Francis Durbridge
Encyclopedia
Francis Henry Durbridge (25 November 1912, Hull
– 11 April 1998, London) was an English
playwright and author. He was educated at Bradford Grammar School
in Yorkshire
where he was encouraged to write by his English teacher. He continued to do so whilst studying English at Birmingham University. After graduating in 1933, he worked for a short time as a stockbroker's clerk, before selling a radio play, called Promotion to the BBC
at the age of 21.
In 1938, he created the character Paul Temple
, a crime novelist and detective. With Steve Trent, a Fleet Street
journalist and later his wife, Temple solved numerous crimes in the glamorous world of the leisured middle-classes, first on radio, then films and from 1969 until 1971 in a television series. In addition to Paul Temple, Durbridge wrote other mysteries for radio and television, many of which were also produced for German television and radio. In addition to his TV and radio work, Durbridge forged a successful career as a writer for the stage, with seven plays, the last of which, Sweet Revenge, was written in 1991. He also wrote 43 novels, many of which were adaptated from his scripts, sometimes with the help of others.
He married Norah Lawley, with whom he had two sons, in 1940. He died at his home in Barnes, London
in 1998.
s for the radio. The first was Send for Paul Temple, broadcast in eight episodes on the BBC Midland Regional Programme from 8 April 1938. Hugh Morton played Paul and Steve was played by Bernadette Hodgson. In 1939 Carl Bernard took over the part of Paul, and after the war he was played by a succession of different actors: Barry Morse (1945), Howard Marion-Crawford
(1946) and Kim Peacock (1946–1951). Peter Coke
took over the part from the 1954 serial, Paul Temple and the Gilbert Case, onwards.
Marjorie Westbury
took over the part of Steve from the fifth serial, Send for Paul Temple Again (1945), although she had a small part in the fourth serial, Paul Temple Intervenes (1942). She remained as Steve for the rest of the radio run. To many people, Peter Coke
and Marjorie Westbury
are most firmly identified with Paul and Steve.
The original signature tune was taken from Scheherazade
by Rimsky-Korsakov
, with incidental music taken from the works of other composers, including Tintagel
by Sir Arnold Bax
. The signature tune was later changed to Coronation Scot
by Vivian Ellis
. The BBC
shipped recordings of the serials to other Commonwealth countries where they were repeated long after they had finished in their home market.
Repeating the recordings on the BBC7 digital speech channel revived interest in the serials in the early 2000s. The BBC
then released all the complete recordings known to survive on CDs and cassettes.
On Monday 7 August 2006, BBC Radio 4 broadcast the first episode of a new production of Paul Temple and the Sullivan Mystery, a lost 1947-produced serial. The re-creation used the original 1947 script, vintage sound effects, music and microphones, and carefully reproduced 1940s upper class accents. Paul Temple was played by Crawford Logan
and Steve by Gerda Stevenson. This production was repeated on Radio 4
from mid-June 2007. Listeners complained because the repeat was scheduled at the same time of day as the original broadcast. BBC Audio and Music head Jenny Abramsky
told 6 July 2007's Radio 4
's listeners' complaints programme, Feedback, that more repeats were inevitable because the level at which Parliament
had set the television licence fee – the BBC's principal source of income – made spending cuts vital.http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/feedback.shtml
, making them "Strassenfeger" ("street-clearers"), which were so popular as to leave the streets deserted. The actors were of national renown, with Paul Temple played by Luxembourg
-born René Deltgen
, and supported by Gustav Knuth
, Paul Klinger and others. All of these German radio serials are, like the BBC originals, available on CD.
In 1967, The European Broadcasting Union
invited Durbridge to write an original radio serial for the international market - La Boutique - which was broadcast in more than fifteen countries, and in a variety of languages.
and Germany
. Even after Durbridge stopped writing, some serials were re-made in the 80s and 90s.
The Scarf was a six-part serial starring Stephen Murray and Donald Pleasence
and was aired by the BBC in February and March 1959. The theme music is The Girl from Corsica by Trevor Duncan
. There was uproar in Germany in 1962 when comedian Wolfgang Neuss revealed in a newspaper who would turn out to be the murderer in the last episode of a German version called Das Halstuch.
In the 1960-1961 The World of Tim Frazer was broadcast as an 18-episode serial featuring three adventures http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/26881 starring Jack Hedley
in the title role. They attracted almost 80% of all TV-viewers – partly because, at that time, many Europe
an countries had one TV station each.
In the mid-1960s, mini-series based on the Paul Temple novels appeared on TV in Europe, especially in England and Germany. The first 52 episodes of the 64-part 1969 - 1971 television series was the first international television co-production. It was made by the BBC
with the Germany
's ZDF
. Paul Temple was played by British
actor Francis Matthews
and Ros Drinkwater
played Steve.
The colour episodes of Paul Temple were re-run on UK Gold in its formative years. In July 2009 Acorn Media are releasing the existing colour episodes on DVD Format. These were cleared at the BBFC on 17 March 2009.
"Paul Temple," making the fictional writer "real."
In 1997 Channel4 Broadcast a version of 'Melissa' adapted by Alan Bleasdale
from the Francis Durbridge novel. Jennifer Ehle
played Melissa.
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
– 11 April 1998, London) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
playwright and author. He was educated at Bradford Grammar School
Bradford Grammar School
Bradford Grammar School is a co-educational, independent school in Frizinghall, Bradford, West Yorkshire. Headmaster, Stephen Davidson is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference . The school was founded in 1548 and granted its Charter by King Charles II in 1662...
in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
where he was encouraged to write by his English teacher. He continued to do so whilst studying English at Birmingham University. After graduating in 1933, he worked for a short time as a stockbroker's clerk, before selling a radio play, called Promotion to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
at the age of 21.
In 1938, he created the character Paul Temple
Paul Temple
Paul Temple is a fictional character created by British writer Francis Durbridge for the BBC radio serial Send for Paul Temple in 1938. Temple is an amateur private detective and author of crime fiction...
, a crime novelist and detective. With Steve Trent, a Fleet Street
Fleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
journalist and later his wife, Temple solved numerous crimes in the glamorous world of the leisured middle-classes, first on radio, then films and from 1969 until 1971 in a television series. In addition to Paul Temple, Durbridge wrote other mysteries for radio and television, many of which were also produced for German television and radio. In addition to his TV and radio work, Durbridge forged a successful career as a writer for the stage, with seven plays, the last of which, Sweet Revenge, was written in 1991. He also wrote 43 novels, many of which were adaptated from his scripts, sometimes with the help of others.
He married Norah Lawley, with whom he had two sons, in 1940. He died at his home in Barnes, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1998.
Paul Temple in the United Kingdom
Durbridge wrote twenty Paul Temple serialSerial (radio and television)
Serials are series of television programs and radio programs that rely on a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode by episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the full run of the series, which distinguishes them from...
s for the radio. The first was Send for Paul Temple, broadcast in eight episodes on the BBC Midland Regional Programme from 8 April 1938. Hugh Morton played Paul and Steve was played by Bernadette Hodgson. In 1939 Carl Bernard took over the part of Paul, and after the war he was played by a succession of different actors: Barry Morse (1945), Howard Marion-Crawford
Howard Marion-Crawford
Howard Marion-Crawford , the grandson of writer F. Marion Crawford, was an English character actor, best known for his portrayal of Dr. Watson in the 1954 television adaptation of Sherlock Holmes...
(1946) and Kim Peacock (1946–1951). Peter Coke
Peter Coke
-Personal life:Peter John Coke was born in Southsea on 3 April 1913. His father was a commander in the Navy, who took his family to Kenya to run a linen plantation, however, this venture failed and he began to run a coffee plantation...
took over the part from the 1954 serial, Paul Temple and the Gilbert Case, onwards.
Marjorie Westbury
Marjorie Westbury
Marjorie Westbury was an English radio actress and singer. Her career lasted over fifty years.Born in Oldbury, Worcestershire, she studied Voice at the Royal College of Music in London between 1927 and 1930. During the 1930s she made many radio broadcasts as a soprano from the BBC studios at...
took over the part of Steve from the fifth serial, Send for Paul Temple Again (1945), although she had a small part in the fourth serial, Paul Temple Intervenes (1942). She remained as Steve for the rest of the radio run. To many people, Peter Coke
Peter Coke
-Personal life:Peter John Coke was born in Southsea on 3 April 1913. His father was a commander in the Navy, who took his family to Kenya to run a linen plantation, however, this venture failed and he began to run a coffee plantation...
and Marjorie Westbury
Marjorie Westbury
Marjorie Westbury was an English radio actress and singer. Her career lasted over fifty years.Born in Oldbury, Worcestershire, she studied Voice at the Royal College of Music in London between 1927 and 1930. During the 1930s she made many radio broadcasts as a soprano from the BBC studios at...
are most firmly identified with Paul and Steve.
The original signature tune was taken from Scheherazade
Scheherazade (Rimsky-Korsakov)
Sheherazade , Op. 35, is a symphonic suite composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888. Based on One Thousand and One Nights, sometimes known as The Arabian Nights, this orchestral work combines two features common to Russian music and of Rimsky-Korsakov in particular: dazzling, colourful...
by Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer, and a member of the group of composers known as The Five.The Five, also known as The Mighty Handful or The Mighty Coterie, refers to a circle of composers who met in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in the years 1856–1870: Mily Balakirev , César...
, with incidental music taken from the works of other composers, including Tintagel
Tintagel (Bax)
Tintagel is a symphonic poem composed by Arnold Bax in 1919; it is perhaps his best-known orchestral work.Bax had visited Tintagel Castle during the summer of 1917, accompanied by pianist Harriet Cohen, with whom he was carrying on an affair at the time; he dedicated the work to her...
by Sir Arnold Bax
Arnold Bax
Sir Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, KCVO was an English composer and poet. His musical style blended elements of romanticism and impressionism, often with influences from Irish literature and landscape. His orchestral scores are noted for their complexity and colourful instrumentation...
. The signature tune was later changed to Coronation Scot
Coronation Scot
The Coronation Scot was a named express passenger train of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway inaugurated in 1937 for the Coronation of King George VI which ran until the start of the war in 1939...
by Vivian Ellis
Vivian Ellis
Vivian Ellis was an English musical comedy composer best known for the song "Spread a Little Happiness" and the theme "Coronation Scot".-Life and work:...
. The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
shipped recordings of the serials to other Commonwealth countries where they were repeated long after they had finished in their home market.
Repeating the recordings on the BBC7 digital speech channel revived interest in the serials in the early 2000s. The BBC
BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Limited is the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in 1995. In the year to 31 March 2010 it made a profit of £145m on a turnover of £1.074bn. The company had made a profit of £106m...
then released all the complete recordings known to survive on CDs and cassettes.
On Monday 7 August 2006, BBC Radio 4 broadcast the first episode of a new production of Paul Temple and the Sullivan Mystery, a lost 1947-produced serial. The re-creation used the original 1947 script, vintage sound effects, music and microphones, and carefully reproduced 1940s upper class accents. Paul Temple was played by Crawford Logan
Crawford Logan
Crawford Logan is a British actor best known for his work in radio. In 2006 he became the latest actor to play the eponymous hero Paul Temple in a revival of the long-running mystery series on BBC radio. In 2009 he narrated the BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week, Newton and the Counterfeiter by Thomas...
and Steve by Gerda Stevenson. This production was repeated on Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
from mid-June 2007. Listeners complained because the repeat was scheduled at the same time of day as the original broadcast. BBC Audio and Music head Jenny Abramsky
Jenny Abramsky
Dame Jennifer Gita Abramsky, DBE is chairman of the UK's National Heritage Memorial Fund . The NHMF makes grants to preserve heritage of outstanding national importance. Until her retirement from the BBC Jenny Abramsky was its most senior woman employee; she was Director of Audio and Music...
told 6 July 2007's Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's listeners' complaints programme, Feedback, that more repeats were inevitable because the level at which Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
had set the television licence fee – the BBC's principal source of income – made spending cuts vital.http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/feedback.shtml
Paul Temple in Germany
Throughout the 1960s German radio adapted twelve Paul Temple serials. Like the BBC originals, each part ended with a cliffhangerCliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
, making them "Strassenfeger" ("street-clearers"), which were so popular as to leave the streets deserted. The actors were of national renown, with Paul Temple played by Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
-born René Deltgen
René Deltgen
Renatus Heinrich Deltgen born 30 April 1909 in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg; died 29 January 1979 in Cologne, Germany) was a Luxemburgian stage and film actor, who spent most of his career in Germany.-Selected filmography:* Das Grosse Spiel...
, and supported by Gustav Knuth
Gustav Knuth
Gustav Knuth was a German film actor. He appeared in 128 films between 1935 and 1982.-Selected filmography:* Friedemann Bach * Das Grosse Spiel * Die Mücke * Sissi...
, Paul Klinger and others. All of these German radio serials are, like the BBC originals, available on CD.
In 1967, The European Broadcasting Union
European Broadcasting Union
The European Broadcasting Union is a confederation of 74 broadcasting organisations from 56 countries, and 49 associate broadcasters from a further 25...
invited Durbridge to write an original radio serial for the international market - La Boutique - which was broadcast in more than fifteen countries, and in a variety of languages.
Work for television
Between 1952 and 1980 Durbridge wrote 17 TV serials for the BBC. Until 1959 they were shown under the umbrella title "A Francis Durbridge Serial" which was then changed to "Francis Durbridge Presents". Versions were also made in the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Even after Durbridge stopped writing, some serials were re-made in the 80s and 90s.
The Scarf was a six-part serial starring Stephen Murray and Donald Pleasence
Donald Pleasence
Sir Donald Henry Pleasence, OBE, was a British actor who gained more than 200 screen credits during a career which spanned over four decades...
and was aired by the BBC in February and March 1959. The theme music is The Girl from Corsica by Trevor Duncan
Trevor Duncan
Trevor Duncan was an English composer, particularly noted for his light music compositions. Born in London, and largely self-taught, he originally composed as a sideline while working for the BBC...
. There was uproar in Germany in 1962 when comedian Wolfgang Neuss revealed in a newspaper who would turn out to be the murderer in the last episode of a German version called Das Halstuch.
In the 1960-1961 The World of Tim Frazer was broadcast as an 18-episode serial featuring three adventures http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/26881 starring Jack Hedley
Jack Hedley
Jack Hedley is an English actor, best known for his performances on television....
in the title role. They attracted almost 80% of all TV-viewers – partly because, at that time, many Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an countries had one TV station each.
In the mid-1960s, mini-series based on the Paul Temple novels appeared on TV in Europe, especially in England and Germany. The first 52 episodes of the 64-part 1969 - 1971 television series was the first international television co-production. It was made by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
with the Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
. Paul Temple was played by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor Francis Matthews
Francis Matthews
Francis Matthews may refer to:*Francis Matthews , British actor*Francis P. Matthews, 49th United States Secretary of the Navy and the 8th Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus...
and Ros Drinkwater
Ros Drinkwater
Ros Drinkwater is a Scottish-born actress, best known for her portrayal of Paul Temple's wife, Steve, in the eponymous television series, based on the character created by Francis Durbridge. She later moved into photojournalism....
played Steve.
The colour episodes of Paul Temple were re-run on UK Gold in its formative years. In July 2009 Acorn Media are releasing the existing colour episodes on DVD Format. These were cleared at the BBFC on 17 March 2009.
Novels
Durbridge wrote several Paul Temple novels in collaboration with John Thewes, Douglas Rutherford and Charles Hatten – and those he wrote with Rutherford appeared under the pen namePen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
"Paul Temple," making the fictional writer "real."
Paul Temple
- Send for Paul Temple (1938)
- Paul Temple And The Front Page Men (1938)
- News of Paul Temple (1939)
- Paul Temple Intervenes (1942)
- Send for Paul Temple Again (1945)
- A Case for Paul Temple (1946)
- Paul Temple and the Gregory Affair (1946)
- Paul Temple and Steve (1947)
- Mr. and Mrs. Paul Temple (1947)
- Paul Temple and the Sullivan Mystery (1947)
- Paul Temple and the Curzon Case (1948)
- Paul Temple and the Madison Mystery (1949)
- Paul Temple and the Van Dyke Affair (1950)
- Paul Temple and the Jonathan Mystery (1951)
- Paul Temple and Steve Again (1953)
- Paul Temple and the Gilbert Case (1954)
- Paul Temple and the Madison Mystery (1955) (new production)
- Paul Temple and the Lawrence Affair (1956)
- Paul Temple and the Spencer Affair (1957)
- Paul Temple and the Van Dyke Affair (1959) (new production)
- Paul Temple and the Conrad Case (1959)
- Paul Temple and the Gilbert Case (1959) (new production)
- Paul Temple and the Margot Mystery (1961)
- Paul Temple and the Jonathan Mystery (1963) (new production)
- Paul Temple and the Geneva Mystery (1965)
- Paul Temple and the Alex Affair (1968) (revised version of Send For Paul Temple Again)
- Paul Temple and the Sullivan Mystery (2006) (new production)
Other radio plays and serials
- Persuasion (1933)
- Information Received (1938)
- And Anthony Sherwood Laughed (1940)
- Were Strangers (1941)
- Mr. Harrington Died Tomorrow (1942)
- The Essential Heart (1943)
- Frewell Leicester Square (1943)
- Over My Dead Body (1946)
- John Washington Esquire (1949)
- What Do You Think? (1962)
- La Boutique (1967)
List of TV series
- The Broken HorseshoeThe Broken Horseshoe (television series)The Broken Horseshoe is a British television series first aired by the BBC in 1952 featuring John Robinson, John Byron, Andrew Crawford and Robert Adair. A crime thriller series the plot is based around a public-spirited doctor's involvement with a horse-doping gang after he protects a young woman...
(1952) - Operation Dilomat (1952)
- The Teckman Biography (1953–54)
- The Teckman Mystery (1954)
- Portrait Of Alison (1955)
- My Friend Charles (1956)
- The Other Man (1956)
- A Time Of Day (1957)
- The Vicious Circle (1957)
- The Scarf (1959)
- The World Of Tim Frazer (1960–61)
- The Desperate People (1963)
- Melissa (1964)
- A Man Called Harry Brent (1965)
- Bat Out Of Hell (1966)
- Paul Temple (12 episodes) (1968–69)
- Paul Temple (52 episodes) (1969–71)
- The Passenger (1971)
- Melissa (1974)
- The Doll (1975)
- Breakaway - The Family Affair (1980)
- Breakaway - The Local Affair (1980)
In 1997 Channel4 Broadcast a version of 'Melissa' adapted by Alan Bleasdale
Alan Bleasdale
Alan Bleasdale is an English television dramatist, best known for writing several social realist drama serials based on the lives of ordinary people.The Bleasdales live in prescot,liverpool,wales and london.-Early life:Bleasdale is an only child; his father worked in a food factory and his mother...
from the Francis Durbridge novel. Jennifer Ehle
Jennifer Ehle
Jennifer Ehle is an American actress of stage and screen. She is known for her BAFTA winning role as Elizabeth Bennet in the 1995 mini-series Pride and Prejudice.-Early life:...
played Melissa.
List of plays
- Suddenly At Home (1971)
- The Gentle Hook (1974)
- House Guest (1976)
- Murder With Love (1976)
- Deadly Nightcap (1983)
- A Touch Of Danger (1987)
- The Small Hours (1991)
- Sweet Revenge (1993)
List of films
- 1946 Send for Paul Temple (with Anthony Hulme)
- 1948 Calling Paul Temple (with John BentleyJohn Bentley (actor)John Bentley was a British film actor who emerged in the 1970s as Hugh Mortimer, Meg Richardson's ill-fated new husband in the soap opera Crossroads. He also starred in the jungle adventure series African Patrol as Chief Inspector Paul Derek and made various other guest appearances...
) - 1950 Paul Temple's Triumph (with John Bentley)
- 1952 Paul Temple Returns (with John Bentley)
Paul Temple novels
- Send for Paul Temple (1938)
- Paul Temple and the Front Page Men (with Charles Hatton) (1939)
- News of Paul Temple (1940)
- Paul Temple Intervenes (1944)
- Send for Paul Temple Again! (1948)
- The Tyler Mystery (with Douglas Rutherford) (1957)
- East of Algiers (with Douglas Rutherford) (1959)
- Paul Temple and the Kelby Affair (1970)
- Paul Temple and the Harkdale Robbery (1970)
- The Geneva Mystery (1971)
- The Curzon Case (1971)
- Paul Temple and the Margo Mystery (1986)
- Paul Temple and the Madison Case (1988)
- Paul Temple and the Conrad Case (1989)
Tim Frazer novels
- The World of Tim Frazer (1962)
- Tim Frazer Again (1964)
- Tim Frazer Gets the Message (1978)
Other novels
- Back Room Girl (1950)
- Beware of Johnny Washington (1951)
- Design for Murder (1951)
- The Tyler Mystery (with Douglas Rutherford) (1957)
- The Other Man (1958)
- A Time of Day (1959)
- The Scarf (1960)
- Portrait of Alison (1962)
- My Friend Charles (1963)
- Another Woman's Shoes (1965)
- The Desperate People (1966)
- Dead to the World (967)
- My Wife Melissa (1967)
- The Pig-Tail Murder (1969)
- A Man Called Harry Brent (1970)
- Bat out of Hell (1972)
- A Game of Murder (1975)
- The Passenger (1977)
- Breakaway (1981)
- The Doll (1982)
- House Guest (1982)
- Deadly Nightcap (1986)
- A Touch of Danger (1989)
- The Small Hours (1992)
- Sweet Revenge (1994)
- Fatal Encounter (2002)