Sign of the Four

[David Vopicka]

From the BBC in five parts

SH_Hurndall_The Sign Of Four_Pt 1.mp3

SH_Hurndall_The Sign Of Four_Pt 2.mp3

SH_Hurndall_The Sign Of Four_Pt 3.mp3

[Sandy Finlayson]

Thank you so much for these.  I'm delighted to be able to hear these gems from the past!

[David Vopicka]

last two

SH_Hurndall_The Sign Of Four_Pt 4.mp3

SH_Hurndall_The Sign Of Four_Pt 5.mp3

[Magersfontein]

Interesting one, this. Felix Felton had written all the scripts for the Sherlock Holmes series that ran as part of BBC Radio's "Children's Hour" in the early 1950s, with Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley (no recordings are known to exist). When Hobbs & Shelley moved to a slot for grown-up listeners, Michael Hardwick was the writer chosen for the series that was to last until the late 1960s. But... there were three scripts that Hardwick didn't write. Alan Wilson wrote "Black Peter" and Felix Felton wrote two versions of "The Hound of the Baskervilles", a single ninety-minute play and a six-part serial. Felton also wrote this five-part serial of "The Sign of Four" - but Richard Hurndall and Bryan Coleman, not Hobbs and Shelley, were cast in the leading roles. They never plauyed Holmes and Watson again.

Roger

[mplshowie]

Hi,what year was this play The Sign of the Four broadcast on BBC.

[Magersfontein]

It was broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in five episodes from 16 May to 13 June 1959. I was eleven years old then, and I'd love to say that I remember listening to it, but the sad fact is that I don't. Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley are the voices that I remember from my young days, but I'm glad to note that Richard Hurndall and Bryan Coleman acquitted themselves honourably as Holmes and Watson.

"Doctor Who" devotees will remember that Richard Hurndall played the first Doctor (in lieu of the late William Hartnell) in the 20th anniversary special "The Five Doctors". The following actors have played both Sherlock Holmes and the Doctor:

Peter Cushing (the Doctor in two theatrically released films)
Tom Baker
Richard Hurndall
David Banks (Holmes in a play called "Sherlock Holmes: The Riddle of the Royal Regalia" in 1977, and the Doctor in two performances of the play "Doctor Who: The Ultimate Adventure" in 1989, as understudy to Jon Pertwee)

Richard E Grant played the Doctor in a BBC animated webcast called "Scream of the Shalka", and not-quite-Sherlock-Holmes in a BBC film called "The Other Side", in which Sir Arthur Conan Doyle visits a medium and is apparently confronted by the spirit of Holmes.

(I tried to send this yesterday evening but the system wasn't co-operating...)

Roger

[mplshowie]

Thank you I am not worthy HA HA Do you like Dr.who to if so do you have any to share,probably send it to the Group Sci-Fi and label it Dr. Who.Also do you have the other side love to have it.
Merry Christmas
Howie and Luther

[Magersfontein]

I do like Doctor Who but I'm not obsessive (I do admit to being obsessive about Sherlock Holmes) and I've heard very few of the many audio performances. "The Other Side" was broadcast on BBC TV in August 1992, but it has never been released on video or DVD - apart from the promotional video that was distributed to the press (see http://frankfinlay.net/Television/OtherSide.html) - so I regret that I can't help you there!

Roger

[mplshowie]

Hi,what year was this play The Sign of the Four broadcast on BBC.

[David Vopicka]

I don't know. Ask Magersfontein. He's an expert on Sherlock Holmes.