Adventure Theater is a dramatic anthology series that aired on NBC from June 16, 1956, through September 1, 1956. The series was produced in England under the title Mayfair Mystery House in 1953, but was never broadcast there as a series.Terrace, Vincent (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2007 (Volume 1). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. . It was also known as Calling Scotland Yard.
Series structure Actor Paul Douglas was the program's host and introduced each of the two-act plays that composed the series. Each introduction involved a memento or souvenir that he had brought back from England. The story about the object led into that week's episode.
Production The series was developed as a syndicated half-hour mystery anthology for Paramount Television Productions. On March 16, 1953, Broadcasting Telecasting reported that Paramount had begun production in London on a new series of half-hour dramatic mystery films for television, produced by Edward J. and Harry Lee Danziger.
By June 1953 the series was titled Mayfair Mystery House and was being completed at the Riverside Studios in London. Variety reported on June 3, 1953, that eleven of the thirteen episodes were already filmed except for narrations, and that Paramount was seeking a U.S. film star "of the stature of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr." to provide introductions. The report noted the series was produced by the Danzigers with British casts, scripted by Hollywood writers including novelist Paul Tabori, and photographed by Jack Cox.
The original format was to be hosted by an unseen narrator billed as "Mr. X", as seen in surviving 16mm prints. On July 14, 1953, The Hollywood Reporter announced Paul Douglas had been signed to narrate and provide connecting footage for the series, replacing the Mr. X device. The report stated the Danzigers had completed thirteen episodes and were working on an additional thirty-six, with Douglas's linking material to be filmed in London.
United Kingdom theatrical release
The thirteen episodes were produced for American television at Riverside Studios in 1953, but were first exploited theatrically in the United Kingdom by Paramount Film Service Ltd, which repackaged the 27-minute films as British quota supporting shorts and as two compilation features to qualify for the Eady Levy.
On 30 July 1953 Kinematograph Weekly reported that Murder in Three Acts, made in Britain by Edward J. and Harry Lee Danziger, would be leased by Paramount and shown at the Plaza, Piccadilly Circus in early August, starring Kay Walsh, Howard Marion Crawford and Betty Ann Davies, introduced by Gilbert Harding and directed by Paul Dickson.
On 5 August 1953 Variety placed the release in a wider trend, noting that American telefilms made in London were being linked in threes to make full-length features that qualified as British quota and were entitled to the Eady Levy, then about 36% of the gross. The article noted that Paramount had followed the trend with the Danziger feature Murder in Three Acts.
The film was certified by the BBFC on 18 August 1953 under its original title. On 27 August 1953 Kinematograph Weekly announced Paramount had changed the title of Murder in Three Acts to Gilbert Harding Speaking of Murder.
The 76-minute (6,840 ft) feature premiered on 4 December 1953. Produced by Edward J. and Harry Lee Danziger, directed by Paul Dickson, photographed by Jack Cox, edited by Thelma Connell, with music by Edwin Astley and art direction by John Elphick, it comprises three stories introduced by Harding: "The Missing Passenger" (Kay Walsh, Betty Ann Davies, Patrick Barr), "Falstaff's Fur Coat" (Howard Marion Crawford) and "Thirty Days to Die" (Hubert Gregg, Laurence Naismith).
A second compilation, Tale of Three Women, was certified on 19 March 1954 (7,650 ft / 85 mins) and released on 14 June 1954. Produced by Edward J. and Harry Lee Danziger, directed by Paul Dickson and Thelma Connell, photographed by Jack Cox and James Wilson, with music by Edwin Astley and written by Paul Tabori, James Eastwood and George Mikes, it comprises "The Wedding Gift" (Hazel Court, Derek Bond, David Horne), "The Thief of London" (Jack Watling, Gene Anderson, Peter Gawthorne, Helene Cordet) and "The Final Twist" (Karel Stepanek, Catherine Finn, Philip Leaver).
Individual episodes were also released as 26-28 minute supporting shorts through Paramount Film Service Ltd: The Javanese Dagger – 28m – 4 November 1953 The Sable Scarf – 28m – 4 November 1953 Stranger on the Sea – 27m – 26 March 1954 The Wilful Widow – 27m – 2 April 1954 The Mystery of Pleasant Avenue (US: The Corpse of Pleasant Avenue) – 27m – 22 June 1954 The Man Who Stayed Alive – 26m 21s – 22 June 1954 Motive for Murder (US:The Ripper Strikes/The Marriage Trap) – 26m – 22 June 1954Paramount Film Service Ltd bookings list November 1953 - June 1954; BBFC entries 1953-1954
Between the two compilation features and the seven supporting shorts, all thirteen episodes filmed in 1953 received a UK cinema release.
Two of the shorts later received rare UK television screenings on Talking Pictures TV. The Man Who Stayed Alive was broadcast on 15 November 2025 at 09:00 and repeated on 17 April 2026 at 08:30,Talking Pictures TV EPG 15 Nov 2025 Thirty Days to Die was broadcast on 21 June 2026 at 19:30, billed as The Vise - 30 Days to Die and presented with The Vise opening and closing credits but retaining the Paul Douglas introduction.
United States theatrical release as Calling Scotland Yard The same thirteen films were acquired for the United States by Paramount Pictures Corp. and initially released as a series of theatrical short subjects under the title Calling Scotland Yard. Only six of the thirteen were given a US cinema release; the remaining seven were copyrighted separately as 16mm prints suitable for television.
Paramount announced on 3 February 1954 it had acquired six 30-minute detective films made independently in England for release in lieu of a conventional second feature, at a time when about 70% of American exhibitors still required double bills but found a two-hour feature plus a 65-minute second feature too long.
On 11 February 1954 distribution president A. W. Schwalberg announced a February to April schedule of six three-reelers billed as Calling Scotland Yard with Paul Douglas as narrator. On 17 February 1954 it was confirmed the pix would be under the one series title Calling Scotland Yard with Douglas as narrator, and that more would follow if the first six clicked.
The six released theatrically were: The Javanese Dagger The Missing Passenger Falstaff's Fur Coat The Final Twist The Sable Scarf Present for a Bride (Wedding Gift)
Paramount screened the first three on 19 March 1954. The trade reported each was a complete story with Douglas as narrator, and that exhibitors could book the series or select individual units. Asked about television because of the 27-minute length, short subjects sales manager Oscar Morgan denied TV plans.
Famous Players Canadian Corp. booked the six for all its theatres on 17 May 1954 as half of double bills or added attractions.
The remaining seven episodes were not released as 35mm theatrical shorts. They were copyrighted separately by Danziger Productions, Ltd. as 16mm prints suitable for television: The Corpse of Pleasant Avenue (The Mystery of Pleasant Avenue) The Wilful Widow The Thief of London The Ripper Strikes (The Marriage Trap / Motive for Murder) Strangers on the Sea (Stranger on the Sea) The Man Who Stayed Alive Thirty Days to Die
Network television broadcast as Adventure Theater After the experiment with six episodes as theatrical shorts by Paramount in the United States failed to 'click' with exhibitors, all thirteen films were repackaged for network television as a summer replacement for Your Hit Parade.
1956 NBC announcement On 5 June 1956 NBC Trade News announced:
Alternating sponsors were Warner-Lambert, Inc. for Richard Hudnut's Quick Home Permanents (starting June 16) through Kenyon and Eckhardt, Inc., and the American Tobacco Co. for Lucky Strike Cigarettes (starting June 23) through Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osborn, Inc.
1956 episodes
Your Hit Parade's hiatus left only twelve Saturdays between June 16 and September 1, so although thirteen films had been produced, NBC listed twelve titles:
Thirty Days to Die – June 16 Javanese Dagger – June 23 The Corpse of Pleasant Avenue (The Mystery of Pleasant Avenue) – June 30 Willful Widow (The Wilful Widow) – July 7 The Thief of London – July 14 Marriage Trap (The Marriage Trap / The Ripper Strikes) – July 21 The Sable Scarf – July 28 Strangers on the Sea (Stranger on the Sea) – Aug. 4 Falstaff's Fur Coat – Aug. 11 Present for the Bride – Aug. 18 [listed as Wedding Gift in 1957 newspaper listings] The Missing Passenger – Aug. 25 The Final Twist – Sept. 1
The thirteenth film, The Man Who Stayed Alive, was never broadcast.
1957 repeat run The series returned in 1957 with repeats of the original 12 episodes in a different order. In newspaper listings for 1957, the episode broadcast in 1956 as Present for the Bride is listed as Wedding Gift.
No contemporary publicity, titles or on-screen content for the NBC Adventure Theater run uses the Calling Scotland Yard name. The NBC announcement describes the series as "half-hour film features made in England and never before seen in this country".
No network broadcast of the series in the United States has been traced after the 1956 and 1957 runs.
Episodes Thirteen half-hour films were produced by Danziger Productions at Riverside Studios in 1953 as Mayfair Mystery House. All were released in the United Kingdom as supporting shorts. Six were released theatrically in the United States as 35mm shorts under the Calling Scotland Yard banner. The remaining seven were copyrighted as 16mm prints for television. Twelve were broadcast on NBC as Adventure Theater in 1956, and again in 1957.
References
External links
Adventure Theater at CTVA