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ELLERY QUEEN 1975-76  b a c k


This is the spoiler free page.  If you want to access the same pages with comments (spoilers included) by film critic Christopher J. Mulrooney click here

Ellery Queen (2)

In his article  "Confessions of a Mystery Writer" (William Link, 2002) Link says: "Thinking back, the Queen series was too complicated for its own good. I remember spending an entire afternoon with Dick trying to This photo was distributed by NBC Television in the fall of 1975 to promote the "Ellery Queen" series that lasted just one season. Jim Hutton played the famed detective. The original NBC caption sheet reads: DETECTIVE AT WORK -- Jim Hutton stars in the title role of "Ellery Queen," NBC Television Network's new suspense series about the exploits of one of America's favorite fictional detectives, to be colorcast Thursdays (9-10 p.m., NYT). Click for the TVue cover (October 26. 1975 ) based on this photo of Jim Hutton.figure how keys on a keychain would fall into what configuration in one's pocket when placed there." And also "Our failure with Ellery Queen was our template. We deliberately made the clues on Murder She Wrote easier to decipher, including a very guessable murderer now and then. Part of our psychology was to reward the focused viewers because they might then be motivated to return the following week. Another unexpressed reason was that it was far easier to come up with facile clues than sweating bullets over keys in a pocket. I remember we did solve the key problem, however. The upshot was that Murder She Wrote thrived for 12 seasons, Ellery Queen less than one."

Above right: This photo was distributed by NBC Television in the fall of 1975 to promote the Ellery Queen series that lasted just one season. Jim Hutton played the famed detective. The original NBC caption sheet reads: DETECTIVE AT WORK -- Jim Hutton stars in the title role of Ellery Queen, NBC Television Network's new suspense series about the exploits of one of America's favorite fictional detectives, to be colorcast Thursdays (9-10 p.m., NYT). Click for the TVue cover (October 26. 1975 ) based on this photo of Jim Hutton.

                   Ellery Queen moves to Sunday night bag and baggage starting January 4. Doing their bit in making the move are series stars Jim Hutton and David Wayne.
A
bove: Ellery Queen moves to Sunday night bag and baggage starting January 4. Doing their bit in  making the move are series stars Jim Hutton and David Wayne.

Part 2: 1976 Episodes


13* "The Adventure of the Black Falcon"

Airdate 1/4/76
Directed by Walter Doniger
Script: Marc B. Ray
With: Signe Hasso (Flora Schumann / Gretchen Schiller), Howard Duff (Eddie Morgan / Emile Morganstern), Tab Hunter (John Randall), Roddy McDowall ("The Amazing Armitage"), William Schallert (Alexander), Rosanna Huffman (Nancy McGuire), Lewis Charles (Nick Kingston / Harry Norman), Bob Basso

"I swear to you, Ellery, if he tries to bust open my case I'll detain him on his own lousy broadcast."

Pictured are David Wayne, Tab Hunter, Susan Stafford, Rosanna Huffman, William Schallert, Signe Hasso, John Hillerman and Jim Hutton during the episode "The Adventure Of The Black Falcon".Simon arrives at a restaurant where he will give a live-remote broadcast of his show and reveal his results of a murder investigation. The Queens arrive since the Inspector is concerned that Simon's expected revelations will undercut the official investigation. Before Simon can reveal his solution, a murder is committed in the restaurant. One of the owners is poisoned by a bottle of wine.

Above right: Pictured are David Wayne, Tab Hunter, Susan Stafford, Rosanna Huffman, William Schallert, Signe Hasso, John Hillerman and Jim Hutton during the episode "The Adventure Of The Black Falcon".
 

14* "The Adventure of the Sunday Punch"

Airdate 1/11/76
Directed by Seymour Robbie
With Robert Alda (Frank Anthony), Lloyd Nolan (Dr. Sanford), Terrence O'Connor (Melinda Sanford), Janet MacLachlan (Corrine Ogden), Dane Clark (Sam Hatter), Dick Bakalyan (Maddie O'Neill), Juanita Moore (Mrs. Douglas), Otis Young (Joe Adams) 

A prizefighter is killed while training for a Championship bout and when guilt points toward his sparring partner Joe Adams, Joe's girlfriend seeks out POISONED PUNCH -- Manager Sam Hatter (Dane Clark, l.) and Doc Hatter (Lloyd Nolan) vainly try to revive Kid Hogan (heavyweight boxer Jerry Quarry) after a sparring match, in "The Sunday Punch" on the NBC Television network colorcast Sunday, Jan. 11 (8-9 p.m. NYT) 1976. Ellery to prove his innocence. The autopsy discovers death due to poison, but who could have done it? Was it the fiancée that he abused? Her father, the fight doctor? The mobster who needed him to take a dive? His manager who was being muscled?


Above right: POISONED PUNCH -- Manager Sam Hatter (Dane Clark, l.) and Doc Hatter (Lloyd Nolan) vainly try to revive Kid Hogan (heavyweight boxer Jerry Quarry) after a sparring match, in "The Sunday Punch" on the NBC Television network colorcast Sunday, Jan. 11 (8-9 p.m. NYT) 1976.

15* "The Adventure of the Eccentric Engineer"

Airdate 1/18/76
Production: Richard Levinson, William Link, Peter S. Fisher and Michael Rhodes
Production: #43608 
Written by: Booker Bradshaw, David P. Lewis 
Directed by Peter H.Hunt
With: Ed McMahon (Lamont Franklin), Bobby Sherman (Doug Carmichael), Arthur Godfrey (Claude Sitwell), David Hedison (Roger Woods), Dorothy Malone (Carol Franklin), Ann Reinkin (Lorelei Farnsworth), Dick Van Patten (Billy Geeter), John Fujioka (Chinese Restaurant owner)

"Son, when it comes to women you'd better leave character analysis to your old man"

In tv drama debut -- Ed McMahon, of NBC-TV's "The Tonight Show" Starring Johnny Carson," plays a toy trainer enthusiast in his TV drama debut as "The Eccentric Engineer" on the NBC Television Network's "Ellery Queen" colorcast Sunday, Jan. 18 (8-9 p.m. NYT). (1/9/76).When a formerly brilliant, now seemingly senile inventor is murdered in his electric train workshop, the mystery is afoot. It seems no one could have come in or gone out during the period of time when the murder must have taken place. In order to gain admittance to the train room, one had to have a "ticket". This narrows the suspects down to the victim's family and his business associates.
Meanwhile, Ellery's being shadowed by a young woman who wants help with a love story she's writing and EQ can't seem to shake her. Eventually he wants anything BUT to shake her, as once again, Ellery shows the 'lady's man' side of his personality.

Inspector Queen listens to The Lone Ranger on the radio in this episode.

Above right: In TV drama debut -- Ed McMahon, of NBC-TV's The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, plays a toy trainer enthusiast in his TV drama debut as "The Eccentric Engineer" on the NBC Television Network's Ellery Queen colorcast Sunday, Jan. 18 (8-9 p.m. NYT). (1/9/76).

16* "The Adventure of the Wary Witness"

Airdate 1/25/76
Production: Richard Levinson, William Link, Peter S. Fisher and Michael Rhodes
Written by: Peter S. Fisher 
Directed by Walter Doniger
With: Cesar Romero (Armand Donello), Michael Parks (Terry Purvis), Tricia O'Neil (Yvonne Donello), Sal Mineo (Jimmy Donello), Richard Young (Dr. Kemp), Dick Sargent (D.A.Tom Calabrese), Sam Gilman (Juez ), Michael Constantine (Leo Campbell), Dwayne Hickman (Linville Hagen )

One of the more serious episodes of the series, and one of the best. Can Ellery help the accused murderer of mobster Dick Sargent (Tom Calabrese), Jim Hutton (Ellery Queen), Michael Constantine (Leo Campbell), Sam Gilman (The Judge)Nick Danello find a missing witness to  prove his innocence? Ellery feels obligated and more emotionally involved than in other cases, as the defendant is his old college buddy, Lin Hagen. But things don't seem to be adding up. The missing witness (a mysterious woman in a green dress) has left her fingerprints nowhere in the apartment. And her description could match most of the women in New York.
Along for the ride is ace reporter, Frank Flannigan, who works more closely than usual with Ellery (or "Junior" as he calls him) since he sees anyone like Nick, that rids the city of sleaze, as deservant of a medal. But he's chomping at the bit to get this story of the mysterious witness to the St. Patrick's Day Murder - who's contacted Ellery secretly - into the headlines. Sitting on a scoop is not easy for Flannigan.
Though names, details and clues are very different the main outline for this plot seems to be the short story "The Case against Carroll".

Guest star Sal Mineo was murdered on February 12, 1976, just 18 days after this episode first aired.

Above right: Dick Sargent (Tom Calabrese), Jim Hutton (Ellery Queen), Michael Constantine (Leo Campbell), Sam Gilman (The Judge).

17* "The Adventure of the Judas Tree"

Airdate 2/1/76
Directed by Walter Doniger
Teleplay by: Martin Roth, Peter S. Fisher

With: Dana Andrews (Lewis Marshall), Clu Gulager (Father Devlin / Capt. Thomas Horton), Diana Muldaur (Paulette Sherman), George Maharis (Dr. Tony Bender), Jack Kruschen (Gunther Starr), Ted Gehring (Bufford), Bill Dana (Salvatore Mercadonte), Michael Pataki (Albert Russo), James Shigeta (Stephen Yang), Nina Roman (Grace), Peter Hobbs (Doctor)

Ellery and his Dad investigate when wealthy industrialist and former war profiteer George Sherman is stabbed to death with a Chinese ceremonial Ellery Queen( Jim Hutton) considers Paula (Diana Muldaur) one of six suspects in the slaying of her wealthy husband  in "The Judas Tree" (NBC Photo)dagger and then dragged out of the house and hung from a tree. The tree is popularly known as a Judas tree, and a crown of flowers has been placed on his head. Six sets of fingerprints, and plenty of motive to go around, leave the Queens with much to sift through. And when they discover the victim was dying of acute lymphoma, and had only months left to live, the plot thickens.

Above right: Ellery Queen (Jim Hutton) considers Paula (Diana Muldaur) one of six suspects in the slaying of her wealthy husband in "The Judas Tree" (NBC Photo).

.

18* "The Adventure of the Sinister Scenario"

Airdate 2/8/76
Directed by Peter H.Hunt
With: Vincent Price (Michael Raynor), Troy Donahue (Gilbert Mallory), Paul Carr (Lt. Braden), Noah Beery Jr. (Lionel Briggs), Barbara Rush (Claire Mallory), James B. Sikking (Mike Hewitt), Karl Lukas (Sgt. Harris), Susan Damante (Pamela Courtney), Don DeFore (Dave Pierce), Jack Murdoch (Al Garvin), Paul Fix (Capt.Benjamin Blake)

"I didn't know...I finessed him, Dad."

An interesting concept: the Queens go to Hollywood to watch the filming of an adaptation of an Ellery Queen novel Gilbert Mallory (Troy Donahue) who'll be the "Ellery Queen" of the epicinto a movie. The good Inspector is just positive they'll be mixing with the glamorous Hollywood elite any moment now, but it never seems to happen. At the studio, they meet the fellow who will be playing Inspector Queen (Noah Beery Jr.), as well as the star, Gilbert Mallory (Troy Donahue), who'll be the "Ellery Queen" of the epic (right). Mallory is a real ass to everyone on the set, from fellow actors to director, and proves himself to be a philandering husband as well. So we aren't terribly shocked when he is murdered.

19"The Adventure of the Two-Faced Woman"

Airdate 2/29/76
Directed by Jack Arnold
With: Vera Miles (Celeste Wakefield), Joyce Brothers (Lillian McGraw), Theodore Bikel (Sergio Vargo), Woodrow Parfey (Dr. Saltzman), Edward Mulhare (Myles Prescott), Victor Buono (Dr. Friedland), James Andronica (Eddie Hummel), Alfred Ryder (Claude Gravette), Forrest Tucker (Clint McGraw), Ben Wright (Anton Luchek).

"Paperwork! Pretty soon you'll need a judge's permission to question a suspect."

DEADLY ART AUCTION -- Lillian McGraw (Dr. Joyce Brother, left), her husband, Clint (Forrest Tucker), and her cousin, Celeste (Vera Miles), attend an art auction where Lillian buys the portrait of a woman and soon after is slain in "The Two-Faced Woman" on NBC-TV's "Ellery Queen" color-cast, Feb.29 (8-9 P.M. NYT).While visiting Simon Brimmer's radio studios, Ellery gets a call telling him that socialite Lillian McGraw has been stabbed. Learning of this, Simon shares with Ellery the events of the day, during which he was present as Mrs. McGraw purchased three hundred and fifty thousand dollars worth of paintings at the Prescott Galleries. A price which enrages both her husband and the artist, she removes the signature revealing another painter's name and is killed. This affords the episode the luxury of a series of flashbacks, as told through Brimmer, where we get to know the murder victim a bit more than usual.

Above right: DEADLY ART AUCTION -- Lillian McGraw (Dr. Joyce Brother, left), her husband, Clint (Forrest Tucker), and her cousin, Celeste (Vera Miles), attend an art auction where Lillian buys the portrait of a woman and soon after is slain in "The Two-Faced Woman" on NBC-TV's Ellery Queen color-cast, Feb.29 (8-9 P.M. NYT).

20"The Adventure of the Tyrant of Tin Pan Alley"

Airdate 3/7/76
Directed by Seymour Robbie
With: Albert Salmi (Herbie Morrow), Polly Bergen (Dina Carroll-Wyner), Michael Callan (Gary Swift), Vince Howard (Charlie), Norman Fell (Errol Keyes), Brad David (Dan Murphy), Ken Berry (Paul Parker), Dori Brenner (Laura Schramm), Rudy Vallee (Alvin Winer), Renne Jarrett (Penny Carroll)

A popular songwriter is murdered during the musical interlude on a FLEETING SMILE -- Rudy Vallee, as top songwriter, is all smiles as he joins his wife (Polly Bergen) in what proves to be his final radio interview in "Ellery Queen" episode "The Tyrant of Tin Pan Alley".radio interview show, and Ellery tries to clear a friend who has just publicly accused the victim (a songwriter at a radio station) of stealing a hit tune from him.
Simon Brimmer - a bit pompous as always - appears once again as is usual in episodes with radio-themed storylines. The solution will be more obvious to veteran readers of Queen than it was to Simon. So it will be no surprise to fans when Ellery once again betters Mr. Brimmer.


Above right: FLEETING SMILE -- Rudy Vallee, as top songwriter, is all smiles as he joins his wife (Polly Bergen) in what proves to be his final radio interview in Ellery Queen episode "The Tyrant of Tin Pan Alley".

21"The Adventure of Caesar's Last Sleep"

Airdate 3/14/76
Directed by Richard Michaels
With: Stuart Whitman (Erwin Murphy), Michael V. Gazzo (Benny Franks), Timothy Carey (Jay Bonner), Bibi Besch (Edie Allen), Edward Albert (Lee Marx), Arch Johnson (Commissioner), Stanley Ralph (Ross Gabe), Kevin Tighe (Jim Millay), Jan Murray (Ralph Caesar).

A mobster who is to be the star witness for an ambitious prosecutor is killed. Trouble is, Inspector Queen's office was in charge of guarding the witness, who has yet to complete his testimony about organized crime. So the crusading prosecutor goes after IQ's scalp. Before you know it, the finger of suspicion points to Inspector Queen's right hand man, Sgt. Velie, whose Awaiting the momentary arrival of a mobster suspect are (from left) guest star Kevin Tighe and series stars Jim Hutton and David Wayne. Tighe star of the network's "Emergency!" series, appears here as Detective Jim Millay (NBC-photo).brother-in-law owns a restaurant that mobster Benny Franks frequents. When things get publicly hot Inspector Queen is told he's too old for the job and relies too much on his son. In fact, this time Dad spots the crucial clue (although it's clear Ellery sees it first) and gets to do the final "exposure of the killer" scene.

Above right: Awaiting the momentary arrival of a mobster suspect are (from left) guest star Kevin Tighe and series stars Jim Hutton and David Wayne. Tighe star of the network's Emergency! series, appears here as Detective Jim Millay (NBC-photo).

22"The Adventure of the Hard-Hearted Huckster"

Airdate 3/21/76
Script: Robert Swanson
Directed by Edward Abroms
With: Juliet Mills (Florence Ames), Eddie Bracken (Horace Manley), Bob Crane (Jerry Crabtree), Herb Edelman (Max Sheldon), Carolyn Jones (Rita Radcliffe), Fred Beir (James Bevin Long)

"The plot is too complicated Mr. Queen. Save it for one of your books"

Carolyn Jones (Rita Radcliffe) with David Wayne (Inspector Queen) in "The Adventure of The Hard-Hearted Huckster".James Bevin Long doesn't want his company, Quick Silver Tobacco, to get to much involved in this new medium: television. When Mr. Long makes one enemy too many he gets stabbed in the back, whilst taking his lunch alone in his office. Several people could have entered. The pizza delivery boy is seemingly the last to have heard Long alive. Ellery Queen is on the premises gathering some information for a new novel (Can cigars be hollowed out to make some kind of weapon, e.g. a blow gun?).
New York Gazette reporter Frank Flannigan is offered his own radio show, sponsored by Quick Silver Cigars, and that show soon after Long's murder, is revamped into a TV show (WPIQ-TV)
. Secretary Florence Ames almost gets killed when her vodka is spiked with barbiturates.
Inspector Queen is forced to appear on the Flannigan show but shows up late. When the only other guest is swept away by John Cameron Swayze, Ellery Queen appears live on TV in style and even delivers the murderer using the set for the Aunt Sarah's Cooking Tips!

Whilst exclaiming his hunch to invite Eisenhower (who he thinks is going to run for President asa democrat) Frank is informed by Quick Silver Tobacco (angered by Flannigan cigarette-smoking) that they'll trade Frank Flannigan for Ed Sullivan. Ellery and his dad head home to catch I Love a Mystery... on radio.
In the trivia department the New York Giants are mentioned. Ellery gets called "junior" and we see a ventriloquist. 

Above right: Carolyn Jones (Rita Radcliffe) with David Wayne (Inspector Queen) in "The Adventure of The Hard-Hearted Huckster".

23"The Adventure of the Disappearing Dagger"

Airdate 4/4/76
Producers: Peter S. Fischer and Michael Rhodes
Executive producers: Richard Levinson and William Link
Director: Jack Arnold
Teleplay by: Stephen Lord, Robert Van Scoyk, Peter S. Fisher
Story by: Stephen Lord
With:  Gary Burghoff (Jerry Hacker), Walter Pidgeon (Hamilton Drew), Mel Ferrer (Brandon Childs), Dana Wynter (Alyssa Childs), Ronny Cox (Buck Nolan), Michele Marsh (Norma Lee Burke), R.G. Armstrong (Sam Buffo)
, Tom Reese (Sgt. Velie), Tom Lacy (Ray Vogel), Tom Brown (the Broadcaster), Kristin Larkin (the assistant)

"I know exactly what I was doing five years ago. What?
Seven years!"

Dana Wynter and Mel Ferrer in a studio photo for NBC's "The Adventures of Ellery Queen".  Ferrer and Wynter, who portray husband and wife in this episode, had previously appeared together playing the romantic leads in the 1959 film "Fraulein".This time we match wits with Ellery and his father in the investigation of two murders. Upon returning from Wrightsville, where Ellery finished his book and Inspector Queen managed to catch one trout, they find a message from Hamilton Drew, a retired detective who left the force in 1938 at 65, and mentor of Richard. The night before Drew was setting a trap to uncover the true killer in a five-year-old homicide case. He ends up being murdered himself. Drew had invited all those who were on board "The Lady A",  the aircraft in which Stu Hendricks was murdered in 1942. Stu, president of a company, was also being blackmailed for stealing plans for the Madison Automatic rifle during WWII. Buck Nolan, the pilot, was charged with both murder and blackmail, but only the charges for blackmail stuck... Ellery finds that the key to the second murder lies in the solution to the first case. 

"
It's almost Inner Sanctum time. Don't you ever get inspired while the sun is shining?"

Some footage is shown of the troops in North Africa (El Alamein) and the Miss Boardwalk 1942 competition in Atlantic City. Inspector Queen's secretary is called Grace. Ellery gets some pointers from Marvin The  Magician and even gets a phone number (BG 0555) from a nude model named Wanda. There is a "Connecticut State Historical Society Marker" in view setting forth persons (Col. Nathan Shay), facts, and dates that don't seem to  relate to anything in the plot... an inside joke perhaps?


Above right: Dana Wynter and Mel Ferrer in a studio photo for NBC's The Adventures of Ellery Queen. Ferrer and Wynter, who portray husband and wife in this episode, had previously appeared together playing the romantic leads in the 1959 film Fraulein.

According to Fred Dannay the series drew as many as twenty million viewers per week. Unfortunately, the networks did not consider such numbers sufficient, and Ellery Queen was taken of the air after a single season.
After the final episode of the series aired, there were a number of scripts waiting to go - some of them quite excellent. Many were re-tooled and used in the short-lived NBC series called The Eddie Capra Mysteries starring Vincent Baggetta. The show tried to mix elements of Columbo with elements of Ellery Queen, but achieved neither as the star was totally miscast. Another one of Richard Levinson and William Link's creation: Columbothe unused scripts, and one of the best, "The Adventure of the Grand Old Lady" (in which a famous mystery writer dies and Ellery recalls a old case that the writer was personally involved in), was re-tooled and used as a Murder, She Wrote episode. The same writing team that created the Hutton-series was also responsible for the immensely popular Columbo, and in the first episode of that series, "Murder by the Book" (9/15/71) (directed by Steven Spielberg), they featured a world-famous mystery writer who murdered his collaborator in perfect crime fashion, only to be exposed by the shambling Lieutenant. It was no secret that the duo was based on Dannay and Lee (although the detective Mrs. Melville, as depicted in the teleplay, was clearly a Miss Marple-clone).



  
In September 2010 a DVD box set was
  released
with the complete pilot and an
  Ellery Queen featurette, with
  participation by series Co-Creator
  William Link (see left). David Lambert
  of tcshowsdvd provided this sneak
  preview.
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Part 1: 1975 episodes...

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References
(1) Ellery Queen on the Small Screen by Francis M.Nevins Jr.
     in The Armchair Detective volume 12, 1979
(2) Ellery Queen - the TV series

Page first published 2015
Last updated March 4, 2024

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