''Mr. and Mrs. North'' are fictional American amateur detectives. Created by

Frances and Richard Lockridge Richard Orson Lockridge (September 26, 1898 in St. Joseph, Missouri – June 19, 1982 in Tryon, North Carolina) was an American writer of detective fiction. Richard Lockridge with his wife Frances created one of the most famous American myster ...

, the couple was featured in a series of 26 Mr. and Mrs. North novels, a Broadway play, a motion picture and several radio and television series.

History

The characters originated in 1930s vignettes written by

Richard Lockridge Richard Orson Lockridge (September 26, 1898 in St. Joseph, Missouri – June 19, 1982 in Tryon, North Carolina) was an American writer of detective fiction. Richard Lockridge with his wife Frances created one of the most famous American mystery ...

for the ''

New York Sun ''The New York Sun'' is an American online newspaper published in Manhattan; from 2002 to 2008 it was a daily newspaper distributed in New York City. It debuted on April 16, 2002, adopting the name, motto, and masthead of the earlier New York ...

'', and he brought them back for short stories in ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...

''. These stories were collected in ''Mr. and Mrs. North'' (1936). Lockridge increased the readership after he teamed with his wife Frances on a novel, ''The Norths Meet Murder'' (1940), launching a series of 26 novels, including ''Death Takes a Bow'', ''Death on the Aisle'' and ''The Dishonest Murderer''. Their long-run series continued for over two decades and came to an end in 1963 with the death of Frances Lockridge. The series was unusual in that it was Mrs. North who often solved the cases, while Mr. North was just background much of the time. In his article, "Married Sleuths," Charles L.P. Silet captured the flavor of the novels: :The Mr. and Mrs. North novels contain carefully crafted puzzles and the Lockridges usually play fair with their readers. The series also features Pam and Jerry's warmly humorous domestic environment and the couple's witty exchanges with the duller members of the police force. Although the Norths remain the focus of the series, the books contain a good deal of political and social commentary, a richly detailed look at the changing life in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, as well as glimpses of the outlying suburban counties. Also, the North's stable marriage relationship presents a marked contrast—and a welcome one—to the traditions of the lone detective characteristic of much other American mystery fiction. Even though the Mr. and Mrs. North novels now may appear overly deliberate in their pacing, they still prove wonderful reading as mysteries, and the glimpses they provide of our past social history give them a nostalgic and authentic period flavor. Aficionados of classic crime fiction have always appreciated this long-running series, and new readers should be encouraged to discover this witty and charming couple.

Novels

# ''The Norths Meet Murder'' (1940) # ''Murder Out of Turn'' (1941) # ''A Pinch of Poison'' (1941) # ''Death on an Aisle'' (1942) # ''Hanged for a Sheep'' (1942) # ''Death Takes a Bow'' (1943) # ''Killing the Goose'' (1944) # ''Payoff for the Banker'' (1945) # ''Death of a Tall Man'' (1946) # ''Murder Within Murder'' (1946) # ''Untidy Murder'' (1948) # ''Murder Is Served'' (1948) # ''The Dishonest Murderer'' (1949) # ''Murder in a Hurry'' (1950) # ''Murder Comes First'' (1951) # ''Dead as a Dinosaur'' (1952) # ''Death Has a Small Voice'' (1953) # ''Curtain for a Jester'' (1953) # ''Key to Death'' (1954) # ''Death of an Angel'' (1955) # ''Voyage Into Violence'' (1956) # ''Long Skeleton'' (1958) # ''Murder Is Suggested'' (1959) # ''The Judge Is Reversed'' (1960) # ''Murder Has Its Points'' (1961) # ''Murder by the Book'' (1963)

Broadway and film

Albert Hackett Albert Maurice Hackett (February 16, 1900 – March 16, 1995) was an American actor, dramatist and screenwriter most noted for his collaborations with his partner and wife Frances Goodrich. Early years Hackett was born in New York City, the son ...

and

Peggy Conklin Margaret Eleanor Conklin (November 2, 1906 – March 18, 2003) was an American film, television and theatre actress. Conklin was born in Dobbs Ferry, New York. When she was twelve her mother died, and she was raised by her two aunts. After she ...

had the title roles in the Broadway production ''Mr. and Mrs. North'', which ran 163 performances at the

Belasco Theatre The Belasco Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 111 West 44th Street, between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York Ci ...

from January 12, 1941, to May 31, 1941. Alfred De Liagre, Jr. produced and directed the play written by

Owen Davis Owen Gould Davis (January 29, 1874 – October 14, 1956) was an American dramatist known for writing more than 200 plays and having most produced. In 1919, he became the first elected president of the Dramatists Guild of America. He received t ...

. Supporting actors included

Philip Ober Philip Nott Ober (March 23, 1902 – September 13, 1982) was an American screen and stage actor. He later retired from acting to work as a diplomat. Ober is best remembered for his roles in the films ''From Here to Eternity'' (1953) and ''North ...

and

Millard Mitchell Millard Mitchell (August 14, 1903 – October 13, 1953) was an American character actor whose credits include roughly 30 feature films and two television appearances. He appeared as a bit player in eight films between 1931 and 1936. Mitchell ...

. In that version, the North's apartment is located on Greenwich Place, Manhattan, realized in a scenic design by

Jo Mielziner Joseph "Jo" Mielziner (March 19, 1901 – March 15, 1976) was an American theatrical scenic, and lighting designer born in Paris, France. He was described as "the most successful set designer of the Golden era of Broadway", and worked on both sta ...

. The Owen Davis play became a 1942 MGM film (''

Mr. and Mrs. North ''Mr. and Mrs. North'' are fictional American amateur detectives. Created by Frances and Richard Lockridge, the couple was featured in a series of 26 Mr. and Mrs. North novels, a Broadway play, a motion picture and several radio and television ...

''), starring

Gracie Allen Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen (July 26, 1895 – August 27, 1964) was an American vaudevillian, singer, actress, and comedian who became internationally famous as the zany partner and comic foil of husband George Burns, her straight man, ap ...

and William Post, Jr. with

repeating his role of Detective Mullins from the Broadway production. Others in the cast were Paul Kelly,

Rose Hobart Rose Hobart (born Rose Kefer; May 1, 1906 – August 29, 2000) was an American actress and a Screen Actors Guild official. Early years Born in New York City, Hobart was the daughter of a cellist in the New York Symphony Orchestra, Paul K ...

and

Keye Luke Keye Luke (, Cantonese Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Cant ...

Radio

''Mr. and Mrs. North'' was a radio mystery series that aired on NBC and CBS from 1942 to 1954.

Alice Frost Alice Frost (August 1, 1910 – January 6, 1998) was an American actress. An inaugural member of Orson Welles's Mercury Theatre on radio and the stage, she later performed the role of Pamela North on the radio series ''Mr. and Mrs. North'' for ...

and Joseph Curtin had the title roles when the series began in 1942. The characters, publisher Jerry North and his wife Pam, lived in

Greenwich Village Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...

at 24 St. Anne's Flat. They were not professional detectives but simply an ordinary couple who stumbled across a murder or two every week for 12 years. The radio program eventually reached nearly 20 million listeners. In 1946, ''Mr. and Mrs. North'' received the first Best Radio Drama

Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards honor the bes ...

from the

Mystery Writers of America Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is an organization of mystery and crime writers, based in New York City. The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday. It presents the Edgar Award ...

(in a tie with

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...

's ''

The Adventures of Ellery Queen ''The Adventures of Ellery Queen'' is the title of a The Adventures of Ellery Queen (radio program), radio series and four separate television series made from the 1950s through the 1970s. They were based on the fictional character, fictional dete ...

''). The program, which was broadcast once in 1941 and continuously from December 1942 through December 1946 on NBC Radio (for Woodbury Soap), and from July 1947 to April 1955 on CBS Radio (for

Colgate-Palmolive Colgate-Palmolive Company is an American multinational consumer products company headquartered on Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The company specializes in the production, distribution, and provision of household, health car ...

and, later, Adler sewing machines), featured Carl Eastman (1941), Joseph Curtin (1942–53) and

Richard Denning Richard Denning (March 27, 1914 – October 11, 1998) was an American actor who starred in science fiction films of the 1950s, including ''Unknown Island'' (1948), ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' (1954), '' Target Earth'' (1954), ''Day the ...

(1953–55) as Jerry North. Pam North was played by

(1941),

(1942–53) and

Barbara Britton Barbara Britton (born Barbara Maurine Brantingham, September 26, 1920 – January 17, 1980) was an American film and television actress. She is best known for her Western film roles opposite Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea, and Gene Autry and for h ...

(1953–55). In his book, ''Radio Crime Fighters'', Jim Cox wrote that the couple: :... who passed themselves off as a publisher and his homemaker-spouse continued to make lighthearted wisecracks as they stepped over bodies in dark alleys and were rendered unconscious by unknown assailants dispensing blows to the head almost every week ... The feminine half of the twosome was at least equal to the husband in solving cases that often baffled law-enforcement officers with years of training and practice—except in reading clues. No explanation was given, of course, as to why a couple of misfits could be so successful in their preoccupation while the professionals thrashed about ineffectually."

Television

In 1946, producer-director Fred Coe brought the Owen Davis play to television (on New York City's WNBT) with John McQuade and Maxine Stewart in the leads and

Don Haggerty Don Haggerty (July 3, 1914 – August 19, 1988) was an American actor of film and television. Early life and education Before he began appearing in films in 1947, Haggerty was a Brown University athlete and served in the United States Army f ...

, Joan Marlowe and Millard Mitchell repeating their Broadway roles. Joseph Allen and Mary Lou Taylor played Mr. and Mrs. North from July 1949 in ''NBC Presents'' ( 1 Season of 21 Episodes).

and

starred in the TV adaptation, produced by John W. Loveton, seen on CBS from 1952 to 1953 and on NBC in 1954, sponsored by

Revlon Revlon, Inc. is an American multinational company dealing in cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, and personal care. The headquarters of Revlon was established in New York City on March 1, 1932, where it still remains. Revlon was founded by brothe ...

cosmetics and Congoleum-Nairn, Inc.

Francis De Sales Francis de Sales (french: François de Sales; it, Francesco di Sales; 21 August 156728 December 1622) was a Bishop of Geneva and is revered as a saint in the Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to ...

starred in 25 episodes as police

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

Bill Weigand, only his second screen role. Guest stars included

Raymond Burr Raymond William Stacy Burr (May 21, 1917September 12, 1993) was a Canadian actor known for his lengthy Hollywood film career and his title roles in television dramas ''Perry Mason'' and '' Ironside''. Burr's early acting career included roles ...

Hans Conried Hans Georg Conried Jr. (April 15, 1917 – January 5, 1982) was an American actor and comedian. He was known for providing the voices of George Darling and Captain Hook in Walt Disney's ''Peter Pan'' (1953), Snidely Whiplash in Jay Ward's ''Dudle ...

Mara Corday Mara Corday (born Marilyn Joan Watts; January 3, 1930) is an American showgirl, model, actress, ''Playboy'' Playmate, and 1950s cult figure. Early life Corday was born in Santa Monica, California. Wanting a career in films, she came to Hollywoo ...

Lawrence Dobkin Lawrence Dobkin (September 16, 1919 – October 28, 2002) was an American television director, character actor and screenwriter whose career spanned seven decades. Dobkin was a prolific performer during the Golden Age of Radio. He narrat ...

, I. Stanford Jolley,

Carolyn Jones Carolyn Sue Jones (April 28, 1930 – August 3, 1983) was an American actress of television and film. Jones began her film career in the early 1950s, and by the end of the decade had achieved recognition with a nomination for an Academy ...

Katy Jurado María Cristina Estela Marcela Jurado García (16 January 1924 – 5 July 2002), known professionally as Katy Jurado, was a Mexican actress. Jurado began her acting career in Mexico during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. In 1951, she was rec ...

Jimmy Lydon James Joseph Lydon (May 30, 1923 – March 9, 2022) was an American actor and television producer whose career in the entertainment industry began as a teenager during the 1930s. Early life Lydon was born in Harrington Park, New Jersey on May 3 ...

Dayton Lummis Dayton Lummis (August 8, 1903 – March 23, 1988) was an American film, television and theatre actor. He was perhaps best known for playing the role of General Douglas MacArthur in the 1955 film ''The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell''. Lummis d ...

Julia Meade Julia Meade Kunze (December 17, 1925 – May 16, 2016) was an American film and stage actress who was a frequent pitch person in live commercials in the early days of television in the 1950s. Early years Meade was born in Boston on December 1 ...

William Schallert William Joseph Schallert (July 6, 1922 – May 8, 2016) was an American character actor who appeared in dozens of television shows and films over a career spanning more than 60 years. He is known for his roles on ''Richard Diamond, Private ...

, and

Gloria Talbott Gloria Talbott (February 7, 1931 – September 19, 2000) was an American film and television actress. Early life and career Gloria Maude Talbott was born in Glendale, California. Her great-grandfather Benjamin F. Patterson arrived from O ...

. In his early days at

WPTZ WPTZ (channel 5) is a television station licensed to Plattsburgh, New York, United States, serving as the NBC affiliate for the Burlington, Vermont–Plattsburgh, New York market. It is owned by Hearst Television alongside Montpelier, Vermont� ...

TV in Philadelphia,

Ernie Kovacs Ernest Edward Kovacs (January 23, 1919 – January 13, 1962) was a Hungarian-American comedian, actor, and writer. Kovacs's visually experimental and often spontaneous comedic style influenced numerous television comedy programs for years afte ...

and

Edie Adams Edie Adams (born Edith Elizabeth Enke; April 16, 1927 – October 15, 2008) was an American comedian, actress, singer and businesswoman. She earned the Tony Award and was nominated for an Emmy Award. Adams was well known for her impersonation ...

occasionally spoofed the show in sketches titled ''Mr. & Mrs. South'' on Kovacs's' morning comedy show ''Three To Get Ready.''

Episodes

References

External links

''Mr. and Mrs. North'' by Owen Davis: "Character List"

Internet Archive: ''Mr. and Mrs. North''
episodes * {{IMDb title, 0044277 1942 radio programme debuts 1946 American television series debuts 1954 radio programme endings 1940s American radio programs 1950s American radio programs 1952 American television series debuts 1954 American television series endings American detective television series American radio dramas Black-and-white American television shows Book series introduced in 1940 CBS original programming CBS Radio programs Detective radio shows Detective television series Edgar Award-winning works

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...

North, Mr. and Mrs.

Literary duos

NBC original programming NBC radio programs

Radio duos Radio programmes based on novels Television duos