The
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...
short story collection ''
Partners in Crime'' was adapted as a 13-part
radio serial broadcast on the
BBC's London, Midland and Scottish
Home Service and transmitted from Monday, April 13 to Monday, July 13, 1953.
The half-hour episodes starred
Richard Attenborough
Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough, (; 29 August 192324 August 2014) was an English actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur. He was the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the British Academy of Film and Televisio ...
as Tommy and
Sheila Sim as Tuppence, taking advantage of the actors' then-current starring roles in ''
The Mousetrap''.
Oscar Quitak appeared in all episodes as Albert. Aside from a 1948 adaptation of ''
Ten Little Niggers'', this was the first adaptation of a Christie book for radio in the UK.
Adaptors:
Rex Rienits
Rex Rienits (17 April 1909 – 1971) was an Australian writer of radio, films, plays and TV. He was a journalist before becoming one of the leading radio writers in Australia. He moved to England in 1949 and worked for a number of years there. He ...
and Colin Willock
Music composed and conducted by: Alan Paul
Producer: Audrey Cameron
Episodes
Episode 1: ''Meet the Beresfords''.
Transmitted: Monday, April 13, 1953 at 7.30pm
Additional Cast:
''
Noel Coleman'' as Colonel Carter
''John Stevens'' as Inspector Marriott
Episode 2: ''The Mysterious Stranger''.
Transmitted: Monday, April 20, 1953 at 7.45pm
Additional Cast:
''John Stevens'' as Inspector Marriott
''
Norman Shelley'' as Dr. Carl Bower
''
Russell Napier'' as Dymchurch
''
Philip Ray'' as Coggins
''John Warrington'' as Sergeant
Episode 3: ''The House of Lurking Death''.
Transmitted: Monday, April 27, 1953 at 7.45pm
Additional Cast:
''John Stevens'' as Inspector Marriott
''Cecile Chevreau'' as Lois Hargreaves
''
Lockwood West'' as Inspector Berkshire
''Molly Rankin'' as Mary Chilcott
''
Joan Young'' as Hannah
''Mary O'Farrell'' as Miss Logan
Episode 4: ''The Man in the Fog''.
Transmitted: Monday, May 4, 1953 at 7.45pm
Additional Cast:
''
Bryan Coleman'' as Bulger
''Grizelda Hervey'' as Gilda Glen
''Ronan O'Casey'' as Benjamin Reilly
''Philip Ray'' as Taxi Driver
''Peter Claughton'' as Constable
''Ann Codrington'' as Mrs Wilcott
''Molly Rankin'' as Ellen
''Oskar Quitak'' as Waiter
Episode 5: ''The Ambassadors Boots''.
Transmitted: Monday, May 11, 1953 at 7.30pm
Additional Cast:
''John Stevens'' as Inspector Marriott
''Jimmy Dyrenforth'' as Randolph Bryant
''Arthur Hill'' as Richards
''Cecile Chevreau'' as Cecilia March
''
Martin Benson'' as Pietro
Episode 6: ''The Thin Woman''.
Transmitted: Monday, May 18, 1953 at 7.45pm
Additional Cast:
''John Stevens'' as Inspector Marriott
''Richard Williams'' as Local Inspector
''Rex Palmer'' as Doctor
''Duncan McIntyre'' as Robert Campbell
''Gwenda Wilson'' as Doris Evans
Episode 7: ''A Stab in the Back''.
Transmitted: Monday, May 25, 1953 at 7.45pm
Additional Cast:
''John Stevens'' as Inspector Marriott
''Peter Claughton'' as Max Payne
''Molly Rankin'' as Secretary
''Noel Coleman'' as Colonel Carter
''Felix Felton'' as Morton
''
Marjorie Westbury
Marjorie Westbury (18 June 1905 – 16 December 1989) was an English radio actress and singer. Her career lasted for more than fifty years.
Born in Oldbury, Worcestershire, she studied Voice at the Royal College of Music in London between 1927 a ...
'' as Trina
''Geoffrey Wincott'' as William Hill
''John Gabriel'' as Walter Eccles
Episode 8: ''The Man with the Gold Tooth''.
Transmitted: Tuesday, June 9, 1953 at 7.00pm
Additional Cast:
''Betty Hardy'' as Monica Dean
''Mary O'Farrell'' as Mrs Deane
''Elsa Palmer'' as Mrs Crockett
''Stephen Jack'' as Gardener
Episode 9: ''The Crackler''.
Transmitted: Monday, June 15, 1953 at 7.45pm
Additional Cast:
''John Stevens'' as Inspector Marriott
''
Betty Baskcomb
Betty Violet Marie Baskcomb (30 May 1914 – 15 April 2003) was a British actress who appeared in roles for theatre, film, television and radio productions. She was born in London in 1914 and made her stage debut as a stooge opposite her father, ...
'' as Marguerite Laidlaw
''
Robert Ayres'' as Hank Ryder
''
Keith Pyott'' as Monsieur Heroulade and a Croupier
''Oskar Quitak'' as Barman and a Sergeant
Episode 10: ''In Camera''.
Transmitted: Monday, June 22, 1953 at 7.45pm
Additional Cast:
''John Stevens'' as Inspector Marriott
''Pamela Galloway'' as Beatrice Kingston
''Ine Cameron'' as Mrs Kingston
''Laidman Browne'' as Colonel Kingston
''
Mavis Villiers
Mavis Villiers (born Mavis Clare Cooney; 10 December 190923 February 1976) was an Australian-born British actress of stage, film and television. Her parents were John Cooney and Clara Smythe. Her brother, Cecil Cooney, was a camera operator an ...
'' as Mrs Hamilton Betts
''Olwen Brookes'' as Lady Laura
''Lewis Stringer'' as George Rennie
''
Betty Huntley-Wright'' as Elise
Episode 11: ''Finessing the King''.
Transmitted: Monday, June 29, 1953 at 7.10pm
Additional Cast:
''John Stevens'' as Inspector Marriott
''
Deryck Guyler'' as Sir Arthur Merivale
''Molly Rankin'' as Catherine Merivale
''John Warrington'' as Waiter
Episode 12: ''The Unbreakable Alibi''.
Transmitted: Monday, July 6, 1953 at 7.45pm
Additional Cast:
''John Stevens'' as Inspector Marriott
''Gwenda Wilson'' as Una Drake
Episode 13: ''The Man who was Number Sixteen''.
Transmitted: Monday, July 13, 1953 at 7.45pm
Additional Cast:
''Noel Coleman'' as Colonel Carter
''Geoffrey Wincott'' as Wilson
''Humphrey Morton'' as Pendlebury
''John Warrington'' as Myers
''
Maurice Denham'' as Vladirovsky
References
{{reflist
British radio dramas
Detective radio shows
1953 radio programme debuts
1953 radio programme endings
Radio programmes based on novels
BBC Home Service programmes
Tommy and Tuppence
Adaptations of works by Agatha Christie