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  • Published: 18 February 2016
  • ISBN: 9781785292385
  • Imprint: BBC DL
  • Format: Audio Download
  • Length: 11 hr 0 min
  • Narrators: Carl Bernard, Hugh Morton
  • RRP: $24.99

Paul Temple: The Complete Radio Collection: Volume One

The Early Years (1938-1950)



Three complete radio dramas featuring writer-cum-amateur detective Paul Temple, plus bonus archive material.

Three complete radio dramas featuring writer-cum-amateur detective Paul Temple, plus bonus archive material. When it comes to classic crime partnerships, Paul Temple and his wife Steve are the crème de la crème. Between 1938 and 1968 their glamorous exploits enthralled generations of radio listeners around the world. Here, presented in chronological order, are some of the amateur detective's earliest adventures. 'Send for Paul Temple' (1940) is an early remake of the now-lost original 1938 BBC production. 'Paul Temple Intervenes' (1942) finds Paul and Steve investigating a series of celebrity murders, whilst 'Paul Temple and the Vandyke Affair' (the original 1950 production, presented here for the very first time) concerns the strange disappearance of the Desmond baby and her sitter. Hugh Morton, Bernard Braden, Carl Bernard and Peter Coke play Paul in these episodes, with Bernadette Hodgson, Peggy Hassard and Marjorie Westbury as Steve. A bonus disc features rare archive material from otherwise lost productions, including the final episodes of 'Send for Paul Temple' (1938) and 'Paul Temple and the Front Page Men' (1938). Duration: 11 hours approx.

  • Published: 18 February 2016
  • ISBN: 9781785292385
  • Imprint: BBC DL
  • Format: Audio Download
  • Length: 11 hr 0 min
  • Narrators: Carl Bernard, Hugh Morton
  • RRP: $24.99

About the author

Francis Durbridge

Francis Durbridge was one of Britain's most popular crime novelists and playwrights. Born in Hull, he was educated at Bradford and read English at Birmingham University. His first play, 'Promotion', was broadcast by the BBC in 1933. Encouraged by its success he was asked to contribute further plays. 'Send For Paul Temple' proved so popular that the BBC received 7,000 letters asking for more. 'The Adventures of Paul Temple' ran for over 30 years.

In 1969 BBC Television, having just started broadcasting in color, commissioned Durbridge to write a 26-part series of Paul Temple starring Francis Matthews.

It was not until 1971 that Durbridge wrote his first thriller directly for the theatre. The play, 'Suddenly at Home' (the title was taken from the death notice column of The Times newspaper) starred Gerald Harper and Penelope Keith and was a huge success in London's West End.

Durbridge also wrote 'Murder With Love' (1976), 'House Guest' (1980) and 'Fatal Encounter' (1996). Critics were apt to dismiss his plays, but the public did not. Durbridge himself said: 'My thrillers are not so much who dunnits as will-he-get-away-with-its.'

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