Chulla 4,946 Posted March 21, 2015 Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 Just been listening to episode one of Paul Temple and the Gregory Affair, on BBC4 iPlayer. It was broadcast Friday and the remaining nine episodes will be broadcast every Friday morning. I can actually remember this Paul Temple on its original broadcast in 1946, but cannot remember what it was all about. In actual fact this recording is new; the original were not saved in most cases. The new recordings sound exactly like the old ones in that they are recorded using old microphones, old sound-effect recordings and the old music. So, if there are any of you who, with your parents, remember gluing your ears to the wireless in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, have a listen to the Radio 4 on Fridays. If you miss an episode you can pick it up for the next 30 days on the BBC4 iPlayer. The original version of this one was first broadcast in 1946, and does not have the Coronation Scot signature tune, or the two actors usually playing Paul Temple and Steve, of course - they sound just right, though. Five of the Paul Temple series have been re-recorded. The last one was broadcast a few weeks ago on Radio 4Extra. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Commo 1,291 Posted March 21, 2015 Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 Peter Coke and Marjorie Westbury were Paul and Steve in the majority of the programmes, but whoever played Paul, they all adopted the wonderfully patronising attitude towards the lower and criminal classes. By Timothy Chullah, I have most of the mysteries on CD and can't recommend enough that you get these on your Amazon wish list without delay! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TBI 2,351 Posted March 21, 2015 Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 Paul Temple radio programmes were before my time but we used to enjoy the TV series. The title role was played by Francis Matthews, who I met some years later, a very nice chap. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
... 1,411 Posted March 21, 2015 Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 New one on me Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Coffers77 35 Posted March 21, 2015 Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 Francis Matthews was also the voice behind Captain Scarlett. Admitted to basing it on Cary Grant. He died last June - Francis M not Captain Scarlett as he is indestructible. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tomlinson 879 Posted March 21, 2015 Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 A 'Paul Temple' serial is still worth listening to, cocktails in the Mayfair flat and the lot. Francis Durbridge also wrote 'The World of Tim Fraser' serials for T.V., which were also popular and worth a viewing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted March 21, 2015 Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 It was still on the radio in the early 1960s - the Light Programme, I'm sure - I remember 'Paul Temple and the Jonathan Mystery' with Marjorie Westbury as Steve. Can't remember if it was still Peter Coke. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted March 22, 2015 Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 Thanks Chulla you have wetted my appetite. Will log in on the "crystal set" on Sunday and listen- i'll let you know how i get on Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chulla 4,946 Posted March 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 Thank you, Ian, I am pleased that my enthusiasm and description has stirred an interest. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chulla 4,946 Posted March 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2015 Calling Paul Temple afficienados who will be pleased to learn that another series begins this Thursday and Friday on BBC Radio4Extra. This is Paul Temple and the Alex Affair. It will be broadcast at 6.00am, 13.00pm, 20.00pm and 1.00am. The current serial Paul Temple and the Gregory Affair is still being broadcast once a week on Fridays at 11.00am. da-di-da, di-da-di-da-di-da. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scriv 168 Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 I've caught a couple of episodes of the "Gregory affair"; not enough to really follow it but certainly enough to know a quality radio programme when I hear it. wonderful that they have kept it unspoiled and that the seemingly inevitable modern PC hasn't smothered it in cotton wool. In some parts of the programme you can almost smell the cigarette smoke! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NickA 13 Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 Calling Paul Temple afficienados who will be pleased to learn that another series begins this Thursday and Friday on BBC Radio4Extra. This is Paul Temple and the Alex Affair. It will be broadcast at 6.00am, 13.00pm, 20.00pm and 1.00am. The current serial Paul Temple and the Gregory Affair is still being broadcast once a week on Fridays at 11.00am. da-di-da, di-da-di-da-di-da. Huge fan of the original Peter Coke/Marjorie Westbury series - solely thanks to Radio 4extra, they were before my time when first broadcast. (I remember the Francis Matthews TV version from my childhood, would be interested to see it again.) As you say, a (particularly intricate) 'original' radio one is running at the moment, first 5 currently on iPlayer http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03pc96p/episodes/player ... the remaining 3 each weekday till Monday. It's wonderful! (I must say I sampled the 're-tread' series on R4 concurrently ("Gregory Affair") and in comparison with the original style, found it very phoney and sluggish - going to avoid it.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chulla 4,946 Posted April 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 Nick, I don't think that the re-tread is at all bad, quite enjoying it. Anyhow, who do you think Alex is? Have to smile that Temple always deals with knighted Scotland Yard officers. Mind you, Sir's number-two seems to be a bit of a shifty type. And what about the Welshman - very iffy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NickA 13 Posted April 11, 2015 Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 Nick, I don't think that the re-tread is at all bad, quite enjoying it. Anyhow, who do you think Alex is? Have to smile that Temple always deals with knighted Scotland Yard officers. Mind you, Sir's number-two seems to be a bit of a shifty type. And what about the Welshman - very iffy. I've only heard 4 of them so far, going to catch up this weekend!! But you're right about the Welshman and the dodgy Inspector!! Plus who's the fey little replacement manservant?! Reckon he's good for an each-way flutter to be "Alex" !!! Glad you enjoy the modern 'reproduction' too - it's funny I took against it so much. Perhaps I just heard a bad 5 minutes, but the announcer seemed obviously a modern bloke 'putting on' the clipped 40s (or whenever) accent, and the acting made one realise what tension and pace Coke and Westbury manage to inject with the energy of how they say the lines. I love the techniques too - like the way, when some witness has a long narrative to give ("Well yer see, it woz like this Mr Temple....."), Durbridge breaks it up by having Temple say things like "Well go on..." in an urgent voice, to add to the tension. Or "I seeeeee" as if something really significant has just been said. Classic stuff !! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chulla 4,946 Posted April 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 Nick. Here is a photo of the cast at the microphone rehearsing an episode of Paul Temple and the Curzon Case. Left to right: Leslie Perrins, Duncan McIntyre, Kim Peacock (PT) and Marjorie Westbury. I bet you never imagined her looking like that after hearing her voice (hope it hasn't shattered your imagination of her ). Steve's maiden name was Trent, in case you didn't know. In the first PT, before the war, she was his girlfriend. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NickA 13 Posted April 11, 2015 Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 Nick. .... Marjorie Westbury. I bet you never imagined her looking like that after hearing her voice (hope it hasn't shattered your imagination of her). Crikey....! ... well, it has slightly ! I'll have to erase that slightly. I knew the actress was considerably older than the character one hears... but I had imagined her as slightly... sharper-featured! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chulla 4,946 Posted April 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2015 Here is a listing of all the Paul Temple series broadcast on the Light Programme. The names of the different actors that have played him, and the dates of the first episodes are given. As can be seen there were a number of revivals of old stories. Hugh Morton as PT and Bernadette Hodgson played Steve Trent. Send For Paul Temple (April 1938) Hugh Morton as PT and Marjorie Westbury as Steve (she played the part to the end) Paul Temple and the Front Page Man (November 1938) News of Paul Temple (November 1939) Carl Bernard as PT Paul Temple Intervenes (October 1942) Barry Morse as PT Send for Paul Temple Again (September 1945) Howard Marion Crawford as PT A Case For Paul Temple (February 1946) Kim Peacock as PT Paul Temple and the Gregory Affair (October 1946) Paul Temple and Steve (March 1947) Mr and Mrs Paul Temple (November 1947) 45-minute one-off Paul Temple and the Sullivan Mystery (December 1947) Paul Temple and the Curzon Case (December 1948) Paul Temple and the Madison Mystery (October 1949) Paul Temple and the Vandyke Affair (October 1950) Paul Temple and the Jonathan Mystery (May 1951) Peter Coke (pronounced Cooke) as PT Paul Temple and the Gilbert Case (March 1954) Paul Temple and the Madison Mystery (June 1955) Paul Temple and the Lawrence Affair (January 1956) Paul Temple and the Spencer Affair (November 1957) Paul Temple and the Vandyke Affair (January 1959) Paul Temple and the Conrad Case (July 1959) Paul Temple and the Gilbert Case (November 1959) Paul Temple and the Margo Mystery (January 1961) Paul Temple and the Jonathan Mystery (October 1963) Paul Temple and the Geneva Mystery (April 1965) Paul Temple and the Alex Affair (February 1968) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NickA 13 Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 who do you think Alex is? ...well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs!! Didn't see that coming ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chulla 4,946 Posted April 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 Neither did I. Thought the denoument as played out was a bit Agatha Christie-ish and not worthy of the storyline up until then. Temple revealed to Steve where all his suspicions came from, but they didn't ring many bells with me. But maybe I wasn't listening close enough. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NickA 13 Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 No I agree with you - the solution didn't pack the right punch. The mannered 'reveal' is the least successful element of the 'cocktail' I think. I listened to another where there's also a drinks party for all the various people, at a hotel in that one - lots of fake European accents - the 'fingered' perpetrator in that instance hurled himself out of a window, I seem to recall. all a bit far-fetched!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Commo 1,291 Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 There are 4(?) films on DVD from the late 40`s and early 50`s with John Bentley and Dinah Sheridan, she being a more "visual" Steve than Marjorie Westbury. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chulla 4,946 Posted April 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 #20. Yes, you are right. On the radio lots of commotion noises cause the listener to try and picture what is happening - sounds good but might not look so good on TV. Perhaps we were not so sophisticated in those days. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SPIKEISLAND9 46 Posted November 9, 2015 Report Share Posted November 9, 2015 Chulla, young lad; You must also have been a fan of Dick, Jock and Snowy then? Not forgetting `Journey Into Space` and `Riders of the Range`..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chulla 4,946 Posted November 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2015 Yes, Spike, all of those and more. The Man in Black, Itma and all of the comedy shows, I remember listening to the first episode of the Archers. The Radio Doctor, Workers' Playtime, All of the dance bands - no pop groups in those days, The Brains Trust, Sandy McPherson at the organ, Two-way Family Favourites and the Billy Cotton Band Show. The list is endless because we did not have a tele in those days. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SPIKEISLAND9 46 Posted November 10, 2015 Report Share Posted November 10, 2015 A good list that Chull, plus `Down Your Way` - was that with Franklin Engelman? `In Town Tonight` as well. "Would anyone knowing the whereabouts of xxxxxxxxxxx, please call Whitehall One Two, One two." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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