''Colonel March Investigates'' is a 1953 British film consisting of the three pilot episodes of the TV series ''

Colonel March of Scotland Yard Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

'' that were filmed in 1952, starring

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film '' Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established ...

.Stephen Jacobs, ''Boris Karloff: More Than a Monster'', Tomahawk Press 2011 p 362-365 These episodes were "Hot Money", "Death in the Dressing Room" and "The New Invisible Man". Boris Karloff and his wife Evelyn sailed to England in July, 1952, where Karloff filmed three different pilot episodes of the Colonel March series to show to British TV executives. In 1953, when the show was green lighted, Karloff returned to England to film 23 more episodes, making a total of 26 in all, then returned to Hollywood to film '' Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'' (1953). The three pilots were later compiled into the 1953 feature film called ''Colonel March Investigates'' (aka ''Colonel March of Scotland Yard''), so that they could be shown theatrically. Karloff filmed bits of onscreen narration to help unite the three stories and these scenes are exclusive to the compilation film only. The ''Colonel March'' TV series premiered first in the United States from Dec. 1954 to Spring of 1955, with a total of 26 episodes. It was only broadcast on television in England in 1955 on

Associated Television Associated Television was the original name of the British broadcaster ATV, part of the Independent Television (ITV) network. It provided a service to London at weekends from 1955 to 1968, to the Midlands on weekdays from 1956 to 1968, and ...

(ITV London, weekends), broadcast on 26 consecutive Saturday evenings from September 24, 1955 until March 17, 1956.Mank, Gregory William (2009). Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff : the expanded story of a haunting collaboration. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., Publishers. p. 349. ISBN 978-0786434800.

Plot

Karloff, in black eye patch and cloak, is Colonel March: head of the Department of Queer Complaints at Scotland Yard. He is an investigator of unusual criminal cases and activities. The film sees him solve a bank robbery (for which an innocent man was framed) and two murders involving complex tricks and disguises.

Cast

*Colonel March –

*Ames –

Ewan Roberts Ewan Roberts (29 April 1914–10 January 1983) was a Scottish stage, film and television actor. On stage from 1935, his theatre work included a season with the Old Vic, in 1946-1947. In 1949 he appeared at the Adelphi Theatre in '' Castle in ...

*Cabot –

Richard Wattis Richard Wattis (25 February 1912 – 1 February 1975) was an English actor, co-starring in many popular British comedies of the 1950s and 1960s. Early life Richard Cameron Wattis was born on 25 February 1912 in Wednesbury, Staffordshire, the ...

*John Parrish –

John Hewer John Hewer (13 January 1922 – 16 March 2008) was an English actor and business manager who became familiar with audiences for playing Captain Birdseye in ads for Birds Eye. Biography Hewer was born in Leyton, Essex, the son of an engine ...

*Joan Forsythe –

Sheila Burrell Sheila Mary Burrell (9 May 1922 – 19 July 2011) was a British actress. A cousin of Laurence Olivier, she was born in Blackheath, London, the daughter of a salesman. She attended St John's, Bexhill-on-Sea and the Webber Douglas Academy of Dram ...

*Jim Hartley –

Anthony Forwood Ernest Lytton Leslie Forwood (3 October 1915 – 18 May 1988), known professionally as Anthony Forwood, was an English actor. Early life Ernest Lytton Leslie Forwood was born on 3 October 1915 in Weymouth, England. The Forwood family were lande ...

*Betty Hartley –

Patricia Owens Patricia Molly Owens (January 17, 1925 – August 31, 2000) was a Canadian-born American actress, working in Hollywood. She appeared in about 40 films and 10 television episodes in a career lasting from 1943 to 1968. Early work Owens moved ...

*Mr. Bowlder –

Ronald Leigh-Hunt Ronald Leigh-Hunt (5 October 1920 – 12 September 2005) was a British film and television actor. His father was a stockbroker and he attended the Italia Conti Academy. He began acting whilst serving in the army. Though never a major star, he ...

*Marjorie Dawson –

Joan Sims Irene Joan Marion Sims (9 May 1930 – 27 June 2001) was an English actress, best remembered for her roles in the ''Carry On'' franchise, appearing in 24 of the films (the most for any actress). On television, she is known for playing Gran i ...

Critical reception

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...

wrote, "the scripts are nothing special, but Karloff is a joy to watch, as usual."

References

External links

* 1955 films 1955 crime drama films British crime drama films 1950s English-language films 1950s British films British black-and-white films {{1950s-UK-film-stub