Scotland Yard | |
---|---|
Genre | Crime/Drama |
Presented by | Edgar Lustgarten |
Starring |
Edgar Lustgarten |
Country of origin | Great Britain |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 39 |
Production | |
Running time | 30 minutes |
Release | |
Original network | ABC |
Picture format | Black-and-white |
Audio format | Monaural |
Original release | 1953 – 1961 |
Edgar Lustgarten
Russell Napier
Harry H Corbett
Scotland Yard is a series of 39 half-hour films produced by Anglo-Amalgamated. Produced between 1953 and 1961, they were short films made to support the main feature in a cinema double-bill. Each film focuses on a true crime case with names changed, and feature an introduction by the crime writer Edgar Lustgarten.
The earlier films were produced by Alec C. Snowden, who was succeeded by Jack Greenwood. Directors included Ken Hughes and Montgomery Tully. The principal character in each film was a Detective Inspector, played by a variety of actors but most frequently by Russell Napier (usually portraying DI Duggan). Many of the films featured actors later to become well-known, in either their debut performances or in small roles. They included Jill Bennett, Peter Arne, James Villiers, Arthur Lowe, Peter Halliday, Wilfrid Brambell, Rita Webb and Roger Delgado.
All of the episodes were shot at Merton Park Studios in London and on location on monochrome 35mm film. Most of the episodes were presented in the old Academy screen ratio of 1.33:1, whilst a handful of the later episodes were shot in a hard-matted widescreen ratio of 1.66:1.
The series later found a new audience on television in both the UK and the US.
The complete series has been released on DVD in the UK by Network.