holmes.

Featuring interviews and classic recordings by:

Orson Welles

Basil Rathbone

Sir John Gielgud

Carleton Hobbes

Clive Merrison

Affectionate five-part series about popular radio detectives.

Producer: Jon Rolph

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 1998.

Professor Jeffrey Richards probes the varied incarnations of the Baker Street sleuth.

0103Sexton Blake, The Other Baker Street Detective1998060320170614/15 (BBC7)
/06 (BBC7)
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Sexton Blake was born and made resident of Baker Street in the very month Sherlock Holmes was 'killed off' - and he proved to be an instant hit.

Aficionado and expert, Professor Jeffrey Richards probes the careers of 'the poor man's Sherlock Holmes' and his faithful assistant Tinker - that spanned 100 years.

Affectionate series about popular radio detectives.

Producer: Jon Rolph

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 1998.

Jeffrey Richards probes the many incarnations of 'the poor man's Sherlock Holmes'.

0104Enter The Saint1998061020170615/16 (BBC7)
/13 (BBC7)
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Professor Jeffery Richards dons his halo to track down the history and the varied portrayals of the Robin Hood of Crime, Simon Templar, aka The Saint.

With:

Dick Fiddy

Neville Teller

Affectionate five-part series about popular radio detectives.

Producer: Jon Rolph

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 1998.

The history and varied portrayals of the Robin Hood of crime Simon Templar, aka the Saint

0105 LASTThe Shadow Knows1998061720170616/17 (BBC7)
/20 (BBC7)
/7) (BBC7)
Professor Jeffery Richards unravels the history and portrayals of Walter Gibson's pulp-fiction force against evil, The Shadow.

Featuring the classic portrayal by Orson Welles.

Plus, an interview with Simon Callow.

Affectionate five-part series about popular radio detectives.

Producer: Jon Rolph

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 1998.

The history of Walter Gibson's legendary force against evil, featuring Orson Welles.

0201As My Whimsy Takes Me1999051820190226/27 (BBC7)
/04 (BBC7)
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Author Dorothy L Sayers created a classic aristocratic amateur sleuth who appeared on BBC radio as well as in books, films and on TV.

Professor Jeffrey Richards delves into the casebook of the elegant and stylish British gentleman detective, Lord Peter Wimsey.

With:

Ian Carmichael

Simon Brett

Jill Paton Walsh

Return of the affectionate series about popular radio detectives.

Producer: Helen Williams

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 1999.

Professor Jeffrey Richards delves into the casebook of Lord Peter Wimsey.

0202The Little Grey Cells Of Hercule Poirot1999052520151230/31 (BBC7)
/06 (BBC7)
/7) (BBC7)
Created by Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot is one of the author's most famous and long-running characters - appearing in 33 novels.

Professor Jeffrey Richards delves into the casebook of the fastidious Belgian sleuth with his genius for lateral thinking.

Affectionate series about popular radio detectives.

Producer: Helen Williams

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 1999.

The casebook of Agatha Christie's Belgian detective and his little grey cells.

0203The Wisdom Of Miss Marple1999060120150917/18 (BBC7)
/13 (BBC7)
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'A fluffy old dear with a dreadful hat.'

What is the continual appeal of Agatha Christie's shrewd detective, Miss Jane Marple?

Professor Jeffrey Richards probes the inspiration and progression of St Mary Mead's ever acute observer of deadly events.

With:

June Whitfield

Simon Brett

Affectionate series about popular radio detectives.

Producer: Helen Williams

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 1999.

Professor Jeffrey Richards examines the appeal of Agatha Christie's spinster detective.

0204A Case For Dr Morelle1999060820190319/20 (BBC7)
/7) (BBC7)
How did Harley Street psychiatrist-turned-detective, Dr Morelle use psychology as well as criminology to solve his cases?

Professor Jeffrey Richards investigates.

With:

Cecil Parker

Sheila Sim

Ernest Dudley

Affectionate series about popular radio detectives.

Producer: Helen Williams

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 1999.

Investigating how the Harley Street psychiatrist-turned-detective solved his cases.

0205 LASTOn The Beat With Pc 492009051720190326/27 (BBC7)
/7) (BBC7)
PC 49 proved to be a popular bobby on the beat - created by Alan Stranks, the father of TV's Magpie presenter, Susan Stranks.

Professor Jeffrey Richards investigates.

With:

Norman Wright

Vernon Harris.

Readings by Owen Oakeshott.

Affectionate series about popular radio detectives.

Producer: Jon Rolph

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 1999.

Professor Jeffrey Richards recalls the popular beat bobby created by Alan Stranks.

0301Sam Spade, The Original Private Eye2000022920190402 (BBC7)
/7) (BBC7)
How did Dashiell Hammett's develop his tough, hard-boiled, wisecracking - but principled - investigator Sam Spade?

Professor Jeffrey Richards investigates.

With:

Peter Stead

Affectionate series about popular radio detectives.

Producer: Liz Anstee

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2000.

Jeffrey Richards explores the development of investigator Sam Spade

0302Down The Mean Streets With Philip Marlowe2009053120190409 (BBC7)
/7) (BBC7)
An exploration of Raymond Chandler's hard-boiled, wisecracking American private-eye - who first appeared in ‘The Big Sleep' published in 1939.

Professor Jeffrey Richards is hot on his trail.

With:

Phillip French

Van Heflin

Ed Bishop

John Tydeman

Bill Morrison

Affectionate series about popular radio detectives.

Producer: Liz Anstee

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2000.

A prolife of Raymond Chandler's hard-boiled, wisecracking American detective.

0303The Innocence Of Father Brown2008071420190416 (BBC7)
/7) (BBC7)
He's the most celebrated creation of the English man of letters, GK Chesterton.

An exploration of the innocent, guileless, Catholic parish priest from East Anglia: Father Brown.

Professor Jeffrey Richards seeks the truth.

With:

Owen Edwards

Alec Reid

John Scotney

Featuring Andrew Sachs as Father Brown

Affectionate series about popular radio detectives.

Producer: Jon Rolph

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2000.

Professor Jeffrey Richards investigates the guileless parish priest from East Anglia

0304The Genius Of Gideon Fell2000032120190423 (BBC7)
/7) (BBC7)
Dr Gideon Fell is the archetypal English eccentric detective, created by American born author,, John Dickson Carr.

Sir Donald Sinden starred in the BBC radio adaptations.

Professor Jeffrey Richards presents a profile.

With:

Peter Ling

Enyd Williams

Affectionate series about popular radio detectives.

Producer: Liz Anstee

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2000

Professor Jeffrey Richards profiles John Dickson Carr's archetypal English eccentric.

0305 LASTStand, By For West2000032820190430 (BBC7)
/7) (BBC7)
John Creasey created Scotland Yard's youngest, smartest detective and crime-solving supremo - Inspector Roger West

In BBC radio's dramatisations, he was played by Patrick Allen.

Professor Jeffrey Richards presents a profile.

With:

Richard Creasey

Sarah Lawson

Affectionate series about popular radio detectives.

Producer: Liz Anstee

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2000

A profile of John Creasey's Scotland Yard Inspector Roger West.