A Case for Dr Morelle

Thirteen Full-Cast Vintage Crime Dramas

De: Ernest Dudley

Narrado por: full cast, Cecil Parker, Sheila Simms

Thirteen classic crime dramas featuring Dr Morelle - 'the man you love to hate'!

Psychiatrist-Detective Dr Morelle is arrogant, sarcastic and rude - but when it comes to catching criminals, he is unparalleled. Using deduction, psychological profiling and his keen, analytical mind, he solves cases ranging from blackmail to murder, aided by his devoted and long-suffering secretary Miss Frayle.

Over the course of this series, he investigates the unexplained death of a wealthy French baroness, receives a visit from a man tormented by nightmares, probes the authenticity of a fabled gem and helps a young man in distress - and an old man in danger. Whether it's a terror campaign against a bride-to-be, death threats made to a temperamental film star, or a case of deadly experiments and thwarted love, no mystery is too baffling and no villain too cunning for the Harley Street sleuth.

First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in 1957, these 13 detective dramas are collected together here for the first time. British film veteran Cecil Parker stars as Dr Morelle, with Sheila Sim as Miss Frayle.

Also included is a bonus documentary programme, The Radio Detectives: A Case for Dr Morelle, in which professor Jeffrey Richards delves into the casebook of the cantankerous criminal psychologist.

Please note: these episodes have been restored from the original 1957 recordings. Due to the vintage nature of these recordings, the sound quality varies.

Alarm Call

Hotel waiter - Sydney Tafler, Mam'selle Rolin - Tonia Bern, Anthony Winter - Hugh Manning, Hotel receptionist - Molly Rankin, Miss Shawcroft - Kathleen Helm. Audio recovered by BBC Radio 4 Extra listener Steve Arnold. First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 23rd April 1957.

Confession of Guilt

Inspector Hood - Philip Ray, Paula Webb - Mary Law. Other parts played by Maurice Sweden, Norman Wynne, Hugh Manning, Betty Linton and Alan McClelland. First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 30th April 1957.

Threat to Kill

Rosalind Knight - Helen Desmond, Miss Curtis - Cecile Chevreau, Ronnie Cavanagh - John Horsley, Maid - Annette Kelly, Mr Ashton - Norman Wynne, Hal Digby - John Sharplin. First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 7th May 1957.

The Sleepwalker

Helen Keen - Moira Lister, Richard Wilson - Hugh Burden, Inspector Hood - Philip Ray. First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 14th May 1957.

The Blackmailer

Inspector Hood - Philip Ray, Sir Clifford Forbes - Douglas Young, Lady Forbes - Madeleine Christie, Cynthia Forbes - Ruth Trouncer, Hotel waiter - Haydn Jones, Hotel manager - Humphrey Morton, Lily the maid - Beryl Calder, Matron - Molly Rankin, Harry Fox - Ian Sadler. First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 21th May 1957.

Voice in the Night

Miss Nicholson - Hester Paton Brown,, Billy Boy the dog - Percy Edwards, Mr Nicholson - Alan McClelland, Superintendent Denham - Fred Yule, Station Officer - Alan Keith, Julian Smith/Taxi driver - John Baker. First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 28th May 1957.

The Will

David Beaumont - David Spenser, Henrietta Vickers - Nan Kenway, Herbert Vickers - Douglas Young, Darryl - Will Leighton. First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 4th June 1957.

Act of Violence

Major Penfold - Ralph Truman, Robert Benson - Trevor Martin, Professor Stenberg - Martin Miller, Girl - Louise Gainsborough, Clerk of the Court - Will Leighton. First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 11th June 1957.

The Black Ruby

Guy Hampton - Norman Woodland, Sonia Hampton - Virginia Winter, Helen Reynolds - Louise Gainsborough, Bill Reynolds - Richard Bebb, Aubrey Green - Desmond Carrington, Airline captain/various - John Baker. First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 18th June 1957.

The Wedding Dress

Audrey Templeton - Sulwen Morgan, Evelyn Lambert - Mary Law, Edna Lambert - Olwen Brookes, Mrs Vezey - Peggy Thorpe-Bates, Commercial Traveller/Ames - Trevor Martin. First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 25th June 1957.

The Gambler

Mrs Ludlow - Harriet Johns, Mr Ellis - Desmond Carrington, Felix Grey - Jimmy Lavall, Simmons - Arthur Young, Man - Simon Lack, Girl - Beryl Calder. First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 2nd July 1957.

The Poisoned Air

Kurt Emmanuel - David Hurst, Bella Goodwyn - Maureen Riscoe, Mrs Atkins - Elsa Palmer, Hugo Russell - John Horsley, Sgt Hammond - Haydn Jones. First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 9th July 1957.

Mr X

Paula Maitland - Lana Morris, Nurse - Maureen Riscoe, Mr X - David Spenser, Mr Maitland - Simon Lack, Matron - Joan Sanderson, Inspector Hood - Fred Yule. First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 16th July 1957. Starring Cecil Parker as Dr Morelle and Sheila Sim as Miss Frayle.

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Historically Interesting

The lead character is difficult to like he’s arrogant and a sexist. Mysteries historically interesting because they reflect the times., But the characters for tonight. Furthermore, his approach is interesting because it uses Freudian psychoanalysis which is out of fashion today since Freud‘s ideas cannot be investigated using the scientific methods.
The female character Miss frayle is betrayed as a flighty, dumb dumb and is treated poorly by the doctor she works for. The story was written in the late 1940s and 50s and makes clear the subservient role of women.