This film is from just outside of the Fifties and released in 1964 but it certainly evokes that era and is a quite scary film

A 17th-century aristocrat called Sir Richard Fordyke (JOHN TURNER) returns to his country estate in Devon with his new bride Elizabeth (HEATHER SEARS).

However all is not well because the local people including his horseman Black John (FRANCIS DE WOLFE) are shunning him.

Fordyke soon discovers from his accountant Seymour (PETER ARNE) that a farm girl called Lucy Judd (EDINA RONAY) was raped and murdered in the woods and that just before she died she named Fordyke as the culprit.

This cannot be true because Fordyke had been in London for esome weeks following his marriage to Elizabeth and the superstitious locals are inevitably spreading rumours.

Three years ago, Fordyke’s first wife Anne had committed suicide by throwing herself out of a top floor window and the locals claim that they have seen him on horseback at night (while he was supposedly away) being chased by a ghostly woman dressed in white uttering cries of “murderer”.

They believe the woman to be the ghost of Anne as her voice resembles the deceased. Also a copy of the suicide note left by Anne is mysteriously delivered to Elizabeth.

Then follows a number of supernatural happenings. one of which is when a new saddle arrives for Sir Richard with Anne’s name engraved on it and the maker insists that Fordyke came into his shop and ordered it personally.

Meanwhile, Fordyke begins to see the alleged ghost of his late wife prowling the grounds at night. Two more murders follow and Elizabeth and Fordyke must find out the truth behind the sinister goings-on before disastrous consequences could ruin their lives

Heather Sears – who I always liked – plays one of the leading characters in this film

Leslie Sands had been ariound and on Television throughout the Fifties but his main work was on the stage – he was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and toured witht them, quite extensivley. He landed the role of ‘Cluff’ for the BBC in the early sixties and although it was original and entertaining and sucessful to an extent, it did only run for a couple of seasons although a third series was seriously considered

In 1964, Leslie Sands was cast in the BBC series “Detective”, which adapted a number of crime fiction classics in an attempt to find a successor to the long-running “Maigret”.

Leslie Sands later appeared in an episode based on Gil North’s books about Yorkshire Detective Sergeant Caleb Cluff. The BBC spun this series out of “Detective” – in fact the first ‘pilot’ episode was screened under the ‘Detective’ banner

Set in the remote Yorkshire village of Gunnarshaw (allegedly based on North’s birthplace of Skipton), Cluff is described a relentless pursuer, similar to the early Maigret.

Born and bred in the farming community, Cluff used his intimate knowledge of village life to solve crimes, much to the disgust of Inspector Mole (Eric Barker and later Michael Bates), an outsider who preferred order and paperwork, “He had a tidy mind..and Caleb Cluff…fitted into none of his pigeon-holes.”Detective Sergeant Caleb Cluff (Leslie Sands) was a detective, much more at home taking a good walk with his pipe in his mouth, his chestnut walking stick in his hand and his faithful dog, Clive by his side.

The bachelor copper lived alone in the fictional North Yorkshire moorland town of Gunnershaw but received daily visits from his housekeeper, Annie Croft (Olive Milbourne).

Any crook underestimating the tweed-suited detective would do so at their peril because Cluff’s slow methodology belied a skilfully perceptive insight into human nature and behaviour, particularly that of the criminal mind.

His ponderous and slow style was often the cause of much frustration from his superior, Inspector Mole (originally Eric Barker and later Michael Bates when illness prevented Barker from appearing in the second series), but no one could argue with Cluff’s detection rate.

His wife in real life, the actress Pauline Williams, appeared in quite a number of episodes playing the part of Mrs Mole

Caleb Cluff was assisted by his junior sidekick, Detective Constable Barker (John Rolfe).

Earlier than this though Leslie Sands had played a detective in one of the Edgar Wallace series – ‘The Clue of the New Pin’

Technicolor film from 1954

The film is Directed by Jesse Hibbs
and stars John Payne, Mari Blanchard, Dan Duryea, Joyce Mackenzie, Barton MacLane, James Griffith, Lee Van Cleef, Myron Healey

Jesse Hibbs’s Rails Into Laramie (1954) is a rarely seen 50s Western with a really terrific cast – let’s hope that the DVD release will change that.

This is an above average Universal western. Special mention must go to Lee Van Cleef as a menacing, trigger happy bad man – his usual role although a very early, and brief one, Mari Blanchard plays a saloon girl with a heart of gold and James Griffith is a bumbling ineffectual lawman.

Action scenes are well staged – particularly those on the trains – the photography is first class and the Technicolor beautiful as always.

The story concerns rebel soldier, John Payne, who is assigned by his commander in chief to find who is behind the slow progress on the building of a railway line in Laramie. He finds drink plentiful among the railway workers. He also meets the beautiful, Mari Blanchard, an ex dancer and owner of a saloon – along with Dan Duryea, an ex-colleague of Payne who is behind it all.

Dan Duryea is the booze supplier who along with his hoodlum, Lee Van Cleef, deliver alcohol to the labourers who are building the railroad.

At the end a thrilling fight takes place on board a train.

John Payne with one of the trains and the driver – a scene from the film

How Walt Disney must have been overjoyed with the reception from the public for this film and although it was made on a relatively low budget, and the impression is that the Disney organisation did not have in mind an outstanding success, in fact it did have just that.

It proved to be one of the biggest Box Offices winners of the year – and was more successful than Ben Hur which had a huge budget and much publicity.

Fred MacMurray starred in his first of quite a few films for Walt Disney – in fact he was Walt’s favourite actor and no wonder if he produced this sort of result.

“The Shaggy Dog” is a delightful live-action comedy, the first of many to emerge from the Walt Disney Studios during the late 50s onwards.

It is an innocent comedy and has near perfect performances from a cast of film veterans.

It’s a wonderfully entertaining Disney family film and it holds up quite well today. It certainly hit the jackpot

Just in case someone might think that this success was a fluke – the film was re-issued in 1967 on a Double Bill with ‘The Absent Minded Professor’ – and again it did ‘smash hit’ business

There is a colorised version of this film available

The Shaggy Dog – ABOVE looking quite mischievous

Kathy Kirby belts out this title track very powerfully and impressively – much in the style of Goldfinger and just as good.

The last line ‘Leave this man alone’ is memorable for all of us who watched the series. I remember working down in London, in Grosvenor Stree for one of the Oil Companies, and a lady who worked there came into the office singing this line – I remember that to this day

Adam Adamant was an Edwardian man revived following building works that uncovered his long lost body entombed in ice. He had been placed there in 1902.

Once revived, Adam re-establishes his swash-buckling work in a changed world; taking on gangsters, spies and all evil doers

Gerald Harper was cast as the hero, Adam Adamant, who certainly cuts a magnificent dash due in no small part to his elegant dress sense and handsome looks.

Aiding him in his battle with crime are Georgina Jones, played by Juliet Harmer, and butler Simms, played by Jack May – of The Archers fame as Nelson Gabriel for many years

The show had a run of two seasons, including some episodes directed by a young Ridley Scott, it only just missed being renewed for the third season and then disappeared from Television – what a pity !

The first episode sets the scene for all the others.

Now 99 years old but still youthful, the adventurer takes on a different bunch of foes each week – often at the unofficial nod of the British Government, who value his peculiar talents

Adam Adamant remains impeccably dressed in the style of a 1880’s gentleman, complete with spats, waist coat and a sword stick – making him a dashing and charismatic figure.

Despite the best charms of Miss Jones, Adam Adamant seems above real flirtation (although he is a ladies’ man in his own, genteel way)

In one episode he thwarts a sinister plan to devastate Blackpool’s golden mile, with exploding light bulbs.

Above all, it’s very atmospheric fun, marvellously preserved -very much of its period.

After this series Gerald Harper had another Television success with Hadleigh – and even later was in the 1979 remake of ‘The Lady Vanishes’

Gerald Harper starred as debonair young landowner James Hadleigh, a unique character, full of charm and dynamic energy and possessed of a sharp intelligence. Hadleigh is a man of total privilege. He has inherited not only the magnificent Melford Hall but also the 

proprietorship of the Westdale Gazette, and his deep love of his native Yorkshire, and the people who live there, is always in evidence.

Peter Dennis plays Sutton, Hadleigh’s butler, and Magaret Flint is the housekeeper at Melford Park. Other well known actors appearing in the series include, Jane Merrow as Anne Hepton (1971), Hilary Heath (credited as Hilary Dywer) as Jenifer Caldwell / Hadleigh (1973), Michael Billington as Freddie Hepton (1971) and Hannah Gordon as Sarah Alwyn (1971). The series ran for seven seasons from 1969 until 1976 with 52 hour-long episodes being produced. The theme tune for the series was composed by Tony Hatch.

Series Two co-starred Jane Merrow as Anne Hepton, a strong willed career woman with a young daughter, Charlotte. Michael Billington played Annes estranged husband, Freddie Hepton, a hard-drinking womaniser who turns up unannounced in an effort to save their marriage, albeit for purposes of his own. James Hadleigh is having a friendship with Anne Hepton which causes problems when the two men clash. The situation is ultimately resolved and Anne Hepton becomes an important part of James Hadleigh’s life and their relationship provides an important thread throughout the series.

Gerald also has a Saturday slot on Radio 2 and with is distinctive and appealing voice it proved very popular

This is actually again, a Sixties film but I have recently acquired the Press Book from the film so I just had to use it.

Christopher Lee has top billing alongside Leo Genn and Cecil Parker, although he does not really have much screen time in this film.

The film opens with a robbery at London’s Tower Bridge in which a gang steal a quarter of a million pounds from a security van.

The horde of money is then hidden in the winter quarters of a travelling circus – and then there follows a series of brutal killings around the circus

Each of the victims is found stabbed with a circus throwing knife.

Inspector Elliot (LEO GENN) suspects that one of the circus performers is the killer and the mastermind behind the raid. He has a number of suspects to choose from including the hooded lion tamer Gregor (CHRISTOPHER LEE) who for some mysterious reason is determined to conceal his face. Then there’s Mr Big (SKIP MARTIN), a dwarf assistant on the big top who is blackmailing Gregor. As the death toll rises, the pressure is on from Sir John (CECIL PARKER), Elliot’s superior, to bring the killer to justice.

Suzy Kendall who had previously appeared in the Bond film ‘Thunderball’ played the part of Natasha – at that time she was married to Dudley Moore

Much of the filming was done close to Windsor Castle at Winkfield – the winter quarters of Billy Smart’s circus

Just to summarise the plot there is an insanely jealous knife thrower with a promiscuous girlfriend, a blackmailing dwarf and Gregor, a lion tamer (Christopher Lee) so hideously scarred by one of his own beasts that he has to conceal his face under a black hood.

A  silver-crested knife is found in the back of the decomposing gang member’s corpse, a strange German ( Klaus Kinski) who tries to get a job in the circus but won’t give his name – then someone leaves the lion’s cage door open.

The film is an Anglo-German production.

Circus of Fear is a good film for a late night movie.

There are enough red herrings to keep you guessing as to who the murderer is right up to the end.

There’s also a bit of a nostalgia the 1960s with Wolseley Police cars, Old Scotland Yard and London streets.

This very attractive young actress was born in Budleigh Salterton in Devon

Shortly after Belinda was cast as the love interest of Stewart Granger in ‘Footseps in the Fog’ – a film starring his wife Jean Simmons. It was a British made Cinemascope film with a strong storyline with many twists and turns and was successful. She was well up at the top of the cast list.

Straight after this, she completely changed tack and was cast alongside Norman Wisdom in ‘Man of the Moment’

Following these performances her star had risen and so -in 1955 she attended the Royal Film Performance of To Catch a Thief at the Leicester Square Odeon in London . Also there were Diana Dors, Kathy Jurado, Gina Lollobrigida, Kenneth More, Anna Neagle, Arthur Rank, and Peter Ustinov.

In October 1956 she is one of the young ladies chosen to meet Queen Elizabeth II at the year’s royal command film performance. To curtsey before the Queen this year are also Marilyn Monroe, Anita Ekberg, Arlene Dahl, Brigitte Bardot, and Joan Crawford.

She was certainly promoted all around at Film Premieres, Garden Parties and events deemed to be advantageous to her career.

Then in 1957 she starred with John Gregson in the delightful ‘Miracle in Soho’

One setback she had was when she suffered injuries in April of 1957 when her hair caught fire from a candle in a scene that she was filming. Luckily that didn’t seem to set her back for long.

In May of 1957, she reporesented Britain at the Cannes Film Festival along with Muriel Pavlow and Diana Dors and late that year in September, she went to the Venice film Festival.

She then seemed to become involved with Prince Philippo Orsini whilst she had been filming in Italy and when she returned to Britain it was soon announced that her marriage was over.

Belinda then flew to Africa for ‘Nor the Moon by Night’ but midway into the film she came back to Rome.

In January 1958 she took a drug overdose but luckily survived and went back to Africa to finish the film. Throughout 1959 she and Orsini are together but by mid 1960 Belinda seems to have dumped him.

A year later she headed to Hollywood and it is there near San Bernardino that she was killed in a car crash – March 1961

Belinda Lee quite rightly holds up very much as a major star of the early fifties – but the things seemed to go wrong for her sadly.

Certainly a beautiful British actress

Sir Patrick Hastings was one of our most renowned and notable barristers. He also found time to write plays, two of which have been adapted for film.

During this period quite a few stage plays made it onto the silver screen – I can think of this one ‘The Winslow Boy’ and a favourite of mine ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ – Hugh Williams was in that too

This film is based upon Patrick Hasting’s play of the same name in which a young man accuses his former employer of embezzling funds from a charitable organisation. During the trial the defendant seems to be creating a good impression until the plaintiff’s lawyer produces a letter……….

The intriguing beginning of this film takes place in Prague but soon switches to London where we are introduced to Michael Denison and Claire Bloom. It is not too long before the appearance of Hugh Williams and Anne Crawford as Lord and Lady Brasted and Eric Portman as Sir John Dearing KC.

The Courtroom scenes were quite dramatic and effective and well constructed.

The Plot :-

In Prague, Count Mikla is found dead, a presumed suicide, though we know better, having seen his valet shoot him. Back in England, Mikla’s friend Derek, who works for Lord Brasted, is suspicious, as Mikla had been feeding Derek information that Brasted, head of a commission raising money to aid displaced people after the war, was embezzling much of that money.

Derek tells Brasted that he’s going to the Prime Minister with his charges, which he does. Brasted then tells his wife Helen (who, as it happens is a former lover of Derek’s) that Derek tried to blackmail him, using a conversation that, if overheard, could be interpreted that way.

Brasted sues Derek for libel with the formidable Sir John Dearing as his barrister. Dearing, taking the word of Brasted, works his legal wonders in the courtroom, basing much of his case on a letter written by Derek—but as we know, forged by Brasted.

Eventually, another letter comes into play, one Derek wrote to his girlfriend Mary ( Sir John’s daughter) but which is passed off an illicit love letter to Brasted’s wife. How far will Brasted go to punish Derek?

When evidence finally appears to suggest that Brasted is in fact guilty, will Sir John do the honourable thing in court?

Some sources call this a thriller, but it’s actually just a slow-burning courtroom drama

The acting is fine all around: Eric Portman is excellent as usual, also Hugh Williams (Brasted), Michael Denison (Derek) and Anne Crawford.

Harold French the Director on this film, began and ended his career in the Theatre. In between he proved to be a capable film director.

The film marks Claire Bloom’s film debut. The performance that stands out in the film is that of Anne Crawford as Lady Brasted.

Claire Bloom in her first film role

A Stage Play – this programme from 1947

Honor Blackman was in the production – it must have been one of her first.

This film was shown today on TCM and was a pleasant and colourful little film with a simple, but good storyline.

The production values were quite high too – it was filmed in Technicolor

Columbia Pictures brought this one to the screen – I am pleased that they did

The acting in this movie is not out of the top drawer but adequate and the plot not too involved, but it was so much better than expected. One of the most delightful parts of the film was the horses. The palominos were beautiful and the acting of “The Duke” was almost on par with those of the “Smartest Horse in the Movies,” Trigger himself.

No gunfights in this one. The hero seems unlikely but works hard to be likable

This production was by Harry Cohn’s nephew Robert – he did a good job.

Vincent Farrar the photographer knows how to use his cameras and locations to great effect.

ABOVE and BELOW – Two brilliant matte shots, I think

This is a publicity picture for the BBS Serial ‘The Three Musketeers’ from 1966. It also had Brian Blessed as Porthos, Jeremy Young as Athos and Gary Watson as Aramis. Richard Pasco played The Cardinal and Mary Peach was cast a Milady de Winter.

Paul Whitsun Jones was also in it and in a smaller early role, Pauline Collins

I have to say, I don’t remember Jeremy Brett in this but I do recall Brian Blessed as Athos playing the part in his usual rumbustious style – but I would think they needed someone like that in the cast to lift it a little.

I also remember Paul Whitsun Jones from this adaptation

Not long before this Jeremy Brett had gone to Hollywood to take the part of Freddie in ‘My Fair Lady’ – probably one of the worst parts you could get. However he didn’t take to Hollywood at all, so even if better parts had been offered, he wanted to remain in England

Jeremy Brett in real life was twice married, first to Anna Massey, the actress, and secondly to Joan Wilson, the American producer (under the name Joan Sullivan) of Masterpiece Theatre for the Public Broadcasting Service, in the United States.

The romantic story is that, when Brett, during the early Seventies, stood in for a period for Alistair Cooke as the presenter of Masterpiece Theatre, Sullivan was so overwhelmed by Brett’s handsome appearance that she vowed to make him her husband. Her death, after only seven years of marriage, came as a devastating blow to him.

He had a son with Anna Massey, but she described their marriage as being an unhappy one. She admitted to being young and naive when she married him and later stated that the fact that he was a manic depressive homosexual were not ideal traits to have in a a marriage

ABOVE – The look happy here though with their young son

Jeremy Brett, was an emotional man of great warmth and generosity of spirit, who cared deeply for his friends and colleagues and acted always spontaneously out of a good heart.

Quite a few years later, he got the part that seemed to fit him well and it gave him Worldwide popularity – as Sherlock Holmes

The dark shadow which lay across his overflowing good nature was an increasing tendency to manic depression, an illness (later coupled with heart disease) which began to show itself during the second series of Sherlock Holmes and which made the production of later episodes a determined and heroic struggle for him.

When he was well and stable he bravely treated his own disorder with a sharp sense of mockery and joked about his condition to his friends.