The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us.
SCOTLAND YARD, EPISODE #15: THE WALL OF DEATH (TV 1956)
Run Time: 30:00
Producer: Alec C. Snowden
Director: Montgomery Tully
Writer: Montgomery Tully, Judith Warden
Key Cast: Edgar Lustgarten, Cyril Chamberlain, Vernon Greeves
FILM MAKERS
Scotland Yard is a series of 39 half-hour episodes produced by Anglo-Amalgamated. Produced between 1953 and 1961, they are short films, originally made to support the main feature in a cinema double-bill. Each film focuses on a true crime case with names changed, and feature an introduction by the crime writer Edgar Lustgarten.
The earlier films were produced by Alec C. Snowden, who was succeeded by Jack Greenwood. Directors included Ken Hughes and Montgomery Tully. The principal character in each film is a Detective Inspector, played by a variety of actors but most frequently by Russell Napier (usually portraying DI Duggan). Many of the films feature, in supporting roles, actors later to become well-known. They include Jill Bennett, Peter Arne, Harry H. Corbett, James Villiers, Edward Judd, Arthur Lowe, Peter Halliday, Wilfrid Brambell, Rita Webb, Peter Bowles and Roger Delgado.
All of the episodes were shot at Merton Park Studios in London and on location on monochrome 35mm film. Most of the episodes were presented in the old Academy screen ratio of 1.33:1, whilst a handful of the later episodes were shot in a hard-matted widescreen ratio of 1.66:1
SUMMARY
A Scotland Yard detective investigates the death of a man who died on an amusement park ride.
The rider is Tornado Smith, riding his own wall at the Kursaal, Southend. Research continues into whether this episode was based on a true crime. Stay tuned!
RELATED MEDIA
Buy the complete series DVD Box set on Amazon
Good catch ! Who’d a thunk the WoD would be featured in a murder mystery ?
Ahhhh … but those stuffy Brits of old though … Kings English right down to the lower classes in all their films before the 60’s and Michael Caine came along turning everything upside down
( Granted a few are trying to fake a cockney what ever accent … but listen carefully … its good ole pure bred English at the roots )
Rock On – Ride On – Remain Calm ( despite it all ) and do … please … carry one Mz C
One Scotland Yard equals three policemens’ feet, and a faked cockney accent’s known as a “mockney”.