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Mystery and Imagination

April 16, 2023

Mystery and Imagination is a British television anthology series of classic horror and supernatural dramas. Five series were broadcast from 1966 to 1970 by the ITV network and produced by ABC and (later) Thames Television.[1]

Mystery and Imagination
GenreHorror anthology
StarringDavid Buck
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series5
No. of episodes24 (16 missing)
Production
Production companies
Release
Original networkITV
Original release29 January 1966 (1966-01-29) –
23 February 1970 (1970-02-23)

Outline

The series featured television plays based on the works of well-known authors such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, M. R. James, and Edgar Allan Poe. All bar one of the first two ABC series starred David Buck as Richard Beckett, originally a character from Sheridan Le Fanu's story "The Flying Dragon", as narrator. Beckett was made the central character of the series, taking the roles of various characters from some of the original stories.[2] The first two series, although transmitted as two separate runs, were recorded in a single production block. The episode without Buck as the lead ("The Open Door") features Jack Hawkins. Unlike BBC dramas from the period, location exterior shots were also recorded onto video tape rather than 16mm film, giving a more consistent look to the production. Only series 5 was filmed in colour.

Episodes

Series 1

# Title Story Original airdate
1"The Lost Stradivarius"J. Meade Falkner29 January 1966 (1966-01-29)
2"The Body Snatcher"Robert Louis Stevenson5 February 1966 (1966-02-05)
3"The Fall of the House of Usher"Edgar Allan Poe12 February 1966 (1966-02-12)
4"The Open Door"Margaret Oliphant19 February 1966 (1966-02-19)
5"The Tractate Middoth"M. R. James26 February 1966 (1966-02-26)
6"Lost Hearts"M. R. James5 March 1966 (1966-03-05)
7"The Canterville Ghost"Oscar Wilde12 March 1966 (1966-03-12)

Series 2

# Title Story Original airdate
8"Room 13"M. R. James22 October 1966 (1966-10-22)
9"The Beckoning Shadow"Charlotte Riddell29 October 1966 (1966-10-29)
10"The Flying Dragon"Sheridan Le Fanu5 November 1966 (1966-11-05)
11"Carmilla"Sheridan Le Fanu12 November 1966 (1966-11-12)
12"The Phantom Lover"Vernon Lee19 November 1966 (1966-11-19)

Series 3

# Title Story Original airdate
13"Casting the Runes"M. R. James22 March 1968 (1968-03-22)
14"The Listener"Algernon Blackwood30 March 1968 (1968-03-30)
15"A Place of One's Own"Osbert Sitwell6 April 1968 (1968-04-06)
16"The Devil's Piper"Walter Scott13 April 1968 (1968-04-13)
17"The Tell-Tale Heart"Edgar Allan Poe22 June 1968 (1968-06-22)
18"Feet Foremost"L. P. Hartley29 June 1968 (1968-06-29)

Series 4

# Title Story Original airdate
19"Uncle Silas"Sheridan Le Fanu4 November 1968 (1968-11-04)
20"Frankenstein"Mary Shelley11 November 1968 (1968-11-11)
21"Dracula"Bram Stoker18 November 1968 (1968-11-18)

Series 5

# Title Story Original airdate
22"The Suicide Club"Robert Louis Stevenson9 February 1970 (1970-02-09)
23"Sweeney Todd"George Dibdin Pitt adaptation by Vincent Tilsey16 February 1970 (1970-02-16)
24"The Curse of the Mummy"Bram Stoker23 February 1970 (1970-02-23)

Archive status and availability

Of the episodes from the ABC era, only the versions of "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "The Open Door" (series 1) have survived. All the other episodes from the first three series are not known to exist, although the Thames episodes (series 4 and 5) survive.[3] A brief clip from "Casting the Runes" (from series 3) also exists. Domestic audio recordings of the otherwise missing episodes "The Lost Stradivarius", "The Body Snatcher", "The Tractate Middoth", "Lost Hearts", "The Canterville Ghost" and "Room 13" also exist.

Network has released all eight remaining episodes on a four disc DVD set along with the surviving clip of "Casting the Runes". The surviving audio recordings of the missing episodes can be found on YouTube.[4]

References

  1. ^ The change from ABC to Thames occurred because of the July 1968 franchise changes.
  2. ^ IMDb claims Buck appears in eleven episodes from the first two series. According to Helen Wheatley "Mystery and Imagination" in Janet Thurmin Small Screens, Big Ideas: Television in the 1950s [sic], London: IB Tauris, 2002, p.169-70, Buck also appears in the third.
  3. ^ Mystery and Imagination, lostshows.com
  4. ^ "Mystery and Imagination". Network DVD. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  • Wheatley, Helen. Gothic Television (Manchester University Press 2006) p36 ff.
  • Thumim, Janet; Helen Wheatley (2002). "Mystery and Imagination: Anatomy of a Gothic Anthology Series". Small Screens, Big Ideas: Television in the 1950s. I.B.Tauris. pp. 165–179. ISBN 1-86064-683-2.

External links

  • Mystery and Imagination at IMDb
  • .

April 16, 2023
mystery, imagination, british, television, anthology, series, classic, horror, supernatural, dramas, five, series, were, broadcast, from, 1966, 1970, network, produced, later, thames, television, genrehorror, anthologystarringdavid, buckcountry, originunited, . Mystery and Imagination is a British television anthology series of classic horror and supernatural dramas Five series were broadcast from 1966 to 1970 by the ITV network and produced by ABC and later Thames Television 1 Mystery and ImaginationGenreHorror anthologyStarringDavid BuckCountry of originUnited KingdomOriginal languageEnglishNo of series5No of episodes24 16 missing ProductionProduction companiesABC Weekend TV Series 1 3 Thames Television Series 4 5 ReleaseOriginal networkITVOriginal release29 January 1966 1966 01 29 23 February 1970 1970 02 23 Contents 1 Outline 2 Episodes 2 1 Series 1 2 2 Series 2 2 3 Series 3 2 4 Series 4 2 5 Series 5 3 Archive status and availability 4 References 5 External linksOutline EditThe series featured television plays based on the works of well known authors such as Robert Louis Stevenson Bram Stoker Mary Shelley M R James and Edgar Allan Poe All bar one of the first two ABC series starred David Buck as Richard Beckett originally a character from Sheridan Le Fanu s story The Flying Dragon as narrator Beckett was made the central character of the series taking the roles of various characters from some of the original stories 2 The first two series although transmitted as two separate runs were recorded in a single production block The episode without Buck as the lead The Open Door features Jack Hawkins Unlike BBC dramas from the period location exterior shots were also recorded onto video tape rather than 16mm film giving a more consistent look to the production Only series 5 was filmed in colour Episodes EditSeries 1 Edit Title Story Original airdate1 The Lost Stradivarius J Meade Falkner29 January 1966 1966 01 29 2 The Body Snatcher Robert Louis Stevenson5 February 1966 1966 02 05 3 The Fall of the House of Usher Edgar Allan Poe12 February 1966 1966 02 12 4 The Open Door Margaret Oliphant19 February 1966 1966 02 19 5 The Tractate Middoth M R James26 February 1966 1966 02 26 6 Lost Hearts M R James5 March 1966 1966 03 05 7 The Canterville Ghost Oscar Wilde12 March 1966 1966 03 12 Series 2 Edit Title Story Original airdate8 Room 13 M R James22 October 1966 1966 10 22 9 The Beckoning Shadow Charlotte Riddell29 October 1966 1966 10 29 10 The Flying Dragon Sheridan Le Fanu5 November 1966 1966 11 05 11 Carmilla Sheridan Le Fanu12 November 1966 1966 11 12 12 The Phantom Lover Vernon Lee19 November 1966 1966 11 19 Series 3 Edit Title Story Original airdate13 Casting the Runes M R James22 March 1968 1968 03 22 14 The Listener Algernon Blackwood30 March 1968 1968 03 30 15 A Place of One s Own Osbert Sitwell6 April 1968 1968 04 06 16 The Devil s Piper Walter Scott13 April 1968 1968 04 13 17 The Tell Tale Heart Edgar Allan Poe22 June 1968 1968 06 22 18 Feet Foremost L P Hartley29 June 1968 1968 06 29 Series 4 Edit Title Story Original airdate19 Uncle Silas Sheridan Le Fanu4 November 1968 1968 11 04 20 Frankenstein Mary Shelley11 November 1968 1968 11 11 21 Dracula Bram Stoker18 November 1968 1968 11 18 Series 5 Edit Title Story Original airdate22 The Suicide Club Robert Louis Stevenson9 February 1970 1970 02 09 23 Sweeney Todd George Dibdin Pitt adaptation by Vincent Tilsey16 February 1970 1970 02 16 24 The Curse of the Mummy Bram Stoker23 February 1970 1970 02 23 Archive status and availability EditOf the episodes from the ABC era only the versions of The Fall of the House of Usher and The Open Door series 1 have survived All the other episodes from the first three series are not known to exist although the Thames episodes series 4 and 5 survive 3 A brief clip from Casting the Runes from series 3 also exists Domestic audio recordings of the otherwise missing episodes The Lost Stradivarius The Body Snatcher The Tractate Middoth Lost Hearts The Canterville Ghost and Room 13 also exist Network has released all eight remaining episodes on a four disc DVD set along with the surviving clip of Casting the Runes The surviving audio recordings of the missing episodes can be found on YouTube 4 References Edit The change from ABC to Thames occurred because of the July 1968 franchise changes IMDb claims Buck appears in eleven episodes from the first two series According to Helen Wheatley Mystery and Imagination in Janet Thurmin Small Screens Big Ideas Television in the 1950s sic London IB Tauris 2002 p 169 70 Buck also appears in the third Mystery and Imagination lostshows com Mystery and Imagination Network DVD Retrieved 4 July 2009 Wheatley Helen Gothic Television Manchester University Press 2006 p36 ff Thumim Janet Helen Wheatley 2002 Mystery and Imagination Anatomy of a Gothic Anthology Series Small Screens Big Ideas Television in the 1950s I B Tauris pp 165 179 ISBN 1 86064 683 2 External links EditMystery and Imagination at IMDb Haunted TV Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mystery and Imagination amp oldid 1134022996, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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