CTVA
The Classic TV Archive - UK
Filmed Drama Series
Stryker of
The Yard (1953-54)
Episode Guide
compiled by
The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by:
Alan Keeling, Phil Kendrick, D.W. McGregeor, David Moore
Julian Grainger, .Robin E. Cousins (ep #7 Sandra Dorne)
references:
Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
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STRYKER OF THE YARD a.k.a., "Stryker of Scotland Yard."
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Hollywood Television Service,
a division of Republic Pictures
Filmed at
Nettlefold Studios, Walton-on-Thames, England
"Republic" Executive Producer (from Hollywood) R.G. Springsteen (no credit)
Produced by William N. Boyle
Directed by Arthur Crabtree (1953) / John Krish (1954)
Writers: Kenneth Hayles, Patricia Latham, Guy Morgan, Lester Powell
Director of Photography: Basil Emmott
UK Police series
UK theatrical release 1953-54 13 episodes x 35 min bw
US syndication (NBC stations) 1957-58 13 episodes x 25 min bw
Starring
Clifford Evans as Chief Inspector Robert Stryker
with
George Woodbridge as Sergeant Sam Hawker
Host/Narrator:
Tom Fallon
Tom Fallon was an "ex-superintendent of Scotland Yard" and on at least one
episode ("The Case of Soho Red") was credited as 'technical adviser', with
'additional dialogue" and as narrator.
Premise/ Background:
This early 1950s (1953-54) crime series was originally made for cinema
showings and was distributed throughout the UK by British Lion Films. Even
so, it was shown on American television (NBC) around 1957 and cut down from
35 minutes to 25 minutes, also bearing the legend Hollywood Television Service
at the beginning of each episode. Incidentally, Hollywood Television Service
was a division of Republic Pictures, who were renowned for producing
B-movies, B-movie serials and such early 1950s television series as Stories of
the Century, Dr Fu-Manchu, Frontier Doctor, and so on.
13 episodes of Stryker of the Yard were first broadcast by ATV from 2nd
November 1961 to 25th January 1962, then occasionally between 1966 and 1972,
although Channel Television ran all 15 segments in 1972. By this time,
however, the series looked amusingly dated. The programmes had a similarity
to the Edgar Lustgarten Scotland Yard series (produced at the Merton Park
studios), with a comparable host (Tom Fallon) introducing each segment
and the narrator's voice at the end of each segment intoning: "And it
just goes to show that crime does not pay", once the villain of the piece
had been 'despatched'.
"We cannot bring you tonight's scheduled programme, so instead here is a
case from the files of Stryker of the Yard."
So said ATV Midlands announcer Mike Prince one winter's evening in 1966
during a local technicians' dispute.
"Stryker of the Yard" (1953
compilation film) (imdb)
"Companions in Crime" (1954
compilation film) (imdb)
############ Stryker of the Yard #############
################# 1953-54 ###################
##############################################
UK theatrical release 1953-54 13 episodes x 35 min bw
US tv syndication on NBC stations 1957-58 13 episodes x 25 min bw
[01] Stryker of the Yard: THE CASE OF THE STUDIO PAYROLL
(featured in the compilation film "Stryker of the Yard")
circa 1953
Directed by Arthur Crabtree
Starring: Clifford Evans, with: George Woodbridge
Guest Cast:
Jack Watling ......... Tony Ashworth
Susan Stephen ........ Peggy Sinclair
Cast also includes:
Hugh Latimer, Ronald Adam, Irene Handl, Glyn Houston, Walter Gotell,
Peter Swanwick, Ivan Craig, Sidney Vivian, Ben Williams, Frank Atkinson
[D.Moore]
Synopsis 1:
A bank clerk (Jack Watling) pockets money in a bank raid
hoping to turn the table on the thieves, who kidnap him before
he turns the tables.
An unpremeditated crime story.
Synopsis 2:
An unpremeditated crime on the part of a young man who takes £10,000.
[D.Moore]
[02] Stryker of the Yard: THE CASE OF UNCLE HENRY
(featured in the compilation film "Stryker of the Yard")
circa 1953
(30Dec61 Tyne-Tees, Saturday 7:15pm)
Directed by Arthur Crabtree
Starring: Clifford Evans, with: George Woodbridge
Guest Cast:
Eliot Makeham .........Uncle Henry Petheridge
Edwin Richfield ....... Man at Races
Colin Campbell ........ Boy at Youth Club
Cast also includes:
Dorothy Bramhall, Christina Forrest, Jack Stewart, Desmond Llewelyn,
John Warren, Michael McKeag, Ian Fleming, Alfred Maron, John Salew,
Brenda Hogan, Basil Appleby, Patrick Jordan, Gaylord Cavallaro.
[D.Moore]
Synopsis #1:
A pensioner is found guilty of forging five pound notes on a
small printing press.
Synopsis #2:
A forger (Eliot Makeham) who distributes fake fivers to those most
in need, is dealt with leniently by the law.
Synopsis #3:
Every once in a while Scotland Yard is called in to investigate
a case which does not bear the customary tade-mark of villainy
or violence. The case of Uncle Henry is one such case.
Synopsis #4:
Story of an old man whose good heart leads him to steal cash to help
others. [D.Moore]
[03] Stryker of the Yard: THE CASE OF CANARY JONES
circa 1953
Directed by Arthur Crabtree
Starring: Clifford Evans, with: George Woodbridge
Synopsis:
When nightclub singer Canary Jones is found dead in her apartment
Stryker has three suspects.
[04] Stryker of the Yard: THE CASE OF GRACIE BUDD
circa 1953
Directed by Arthur Crabtree
Starring: Clifford Evans, with: George Woodbridge
Synopsis:
Blond, petite, and a typical juvenile Gracie's parents were killed
during ther war, so the lure of easy money leads here into bad
company.
[05] Stryker of the Yard:
THE CASE OF SOHO RED (33 min. original running time)
(a.k.a. "The Case of the Marriage Bureau")
(c) 1953 UK release February 1954
Republic British
Associate Producer: William N. Boyle
Screenplay by Lester Powell
Directed by Arthur Crabtree
Photographed by Basil Emmott
Music by Lambert Williamson
Starring: Clifford Evans, with: George Woodbridge
Guest Cast:
Sebastian Cabot .......... Lorenzo Kataro
Tim Turner ............. Red Kelly
Ann Gudrun (a.k.a Gudrun Ure) ..... Kathleen O'Hara
Esma Cannon ........... Miss Drysdale
Denis Shaw ............ Skeets
John Welsh ............ Jed
Basil Cunard .......... Head Porter
Jacques Brown ......... Toni
Thorpe Devereux ....... Police Surgeon
Melvyn Hayes .......... Page Boy
Synopsis:
Kathy O'Hara, a beautiful orphaned Irish girl, answers an
advertisement in a local paper by the Kataro Marriage Bureau, London.
When Kataro reads her letter offering complete financial details,
he immediately embarks on an evil plan.
[06] Stryker of the Yard:
THE CASE OF THE BURNT ALIBI (34 min. orig. running time)
(c) 1953 UK release February 1954
Republic British
Associate Producer: William N. Boyle
Screenplay by Lester Powell
Directed by Arthur Crabtree
Photographed by Basil Emmott
Music by Lambert Williamson
Starring: Clifford Evans, with: George Woodbridge
Guest Cast:
John Chandos ......... Stanley Hyde
Avis Scott ........... Mary Hyde
Diana Beaumont ....... Violetta La Verne
Diana Calderwood ..... Rosie
Joss Ambler .......... George Barlow
Russell Napier ....... McBride
Martin Wyldeck ....... Detective-Inspector Welsh
Synopsis 1:
A body is found in a burnt out barn. The victim has made no attempt
to escape and the fire seemed too severe to be the result of an
ordinary accident. Inspector Stryker takes over the case.
Synopsis 2:
A travelling salesman tries to bury his past and start afresh by
switching his identity with an unknown man whom he has deliberately
burned to death. Based on a real-life 1930's murder case.
[07] Stryker of the Yard: THE CASE OF THE EXPRESS DELIVERY -
circa 1953
(21Jan62 ATV London/Anglia TV UK, Sunday 10:35pm)
Directed by Arthur Crabtree
Starring: Clifford Evans, with: George Woodbridge
Guest Cast:
Sandra Dorne ............ Eileen Brent
Synopsis:
Wally Ross, a presentable young man, is content with a steady
garage job, until he falls in love with Eileen Brent, a
beautiful blonde.
[08] Stryker of the Yard: THE CASE OF THE BLACK FALCON
(featured in the compilation film "Companions in Crime")
circa 1954
(3Dec61 ATV London, Sunday 10:35 pm)
Directed by John Krish
Starring: Clifford Evans, with: George Woodbridge
Guest Cast:
Dorothy Alison .......... Sheila Marsden
Tim Turner .............. Philip Marsden
Eliot Makeham ........... Councillor Sandford
Cast also includes:
David Perrin, Guy Deghy, Philo Hauser. [D. Moore]
Synopsis 1:
Marsden, who is in financial difficulties, hires his boat out for
illiegal purposes, but soon finds he is a hunted man suspected of
murder.
Synopsis 2:
Stryker defeats a plot to smuggle in a cargo of diamonds from the
continent. [D. Moore]
[09] Stryker of the Yard:
THE CASE OF THE BOGUS COUNT (a.k.a. "The Case of the Last
Dance")
circa 1954
Directed by John Krish
Starring: Clifford Evans, with: George Woodbridge
Guest Cast:
Kenneth Haigh
Anthony Newley
Synopsis:
Singer Gerry Barnes gets a job at a night club owned by Count Kudos.
Gerry doesn not know that Kudos is an ex-convict and is watched by
the police.
[10] Stryker of the Yard: THE CASE OF THE TWO BROTHERS
(featured in the compilation film "Companions in Crime")
circa 1954
Directed by John Krish
Starring: Clifford Evans, with: George Woodbridge
Guest Cast:
Kenneth Haigh ........... John Kendall
Maurice Kaufmann ........ Arnold Kendall
Christine Silver ........ Mrs Kendall
Cast also includes:
Gaylord Cavallaro, Ian Fleming, Jack Lambert, Fred Griffiths, Russell Napier, Billie
Whitelaw,
Christine Silver, Patrick Jordan, Gillian Lutyens, Cyril Chamberlain.
[D. Moore]
Synopsis 1:
John Kendall is framed for the murder of his employer and sentenced
to 10 years imprisonment. He escapes and returns to bring the killer
to justice.
Synopsis 2:
John and Martha are planning to marry and would find some extra
money a great help. But when at the suggestion of his brother, John
is hired by the Cantrell Haulage Company as a truck driver, he is
unaware of the events to follow in this seemingly straightforward
job.
(23June62 Tyne-Tees UK, Sat 10:55pm)
Synopsis 3:
One brother frames another for a murder. [D. Moore]
[11] Stryker of the Yard: THE CASE OF DIAMOND ANNIE
circa 1954
Directed by John Krish
(3Dec68 Scottish TV Tuesday 11:50pm)
Starring: Clifford Evans, with: George Woodbridge
Guest Cast:
Marjorie Rhodes ........ Diamond Annie
Cast also includes:
Harold Lang, Vida Hope, Thea Gregory, Denis Shaw,
Peter Swanwick, Ivan Craig, Alastair Hunter, Hugh Moxey, Graham Ashley,
Clemency Davis, Linda King, Denis Harkin, Alfred Maron. [D.Moore]
Synopsis 1:
Detective Inspector Stryker and his assistant Sergeant Hawker
are assigned a jewel robbery to investigate. They decide to begin
by visiting Diamond Annie who runs an East End junk shop
of London.
Synopsis 2:
Stryker smashes a stealing and receiving gang. [D.Moore]
[12] Stryker of the Yard: THE CASE OF THE PEARL PAYROLL
circa 1954
Directed by John Krish
Starring: Clifford Evans, with: George Woodbridge
Synopsis:
Tom Grogan, a security officer for the "Pearl Payroll Company" comes
under suspicion, when the wages he is guarding, are snatched, while
he makes a mysterious phone call.
[13] Stryker of the Yard: THE CASE OF THE SECOND SHOT
circa 1954
Directed by John Krish
Starring: Clifford Evans, with: George Woodbridge
Guest Cast:
Irene Handl
Synopsis:
Joe Moss turns to crime to obtain money for his desperately ill
wife. But on his first job he attacks a nightwatchman and leaves
him for dead.
############ Stryker of the Yard #############
############ (1953 compilation film)#########
##############################################
Two Compilation Films were made for UK Theatrical Release
Each comprising of two episodes.
[Compilation Film #1] STRYKER OF THE YARD (1953)(67 min)
Written by Guy Morgan, Lester Powell
Directed by Arthur Crabtree
Starring:
Clifford Evans (Chief Inspector Robert Stryker)
George Woodbridge (Sergeant Hawker)
two episodes featured are:-
"The Story of the Studio Payroll" (see ep. #1 for cast)
"The Case of Uncle Henry" (see ep. #2 for cast)
############# Companion in Crime #############
########### (1954 compilation film)###########
##############################################
[Compilation Film #2 ] COMPANIONS IN CRIME (1954)(70 min)
Produced by William N. Boyle
Written by Kenneth R. Hayles, Patricia Lathan, Lester Powell
Directed by John Krish
Starring:
Clifford Evans (Chief Inspector Robert Stryker)
George Woodbridge (Sergeant Hawker)
two episodes featured are:
"The Case of the Two Brothers" (see ep. #10 for cast)
"The Case of the Black Falcon" (see ep. #8 for cast)
=================
The two feature films mentioned above could possibly turn up on a
pre-recorded videotape or on broadcast television, so as
Shaw Taylor used to say on ATV's "Police 5", "Keep 'em peeled", and
remember what the man said, "It just goes to show that crime doesn't pay."
############ Stryker of the Yard #############
################# the end ##################
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