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Francis Durbridge (1912-1998) - in full Francis Henry Durbridge | |
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English tv, radio, and mystery writer, whose best known series character is Paul Temple and his wife Steve. Durbridge was the master of the cliffhanger and one of the most successful writers for television. However, the first radio detective in England was probably Inspector Hornleigh, whose adventures were heard in Monday Night at Seven (1937-40) and who appeared in three films between 1939-41. In America the first radio detective series was probably Detectives Black and Blue in 1931. Francis Durbridge was born in Hull Yorkshire. He studied English at Birmingham University and worked briefly as a stockbroker before becoming a full-time writer. In 1940 he married Norah Elizabeth Lawley; they had two sons. Durbridge's first book, Send for Paul Temple (1938), a collaboration with John Thewes, was a novelization of radio serial. Durbridge wrote Temple stories for BBC from 1938 to 1968. The character became hugely popular in Britain and his adventures were followed in many counties, among others in Finland. However, Temple's four film appearances in the 1940s and 1950s are considered insignificant. John Bentley was the hero in Calling Paul Temple (1948), Paul Temple's Triumph (1950), and Paul Temple Returns (1952), all directed by Maclean Rogers. Anthony Hulme played Temple in Send for Paul Temple (1946), dir. by John Argyle. In the 1960s Durbridge created for TV a new series character, Tim Frazer, starring Jack Hedley. Frazer was an undercover agent and also appeared in three books. Durbridge wrote the series with Clive Exton, Charles Hatton, and Barry Thomas. In Durbridge's novels usually dialogue dominate, which sometimes reveal that they were originally written for radio or television. His characters belong to the middle-class and have much time to devote themselves in solving crimes - or planning them. The protagonist is sometimes a suspect who tries to free himself from the web of intrigues. In the film The Vicious Circle (1957) an actress is found dead in Dr Latimer's flat and the weapon turn up in the boot of his car. Then another body is found and again all the clues lead to Latimer. Durbridge published 35 novels, several of them were based on his tv or radio series. Several of his books were written in collaboration with other writers, among them John Thewes, Douglas Rutherford, and Charles Hatton. Paul Temple was credited as the author of his own adventures, two of which Durbridge wrote with Rutherford. The Broken Horseshoe (1952) was Durbridge's first TV thriller serial. It was produced live in a studio at Alexandra Palace. In 1997 Alan Bleasdale created his own version of Durbridge's 1960s BBC serial Melissa, in which a war correspondent, Guy Foster, falls in love with a beautiful but mysterious Melissa. Bleasdale described the mystery detective story as his "homage and tribute to one of this country's finest thriller writers." PAUL TEMPLE: One of the most successful detective characters ever created for broadcasting. Paul Temple is novelist-detective, who solves mysteries with his wife Steve. Temple had a thirty-year career on radio, and continued his adventures also in books from 1938 to the late 1980s. Two of the novels, The Tyler Mystery and East of Algers list Temple as the author. - OTHER RADIO SERIES HEROES: Harry Lime (produced in the 1950s in Britain, see Graham Greene), Dragnet (premiered on radio on NBC in 1949), Perry Mason (CBS soap opera from 1943 to 1955), Nick Carter (on radio from 1943 to 1955) - For further reading: Encyclopedia Mysteriosa by William L. DeAndrea (1997); St. James Guide to Crime & Mystery Writers, ed. by Jay P. Pederson (1996) - Suom.: Paul Temple on seikkaillut mm. kuunnelmissa Paul Temple ja tapaus Conrad, Paul Temple ja Spencerin juttu, Paul Temple ja Valentinen tapaus, Paul Temple ja Alexin juttu. Televisiossa on nähty useita Durbridgen jatkojännäreitä, mm. Melissa, Mies nimeltä Harry Brent, Pelin loppu, Salama kirkkaalta taivaalta, Kaksoisolento, Epätoivoiset. Alan Bleasdale teki Melissasta kolmannen tv-sovituksen 1997. Toinen valmistui 1974. - For further information: Paul Temple - Francis Durbridge Presents (1952-1980) Selected works:
© 2000 |
